EIACP (PC-RP) on Environmental Problems of Mining

Majri Colliery

Flood water of Wardha River had overflowed its banks and entered the underground workings through a “pothole” subsidence which occurred in flooded low-lying ground. The depth on cover at the place of subsidence was only 12 to 13 m.

Due to heavy rains, the Wardha River was in spate for a number of days and flood water overflowed its banks, submerging large areas of the country-side. Some water had accumulated in the low lying areas over the workings of the mine. About 1.5 m of water had stood at the place on the 3rd, 4th and 5th August but nothing untoward had happened until the subsidence occurred on 5th August at about 5.30 p.m. The mine was completely filled up by 8.30 p.m. About 3, 30,000 m3 of water had flowed into the mine in 3 hours.

The cavity through which water entered the mine could not have been very large in the beginning as the vortex formed at the surface was only a few inches in diameter. The depth of water at the place of occurrence was only 1.5 m and the place was easily approachable. It did not occur to anybody to try to fill up the cavity by throwing tubs, steel sheets, logs of wood, etc. into it. Had this been done, the rate of flow of water would have reduced and a few more persons could possibly have escaped.