Date | Jan 03, 2017:

Initial reports by the five-member enquiry committee, constituted by Director General of Mines Safety (DGMS), to probe into the Lalmatia mines accident, has said that it was a case of absolute negligence by Eastern Coalfields Limited and despite several warnings and indicatives, mining process was resumed resulting into the accident claiming at least 18 lives so far.

“As per initial reports gathered from the site by the inquiry committee, it appears to be a sheer case of negligence on the part of Eastern Coalfields Limited and Mahalaxmi Company as no adequate measures were taken to ensure the security of the workers,” said DGMS Rahul Guha. Despite several indicatives and warnings, the mining process was resumed on the site, he added.

The mining operation, which forms a part of the Eastern Coalfields Limited’s Rajmahal Opencast Project, was outsourced to Mahalaxmi Company. Mining process reportedly, was resumed barely three days before the accident took place.

“Although, it will take at least a month’s time for the report to come, the mining process, however, has been put on hold. Anything could be said only after the final report reaches to us,” said the DGMS.

Guha added that the five-member panel will examine the cause of the accident, human failure, if any, whether the accident could have been avoided by taking identified corrective measures.

“The panel will also examine measures that can be taken to avoid recurrence of such accidents in the future in Rajmahal OCP and other open cast mines of CIL with similar workings,” Guha said.

Meanwhile, rescue operations are going on round the clock and 18 bodies have so far been recovered so far.

“A total of 18 bodies have been recovered so far from the mining site while the rescue operations are still being conducted round the clock,” said Godda SP Hari Lal Chauhan. “An FIR has been lodged against the Mining Manager of ECL, officials of Mahalaxmi Company and several others,” he added. Several people were trapped inside the Bhodai opencast coal mines at Rajmahal area of Eastern Coalfields Ltd (ECL) in Godda district after a huge pile of Over Burden (OB) dump collapsed on Thursday last.

Officials said that a large heap of OB dump caved in at the entry point of the coal mine at around 7:30 pm when approximately 40 mining workers were on the site. Locals also claimed that there was a crack in the heap of mud which collapsed and blocked the entry point of the mine. Mining activities were started here merely three days back which DGMS early report nails ECL, Mahalaxmi was kept on hold for the last six months after cracks were spotted in the area, they added.

Teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are working hard round the clock to trace out the bodies of the remaining workers.

“As many as five teams of NDRF from Patna have also been roped in along with the team of local administration to assist the ECL,” said Godda DC Arvind Kumar.

(Source: http://www.dailypioneer.com/)

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(Source: http://www.thehindu.com/)