Govt to phase out manual mine equipment

In a bid to make underground coal mines safe as well as efficient, the government plans to phase out manual equipment within a year.

The decision was taken at the 30th meeting of the standing committee on safety of coal mines today. "This will help in efficient mining and ensure safety of labourers," a government official said.

Dasari Narayana Rao, minister of state for coal and the chairman of the committee, urged Coal India Ltd (CIL) and private companies to adopt the concept of "zero harm" in coal mining and ensure good safety systems and practices for those working in mines.

Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) will evolve fresh guidelines for risk assessment of all 560 mines of CIL within three months .

At the meeting, all coal companies were asked to fill up the vacant positions by December 2007. At present, CIL has a shortfall of 2,500 staff in the executive category and 1,600 in the non-executive category, including surveyors, mining engineers, electrical and mechanical engineers and welfare officers.

Other members of the committee include Coal Secretary HC Gupta, chief executive officers of private/public sector coal companies and representatives of major trade unions.