Departmentally Related Standing Committee on Labour Invites Suggestions on ‘the Mines (Amendment) Bill, 2011’
PRESS COMMUNIQUE
Hon’ble Speaker, Lok Sabha has referred ‘The Mines (Amendment) Bill, 2011’ as introduced in Rajya Sabha to the Standing Committee on Labour for examination and Report. Considering the wider implications of the proposed amendment and the deeper concern of safety and security of mine workers, the Standing Committee on Labour under the Chairmanship of Shri Hemanand Biswal, MP have decided to invite suggestions/comments/views from the public in general and from stakeholders like employees’/employers group, State Governments/Union Territory administration etc. in particular.
All those who are interested in submitting written memoranda/suggestions to the Committee may send two copies thereof either in English or in Hindi to JOINT SECRETARY (DS), LOK SABHA SECRETARIAT, ROOM NO. 414, PARLIAMENT HOUSE ANNEXE, NEW DELHI-110001, TEL.NO. 23034414, FAX NO. 23792726, within 20 days from the date of publication of this advertisement.
The memoranda/suggestions submitted to the Committee would form part of the records of the Committee and would be treated ‘confidential’ and enjoy privileges of the Committee.
Those who wish to appear before the Committee, besides submitting memoranda, are requested to specifically indicate so. However, the committee’s decision in this regard shall be final.
Lok Sabha Secretariate, (Standing Committee on Labour Branch), New Delhi
Press Information Bureau,
Government of India,
June 10, 2011
The penalty rate according to The Mines(Amendment)Bill-2011 is very high & rigid. As the Mining Engineers are working against nature & in hazardous conditions the bill may be reviewed.
The proposed Mines (Amendment ) Bill 2011 for Mines act 1952 is very harsh and punitive nature .The mining engineers are always working against the nature and there is every possibilities of any untoward accident and incident. Mining operation is very uncertain depending upon the local geological conditions and so for no adequate technological development have been done to assess the nature of roof condition and other geological disturbances.
The section to be amended from 63 to 79A should be reviewed. to save the mining industries and operating managers and mining Engineers.
We the members of INMOSA feel this amendment of act will really be beneficial, but we the front line supervisors will be always made responsible for all mines accident. Mines has always been a Hazardous place and in-spite of all safety measures and precautions accident occurs. We work in a Hazardous field and against nature. In-spite of all these risk factors always stay abide with us. Mostly we have observed that maximum accidents occur due to the negligence of the self person.
The penalty rate according to the ammendment-bill is very high and rigid and in such cases we the front-line supervisors will be always made responsible for all accident. There is always an indirect pressure of production target on us. Fixation of extra and beyond limit of production capacity of a mine has always been reasons of mines accident. Improper planning and to reach beyond limits of extraction of deposits lays a foot step for such accidents.
We the Minning Sirdars/Overman/Foreman/supervisors suggest that the penalty rate should not be so rigid and we should have the powers to safeguard our rights and responsibilities.
I am a mining engineer and mine manager and chose to work in coal mining arena in Indian Coalfields for some 37 years in the Nationalised Coal Sector.
After graduating from the Indian Scool of mines and Applied Geology,Dhanbad, in 1960,I preferred to join the State owned National Coal Development Corporation Ltd and worked in various capacities in the mines of Bihar,Madhya Pradesh and also at the holding Company Coal India Ltd(HQ) at Kolkata.My charge in the last several years before retirement in 1997 was Mines Safety and Rescue Services all over CIL owned mines of India.
Being a witness to Nationalisation of privately owned coal mines in 1973 and 1975 and taking active part in its implementation(Late Mohan Kumaramangalam,the then Coal Minister, visited my group of mines in 1975 two weeks before the aircrash),I saw how with strong conviction the Indira Gandhi-led Govt of India implemented the main objectives of the Nationalisation;-(1)systematic exploitation of coal deposits to meet the needs of the industries(2)Improve the lot of labour /workers and other employees by ensuring proper wages,providing welfare amenities including housing,medical services,education of children,provident fund/pension etc…in addition to SAFETY of WORKMEN.
The Govt also regulated the price of coal although it entailed losses in operation of some mines.As a result the cost of downstream products like power,iron and steel,Rly freight,fertiliser etc were kept under control.
From 2000AD(?) onwards the Govt decided to allow private sector to open and operate mines.Simultaneously ,many important provisions of the ABOLITION OF CONTRACT Act in coal mines were officially relaxed/pursosefully overlooked to help the pvt operators.One of the reasons for reversing the NATIONALISATION order was perhaps the Goverments’ inability to provide funds for opening new mines.
As a result,the workers engaged by most of the contractors are not only deprived from legitimate wages and welfare services,THE SAFETY OF THEIR LIVES is not being taken proper care of .Accident/death due to accidents are not being recorded properly and enforcing authorities are not being informed abt such accidents and injuries to workmen.These practices are saving a lot of money for pvt operators etc.
On the otherhand,production from Natioalised sector is failing to meet the burgeoning demand for coal in the country resulting in imports at higher landed cost.With increasing cost of coal there is increase of most of consumer products and the common man is suffering.Even if the Govt suffers a loss in running more coal mines with price of coal controlled,while meeting the demands, the benefits accruing downstream,of which the people are the beneficiaries,will more than offset the subsidies/grants the Govt may have to offer to the Nationalised coal sector.
Plus, large number of people get employment in the mines to raise the additional production of coal.,providing support to the sector in the form of machinery,explosives,building materials ,transport ,construction of roads etc.
With about fifty percent of India’s present population below the age of 30 yrs,the golden oppurtunity to utilise this young generation,everyone of them, for enhancing india’s industrial production,including minerals,should not be frittered away by amending legislation to help a few of the rich and reversing the social objectives for upliftment of the the poor.
K.B.Goswami.Central Park.Jadavpur.Kolkata. JULY 2011.
SUBJECT;MINES(amendment)BILL 2011.