10 dead in Odisha coal mine mishap
The Statesman
11 Aug 2013
SUNDERGARH, 10 AUG: At least ten persons were killed and many injured when a coal dump of Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) caved in near an open cast mine in Odisha's Basundh-ara-Garjanbahal (BG) area today.
"Bodies of ten persons have so far been recovered and five persons rescued from the site," an MCL spokesman said.
The dumping yard caved in due to heavy rains over the past couple of days. It is believed that at least 20-25 people were present on the spot when the accident occurred.
MCL sources said those killed were not engaged by the company and that the company had repeatedly warned people to stay away from the site.Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik ordered an administrative probe into the accident and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for each of the deceased. The District collector, the Superintendent of Police and other senior officers were camping at the spot, monitoring rescue operations.
Many residents of the BG area are engaged in scavenging coal from the dumping yard, putting their lives at risk. The dump, which belongs to Kundla open cast mines, contains nothing but the top soil, with a small amount of inferior coal.
A villager said everyday, over 150-200 locals converge on the heap and extract coal, often in connivance with those in charge of guarding it. He said a tragedy like today's was `waiting to happen'. The area is located at a distance of 60 km from Sundergarh.
"Yesterday, it rained heavily in the area and water had seeped into the stakes, that caused the accident," observed official sources who were engaged in rescue operations.
When asked whether the area is properly fenced and what action MCL takes to not let people enter the prohibited area, a senior officer of the company said, "We have our own security and they chase miscreants away, but people continue to sneak in despite all measures."
Local MLA Y K Singh blamed MCL for the accident.
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Directorate General of Mines Safety, Ministry of Labour & Employment, Govt. of India
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