Betul coal mine collapse puts scanner on mining accidents in MP

BHOPAL: A day after three women and a minor girl died when coal debris in a closed coal mine caved in in Madhya Pradesh’s Betul district on Sunday, the district collector wrote a letter to Western Coalfields Ltd (WCL), asking them to look into safety issues.

Betul collector Shashank Mishra said he had urged WCL to look into possible safety issues. “As they are experts, I wrote to them to look into safety matters and see what can be done to ensure people don’t indulge in illegal extraction and endanger their lives,” he said.

On Sunday, some local women in Betul were extracting coal illegally from a closed Satpuda 2 mine of WCL when it caved in, leading to the death of three women and an 11-year-old girl.

The incident has once again put the spotlight on safety aspects related to mining, reclamation of mining areas and people indulging in illegal mining in dangerous areas.

In 2012, six people were killed when an illegal coal mine caved in at Bargawan area in Singrauli district.

The National Green Tribunal, too, has expressed concern over unfenced mines in the past. In 2016, NGT heard a petition by Rakesh Chaturvedi who had alleged that due to failure to put in place a closure plan of the coal mines allotted to South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) in Umaria district, land in the vicinity and above the underground coal mines was caving in.

Last year also, expressing concern over deaths in unfenced mines, NGT directed the chief secretary to issue clear directions to principal secretary (mines) and district collectors to carry out inspection of all existing mines and ensure their fencing.

Over the last few years, the pits left after mining have claimed several lives in the state. Uday A Kaole, general manager WCL Pathakhera Betul, said: “We have instituted an inquiry. We are greatly pained about the tragic loss of life and will take all possible initiatives to enhance security in the closed mine premises.”