The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : SCCL output from underground mines up by 11 per cent

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Monday, May 12, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

SCCL output from underground mines up by 11 per cent

Staff Reporter

Workshop on safety, productivity and conservation conducted

Mechanization requires extra vigilance, says official
Future of the collieries is in underground mining

KOTHAGUDEM: The Singareni Collieries Company (SCCL) witnessed 11 per cent growth in the underground production of coal this year, according to SCCL Chairman and Managing Director S. Narsing Rao. Addressing a workshop on safety, productivity and conservation – issues on underground mechanized coal mining on Sunday, he said the output per man shift (OMS) was also up proportionately.

The company had planned to realize an annual coal production of 20 to 22 million tons from the underground mines during the 12th Five Year Plan. The future OMS was also projected to be around 2 tons from the underground mines. He said that the theme of the workshop was of greater relevance to the company. Minerals are normally underground and they have to be extracted adopting suitable technology.

He commended the efforts put in by the coal mines officers association of India, SCCL branch, for their professional initiative that made the workshop possible. He felt that such sessions meant for exchange of views would add to the experience. He said that the company had paid due attention to the issues related to safety, productivity and conservation.

S. J. Sibal, Deputy Director General of Mines Safety, south zone, said in his address that mechanization would require extra vigilance and slightest indication of the breach in safety norms would call for immediate steps for rectification. The continuous miner technology and Longwall had proved to be successful technologies world over and failure at some times could not be concluded that the technology was a failure.

He said that the improvement in safety experienced during the past 30 years was a reality. He said he had concentrated on mechanization of the mining operation in the coal town. It helped in avoiding crowding of the workmen and helped reduce accidents.

He said the experiences gained in the last five years had figured as the main issues in the 10th safety conference which ultimately would become recommendations for phasing out manual loading.

SCCL Director (Operations) J.V.Dattatreyulu said in his address that the future of the Singareni Collieries was in underground mining. The company was planning to achieve over a production of more then 13 million tons from underground mining from this year. He said the side discharge loaders and load haul dumpers were being introduced where ever possible while continuing hand section in other sections.

The deputy director general of mines safety was reluctant to give permission for the districts working by hand section despite possibility for semi mechanization.

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