The Hindu : National : Ansari for improving safety inspections in mines

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Ansari for improving safety inspections in mines

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Vice President Hamid Ansari on Friday expressed concern over the less frequent safety inspections in mines and wanted correction in the situation at the earliest by recruiting people with requisite talents.

Presenting the National Safety Awards (Mines) for the year 2007, he said, it was a matter of concern that the total number of inspections carried out by the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) had gone down by nearly a third — from 9,942 inspections in 1991 to 7041 in 2006. “We must endeavour to correct the situation at the earliest and empower the regulator for mine safety to recruit requisite talents.”

The Indian mining industry had achieved phenomenal progress in production and productivity, accidents in the mining sector were also, sadly, a fact of life.

While the risk of hazard could not be eliminated from mining activity, the consistent efforts since Independence had been to ensure the safety, welfare and the health of workers of mines by minimising the hazards through all available technological means.

The death rate and serious injury rate per thousand persons had increased during this decade. This needed to be addressed with alacrity.

Union Labour and Employment Minister Mallikarjun Kharge underlined the urgent need for formulation and implementation of a comprehensive mechanism for occupational health surveillance in mines.

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