One Month Mine Safety Campaign Started in the Entire State

• 24 Jan 2023

Why In News?

On January 23, 2023, Rajasthan Mines and Gopalan Minister Pramod Jain Bhaya informed that the mines department of the state has started a mine safety campaign in the entire state from January 23.

Key points

• Mines and Gopalan Minister Pramod Jain Bhaya said that during the campaign, at least 15 mining leases / 30 quarry license areas carrying out mineral mining / production will be inspected by the zone, circle, block, subdivision officers as well as vigilance officers of the department and ensure compliance of mining safety rules and provisions.
• He said that other officers of the department will also have to visit at least five mining licensees and inspect them.
• ACS Mines Subodh Agarwal said that on the instructions of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, emphasis was laid on taking steps to ensure compliance of necessary provisions for safe mining. For this, a month-long campaign has been started by the department from January 23 to February 22.
• He said that necessary provisions regarding safe mining are available in various sections of the Mines Act 1952 along with the Rajasthan Prime Mineral Concession Rules, 2017 (RMMCR), Mines Conservation and Development Rules, 2017 (MCDR) and Metallurgical Mines Regulation 1961 (MMR).
• Dr. Subodh Agarwal said that during the campaign, compliance of the provisions issued by the Environment Department in the consent to operate and environment clearance issued by the Environment Department for mining lease and quarry license areas, safety provisions issued for the protection of the environment and health of miners will be ensured.
• He informed that the Rajasthan Prime Mineral Concession Rules, 2017 have a provision to conduct mining activities keeping in mind the health standards of miners in a safe and scientific manner as per rules. According to the Mines Act, keeping in mind the interests of miners, it is necessary to have the availability of drinking water system, toilets, medical equipment etc.
• Apart from this, qualified person is required to be employed for environmental protection, demarcation of mining area, supervision of mining activities. In case of non-compliance of safety standards, necessary action can be taken by stopping mining activities.
• ACS Mines said that under MCDR, there is a provision to conduct mining activities keeping in mind the scientific conservation and environmental protection during mining operations. During the campaign, along with their compliance, recharge of abandoned mines and adherence to mines closure plan will be inspected.
• Along with this, overburden or waste etc. of the mines will also be kept in the designated place and adherence to the back filling provisions will also be seen.
• Dr. Agarwal said that MMR, 1961, has necessary guidelines regarding the use of benches, height, width, side slope angle, deep hole blasting and heavy machinery of open cast mines so that mining can be done in a safe and scientific manner.