Union minister for labour and employment Mallikarjun Kharge said on Monday that 32 amendments would be made in the National Mines Act, 1952, to ensure better safety, health and welfare of mine workers in the country.
Union minister for labour and employment Mallikarjun Kharge said on Monday that 32 amendments would be made in the National Mines Act, 1952, to ensure better safety, health and welfare of mine workers in the country.
Speaking at the inauguration of southern zonal office of the directorate general of mines safety, Kharge said the amendment Bill had already been tabled in the Rajya Sabha. After being passed in the upper house, it would go to the standing committee for approval.
“Thirty two amendments are being brought into the National Mines Act, 1952. This will benefit not only mining workers, but also the industry at large,” Kharge said, adding that the amendments were long pending. He said he would ensure that safety standards are not compromised in mines.
Kharge said that among the amendments proposed were the imposition of heavy fines and increased terms of imprisonment to those found violating norms, including mine owners, directors, contractors and even agents.
“Take the Bhopal gas tragedy. We took a long time to identify the culprits, and an even longer time to book them and disburse compensation to victims. By bringing in amendments to the Act, the fines would be increased from ¤1,000 to ¤1lakh and from ¤5,000 to ¤5 lakh, depending on the nature of the violation. Similarly, the imprisonment term will also be increased. Earlier, if a violator was awarded one month imprisonment, it could now be extended to a year,” Karge said.
Apart from bringing amendments to the National Mines Act, 1952, the government is also in the process of amending the Coal Mines Regulations, 1957, the Metalliferous Mines Regulations, 1961 and the Oil Mines Regulations, 1984.
Speaking to reporters after the inauguration of the new zonal office, the Union minister of state for mines Dinsha J Patel said that the state government should do more to curb illegal mining in Karnataka. “Mining guidelines are given by the Centre. It is up to the state governments to ensure that the guidelines are not violated. The power of leasing mines rests with the state government, which also gets the royalty revenue from mining,” Patel said, adding that the Gujarat government had already taken measures to curb illegal mining. Other states ought to follow suit, he said.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}