Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) has held 16 employees of Eastern Coalfields limited (ECl) responsible in the Godda mine mishap case, which took place on December 30 claiming at least 18 lives and leaving dozens of workers injured in the incident. The DGMS, after investigating the case in detail, has registered a case in the District Court of Godda a couple of days back.
“We have identified 16 persons, all employees of ECl, in the Godda cave-in incident claiming at least 18 lives and an FIR has been lodged in the court of Godda District Judge a few days back,” said DGMS Director General PK Sarkar. All these people, including Director Technical as the top most official, have been found responsible in violation of Mines Safety Act and also putting lives of the workers in danger, he added.
Initial reports by the five member inquiry committee had also suggested that the lalmatia mines accident was a case of absolute negligence and despite several warnings and indicatives; mining process was resumed resulting into the accident claiming at least 18 lives.
Coming into action immediately after the incident, DGMS had set up a five member committee to investigate the matter to avoid such incidents in future.
The incident occurred at around 7:30 PM on December 29 when a massive heap of OB dump caved in at the entry point of the Bhodai coal mine on December 30. locals also claimed that there was a crack in the heap of mud which collapsed and blocked the entry point of the mine.
Accusing Eastern Coalfield limited (ECl) of negligence, locals claimed that outsourcing of mining operations to private companies and unchecked illegal mining led to the coal mine cave-in in claiming lives of more than 18 workers.
Remarkably, a PIl had also been filed in the Jharkhand High Court by Mahgama Kranti Manch, asking the DGMS that how long it might take to finish the probe in the mine mishap.