Health Care Amenities Provided By Coal India Limited And It’s Subsidiaries

There are no reports to indicate asthma, eye infection or any other health issue as the biggest problem of coal mine workers as compared to general population. Safety measures are in place to ensure and maintain their health and livelihood.

CIl has robust network of healthcare facilities. Every employee and worker are provided extensive healthcare. Neyveli Lignite Corporation India Limited(NLCIL) has open cast mines which are adequately mechanized. Therefore, there is no deployment of manual labour for mining activities. And there is no risk in acquiring occupational related illness. NLCIL maintains occupational health services (OHS) for cohort of miners engaged in mining units and executives/ supervisors and workers engaged over a long haul almost covering their entire working lives and monitor the health parameters from their recruitment to their retirement. This helps in early detection of health problems either associated with work place environment or due to occupational stress and faulty behavioral response to cope up with stress and planning of health care interventions at appropriate time. Thus it plays a significant role in impacting the company’s bottom line results through promotion and preservation of robust workforce.

Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) provides medical and health care to the employees and contract workmen. SCCL has also Seven Area Hospitals (821 Bed Strength), 21 Dispensaries, providing specialists services including Chest Physicians/ Ophthalmologist scattered over 6 Districts of Telangana where mining operations are on progress. SCCL is also conducting awareness programs on occupational diseases to employees at Mines and Departments. There are 12 Occupational Health Service centers scattered all Areas of SCCL to look after the Occupational Health Services and also to monitoring the chronic diseases of the Employees and during PME, employees/contract worker shall undergo eye refraction test and Chest radiography, if they found any health problem , they will be given medical treatment in company hospitals.

CIL conducts Initial Medical Examination (IME) for newly joining employees/contractor workers and Periodical Medical Examination (PME) for existing employees/contractor workers at prescribed, regular intervals at the hospitals and dispensaries maintained by CIL. In addition, there is provision of regular healthcare facilities available at various hospitals and dispensaries of the company for contractor workers and employees, and 395 private hospitals have been empaneled pan India level for company’s employees and their entitled family members. From April, 2018 to March, 2023 Initial Medical Examination has been conducted on 74550 persons and Periodical Medical Examinations has also been conducted on 311945 persons during the same period of time.

NLCIL conducts Initial Medical Examination (IME) for all workers engaged in mining units including Society/Short term/Outsourced and other contract workmen. And Periodical Medical Examination (PME) also carries out for Society/ Short term/Outsourced and other contract workmen on par with regular employees once in three years irrespective of age in par with the regular employees of NLCIL. The OHS (Occupational Health Services) unit at NLC India Hospital implements Periodic Medical Examination (PME) program as per DGMS guidelines to monitor the occupational health and well being of miners. PME covers the entire mining population once in 3 years irrespective of age as per DGMS guidelines. OHS also complies with continuous monitoring of health and wellbeing of employees engaged in mines, including contract workmen, are covered under Periodic Medical Examination program within a time span of 3 years. This cycle is repeated periodically that enables OHS to have proper perspective on occupational health and wellbeing of miners. PME also focuses on prevention for any occupationally related respiratory illness through appropriate investigations like Chest X Ray and Lung Function Tests. OHS also undertakes Master Health Checkup for executives and non-executives from across all units as preventive health strategy.

SCCL provides also medical treatment to Contract workmen in its hospitals.

Coal companies under Ministry of Coal are conscious, responsible and proactive as regards Safety & Security preparedness in their operations. The prime objective is to ensure that coal mines are operated in a safe manner that protects the employees as well as the people around the mines and also the environment. All the operations of mine are systematically planned, designed and executed in accordance with extant and relevant statute for ensuring safety of workers engaged in coal mines.

The effective measure being taken by Coal PSUs to make coal mines safe and secure for coal workers, are as under:

1. Compliance of the statutory provisions under the Mines Act, 1952, the Mines Rules 1955, the Coal Mine Regulations 2017 and Bye-laws & Standing Order framed thereunder to ensure safety in coal miners.
2. Preparation and implementation of Site Specific Risk Assessment based Safety Management Plans (SMPs).
3. Preparation and implementation of Principal Hazards Management Plans (PHMPs).
4. Formulation and compliance of Site-specific Risk Assessment based Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
5. Conducting Safety Audit of mines through multi-disciplinary Safety Audit teams.
6. Adoption of the state-of-the art mechanism for Strata Management such as:

• Scientifically determined Rock Mass Rating (RMR) based Support System. Strata Control Cell for monitoring efficacy of strata support system.
• Roof bolting by using mechanized Drilling for Roof Bolting with Resin and Cement capsules and use modern Strata Monitoring Instruments.

Mechanism for monitoring of mine environment:

• Detection of mine gases by Methanometer, CO-detector, Multi-gas detector etc.
• Continuous monitoring of mine environment by installing Environmental Tele- Monitoring System (ETMS) & Local Methane Detectors (LMD) etc.
• Application of Gas Chromatograph for mine air sample analysis with better accuracy.
• Use of Personal Dust Sampler (PDS).
• Use of Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS) in large OCPs to assess the ambient dust concentration.

Specific Safety measures for OC mines:

• Use of eco-friendly Surface Miners for blast free safe mining. Formulation and implementation of Mine-specific Traffic Rules. Training on Simulators to HEMM operators.
• Dumpers fitted with Proximity Warning Devices, Rear view mirrors and camera, Audio-Visual Alarm (AVA), Automatic Fire Detection & Suppression system etc.
• Ergonomically designed seats & AC Cabins for operators’ comfort.
• GPS based Operator Independent Truck Dispatch System (OITDS) and Geo- fencing in some large OCPs for tracking movement of HEMMs inside OC mine.
• Lighting arrangement using high mast towers for increasing level of illumination.

Training on Mine Safety:

• Initial and Refresher training & On-the-Job Training as per statute. Training on Simulators to HEMM operators.
• Skill up-gradation of frontline mine officials on continual basis on various topics.
• Sensitization of all employees including Members of Safety Committees and contractual workmen on regular basis.
• Various training programme for enhancement of knowledge of mine executives.
• Training on Risk Management by SIMTARS accredited executives of CIL.

Mine Safety Inspection:

• Round-the-clock Supervision of all mining operations by adequate number of competent & statutory Supervisors and mine Officials.
• Regular Inspection by Workmen Inspectors appointed in each mine. Surprise back shift mine Inspections by mine and area level officials.
• Regular mine Inspection by officials of Internal Safety Organization of respective subsidiary and CIL.
• Periodic mine Inspections by senior officials of CIL & Subsidiaries.

Regular safety awareness programs are conducted in every mine to increase safety awareness amongst grass root level workmen for ensuring compliance of safety norms. It is implemented through:

• Safety talks & oaths at the beginning of the shift, Safety Posters, Pictorial hoardings,
• Propaganda through local cable TV channels,
• Circulation of code of safe practices for every operation and activity,
• Animation films and VTC module films in VTC during special and refresher trainings, Monthly PSC meetings in all the mines,
• Informal WhatsApp group is created in each mine for circulation of safety videos and safety guidelines among all workers and officials.

Online Centralized Safety Monitoring System “CIL Safety Information System (CSIS)” for monitoring different safety parameters.

Deployment of security personnel like CISF (Central Industrial Security Force).

Coal mines start working after obtaining necessary permissions from DGMS and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The implementation of the conditions imposed in the permission letter are verified through inspections by DGMS officials.

The mines near the river, nallah, jore or other source of surface water are guided as per the provisions of the Coal Mines Regulations 2017 and orders made thereunder.

Rehabilitation Measures of Coal India for Displaced Families

The total land acquired by Coal India Limited (CIL) and its subsidiary companies for different coal mining activities in Kathara, Dhori and Bokaro & Kargali (B&K) Areas of CCL are as under:-

Kathara – 3765.7 Hectare

Dhori – 2966.71 Hectare

B&K – 6977.03 Hectare

The number of families displaced/affected by the coal mines in the aforementioned areas are as under:-

Kathara	–   83 Project Affected Families
Dhori	110 Project Affected Families
B&K	–  850 Project Affected Families

The displaced families have been/are being compensated, rehabilitated, and provided employment as per the applicable norms/provisions of prevailing guidelines, rules and Rehabilitation & Resettlement (R&R) policy of the company.

Subsidiaries of CIL are following R&R Policy of CIL along with some subsidiary wise modifications, considering the unique conditions and are providing direct employment to the land losers at the rate of one employment for every 02 acres of land either in descending order of land lost or under package deal concept, where small land owners are allowed to club their small portion of land to make 02 acres of land for one employment of their nominee.

Post notification of RFCTLARR (Removal of Difficulties) Order 2015, it has been decided that all the subsidiaries are to adhere to the provisions of First, Second and Third Schedule of RFCTLARR Act, 2013 for the land acquired under Coal Bearing Areas (Acquisition and Development) Act, 1957. Further, Subsidiary Companies Boards have been authorised to approve necessary modifications in the R&R Policy with reference to unique conditions prevailing at the concerned subsidiaries as the policy is not exhaustive. The land looser has the option for availing R&R benefits passed by the Collector of the State or CIL’s R&R Policy 2012.

The details of compensation & other benefits and employment in respect of the said areas provided by CCL, are as under:-

Area	Total Compensation to Land losers in Rupees	Employment Since 1985
Kathara	7583764.58	147
Bokaro & Kargali	258121107.65	709
Dhori	5933442.02	158
Total	271638314.25	1014

Following challenges are faced by subsidiaries of CIL while rehabilitating the displaced persons:-

• Most of the hutment settled on GM (gair mazrua) land which tenant does not have any valid documents claiming their land. These villagers are demanding house compensation as well as land compensation.

• Due to lack of proper records maintained by the concerned department of the Government of Jharkhand and delay in obtaining authentication of the acquired land.

• Building consensus among villagers regarding rehabilitation site finalisation.

• Employment claims by the affected persons beyond norms.

• Disputes within the family regarding claim of employment.

• Resistance of the host community for allowing the displaced people to settle at the R&R sites. Reluctance of villagers to relocate near the host community.

• Scarcity of suitable land for resettlement site.

Providing jobs to displaced persons as per prevalent policy and norms is a continuous process. As the physical possession of land is taken and necessary compliance/documentation is completed, the jobs are provided. No such cases, where necessary documentation/ compliance is completed, are pending.

The details of pending cases for providing employment to the displaced persons in the said areas of CCL, are as under:-

Area	Pending / under process employment Cases Project/Area
Bokaro & Kargali Area	1.Karo OCP – 06 Nos.2. AKK OCP – 06 Nos.
Dhori Area	Dhori OCP – 04 Nos.
Kathara Area	NIL

Steps taken by CCL to resolve/expedite the pending/under process cases are as under:-

• Shortfall documents related to employment proposals are being arranged with the help of applicants, State Govt. Authority and village representatives.

• CCL officials are providing required assistance to land losers to enable them to avail R&R benefits. Further there are various monitoring groups in place at project and Area level which has been constituted for planning implementation and monitoring and evaluation of the rehabilitation action plan at both Project and Area Levels. The said group also interact with the state authorities during the implementation of the Rehabilitation action plan. CCL on its part is in regular touch with the villagers concerned and negotiating with them for an amicable solution.

All this information was given by Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Shri Pralhad Joshi in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.