Coal India declares compensation of Rs 5 lakh to ECL mine accident victims

Coal India on Friday announced that it will grant an ex-gratia compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the family of the deceased under the ECL Rajmahal Coal Mine Accident. 

It said, "The accident caused an unfortunate demise of 7 workers, for which the families of deceased will be granted with ex-gratia compensation of Rs 5 lakh in addition to the amount paid under the Workmen's Compensation Act."

The company added, "All the necessary help to the families of the deceased is being extended by ECL. Two persons have met with injuries and treated in the Area Hospital.  One of them has been sent to Durgapur for further treatment."

On December 29, Coal India's mine subsidiary Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) reported an incidence of  overburden dump slide/subsidence under the Rajmahal Open Cast Expansion Project in district Goda, Jharkhand.

As per the company reports, it was observed that the incidence was due to failure of the bench edge along the hidden fault line/slip as the Over Burden dump area has slid down by about 35 m involving around 9.5 million cubic meters of earth material. 

Till yesterday, excavators and 7 dump trucks have been located. A Natioanal Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Team have also entered the site to carry the rescue and relief operations.        

Also, the senior management of ECL and state government official are supervising the rescue operations.   

The Director General of Mines Safety has ordered a complete inquiry on the case, On the other hand, Coal India has appointed the  High Level Committee of Experts to investigate the cause of accidents.  

After the announcement the shares of Coal India on BSE, were trading at Rs 300, down by 0.59%. However, in the early tradings it was below Rs 299-mark.