Jharkhand mine collapse: ECL announces Rs. five lakh compensation for families of deceased

The Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) has announced an ex-gratia compensation of Rs. five lakhs each to the families of those killed in Friday's mine collapse here.

A press statement issued here said, "CMD Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) has reported that an incidence of overburden dump slide/subsidence has occurred in the second shift of 29.12.2016 at about 7,30 P.M, In the Rajmahal Open Cast Expansion Project In district Goda, Jharkhand causing the unfortunate demise of seven workers.

It added that the company has announced an ex-gratia compensation of Rs. five lakhs each to the family of the deceased in addition to the amount to be paid under the Workmen's Compensation Act.

The statement said that two persons have met with injuries and are being treated in the Area Hospital while, one of them has been sent to Durgapur for further treatment.

"Prima facie, it is observed that the incident is unprecedented that an area of 300 m length by 110 m wide solid floor of the Over Burden dump area has slid down by about 35 m involving around 9.5 million cubic meters of earth material. This could be due to failure of the bench edge along the hidden fault line/slip," said the statement adding that senior management of ECL and state government officials have been supervising rescue operations.

An inquiry has also been ordered in the incident by the Director General of Mines Safety and a High Level Committee of Experts has been constituted by Coal India Limited to investigate into the causes of the accident.

Meanwhile, Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das has also announced Rs. two lakh compensation to the families of the deceased and Rs. 25,000 for the injured.