SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, June 14: The Rashtriya Colliery Mazdoor Sangh (RCMS) has urged the chairman cum managing director (CMD) of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) for making Salanpur colliery underground mines operational immediately where over 4 lakh tonnes of high-quality steel grade coal are trapped.
RCMS, the frontal miners’ organization of Congress, central committee president Suresh Chandra Jha today shot off a letter to BCCL CMD Samiran Dutta and said that mining operations in 3 and 4 no. the seam of Salanpur underground mines are closed after rainwater entered in it and the machines got submerged on September 25, 2021.
“The survey report has disclosed that over 4 lakh tonnes of high-quality steel grade coal are trapped in 3 no. seam of submerged underground Salanpur colliery under Katras Area of Bharat Coking Coal Limited. The extricating of coal, that is high quality, would not only be in the interest of the nation as well as Bharat Coking Coal Limited but also the miners,” said RCMS president Suresh Chandra Jha.
Due to heavy rain on September 23, 2021, the Keshalpur mines in Katras completely submerged. Its water also seeped into adjoining Ramkanali colliery and 3. The seam of Salanpur underground mines. Since machines underground submerged, the company had to abandon the mining operation.
RCMS president Jha has pointed out that since over 4 lakh tonnes of steel grade coal is trapped, it could be extricated by de-watering the seam.
A few days ago, a delegation of RCMS under Suresh Chandra Jha met BCCL chairman cum managing director at Koyla Bhawan over pending issues of miners.
“I also talked with director technical (DT) of Coal India Limited (IL) B Bera Reddy over extricating 4 lakh tonnes trapped coal in Salanpur underground mines and he assured to talk positively with the chairman cum managing director of BCCL,” said Jha.