The roster of death

It is deeply disturbing that the federal and provincial authorities have neither cared to devise nor introduce even a set of ad-hoc measures to safeguard miners, one of the most vulnerable segments of the country’s workforce. In the wake of their continued negligence and in the absence of safety precautions by coalfield owners, miners are risking both life and limb as they perform their daily tasks often descending to the depths. They are invited to the roster of death almost every day. The dangers are as grave as ever – from toxic gas leaks to mine collapses and from mudslides to the unwanton use of dynamite and other kinds of explosives. Yet the miners slog on through the heat and with as little protection as possible. Too often helmets are in short supply. Their wages are barely enough to feed their families but the dearth of other opportunities keeps them glued to their need for sustenance.

The latest chapter in the country’s unending mining disaster came on Saturday when mine collapses led to the deaths of 23 workers in the Sur-range area of Balochistan. All seven mine workers in the coalfield owned by Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation perished when mudslides triggered a deadly collapse. Another mine collapsed in the Marwar area after a gas explosion triggered a mudslide, claiming the lives of 16 workers. Up to 11 workers sustained injuries. The blast was caused by the accumulation of methane in three tunnels linked to the main mine.

According to the Pakistan Central Mines Labour Federation, accidents in coal mines claim as many as 200 lives every year many of them from Shangla district which seems to produce the largest number of skilled and unskilled miners. The mining industry is seemingly operating without strict enforcement of regulations. Miners must have proper equipment and be attired in fitting shirts and trousers leaving no space for methane to come into contact with their bodies. To meet safety commitments undertaken by the country in the mining sector, Pakistan must introduce relevant changes to the current legislation. Greater lobbying and community advocacy can help reform the mining sector and enable it to be in compliance with standard policies.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7^th, 2018.

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