Safety of mine workers: Senate panel for following SOPs

Chairman insists insurance firms should be taken on board to facilitate mine workers

ISLAMABAD:

The Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum has underlined the need for ensuring implementation of safety-related standard operating procedures (SOPs) in all mines operating in the country to avoid life-taking tragedies.

“There should be strict implementation of SOPs and those violating the safety rules and measures must be held accountable,” remarked Committee Chairman Senator Mohsin Aziz on Friday.

He was discussing the progress on implementing the recommendations made by the committee for the safety of coalmine workers to avoid human casualties in future.

The committee was informed that the chief inspector of mines in Balochistan had endorsed recommendations of the committee.

Furthermore, the Labour and Manpower Department, Balochistan had clarified that the Balochistan Occupational Safety and Health Bill 2019 had been processed and would soon be placed in a meeting of the provincial cabinet.

Aziz was of the view that coalminers were working in pathetic condition. “Coalminers risk their lives, work in inhuman conditions and the government should provide them with facilities to improve working condition,” he said.

He also stressed the need for drawing up social security and welfare plans for the miners.

The committee emphasised that government departments must focus on ensuring that decisions of the Senate panel were implemented in letter and spirit. It directed the Petroleum Division to resend recommendations of the committee to the government of Balochistan for proper implementation.

In order to improve working condition for the miners, it was asserted that insurance companies must be taken on board and 3-4% must be paid by the government of Balochistan as premium to these companies.

“All mines that do not follow safety procedures must be shut,” he emphasised. “Accountability of mine-owners is imperative and it must be ensured that all mine workers are registered with the Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI).”

Another issue that came under consideration was the re-gasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) tariff rates being charged from domestic consumers of Regi Model Town.

The committee was informed that due to the widening gas shortfall, the government in April 2011, through a PM directive, imposed a moratorium on all new gas connections across the country for a period of six months, which was further extended in October 2011.

The Senate agreed that natural gas would not be provided to high-rise buildings and new housing schemes through the Sui gas transmission system, the committee was told.

However, the gas utility would be encouraged to provide energy to its customers through alternative sources like liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), LNG and others.

Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) informed the committee that as per policy, Regi Model Town, Peshawar was being provided RLNG-based gas connections. As a consequence, the committee was told, consumers were being billed exorbitantly.

It is pertinent to mention that most of the residents of Regi Model Town are pensioners who cannot afford high utility charges.

The committee took notice of the issue and said the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra), being the regulator, must review the matter and decision must be taken after an in-depth analysis.

The committee stressed that the decision was taken by the cabinet and it could not be treated as a policy.

Aziz gave directive that the decision must be revisited by the SNGPL board and the issue would be taken up by the committee after 15 days.

On the matter of merger and absorption of employees of Lakhra Coal Development Company, the committee was of the view that all employees must be absorbed according to their share (50% by PMDC, 25% by Wapda and 25% by the government of Sindh).

The committee was informed that Rs10 million would be required for that and the federal government was ready to pay its share. However, the government of Sindh did not respond to any correspondence on the matter.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 3^rd, 2020.

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