High-level inquiry to probe Jharkhand colliery explosion

New Delhi, Sep 7 (UNI) A high-level departmental inquiry was today constituted to probe the accident inside a Bhatdih mine of Western Jharia area of Dhanbad in Jharkhand yesterday in which 56 miners were trapped.

A three-member committee was set up under the chairmanship of Mr S Choudhry, CMD, Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Ltd (CMPDIL). The other members are Mr L Jha, Director, (Technical) and Mr Mohammad Salim Uddin, Director (Projects) of CIL, an official spokesperson said here.

The inquiry would ascertain the causes leading to the accident, fixing responsibility if any for the same and suggest measures to avoid recurrence of such accidents in future.

The committee has been asked to submit its report within 15 days.

However, rescue operations were hampered by emission of toxic gas triggered by last night's huge explosion.

Meanwhile, Union Coal Minister Shibu Soren and Secretary H C Gupta today reached the spot. Earlier, Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda rushed to the accident site to take stock of the situation.

CIL Chairman Shashi Kumar, BCCL Director (Technical) D K Basu along with BCCL CMD P Bhattacharya have already visited the site where rescue operations are being conducted by 12 rescue teams of BCCL, reinforced by teams from CCL and ECL.

UNI SD VA MIR BST1749