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Coal mine flood affects production in SECL

SECL, the largest coal producing subsidiary of the Coal India Limited (CIL), accounts for about 27 per cent of total production of CIL

Water flooded an underground coal mine managed by the South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) in Bisrampur area that had affected production in country's largest coal producing company.

Luckily, there was no loss of life as 68 workers inside the colliery were pulled out soon after water started entering from a nearby nullah. As the water level started increasing, workers ran for safety and were evacuated from the mine. Four workers were trapped and the rescue team had to do hard exercise to pull them out.

SECL, the largest coal producing subsidiary of the Coal India Limited (CIL), accounts for about 27 per cent of total production of CIL. The company's production had reached 118.219 million tonnes (MT), according to the latest figure available.

The coal reserves of the company are spread over two states, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. The Company is operating 89 mines with 35 in the State of Madhya Pradesh and 54 Mines in the State of Chhattisgarh. About 70 mines are underground (UG). The total production from UG and Opencast is 16.869 MT and101.350 MT respectively.

The company has a major underground mine in Bisrampur area of Ambikapur district---about 400 km from here. The production in the mine could not be known. The SECL spokesperson did not respond to the call.

Report reaching from Ambikapur said that senior company officials had reached Bisrampur. The machines have been pressed into the service to pump out water. The company officials had also started the work to check further damage to the mine that had been inundated. The region had been witnessing incessant rains for the last two-three days.The coal production in the mine had been stranded and the officials estimated that it would take another one month to restore production in the Bisrampur underground mine.

Source: PTI