Contract system blamed for 43 miners' death

National Labour Federation (NLF) has held contract system responsible for deaths of coal miners in accidents inside coal mines, including Sorrange tragedy because of absence of protective equipment and rescue plan.
In a statement issued here on Sunday, addressing a gathering held to remember 43 coal miners killed in methane gas explosion in Sorrange coal mine some 35-km off provincial capital Quetta in March, NLF provincial president Abdul Raheem Mirdadkhail alleged that due to absence of methane gas detector, installation of big exhaust fan inside the mine, ventilation, alternative rescue escape route in case of accident and rescue plan, 43 coal miners were killed in methane gas explosion at PMDC mine in Sorrange area.
He blamed that contract system in coal mining had been causing accidents inside mines resulting in death of colliers in Balochistan every year. He said contractor companies in order to save their few thousands did not bother to purchase and provide methane gas detectors; install big exhaust fans inside mine for exhaust of methane and carbon dioxide gas, and construction of ventilation and alternative rescue escape route inside the mine.
He regretted that thousands of coal miners in Balochistan's coal mines areas including Mach, Sorrange. Degari, Marwar, Dukki, Khost, Shahrag, and others were forced to work inside dangerous coal mines without protective measures while no punishment was ensured to the persons responsible for the accidents which resulted in deaths of colliers.
The NLF leader said presently coal was being extracted from 2,000-ft deep inside a coal mine in Balochistan while no safety measures were adopted to save colliers from any possible accident. He accused that neither social security gratuity, bonus and facilities were being provided to coalminers nor labour laws were implemented in coal mine areas. He demanded compensation to bereaved families of 43 victims of Sorrange tragedy.