CHAPTER IX

PERSONNEL, INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS AND SAFETY

MANPOWER Human resource management in Coal India is one of the strategic functions as the industry is labour intensive. The achievement of business objectives demand optimal utilisation of available manpower. The cost of employing this manpower is high, as such continuous efforts are made for development and deployment as per the needs of the organisation. Development and deployment of surplus women employees has also been started to derive benefits from their utilisation. To maintain profitablility, mechanisation and introduction of new technology is being continually attempted for which supply of skilled manpower is ensured wherever necessary. All round efforts are made by the companies to improve labour productivity with reference to current status of manpower in Coal India.

9.2. The Coal India management attaches considerable importance to Human Resource Development at all levels. Concerted action has been taken by the management to exercise strict control on fresh induction of workers, training and development of existing employees with a view to ensure skill upgradation and also to achieve rationalisation by retirement of workers through natural separation and voluntary retirement scheme. The company has been able to achieve substantial reduction in the employees strength and increase in the productivity.

9.3. Coal India Ltd. and its subsidiary companies prepare the Annual Manpower Budget for all the units starting from colliery, projects and areas upto the company headquarters level. The budget takes into

consideration the designationwise and skillwise requirement of manpower and their deployment in different units and establishments.

9.4. The company has now undertaken a comprehensive exercise to identify the surplus manpower in companies like ECL, BCCL & CCL and has also fixed the targets for bringing about rationalisation in manpower strength.

9.5. Efforts are also on to identify the workers who are trainable and who could be gainfully employed by intra company and inter subsidiary transfers. The company is faced with a major problem of mismatch of workers due to the provision for employment of next of kin in case of death and permanent physical disablement. The management has started a dialogue with the unions to bring about suitable modification in the provision.

9.6. Coal India Ltd. has a well-laid down system of Manpower Audit in all the companies. Standing Committees for Manpower Audit have been formed at company headquarters to monitor and control issues relating to manpower and their deployment. The company has also introduced fortress checking so as to ensure that there is effective check in the actual deployment of workers and the salary being paid to the employees.

9.7. The Voluntary Retirement Scheme introduced by CIL is getting encouraging response from the employees. The total number of workers retired under the scheme is given below:

Year No. Of workers retired

(under VRS) 1988 89 1,182 1989 90 1,661 1990 91 900 1991 92 1,587 1992 93 6,232 1993 94 5,455 1994 95 9,967 1995 96 1,538 1996 97 1,905 1997 98 4,912 1998 99 10,245 1999-2000 7,818 (upto 31st Dec. 99)

Total 53,402

9.8 It is essential that all the three loss making companies, namely ECL, BCCL & CCL consolidate their efforts in securing even better response under the VR scheme, which, coupled with natural attrition, shall help in down sizing their manpower rapidly. This will not only arrest the wage bill but also contain the trend of mounting losses. Continuing VRS to the extent possible in the present circumstances is essential and a reduction of about 32,000/- persons through VRS is envisaged in the above three companies during a period of 1999-00 to 2001-02 for which an aggregate amount of Rs. 640 Crores as grant shall be required to meet the obligation of severance pay. Out of the above, budgetary provision already exists for an amount of Rs. 160 Crores for the year 1999-00. The details, as planned, is given below (at Table A).

The total manpower of CIL and its subsidiaries as on 31.3.99 was 5,86,882 as compared to 6,11,689 as on 31.03.98 and stands at 5,69,316 as on 31.12.99. Companywise break-up of work force is given in Annexure-XVII

9. 9. CORPORATE HRD PLAN A Corporate HRD Plan for the period 19962000 AD has been developed by Coal India Ltd. on the basis of review of performance of HRD during last five years and strategic HRD Plan developed for next five years. The annual plan was worked out to integrate the efforts of HRD in all the training centers, located in different subsidiaries. The strategy was to utilise available in-house training infrastructure as well as meeting the needs with the help of existing training capabilities.

Table A

Company

1999-00 No. Amount 80 80 20 180

2000-01 No. 4,500 4,500 2,500 11,500 Amount 90 90 50 230

2001-02 No. 4,500 4,500 2,500 11,500 Amount 90 90 50 230

ECL BCCL CCL Total

4,000 4,000 1,000 9,000

9.10. TRAINING STRATEGIES The HRD strategies focused on the following areas: a. To facilitate availability of skilled manpower through planned development of existing employees. b. To conduct basic and refresher training for operators and maintenance personnel with reference to HEMM equipment. c. To prepare employees for acquiring statutory qualification through intensive coaching as well as grooming eligible employees for departmental examination aimed at career growth. d. To conduct general development programmes for workmen and supervisors for integrating them with the state-of-art Technology as well as enterprise. e. To train Management Trainees, through a standard scheme.

f. To develop senior executives from M-1 to M-3 level through centralised in-house programmes organised at IICM, Ranchi. g. To develop senior executives through nomination to courses organised by reputed institutions and professional bodies in India and facilitate inter-organisational exposure to assimilate development in the areas of technology and management science. h. To develop employees through training opportunities abroad available from foreign Government manufacturers and international seminars and courses and to help & enhance managerial and technical competence of employees working in strategic positions.

The number of employees trained abroad during 1999-00 (April99 to Dec.99) in Coal India Ltd., is given at Table A below:

As on 30.11.1999, the Singareni Collieries Company Limited, a joint-venture of the Union Government and the State Government of Andhra Pradesh, had on its roll 1,10,296 men, as per the following breakup( at Table B.)

Table- A

CATEGORY

EMPLOYEES TRAINED Abroad Outside the company 1,569 In House Total

Executives

15

3,924

5,508

Supervisors Workers TOTAL 15

401 480 2,450

5,066 16,357 25,347

5,467 16,837 27,812

Table-B Category Men on Roll (as on 30.11.99)

I.

DAILY RATED

Non-Execavation: 1. Category I 14886

2. Category II 9002 3. Category - III 3321 4. Category - IV 8854 5. Category V 14372 6. Category VI 5754 Excavation: 1. Special Grade 175 2. Grade "A" 483

3. Grade "B" 1016 4. Grade "C" 835 5. Grade "D" 667 6. Grade "E" 183

II MOTHLY PAID 1. Executives 2357 2. Non-Executives 14335 III PIECE RATED 1. Regular Fillers 25663 2. Badli Fillers 6373 (including Badli Workers)

Total: 1,08,296

12. MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING TRAINING ABROAD

Type of Training Short-term training course

1999-2000 Allocation 2

Utilisation upto Nov.,99 4

in the field of Coal with Emphasis on Colliery level Managers at Australia. TOTAL: 2 4

9.13. The number of Executives and non-executives of SCCL who have been sent abroad and elsewhere in India for training in management development programme (upto 30th November, 1999 ) is given below: (SCCL) Category Abroad India Total Executives 4 95 99 Non-Executives - 2 2

TOTAL : 4 97 101

IN-HOUSE TRAINING

9.14 SCCL has an integrated plan drawn up for the year 1999 2000 for utilisation of Inhouse training facilities for the development of Executives, Supervisors and Workmen.

9.15. SCCL has identified certain areas for Human Resource Development as listed below: -

a. Intensive training for upgradation of skill to meet the demand of skilled and highly skilled personnel. b. Training of Operators and maintenance personnel for various HEMM equipment. c. Coaching of Supervisors for statutory examinations conducted by Director General of Mines Safety. d. Implementation of JETs training scheme. e. A special drive to groom executives through planned management development efforts which may facilitate succession in the long run.

(f) Basic Training for 599 workmen, Refresher Training for 13,819, change-of-job training for 1,835 and special training for attending statutory examinations for 7,732 employees has been taken up.

9.16. WAGE REVISION

The pay structure of the executives of Coal India Limited is due for revision w.e.f. 1.1.1997. The Government of India had appointed a Pay Revision Committee during October, 1996 to examine the present structure of pay, allowances, perquisites and benefits for Central Government PSUs Board Level functionaries, below Board level executives and non-unionised supervisory staff. The Committee has since submitted its report, Department of Public Enterprises has issued the guidelines for revision of pay. A decision on adoption of revised pay scales based on the report of the Committee in respect of coal PSUs is awaited.

9.17. WAGES IN COAL SECTOR

The wage structure and other conditions of service (including fringe benefits, welfare measures etc.) of the unionised employees (i.e. other than executives) in the coal industry are settled by negotiations in the Joint Bipartite Committee for the Coal Industry (JBCCI) consisting of representatives of management and the 5 (five) Central Trade Unions. The unionised employees of the entire Coal Sector i.e. from the Coal India Limited and its subsidiaries, the Singareni Collieries Company Limited and the captive coal mines of TISCO and IISCO are covered under this. Five National Coal Wage Agreements have so far been signed as per details below: -

NATIONAL COAL DATE OF WHICH PERIOD COVERED BY

WAGE AGREEMENT SIGNED THE AGREEMENT N.C.W.A. I 11.12. 1974 1.1.75 to 31.12.78 N.C.W.A. II 11.08.1979 1.1.79 to 31.12.82 N.C.W.A. III 11.11.1983 1.1.83 to 30.12.86 N.C.W.A. - IV 27.07.1989 1.1.87 to 30.06.91 N.C.W.A. - V 19.01.1996 1.7.91 to 30.06.96

9.18. National Coal Wage Agreement-VI has become due from 1.7.96. The Joint Bipartite Committee for the Coal Industry was constituted on 3.4.1997. Pending finalisation of the agreement, the employees are being paid Interim Relief @ 12% of Basic Pay & FDA as admissible as on 30.6.96 in terms of a Memorandum of Understanding arrived at on the 19th May, 1997 between the representatives of the Management and the five Central Trade Unions. Further deliberations are in progress for finalisation of the 6th round of wage negotiations.

9.19. INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS 9.

The industrial relations in CIL and its subsidiary companies have remained cordial contributing to growth in production, productivity and reduction in mandays lost due to strikes.

The overall improvement in the Industrial Relations position is evident from the following table(A)

9.20. STRIKES AND BANDHS

9.20. 1.The companywise break-up of strikes and bandhs during 1998-99 and 1999-2000 (upto Dec. 99) in CIL is given in Annexure- XVI

9.20. 2.The following steps have been taken to maintain Law & Order in the coalfields : a. Deployment of CISF in affected areas. b. Communications network strengthened. c. The job of transportation of coal is being awarded to ex-servicemen and cooperative agencies. d. Company employees holding sensitive posts are transferred at periodic intervals. e. Steps have been taken to protect employees from the clutches of moneylenders operating in the coalfield areas. Co-operative Credit Societies are functioning in collieries which are granting loans at convenient rates of interest to employees. System of payment of wages through bank has also been introduced in some of the Subsidiaries. f. Efforts are made to get major civil works like construction of quarters, roads, bridges etc. done through Public Sector Companies.

Table-A

1999-2000 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 (upto Dec.99) No. of strikes Mandays lost Production lost in Tonnes 34 33 22 45 26

333,156

126,215

92,248

377,553

43,832

366,337

187,363

143,637

501,218

143,291

9.20. 3.SINGARENI COLLERIES COMPANY LIMITED ( SCCL) The Industrial relations are not satisfactory, due to the influence of banned Peoples War Group and multiplicity of Unions.

9.20.4.In SCCL, as on date there are 77 Registered Trade Unions, mostly Craft Associations operating in SCCL which are vying with one another to establish their respective strength/existence.

9.20.5.The details of mandays lost and production lost ( tonnes) during the last three years are furnished hereunder (at Table-A)

9.20.6.The details of Strikes, Mandays lost and production lost (in tonnes) during the period

April 99 to November, 99 and corresponding period of April, 98 to Nov., 98 are furnished hereunder (at Table-B)

9.20.7.A mechanism has been evolved to have a periodical meetings with the recognised Union and the Representative Status Unions at various levels to amicably settle all issues / problems of the workmen. It is noted that with the application of above mechanism, there has been a downward trend in the number of strikes.

9.21. WORKERS PARTICIPATION IN MANAGEMENT The management continued its efforts to strengthen employees participation in the management through mutual discussions with operating central trade unions at CIL Hqrs. and subsidiary companies in different joint bi-partite fora.

Table-A

Year

No. of Strikes

Mandays Lost (Provl.) 10,04,021 9,08,015 18,84,885

Production Lost (T) (Provl.) 9,64,759 7,76,742 15,76,114

1996 97 1997 98 1998 99

310 355 124

Table-B Production lost Sl. No. Year No. of Strikes Mandays lost ( In tonnes ) 1. 2. 1999-00(April-Nov., 99) 1998-99(April-Nov.,98) 75 95 2,20,205 17,92,174 2,78,961 14,73,272

9.22. These efforts have brought about an overall improvement in the service conditions of our employees and the work culture in the organisation. These have contributed a great deal in improving the industrial relations scenario in the organisation.

9.23. STATUS OF LAND ACQUIRED UNDER CBA ACT The Coal Bearing Areas ( Acquisition & Development) Act, 1957 (CBA Act) is a Central Act for the acquisition by the State of unworked land containing or likely to contain coal deposits or of rights in or over such land and matters connected therewith.

9.23.1. PROBLEMS OF LAND ACQUISITION Execution of the Coal Projects is seriously affected mostly due to delay in acquisition of land in time. The problem is getting aggravated increasingly. In case of tenancy land, the delay is caused by the employment issue and not the procedural issues. But in the case of Govt. & Forest land, it is the procedural complicacy and delay on the part of State machineries which contributes for the delay in securing possession of land. Some of the problems are listed below:

Tenancy Land i. Employment Issue:

Employment issue is the greatest hurdle, now a days, in the timely acquisition of tenancy land. With the capacity for absorbing new manpower shrinking, the companies find if

difficult to cope up with the ever increasing demand for employment, irrespective of the norms in this behalf.

ii Delay in physical possession: Inspite of completion of proceedings of acquisition, physical possession gets delays due to resistance offered by land oustees on various issues./ grounds.

iii. Record of Rights (ROR): Record of rights (ROR) of title etc. maintained by State Govt. are not updated after every transaction of land, with the result that the ex-owners or even deceased persons are recorded as the real owners of the land. State Govts need to ensure the timely correction of ROR.

Govt. Land:
i. Delay in transfer of land: Delay in transfer of Govt. land, some time, leads to time and cost over-run of the projects. ii. High rates of compensation:

Exhorbitant rates of compensation for Govt. land are raised by State Govts. The rates need to be at par with the adjoining tenancy land.

9.23.2. Company-wise position of acquisition of land & Rights ( All Rights & Mining Rights) since nationalisation to quarter ending Dec. 99 is given below:-

Company

Area acquired ( in Ha ) All Rights Mining Rights Total

ECL BCCL CCL WCL SECL MCL NCL TOTAL

3,066.37 0.000 31,904.86 9,131.9 6,617.58 16,431.32 13,224 80,376.03

74.87 534.97 500.47 26,358.73 49,091.09 4,083.15 0.000 80,643.28

3,141.24 534.97 32,405.33 35,490.63 55,708.67 20,514.47 13,224.000 161,019.31

SAFETY

9.24 Primary importance is given to safety in the operations by Coal India Limited is evident from the Mission of Coal India Ltd where CIL is committed to continue coal mining operations "with due regard to Safety Conservation". With this in view a Safety Policy of Coal India Ltd. has been formulated and implemented. CIL has also created a structured Internal Safety Organisation in each subsidiary, as well as at the holding company level at CIL to implement the Safety Policy and other safety measures. This has resulted in a substantial improvement in the safety scenario of coal mining activities since nationalisation of coalmines.

As a result of the safety measures being taken with vastly increased production it has been possible to reduce the trend of fatalities and fatality rates in CIL from 233 fatalities

in 1975 to 100 fatalities in 1999. However, in 1999, fatalities remained at about the same level of 1998, though there was substantial reduction in below ground fatalities from 67 in 1998 to 55 in 1999 and fatalities due to roof and side falls, from 50 in 1998 to 28 in 1999. The trend of fatalities fatality rates, serious injuries and serious injury rates in the last 5 years as compared to 1975 is shown in the table below ( at Table-A)

Table-A

1975 Fatalities Fatality rate per million tonne of coal production Serious injury Serious Injury rate per million tonne of coal produced 233 2.62

1995 115* 0.50*

1996 110 0.44

1997 112 0.43

1998** 99 0.38

1999** 100 0.4

1515 19.49

612 2.65

505 2.02

437 1.68

407 1.55

377 1.49

* Indicates figures exclusive of disaster ** Figures are under reconciliation with DGMS

NOTE: Figs. For 1997&1998 are subject to reconciliation with DGMS. However, serious injury figures for 1997 have been revised in January, 1999, after consultation with the subsidiaries of CIL.

ACTIVITIES FOR ENHANCEMENT OF SAFETY IN CIL

During 1999 the following measures were taken for improvement of safety in coal mining operations of the company:

1. A vigorous thrust was given on inspections of mines by officials of the Internal Safety Organisation of CIL, as well as the subsidiaries, in order to make sample checks on the status of safety of the mine sin different companies and take corrective action. A system of high-level review of the results of the inspections has also been started.

2. Special measures were taken to reduce roof and side fall accidents as below:

(a) Thrust on drawing up and implementation of Support Plans of underground mines based on Rock-Mass-Rating (RMR) and roof-bolting/roof-stitching systems of roof support. RMR has been determined in 531 out of 541 development districts. It has also been determined from some depillaring districts, which are supported by roofbolting/roof-stitching methods of support.

Greater number of mines are being supported by roof-bolting as is revealed by increase in consumption of roof-bolts and cement capsules as given below (at Table-A)

(b) For ensuring reliability of the support, wherever roof-bolting/roof-stitching was doing roof support, a need was felt for standardising the quality of quick setting cement capsules used for grouting the roof-bolts manufactured in house. As such an exercise was taken up in association with CMRI to standardise the composition of the quick setting cement capsules. Trials were successfullyconducted at BCCL and the composition has been circulated to all other companies for their use.

(c) In order to reduce the number of roof fall/side fall accidents it was felt that it was necessary to give a thrust on training and retraining of support personnel and supervisory staff. With a view to complete retraining all support personnel every five years out of a total 19133 support personnel on roll 22963 were trained during 1995-99, some being retrained in the period, 3100 supervisory staff were also trained in 1999-2000 upto November.

Table-A Year 1996 1997 1998 1999* Consumption of Roofbolts(in lakhs) 22.97 26.48 29.5 29.86** Consumption of Cement Capsules (in lakhs) 88.73 109.51 118.14 152.03

* Upto Nov., 1999 ** Additionally 940 tc. Rope doweling has been done.

(d) Replacement of timber support by steel support. This is required not only from the point of view of environmental considerations but is becoming essential in view of the reducing availability of quality timber. Out of 541 development districts and 307 depillaring districts complete steel support is being done in 391 districts and supporting is being done partially by steel support in 457 districts. A programme has been taken up to phase out timber support in all development districts and maximise steel support tin depillaring districts in the next five years.

3. Certain measures were also taken for reducing the accidents, which occurred in the course of use of wheeled trackless transport equipment. Some of these are:

(a) All companies have been advised to have contractors equipment checked by Area level committees, periodically, to ensure that no unsafe condition develops due to the use of equipment which are not fit for use.

(b) Training of contractors workmen was also taken up as a thrust area.

(c) 2329 Heavy Earth Moving Machinery (HEMM) Operators were trained upto November in 1999-2000.

4. Workmens Participation in Safety in CIL: As in the previous years the safety scenario of CIL was reviewed by the Standing Committee on Safety in Mines chaired by the Honble MOS(C) and the CIL Safety Board where Trade Union Representatives participated actively. Trade Union members of both these bodies inspected mines of CIL and made recommendations, which are being implemented.

5. The Internal Safety Organisation of CIL and the subsidiary companies actively participated in an exercise for amendment of the Vocational Training Rules in a national level workshop and submitted recommendations for the same.

MINES RESCUE SERVICES

During 1999-2000 one more Additional Rescue Room as per recommendation of Standing Committee Safety in CoalMines has been established. Thus total nine numbers of Additional Rescue Rooms are present operation.

Rescue establishments currently in operation in the subsidiaries of CIL is as below:

Rescue Stations 6, Rescue Rooms with Refresher Training facilities 14, Rescue Rooms 18

Thrust area identified for further improvement in the Rescue Services are 1. Modernisation of the testing of Rescue equipment by computerised testing.

2. Computerisation of data of Rescue Services.

3. Modernisation of Training Gallery of Rescue Stations & RRRTs.

9.25 SAFETY MEASURES

In order to bring about a continuous improvement in the safety scenario the following measures were adopted:

1. Thrust on DISASTER PREVENTION through

(i) Repeated Safety Audit of mines and continuing implementation of the recommendations of the same and monitoring thereof. At present the Third Safety Audit of mines is being done.

(ii) Priority inspection of highly gassy (Degree III) mines and fiery mines by ISO officials and follow up corrective action for removal of deficiencies.

(iii) Environmental Monitoring of degree III gassy and fiery mines to take corrective action before a dangerous situation can build up by constant vigil and monitoring the parameters which are indicative of accumulation of inflammable gas or the progress of heating leading to a possible outbreak of fire.

(iv) Measures against possible dangers of inundation of underground mines are being taken like strengthening of embankments, barriers, diversion of ores etc.

2. Monthly review of safety performance of the companies in CMDs meets with analysis of each and every accident and formulation/revision of strategies for their prevention.

3. Increased thrust on use of scientific methods of roof support through Rock Mass Rating based Support Plans for mines and roof Bolting Systems of Support especially in the freshly exposed roof area.

Exercise for standardisation of manufacture of Quick Setting Cement Capsules in collaboration with Central Mining Research Institute underway.

4. Examination of Annual Operation Plans of mines by the Internal Safety Organisation (ISO) of the companies.

5. Safety clearance of production districts before commencement of operations.

6. A major thrust on inspections of the mines by officials of the ISO of CIL as well as subsidiary companies in addition to inspections by trade union representative members the CIL Safety BOARD, THE Standing Committee on Safety in Coal Mines, the Workmens Inspectors and the mine level Safety Committees.

7. Monthly monitoring of the Safety Status of all mines of CIL on a computerised database report (SSR-I AND SSR II) and thrust on rectification of deficiencies observed.

8. Training and retraining of the workers, supervisors and officials of the mine through VTC, HRD etc.

REVIEWING OF SAFETY STATUS OF COAL MINES

9.26 The safety status of coal mines is being continuously monitored at different levels. At the mine level the Safety Committees, where workmen are represented, review the safety status of every mine. Workmens Inspectors make inspections of the mines and the reports of the inspections are rigorously acted upon. Bipartite Committees of management and workmens representatives review the safety status of each and every Area. At the subsidiary company headquarters level Tripartite Committees which include representatives of the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) also review the safety performance of the company and suggest measures for further improving the safety

standards. The Coal India Safety Board, comprising representatives of the coal companies, the workmen, DGMS, the Ministry of Coal review and deliberate on safety measures to be taken for improving the safety performance of CIL bi-annually.

The safety situation of the coalmines is also reviewed bi-annually by the Standing Committee on safety in Coal Mines chaired by the Honble Minister of State for Coal.

WORKERS PARTICIPATION IN SAFETY MANAGEMENT

9.27 Participation of workmen in the management of safety has been a priority are for CIL and institutions like Workmens Inspectors, Safety Committees, Area level Bipartite Committees, company level Tripartite Committees and the CIL Safety Board have been set up and ensure that workmen are involved in all measures for safety at the workplace.

MINES RESCUE SERVICES

9.28 During 1998-99 the modernisation programme of the mines Rescue Services of Coal India Limited was continued. Six main rescue Stations (RS), twelve Rescue Rooms with Refresher Training Facilities (RRRTs) and eleven Rescue Rooms have been established and are functioning in various subsidiaries.

9.29 Old outdated main rescue equipment is being replaced by modern equipment in a phased manner. Modern training galleries have been provided at all main Rescue Stations and RRRTs. These are being equipped with modern gadgets.

9.30 Out of thirteen additional Rescue Rooms being constructed to ensure that Rescue Teams reach within half an hour of receiving information construction of seven Rescue Rooms have been completed as planned in 1997-98. These are being equipped.

9.31 Several incentives have been introduced for attracting suitable persons to serve in the Rescue Services. Shortage of field volunteers has been made up by and large.

9.32 New technology equipment like infrared imager, paging system, etc. has been introduced. Trial is under way for development of cordless radio-communication system for use by Rescue Teams in rescue/recovery work below ground.

9.33 One large diameter drill machine for evacuation of miners trapped belowground has been procured from abroad and supporting equipment have been procured from indigenous sources. The machine has been put on trial commissioning at Amritnagar site of ECL.

9.34 A large number of high capacity submersible pumps and horizontal pumps have been procured and kept in readiness for large scale dewatering of mines should the need arise.

ACCIDENT STATISTICS

9.35 Company-wise statistics of fatalities and serious injuries during the last five years are given at the Annexures-XVIII & XIX.

Functioning of Public Grievance Cell

9.36 Although there is no formal P.G. Cell in this Department, the PRIW Section attends to the work relating to public grievance. The grievances of the following nature are dealt with :

i. ii. iii.

Individual grievances of retired employees of Coal Companies regarding nonpayment of gratuity, PF, Family Pension, DA etc. Grievance of working employees of Coal Companies regarding age dispute, retirement on medical ground, employment on compassionate grounds etc. Grievance representation received from the workers Unions, and organisations/companies which go into contract with CIL or its subsidiaries in connection with work. Mainly, the grievances relate to non-payment of outstanding bills.

9.37 There is a standard grievance redressal machinery in existence in the Department of Coal relating to both public grievance and staff grievance. JS(LA), the designated Director of Public Grievance is available for hearing public grievance from 11.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. every Wednesday. He also hears staff grievance during this period. Secretary (Coal) hears staff grievance on the first Wednesday of every month between 3.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m.

9.38 During 1999-2000 (upto December, 1999) about 480 public grievance cases were received in the Ministry. Out of these, 460 cases have been attended to and only 20 cases are in hand.

9.39 The Coal India Limited an organisation working under the administrative control of Department of coal has a vast net work consisting of nine subsidiaries. All companies have a standard public grievance redressal machinery. The Public Grievance Cell in the Coal India Ltd. is headed by the Chief General Manager (Personnel) who is assisted by two more officers, one each from the Marketing Division and the Adminstration Deptt. of Coal India Limited. As per the information received through quarterly returns on public grievance cases, the subsidiary companies had received about 844 public grievance petitions during 1999-2000 (upto December, 1999). Out of these 820 cases have been attended to and only 24 cases are pending.

9.40 A grievance redressal machinery is also functioning in Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited. During 1999-2000 (upto Dec.99) 410 public grievance petitions were received. Out of this 300 have been attended to and only 110 cases are pending.