Sindh minister orders probe after eight miners killed in Jhimpir

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08th Jul, 2022. 01:50 pm
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The coal mine was flooded after heavy rains in hilly areas
Bodies of eight miners have been retrieved
A 12-year-old child was also washed up in the mine
A committee has been formed to investigate the incident

KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Energy Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh has instructed to lodge a case after eight coal miners were dead in a flooded miner near Jhimpir.

The bodies of eight coal miners were retrieved from the mine on Thursday after two days of frantic efforts by rescue teams. Rainwater gushed into the mine after heavy rains in the hilly terrains of Jhimpir.

Nine labourers were stranded in the coal mine. The bodies of eight of them had been retrieved while a search is on to find the missing miner.

The provincial minister took notice of the incident and has directed concerned authorities to lodge an FIR against a private company. He said that action will be taken against the mine’s owner and contractor under mining laws.

Imtiaz Shaikh said a committee has been formed to probe the cause of the incident. The committee comprises DG Coal Mines, Chief Inspector Mines, and representatives of miners.

The minister said child labour laws and mining laws will be taken into account during the inquiry and the report will be made public.

According to initial reports, the minister said the child who died in the mine was a miner. The child’s father said they were standing near the miner where the gushing floodwater swept him away into the mine.

The energy minister said the inquiry committee will also investigate whether the child was really with the father or was in the mine. The child’s father was safe in the incident, the minister added.

The minister said he shares the grief of the bereaved families over the loss of precious lives of the workers. He vowed that stringent measures will be taken in the future to prevent such accidents.

Earlier, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had ordered the provincial energy department to conduct a safety audit of all mines across the province. He expressed deep sorrow over the death of labourers after the rainwater flooded the coal mines in Jhimpir.

The chief minister expressed grave concern over the death of a 12-year-old boy in the accident and directed the energy minister to conduct a thorough inquiry and submit a report.

The chief minister said that strict action will be taken on the matter of child labour. He also ordered for compensation to the families of the victims.

Sindh minister orders probe after eight miners killed in Jhimpir

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