The Singareni Coal Mines Karmika Sangh affiliated to Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh has urged Union Minister of Coal and Mines Prahlad Joshi to instruct the Telangana government to announce lockdown for the coal miners of Singareni Collieries Company Limited to help the check the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
In a memorandum faxed to the Union Minister and a copy of which was released to the media here on Saturday, Singareni Coal Mines Karmika Sangh State president Kengerla Mallaiah complained that the State government in spite of announcing lockdown till April 15 had forced the Singareni coal miners to work in odd working conditions in groups in various mines and extract the coal.
Incidentally, there cannot be social distancing in the coal mining activities and miners were forced to work in groups for the excavation of coal in the underground mines, he said and added that in every shift more than 500 miners work in groups in the mines and there was every possibility of spread of the virus in the mines. Stating that they coal miners cannot prevent spread of virus by wearing masks, washing hands with soap or sanitisers etc, he said that the coal miners and their family members were worried lot over the possible spread of virus following the working during the lockdown period to break the chain of virus.
He appealed to the Union Minister to declare closure of all the mines, including Singareni, to check the spread of virus and force the miners to remain indoors (quarantine). He also urged the Union government to provide ₹ 50 lakhs health insurance coverage to the coal miners of Singareni. He also urged the government to strengthen the Singareni hospitals with adequate staff, equipment and medicines to fight the deadly virus in the coal belt region of Telangana State.
