Ulaanbaatar
Nalaikh district citizens to resolve closing of micro mines
Society
Ulaanbaatar/MONTSAME/ On January 12, head of the Cabinet Secretariat G.Zandanshatar called a consultative meeting regarding eliminating accidents due to illegal mining in Nalaikh district.
In relation to proposals of relevant ministries on closing coal pits used by illegal miners in Nalaikh district, head of the Cabinet Secretariat set up the working group last December with a purpose to issue a recommendation on eliminating accidents due to illegal mining.
Accordingly, a 16-staff team of the National Emergency Management Agency ran an inspection to operations of coal mining entities and issued a preliminary conclusion. Today, there are 30 entities with mining license, conducting coal extractions at 102 pits in Nalaikh. Official report says over 200 people are working, but in reality, there are some 1,200 people are engaged to the micro mines' activities.
Accordingly, a 16-staff team of the National Emergency Management Agency ran an inspection to operations of coal mining entities and issued a preliminary conclusion. Today, there are 30 entities with mining license, conducting coal extractions at 102 pits in Nalaikh. Official report says over 200 people are working, but in reality, there are some 1,200 people are engaged to the micro mines' activities.
Since 1999, coal-mining deaths counted at 237 so far, including 103 deaths in the past decade. Main factors of the accidents are conducting artisanal mining in pits that do not have labor safety, norms and standards.
In connection with it, the working group was assigned to issue a unified report of actions made in respective directions by next week and carry out a poll by the National Statistics Office amongst Nalaikh district citizens on whether it is necessary to close pits, and report the result.
M.Unurzul
