Posted On:
23 OCT 2026 6:38PM by PIB Raipur
The first General Body Meeting of the 42nd Annual Mines Safety Fortnight Celebration 2026 for non-coal mines was held at the Multipurpose Hall of Bhilai Niwas, Bhilai, on Friday, bringing together senior officials of the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS), Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL)–Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) and representatives of participating mines to strengthen safety standards and promote accident-free mining operations.
The meeting was organised by the Dalli Rajhara Iron Ore Mines of SAIL–Bhilai Steel Plant under the joint aegis of DGMS Bilaspur Region-I, Bilaspur Region-II and Raigarh Region. The deliberations focused on compliance with statutory safety standards, identification and prevention of workplace hazards, safe operation of machinery, regular inspections, effective implementation of safety provisions and strengthening safety awareness among mine personnel.
The programme commenced with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp by Irfan Ansari, Director of Mines Safety and Chairman of Bilaspur Region-I; Altaf Hussain, Director of Mines Safety and Co-Chairman of Bilaspur Region-II; Sanath Kumar P., Deputy Director of Mines Safety and Co-Chairman of Raigarh Region; Kamal Bhaskar, Executive Director (Mines), SAIL–BSP; Arun Kumar, Executive Director (Rowghat); A. K. Singh, Vice-Chairman and Chief General Manager (Mines), Chief General Manager (Operations) and Chief Mine Liaison Officer, SAIL; Birendra Kumar, Secretary and General Manager (Technical Services and Environment), Iron Ore Complex, Dalli Rajhara; Shiv Kumar P. Tembad, Convener and Deputy Director of Mines Safety, Bilaspur Region-I; Chintala Srikanth, Chief General Manager (Flux); and Anupam Bisht, Chief General Manager (Rowghat).
Addressing the meeting, Irfan Ansari emphasised that investment in mine safety is essential not only for protecting workers but also for improving operational efficiency and ensuring sustainable production. He called for rigorous implementation of safety standards, regular mine inspections, adherence to prescribed norms for constituting inspection teams and effective dissemination of safety-related information through digital platforms. He also stressed the importance of active participation by all stakeholders in the inspection process.
Ansari further called for systematic documentation of findings, observations and experiences gained through activities conducted during the Mines Safety Fortnight. Such documentation, he said, would help improve future safety action plans, strengthen safety practices at the grassroots level and enhance the effectiveness of inspections.
Altaf Hussain highlighted the importance of wider participation by mines across Chhattisgarh and called for the celebration to be organised to a high standard. He stressed the need to share best practices and innovative safety measures through inspections, technical competitions and other activities, while keeping worker safety as the foremost priority. He also called for the inclusion of practical safety measures, innovations and informative articles in the event souvenir, along with broader representation of mines across different categories.
Expressing confidence in the initiative, Hussain said that the exchange of experiences and proven safety practices among participating mines would contribute to the Directorate General of Mines Safety's vision of zero harm and zero accidents.
Kamal Bhaskar, Executive Director (Mines), thanked the participants for their involvement in the first General Body Meeting of the 42nd Annual Mines Safety Fortnight Celebration. He observed that the joint participation of the three DGMS regions would help expand mine safety awareness and reinforce collective responsibility for maintaining safe working conditions. He added that such initiatives play an important role in encouraging disciplined work practices and strengthening the safety culture across mining operations.
Arun Kumar, Executive Director (Rowghat), outlined the progress of SAIL's Rowghat Project, which is being developed as a greenfield mining project with a planned annual capacity of 14 million tonnes. He stated that production operations corresponding to a capacity of three million tonnes had commenced and that the project had made significant progress. Referring to iron ore supplies from captive mines, he also noted that amendments to the relevant provisions had enabled the sale of iron ore produced from captive mines in the open market, creating an avenue to meet growing demand.
Several other officials shared their views on mine safety arrangements, compliance with prescribed standards and measures to improve safety during mining operations. At the outset, A. K. Singh delivered the welcome address, highlighting key aspects of mine safety and the need for effective implementation of safety standards.
Birendra Kumar, General Manager (Technical Services and Environment), Dalli Rajhara, and Secretary of the Annual Mines Safety Fortnight Celebration 2026, presented an overview of the proposed activities and key organisational arrangements for the fortnight.
The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment to strengthening safety awareness, promoting safe working practices and improving coordination among mining stakeholders to ensure a safer working environment for mine personnel. The programme was compered by Rajni Rajak, while Vipin Kumar, General Manager-in-Charge, Dalli Rajhara, proposed the vote of thanks.
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RDJ/BKT