SHANGLA: Minister for mines and minerals development Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Amjad Ali has said that Excise duty and mines safety bill has been approved by the cabinet and would be passed from the assembly in next session which is meant to secure lives of the mine workers.
It was expressed by the minister during a meeting with coalmine workers rights activists after he offered condolences with the minister for information Shaukat Yousafzai over his mother demise here at Bisham.
Mr Amjad Ali said Shangla people had been lost their hundreds of loved ones in the coalmines at different parts of Pakistan due to lack of safety but now for the first time KP government is moving to pass Excise duty and mines safety bill from the assembly.
“We have made several amendments in the mines law in that bill, including provision of safety measurements for workers at workplace, increased incentive from Rs 500,000 to Rs 900,000 for martyred worker and for injured the compensation grant increased from. Rs 100,000 to Rs 300,000,” He said.
Mr Ali added that in the legislation they have bind the coalmines owners as it was their obligation to provide safety to workers on priority basis.
He said, if any of coalmine owner does not follow the new legislated rules his mine would be banned and sealed.
He said the legislation for the coalminers rights at is final stage and very soon that would be passed from the assembly.
Meanwhile, the coalmine workers welfare association office bearers, Abid Yaar, Sarfaraz Khan, Gul Khan Shangla and others thanked the minister and expressed their satisfaction for the government for legislation for coalmine workers rights.
