Project managers and relevant parties in the construction of
coal mines in central China's Henan Province will be held to account for
major accidents in the mines in the next 50 years after the
construction is completed, an official said.
"Besides insufficient safety equipment and improper operation,
defects in the construction have also led to coal mine accidents,"
said the official with the province's coal industry bureau.
Despite the industry's growing awareness of safety, some
companies started the construction of mines lacking detailed
geological data or acting against legal procedures, according to
the official.
The province will invest 3.85 billion yuan (US$481 million) in
45 coal mine projects this year. It is the first time that the
province has made such a massive investment in the coal industry
since 1949.
To further ensure coal mine safety, construction companies and
relevant institutions and agencies will be under the close
supervision of the bureau. Their licenses will be revoked, among
other punishments, if they are found to violate rules.
(Xinhua News Agency March 28, 2006)
