SHANGLA: Three young workers, who died in a coal mine accident in the Darra Adamkhel area on Saturday, were laid to rest in their ancestral graveyards here on Sunday.
According to residents, the bodies of the miners were broughttotheirnative areas on Saturday night.
They were identified as Enzar Gul and Hafeezullah, residents of Gharo Sar Banda, and Mohammad Hafiz Ghafoor, a resident of Pagorai, Alpuri.
Pakistan Workers Federation, Shangla chapter, president Abid Yar told Dawn that they had repeatedlydemanded the implementation of safety measures in mines, but to no avail.
He said the government only took notice after tragedies occurred and appeared least concerned about taking effective measures to ensure safety of workers.
Mr Yar said that Minister for Mines and Minerals Arif Ahmad had promised during his visit to Shangla last month that he would immediately take concrete steps to ensure workers’ safety. However, he said nothing has been done so far.
He urged the government to honour its commitments made with the people of Shangla and ensure a safe and secure working environment for mine workers.Three coal miners from Shangla were killed when a portion of a coal mine caved in at Bora Hassankhel in Darra Adamkhel, reports APP.
The latest incident came amid a series of mining accidents involving workers from Shangla.
Two other young miners from the district were killed in separate incidents in Kalakhel and Darra Adamkhel last week, while 34 miners from Shangla reportedly died after a mountain collapsed inside the same area last month.
About 66pc of Shangla’s population is directly or indirectly associated with mining, according to local sources. With limited industrial and employment opportunities in the district,thousands of young people work in coal mines in different parts of the country under hazardous conditions.
The mining profession has continued in Shangla for nearly three generations, with the death or permanent disability of a miner often creating serious financial difficulties for the affected family.
Several workers have also suffered loss of limbs, eyesight and other permanent disabilities in mining accidents.
Residents and stakeholders called for strict enforcement of mine safety laws, provision of modern safety equipment, regular technical inspections, proper training of miners and identification of hazardous sites.