Under the aegis of the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) Bhubaneshwar Region-II, an Occupational Health and Safety awareness program focusing on Pneumoconiosis was successfully organized on May 14, 2024, at the NTPC Dulanga Coal Mining Project. A total of 300 workers participated in this drive and 50 no of check-up were conducted.
The event was graced by the esteemed presence of Director of Mines Safety (Mining), Prafull Ranjan Thakur, and Deputy Director of Mines Safety (Mining), Ulimella Shivashankar. Key figures from NTPC Limited, including Head of Project, Brij Raj Prasoon, Head of HR, Navin Amitabh Baxla, Mine Agent, Prabhakar Choudhary, and Mine Manager, Sadanand Chary Utnoori, along with other senior officials of NTPC and SMASL, also attended the program.
A detailed and informative presentation on “Pneumoconiosis – A Dust-Related Lung Disease” was delivered by the Medical team of NTPC, led by Chief Medical Officer, Shri Rajesh Marcel Bage. The presentation covered essential aspects such as the causes, symptoms, various stages, treatment, and preventive measures of Pneumoconiosis, aiming to educate and raise awareness among the attendees.
In their addresses, the Director and Deputy Director of Mines Safety emphasized the importance of adhering to statutory requirements to prevent occupational diseases like Pneumoconiosis. They highlighted the critical need for effective dust control measures at workplaces, regular airborne dust surveys in mines, and the consistent use of dust masks by all workers and supervisors. The importance of these measures in ensuring the health and safety of mine workers was strongly underscored.
The event successfully conveyed the urgent need for comprehensive implementation of safety protocols to prevent dust-related diseases and protect the health of all personnel involved in mining operations.
