Stone quarries that extend below superjacent ground are mines within the meaning of the Mines Act

Supreme Court of India
Bandhua Mukti Morcha vs Union Of India & Others on 16 December, 1983
Equivalent citations: 1984 AIR 802, 1984 SCR (2) 67
Author: P Bhagwati
Bench: Bhagwati, P.N.
           PETITIONER:
BANDHUA MUKTI MORCHA

    Vs.

RESPONDENT:
UNION OF INDIA & OTHERS

DATE OF JUDGMENT16/12/1983

BENCH:
BHAGWATI, P.N.
BENCH:
BHAGWATI, P.N.
PATHAK, R.S.
SEN, AMARENDRA NATH (J)

 3: 1.  The Stone  quarries     in  the  instant  case     are
mines within the meaning of the Section 2 (j) of the Mines
Act, 1952  since they  are excavations    where operations for
the purpose of searching for or obtaining stone by quarrying
are being  carried on  but they     are not  open cast working'
since admittedly  excavations in  the case  of    these  stone
quarries extend below superjacent ground. Since the workings
in these  stone quarries extend below superjacent ground and
they are  not 'open  east workings'  and moreover explosives
are admittedly used in connection with
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the excavation, the conditions set out in the proviso to see
3 (i)  (i) are    not fulfilled and hence the exclusion of the
provisions of  the Mines  Act 1952  (other than the excepted
sections) is  not attracted  and all  the provisions  of the
Mines Act 1952 apply to these stone quarries. The provisions
contained in  chapters V,  VI &     VII of the Mines Act confer
certain rights    and benefits  on the workmen employed in the
stone quarries    and stone  crushers  and  these     rights     and
benefits intended  to secure  to the  workman just and human
conditions of  work ensuring  a decent standard of life with
basic human  dignity. Since the stone quarries are not being
exploited by  the State of Haryana though it is the owner of
the stone  quarries, but  are being  given out    on lease  by
auction, the  mine-lessees who are not only lessees but also
occupiers of  the stone quarries are the owners of the stone
quarries within     the meaning  of that  expression as used in
section 2  (1) and  so also are the owners of stone crushers
in relation  to their  establishment. The  mine-lessees     and
owners    of  stone  crushers  are,  therefore,  liable  under
section 18  of the  Mines  Act,     1952  to  carry  out  their
operations in  accordance with    the provisions    of the Mines
Act, 1952  and the  Mines Rules,  1955 and  other Rules     and
Regulations made  under that  Act and  to  ensure  that     the
rights    and  benefits  conferred  by  these  provisions     are
actually and  concretely made  available to the workmen. The
Central Government  is entrusted  under the  Mines Act    1952
with the  responsibility of  securing  compliance  with     the
provisions of that Act and of the Mines Rules 1953 and other
Rules and  Regulations made  under that     Act and  it is     the
primary obligation  of the Central Government to ensure that
these provisions  are complied    with by the mine-lessees and
stone crusher  owners. The State of Haryana is also under an
obligation to  take all     necessary steps  for the purpose of
securing compliance  with  these  provisions  by  the  mine-
lessees and  owners of    stone crushers. The State of Haryana
is therefore,  in any event, bound to take action to enforce
the provisions    of the    Mines Act  1952 and  the Mines Rules
1955 and other Rules and Regulations made under that Act for
the benefit  of the  workmen. [113  G-H, 114 A, 115 A, E, G,
116 B-F, 117 C-D]