KOHAT: The Darra Adamkhel tribal subdivision administration has decided to send the matter of lingering closure of coal mines in the Sunnikhel area to the dispute resolution council on the orders of the Peshawar High Court to reopen the mines closed since 2020.

The administration had summoned the seventh jirga of the rival groups of Sunnikhel tribe on Wednesday to try to reach a consensus on composition of a coal committee for distribution of income accrued from coal mines among tribes, but failed against to reach an understanding.

Assistant commissioner, Darra, Younis Khan told Dawn that the poor tribesmen were suffering due to the closure of coal mines.

He said Farooq Afridi, the leader of one of the groups, had got a stay order from the high court against the committee constituted by the administration for distribution of income among the tribesmen. The court had now vacated the stay order and asked the administration and both the parties to resolve the matter amicably.

Mr Younis said they had decided to take the matter to the dispute resolution council because both the groups had stuck to their stances. He said the rival groups led by Farooq Afridi and Muslim Khan wanted members of their own choosing to be included in the coal committee.

The rival tribes had closed the coal mine in 2020 to protest constitution of a committee by the administration, and demanded formulation of a fresh one.

In a separate development, the Darra Adamkhel administration on Wednesday registered cases against the owner and manager of the Tandi mine in Akhorwal for allowing coal excavation on closed holiday in violation of rules, which caused the death of two mineworkers.

Assistant commissioner, Darra, Younis Khan told Dawn that the incident had occurred on Jan 9 on Sunday when no official was on duty to check the mining operations.

He said an inquiry had been launched against the owner and the manager. He said action would be taken against them after completion of the inquiry.

MEDICAL STORES SEALED: Three medical stores were sealed in Lachi Bazaar for operating without licence on Wednesday.

Drug inspector Mohammad Irfan Wazir along with assistant commissioner, Lachi, Amir Nawaz inspected medical stores, and also recovered unregistered drugs, according to a statement.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2022