Dhanbad: A unique competition to sharpen the rescue prowess of the men involved in helping workers trapped in mines got underway here on Friday at the Professional Training Institute of Tata Steel, Jharia division at Jamadoba and its 2 pit colliery.

As many as 84 mine rescuers from Tata Steel-Jharia, Steel Authority of India and BCCL competed with each other at the two-day zonal mines rescue competition, 2017.

Although an annual event, it is for the first time the competition is being organized underground in order to test the participants' reflexes in a more real simulation. In the past the zonal level competitions were organised on the surface by creating artificial underground situations.

Mines safety regulator DGMS region 1 director S.D. Chiddarwar said, "This is the first time that we are organizing the competition in underground mining conditions at the zonal level," and added that three top performing teams will be awarded.

The day began with the captains of the 12 teams-10 BCCL teams from Katras, East Jharia, Govindpur, Barora, Kusunda, Bastacola, Lodna, West Jharia, Sijua and Putki Balihari besides the team of Tata Steel and Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL)--reporting to the venue followed by inspection of the teams by director general of Mines Safety S Baghchi.

Mines rescue station superintendent S.K. Dey then administered an oath and a march past by the teams followed.

Seven area teams of BCCL including Katras, East Jharia, Govindpur, Barora, Kusunda, Bastacola, Lodna then shifted to the 2 pit colliery of Jamadoba where they competed with each in the complicated rescue and recovery work and creating fresh air passage to mines during accidents.

The teams also took an online exam designed to test their awareness about theoretical aspects related to rescue in mines.