Record Number Of Applications For Mining Jobs

The number of people who have applied for jobs at a coal mine in Turkey's Zonguldak province was more than 26 times higher than the number of available positions, a record figure despite the deadliest mine accidents in Turkey's history taking place this year.

The state-run Turkish Hard Coal Enterprises (TTK) accepted applications for 162 positions at a coal mine in Zonguldak. By the time the nine-day application period was over, 4,269 had expressed interest. The highest number of applications among the 4,269 was for underground services at the Zonguldak mine with 1,128.

The huge interest also contradicts Zonguldak's poor job safety record for mines. Separate investigations have recently revealed serious job safety flaws in Zonguldak mines and led courts to halt production at 31 coal mines in the province.

The applicants had to take the State Personnel Examination (KPSS), and the final list of those hired will be published soon, the local branch of the Turkish Employment Organization (İŞKUR) said in a written statement on Tuesday.

On May 13 Turkey was shocked by an explosion and fire at a coal mine in Soma, a town in the western Manisa province, that killed 301 workers and injured scores of others, Turkey's deadliest mine accident to date. The fire triggered by the explosion rapidly depleted oxygen in the mineshaft, causing hundreds of miners to die of carbon monoxide poisoning. Separately, 18 miners were trapped in a mine in Ermenek when it flooded on Oct. 28. Search and rescue efforts are almost over with no hope of saving any lives.

Despite the major risks encountered in Turkey's coal mines, a five-year action plan to transform the economy, announced by Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu earlier this month, implied that Turkey will meet its soaring energy demand by increasing its production of coal.

(Cihan/Today's Zaman)