The Provincial government of Hunan in central China on Wednesday issued an emergency circular ordering 400 small mines on its blacklist to shut down before April 1.

Colliery gas explosions and flooding are two major causes of colliery accidents, which have claimed 79 lives in Hunan so far this year. The toll was 29 more than that recorded last year, said Xie Guangxiang, head of the provincial safety production watchdog.

Xie said that the bureau has issued a scroll listing names of the coal mines required to obey the order.

He said that all of the mines on the list failed to pass safety inspections.

"Only if they could correct safety issues and pass the re-examination by the bureau, would they be able to resume the business," said Xie.

The bureau plans to dispatch supervisors to reinforce the regulation.

(Xinhua News Agency March 16, 2006)