BURDWAN: Coal production at an underground mine of Eastern Coalfields Limited was halted after water gushed into it last night. Citu members staged a demonstration in front of the pit today, alleging a lack of safety and security measures inside the mines. Approximately 250 miners, mainly the underground loaders, were working in the Dhemo Main colliery near Asansol town when water flow was noticed at 8 p.m. at the seventy-seventh level of the mine. Within a few minutes the mine engineers and workers found that the stopping No-25 (concrete barrier to prevent further excavation) of that mine had developed cracks. As a result, surface water entered the pit. The miners started fleeing, apprehending inundation. The authorities evacuated the entire workforce deployed inside the pit. Mr Kaushik Halder, local Citu leader alleged: "This was the fourth time that the stopping No-25 cracked, paving the way for the water to gush into the mine. The director general of mine safety has been overlooking the menace, despite being well-informed.' He said: "We won't allow the miners to go into the pit unless fool-proof safety measures are ensured. We won't allow any more repetitions of the Chasnala disaster.' The mine authority said repair work has been started at the affected No-25 stopping. Mr AK Mishra, mine custodian agent of ECL said: "It may take two to three days to repair.' The mine has average production of 130 tonnes per day. One Nageswar mine pit in Satgram area has been waterlogged for the last one week.