Lok Sabha Question No. 5497 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-28
Subject: Pilferage of Coal
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB, SANJAY SHAMRAO DHOTRE, RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5497 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.03.2018

## Pilferage of Coal

## 5497.  SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB : SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE : SHRI RAHUL SHEWALE :

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

- (a) the  mechanism  put  in  place  by  the  Government  to  check  pilferage/theft  of  coal clandestinely from Coal India Limited and its subsidiaries in the country;
- (b) the number of raids conducted by the security personnel to unearth such pilferage/theft of coal along with number of officials of CIL and its subsidiaries found involved in such pilferage/theft across the country during each of the last three years and  the current year, State/UT-wise  and  the  action  taken/being  taken  by  the Government in such cases so far;
- (c) whether the Government has received suggestions from various quarters  to  prevent such pilferage/theft of coal across the country;
- (d) if so, the details thereof along with the action taken/being taken by the Government on such suggestions so far; and
- (e) the other steps taken/being taken by the Government to eliminate such pilferage/theft of coal from CIL and its subsidiaries across the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER FOR RAILWAYS AND COAL (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a) to (e) Theft / pilferage of coal are carried out stealthily and clandestinely.  Various suggestions from Members of Parliament, various organisations and general public to prevent pilferage / theft of coal are received from time to time.  The same are duly considered in the Ministry and systemic improvement measures for preventing theft / pilferage are conveyed to Coal India Ltd. and its subsidiaries for compliance.  Following steps are being taken by CIL subsidiaries to check such incidents in future :-

- o At strategic locations of all mines Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) based Boom Barriers  &  closed-circuit  television  (CCTV)  camera  at  weighbridges,  General Packet Radio Services (GPRS) based vehicle tracking system with geofencing, CCTV camera have been installed.
- o A close watch on the activities of criminals is being kept by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).  Regular FIRs are lodged by the Colliery Management and CISF with local Thana.
- o At  regular  intervals  interaction  and  liaison  with  District  officials  are  made.  Meeting with District Collector & other District Administrative Officials are held regularly.
- o Challans  for  coal  transportation  by  trucks  outside  the  district  are  being  issued  after fixing  hologram  and  putting  signatures  of  authorized  officials  of  CISF  to  check pilferage.
- o Armed Guards have been deployed at Railway sidings.
- o Escorting  of  coal  rakes  in  coordination  with  Railway  Protection  Force  [RPF]  upto weighbridge, is arranged in pilferage prone areas.
- o Surprise re-weighment of coal loaded trucks is done at weighbridges.
- o Surprise checks / raids are conducted by flying squads of CISF/security department.
- o Regular  patrolling  is  conducted  in  and  around  the  mine  including  over  burden  (OB) dumps.
- o Joint patrolling with local police is also being carried out in pilferage prone areas.
- o Check posts have been established at entry / exit points where all coal laden vehicles are physically checked.
- o Security at coal dumps has been strengthened by fencing, proper illumination and round the clock guarding.

As per the information received from Coal India Ltd., whenever any incident of theft / pilferage of coal comes to the notice of the coal companies, the Management of subsidiary companies lodges First Information Report (FIR) with local Thana to take necessary action. The status of conviction after reporting the case to local police is not easily available.  The details of FIRs lodged in case of theft / pilferage of coal, subsidiary-wise and State-wise is as under :-

| Company                  | State          |   2014-15 |   2015-16 |   2016-17 |   2017-18 (upto December, 2017) |
|--------------------------|----------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|---------------------------------|
| Eastern Coalfields Ltd.  | West Bengal    |        27 |       116 |       241 |                             105 |
| Eastern Coalfields Ltd.  | Jharkhand      |         2 |        18 |        35 |                              16 |
| Bharat Coking Coal Ltd.  | Jharkhand      |         9 |         9 |        10 |                               9 |
| Bharat Coking Coal Ltd.  | West Bengal    |         0 |         0 |         0 |                               2 |
| Central Coalfields Ltd.  | Jharkhand      |        11 |         3 |         0 |                               1 |
| Northern Coalfields Ltd. | Madhya Pradesh |         0 |         0 |         0 |                               0 |
| Northern Coalfields Ltd. | Uttar Pradesh  |         0 |         0 |         1 |                               0 |
| Western Coalfields Ltd.  | Maharashtra    |        13 |         6 |        19 |                              11 |
| Western Coalfields Ltd.  | Madhya Pradesh |         0 |         0 |         1 |                               0 |
| South Eastern            | Madhya Pradesh |         2 |         0 |         1 |                               1 |
| Coalfields Ltd.          | Chattisgarh    |         1 |         6 |         1 |                               2 |
| Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd. | Orissa         |         4 |         0 |         1 |                               0 |
| North Eastern Coalfields | Assam          |        66 |        35 |        31 |                              20 |
| Coal India               | Coal India     |       135 |       193 |       341 |                             167 |

Law  &  Order  is  a  State  subject,  hence  primarily;  it  is  the  responsibility  of  the State/District administration to take necessary deterrent action to stop/curb theft / pilferage of coal.    The  coal  companies  are  working  in  close  coordination  with  the  State  /  local administration to prevent theft / pilferage of coal.

*******