Lok Sabha Question No. 5384 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-28
Subject: Illegal Mining of Coal
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: HEMANT TUKARAM GODSE, CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI, RAMDAS CHANDRABHANJI TADAS

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5384 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.03.2018

## Illegal Mining of Coal

## 5384.  SHRI GODSE HEMANT TUKARAM : SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI : SHRI RAMDAS C. TADAS :

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has conducted any investigation relating to theft, blackmarketing, illegal mining and haulage of coal during the last three years;
- (b) if so, the outcome thereof and the action taken against the guilty persons, year, State and company-wise; and
- (c) the quantum of coal in tonnes seized by the crime branch so far and the State-wise details of such coal mines?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (c) Theft,  black-marketing,  illegal  mining  and  haulage  of  coal  are  carried  out stealthily  and  clandestinely.    With  regard  to  quantum  of  coal  stolen,  it  is  not  possible  to specify the exact quantum of coal stolen and losses incurred on account of theft / pilferage and illegal mining of coal.  Illegal mining of coal is reported to be carried out mainly from abandoned mines, shallow coal seams situated at remote/isolated places from the mines and are  scattered  over  a  large  area.    As  per  information  received  from  Coal  India  Ltd.,  the quantity of coal recovered in raids conducted by security personnel as well as joint raids with the  law  and  order  authorities  of  the  State  Government  concerned,  the  quantity  of  coal recovered  and its  approximate value  [Subsidiary-wise and State-wise] during the last three years are as under :-

| Company                  | State          | 2014-15                 | 2014-15                  | 2015-16                 | 2015-16                  | 2016-17                 | 2016-17                  |
|--------------------------|----------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|
|                          |                | Quantity Recovered (te) | Approx. Value (Rs. Lakh) | Quantity Recovered (te) | Approx. Value (Rs. Lakh) | Quantity Recovered (te) | Approx. Value (Rs. Lakh) |
| Eastern Coalfields Ltd.  | West Bengal    | 2229.60                 | 44.64                    | 4993.27                 | 249.67                   | 7804.76                 | 390.23                   |
| Eastern Coalfields Ltd.  | Jharkhand      | 2188.72                 | 43.79                    | 2645.78                 | 132.32                   | 3500.66                 | 175.03                   |
| Bharat Coking Coal Ltd.  | Jharkhand      | 13812.17                | 585.04                   | 12071.40                | 529.67                   | 12718.85                | 549.60                   |
| Bharat Coking Coal Ltd.  | West Bengal    | 179.46                  | 7.54                     | 445.84                  | 20.54                    | 810.44                  | 33.60                    |
| Central Coalfields Ltd.  | Jharkhand      | 940.00                  | 24.37                    | 99.00                   | 1.05                     | 147.00                  | 1.47                     |
| Northern Coalfields Ltd. | Madhya Pradesh | 0.00                    | 0.00                     | 0.00                    | 0.00                     | 0.00                    | 0.00                     |
| Northern Coalfields Ltd. | Uttar Pradesh  | 0.00                    | 0.00                     | 0.00                    | 0.00                     | 3.00                    | 0.04                     |
| Western                  | Maharashtra    | 133.36                  | 2.79                     | 53.00                   | 1.12                     | 225.15                  | 5.42                     |
| Coalfields Ltd.          | Madhya Pradesh | 0.00                    | 0.000                    | 0.00                    | 0.000                    | 3.00                    | 0.18                     |
| South Eastern            | Madhya Pradesh | 49.53                   | 1.95                     | 0.00                    | 0.000                    | 3.50                    | 0.14                     |
| Coalfields Ltd.          | Chattisgarh    | 3.00                    | 0.12                     | 57.50                   | 2.11                     | 25.00                   | 1.50                     |
| Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd. | Orissa         | 74.30                   | 0.72                     | 63.10                   | 0.63                     | 57.80                   | 0.38                     |

| Company                  | State           | 2014-15                 | 2014-15                  | 2015-16                 | 2015-16                  | 2016-17                 | 2016-17                  |
|--------------------------|-----------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|
|                          |                 | Quantity Recovered (te) | Approx. Value (Rs. Lakh) | Quantity Recovered (te) | Approx. Value (Rs. Lakh) | Quantity Recovered (te) | Approx. Value (Rs. Lakh) |
| North-Eastern Coalfields | Assam           | 13.03                   | 0.62                     | 0.00                    | 0.000                    | 0.00                    | 0.000                    |
| Coal India Ltd.          | Coal India Ltd. | 19623.16                | 711.57                   | 20428.89                | 937.11                   | 25296.16                | 1157.56                  |

## ILLEGAL MINING OF COAL SUBSIDIARY-WISE AND STATE-WISE

| Company                  | State          | 2014-15                    | 2014-15                     | 2015-16                    | 2015-16                     | 2016-17                    | 2016-17                     |
|--------------------------|----------------|----------------------------|-----------------------------|----------------------------|-----------------------------|----------------------------|-----------------------------|
| Company                  | State          | Quantity Recovered (tonne) | Approx. Value (Rs. in Lakh) | Quantity Recovered (tonne) | Approx. Value (Rs. in Lakh) | Quantity Recovered (tonne) | Approx. Value (Rs. in Lakh) |
| Eastern Coalfields Ltd.  | West Bengal    | 34.75                      | 0.69                        | 0.00                       | 0.00                        | 973.90                     | 48.69                       |
| Eastern Coalfields Ltd.  | Jharkhand      | 0.00                       | 0.00                        | 110.77                     | 5.54                        | 285.50                     | 13.60                       |
| Bharat Coking Coal Ltd.  | Jharkhand      | 0.00                       | 0.00                        | 0.00                       | 0.00                        | 0.00                       | 0.00                        |
| Bharat Coking Coal Ltd.  | West Bengal    | 0.00                       | 0.00                        | 0.00                       | 0.00                        | 0.00                       | 0.00                        |
| Central Coalfields Ltd.  | Jharkhand      | 0.00                       | 0.00                        | 0.00                       | 0.00                        | 0.00                       | 0.00                        |
| Northern Coalfields Ltd. | Madhya Pradesh | 0.00                       | 0.00                        | 0.00                       | 0.00                        | 0.00                       | 0.00                        |
| Northern Coalfields Ltd. | Uttar Pradesh  | 139.00                     | 1.55                        | 2.00                       | 0.02                        | 33.00                      | 0.33                        |
| Western                  | Maharashtra    | 0.00                       | 0.00                        | 0.00                       | 0.00                        | 0.00                       | 0.00                        |
| Coalfields Ltd.          | Madhya Pradesh | 0.00                       | 0.00                        | 0.00                       | 0.00                        | 0.00                       | 0.00                        |
| South Eastern            | Madhya Pradesh | 0.00                       | 0.00                        | 0.00                       | 0.00                        | 0.00                       | 0.00                        |
| Coalfields Ltd.          | Chattisgarh    | 0.00                       | 0.00                        | 0.00                       | 0.00                        | 0.00                       | 0.00                        |
| Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd. | Orissa         | 0.00                       | 0.00                        | 0.00                       | 0.00                        | 0.00                       | 0.00                        |
| North-Eastern Coalfields | Assam          | 0.00                       | 0.00                        | 0.00                       | 0.00                        | 0.00                       | 0.00                        |
| Coal India Ltd.          |                | 173.75                     | 2.24                        | 112.77                     | 5.56                        | 1292.40                    | 62.62                       |

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  illegal mining / theft  /  pilferage  of  coal.    The  coal  companies  are  working  in  close  coordination  with  the State/local administration.  The Management of subsidiary companies lodges FIR with local Thana to take necessary action.

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