Lok Sabha Question No. 4792 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-24
Subject: Illegal Coal Mining
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Chandra Prakash Choudhary

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4792 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.03.2021

## Illegal Coal Mining

## 4792.  SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH CHOUDHARY:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government's attention is drawn to large scale illegal mining and recoveries being done from transporters;
- (b) if so, whether any steps have been taken by the Government in this regard during the last two years;
- (c) the number of complaints regarding illegal mining and recoveries from transporters that have  been  received  during  the  last  two  years  and  the  action  taken  by  the  Government thereon, with State/UT-wise details thereof?
- (d) whether the Government is aware of the recoveries racket prevailing  in Dhori, Kathara and Bokaro and Kargali area;
- (e) if so, the details thereof along with, revenue loss and whether there can also be a case of terror funding being done by huge amount of recoveries ;  and
- (f) if so, whether the Government has taken any step for a high level enquiry and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS, COAL AND MINES (SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

(a)  &  (b): Coal  India  Limited  endeavours  to  obtain  all  statutory  clearances/licenses  before commencement of coal production.  During the course of coal production all statutory provisions under  various  Acts,  Rules  and  Regulations  are  observed  for  conducting  various  activities.  As such, there is no illegal mining in the lease-hold areas of Coal India Limited.

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. It is a Law & Order problem which is a State subject, hence primarily; falls under the domain of the State/District administration to take necessary deterrent action to stop/curb illegal mining of coal. The Management of subsidiary companies lodges FIR with local Thana to take necessary action. State/District administration take further action against the lodged FIR.

## Following steps are taken to check Illegal mining of coal in CIL:

-  Concrete walls have been erected on the mouth of the abandoned mines to prevent ccess and illegal activities in these areas.
-  Surprise  raids/checks  being  conducted  jointly  by  security  personnel  and  law  and  order authorities of the concerned State Government.
-  Dumping of the overburden is being done on the outcrop zones.
-  Installation of check-posts at vulnerable points.
-  Training of existing security/CISF personnel, refresher training and basic training of new recruits in security discipline for strengthening the security setup;
-  Maintaining close liaison with the State authorities.
-  Committee/task force has been constituted at different level (block level, sub-divisional level, district level, state level) in some subsidiaries of CIL to monitor different aspects of illegal mining.

However, in addition to the above provisions, the Government of India has launched one mobile app  namely  'Khanan  Prahari'  and  one  web  app  Coal  Mine  Surveillance  and  Management System  (CMSMS)  for  reporting  unauthorized  coal  mining  activities  so  that  monitoring  and taking suitable action on it can be done by Law & Order authority.

- (c) : Cumulative Monthly Report of Coal Mines Surveillance and Management System (CMSMS - Khanan Prahari) upto February, 2021 is attached as Annexure-I.
- (d): No such racket is reported in CIL.
- (e) & (f): Not applicable in view to reply given at (d) above.

*******

## Cumulative Monthly Report of Coal Mines Surveillance and Management System (CMSMS-Khanan Prahari) upto February-2021

| I. Complaints generated through Khanan Prahari Mobile app                                | I. Complaints generated through Khanan Prahari Mobile app   | I. Complaints generated through Khanan Prahari Mobile app                                            |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1. Total no. of Complaint Generated                                                      | 443                                                         | Remarks                                                                                              |
| 2. CIL Area                                                                              |                                                             |                                                                                                      |
|  No. of Complaint Generated                                                             | 309                                                         | ECL-246,BCCL-25, CCL-16, WCL-2, SECL-13, NCL-6, MCL-1                                                |
| From CIL Leasehold Area                                                                  |                                                             |                                                                                                      |
| After Verification                                                                       |                                                             |                                                                                                      |
|  Complaint Verified by CIL Nodal officer                                                | 299                                                         | ECL-242, BCCL-23, CCL-12, WCL- 2, SECL-13, NCL-6, MCL-1                                              |
|  Complaint found true                                                                   | 67                                                          | ECL-55, BCCL-2, CCL-10, WCL-0, SECL-0, NCL-0, MCL-0,                                                 |
|  Complaint found false                                                                  | 232                                                         | ECL-187, BCCL-21, CCL-2, WCL-2, SECL-13, NCL-6, MCL-1                                                |
|  Complaint Yet to be verified                                                           | 10                                                          | ECL-4, BCCL-2, CCL-4, WCL-0, SECL-0, NCL-0, MCL-0                                                    |
| 3. Non-CIL Area                                                                          |                                                             |                                                                                                      |
|  No. of Complaint generated from                                                        | 134                                                         | Assam-4, Chhattisgarh-10, Madhya Pradesh-34, Odisha-5, West Bengal- 57, Maharashtra-10, Jharkhand-14 |
| NON-CIL Leasehold Areas                                                                  |                                                             |                                                                                                      |
|  Complaints Verified                                                                    | 18                                                          | Assam-4, Chhattisgarh-6, Madhya Pradesh-4, Odisha-2, West Bengal-1, Maharashtra-0, Jharkhand-1       |
| After Verification                                                                       |                                                             |                                                                                                      |
|  Complaint Found True                                                                   | 3                                                           | Assam-3, Chhattisgarh-0, Madhya Pradesh-0, Odisha-0, West Bengal-0, Maharashtra-0, Jharkhand-0       |
|  Complaint found false                                                                  | 15                                                          | Assam-1, Chhattisgarh-6, Madhya Pradesh-4, Odisha-2, West Bengal-1, Maharashtra-0, Jharkhand-1       |
|  Complaint Yet to be verified                                                           | 116                                                         | Assam-0, Chhattisgarh-4, Madhya Pradesh-30, Odisha-3, West Bengal- 56, Maharashtra-10, Jharkhand-13  |
| II. Monitoring report of scanning of satellite data for the period of 3 rd OCT-DEC, 2020 |                                                             | Quarter                                                                                              |

Scanning of data is under process. Till now no illegal activity is found through scanning.

| Monthly Report of Coal Mines Surveillance and Management System (CMSMS- Khanan Prahari) February-2021 (Monthly).   | Monthly Report of Coal Mines Surveillance and Management System (CMSMS- Khanan Prahari) February-2021 (Monthly).   | Monthly Report of Coal Mines Surveillance and Management System (CMSMS- Khanan Prahari) February-2021 (Monthly).   | Monthly Report of Coal Mines Surveillance and Management System (CMSMS- Khanan Prahari) February-2021 (Monthly).   |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| III. Complaints generated through Khanan Prahari Mobile app                                                        | III. Complaints generated through Khanan Prahari Mobile app                                                        | III. Complaints generated through Khanan Prahari Mobile app                                                        | III. Complaints generated through Khanan Prahari Mobile app                                                        |
| 4. Total no. of Complaint Generated                                                                                | 2                                                                                                                  | Remarks                                                                                                            | Remarks                                                                                                            |
| 5. CIL Area                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                    |
|  No. of Complaint Generated                                                                                       | 2                                                                                                                  | ECL-0, BCCL-2, CCL-0, SECL-0, NCL-0, MCL-0                                                                         | WCL-0,                                                                                                             |
| From CIL Leasehold Area                                                                                            |                                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                    |
|  Complaint Verified by CIL Nodal officer                                                                          | 0                                                                                                                  | ECL-0, BCCL-0, CCL-0, SECL-0, NCL-0, MCL-0                                                                         | WCL-0,                                                                                                             |
| After Verification                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                    |
|  Complaint found true                                                                                             | 0                                                                                                                  | ECL-0, BCCL-0, CCL-0, SECL-0, NCL-0, MCL-0                                                                         | WCL-0,                                                                                                             |
|  Complaint found false                                                                                            | 0                                                                                                                  | ECL-0, BCCL-0, CCL-0, SECL-0, NCL-0, MCL-0                                                                         | WCL-0,                                                                                                             |
|  Complaint Yet to be verified                                                                                     | 2                                                                                                                  | ECL-0, BCCL-2, CCL-0, SECL-0, NCL-0, MCL-0                                                                         | WCL-0,                                                                                                             |
| 6. Non-CIL Area                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                    |
|  No. of complaint generated from                                                                                  | 0                                                                                                                  | Assam-0, Chhattisgarh-0, Pradesh-0, Odisha-0, West Maharashtra-0, Jharkhand-0                                      | Madhya Bengal-0,                                                                                                   |
| Non-CIL Leasehold Areas                                                                                            |                                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                    |
|  Complaints Verified                                                                                              | 0                                                                                                                  | Assam-0, Chhattisgarh-0, Pradesh-0, Odisha-0, West Maharashtra-0, Jharkhand-0                                      | Madhya Bengal-0,                                                                                                   |
| After Verification                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                    |
|  Complaint Found True                                                                                             | 0                                                                                                                  | Assam-0, Chhattisgarh-0, Pradesh-0, Odisha-0, West Maharashtra-0, Jharkhand-0                                      | Madhya Bengal-0,                                                                                                   |
|  Complaint found false                                                                                            | 0                                                                                                                  | Assam-0, Chhattisgarh-0, Pradesh-0, Odisha-0, West Maharashtra-0, Jharkhand-0                                      | Madhya Bengal-0,                                                                                                   |
|  Complaint Yet to be verified                                                                                     | 0                                                                                                                  | Assam-0, Chhattisgarh-0, Pradesh-0, Odisha-0, West Maharashtra-0, Jharkhand-0                                      | Madhya Bengal-0,                                                                                                   |
| IV. Monitoring report of scanning of satellite data for the period of 3 rd Quarter OCT-DEC, 2020                   | IV. Monitoring report of scanning of satellite data for the period of 3 rd Quarter OCT-DEC, 2020                   | IV. Monitoring report of scanning of satellite data for the period of 3 rd Quarter OCT-DEC, 2020                   | IV. Monitoring report of scanning of satellite data for the period of 3 rd Quarter OCT-DEC, 2020                   |

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