Lok Sabha Question No. 3511 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-17
Subject: E-Surveillance of Coal Fields
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: P. Velusamy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3511 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.3.2021

## E-Surveillance of Coal Fields

## 3511.   SHRI VELUSAMY P. :

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

- (a)         whether  Mahanadi  Coalfields  Ltd.  (MCL),  a  subsidiary  of  Coal  India   has   started  esurveillance to check coal operations in their plant ?
- (b)        if so, the details thereof;
- (c)        whether the Government is having any proposal to extend or initiate e-surveillance of all coal fields in India to monitor the operations of all coal fields ?
- (d)       if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (e)         whether  the  e-surveillance  can  track  illegal  coal  mining  and  transportation  of  coal  by unauthorized persons and if so, the details thereof ?

## ANSWER

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

- (a)  & (b):       Yes, Sir.  Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL), a subsidiary of Coal India has started e-surveillance to check coal operations in their plant. The following e-Surveillance Technologies have been implemented:-
1.          CCTV Surveillance of Vulnerable Locations like Mine Entry Exit Points, Coal Stocks, Railway Sidings, etc.
2.  GPS based Vehicle Tracking System of Coal Tippers running in Mines. Total Requirement (Coal Tippers) - 2691 Vehicles (as per monthly vehicle report). Installed GPS (Coal Tippers) 2691 Vehicles.
- (c):    Yes Sir, other subsidiaries of Coal India Limited have also provided CCTV Surveillance System  and  GPS  based  VTS  System  for  tracking  the  movement  of  authorized  coal  transport vehicle
- (d): The detail in respect of other Subsidiaries of CIL having e-Surveillance through CCTV and GPS based VTS System is being provided as below on the basis of information received from respective subsidiaries:

| Type of Locations      |   Installed |
|------------------------|-------------|
| Coal Stocks            |          64 |
| Mine Entry Exit Points |          76 |
| Coal Sample Labs       |          35 |
| Weighbridges           |          88 |
| Railway Sidings        |          42 |

## CCTV Surveillance:

| Subsidiaries of CIL   |   Total No. of CCTV Cameras deployed at vulnerable locations viz. Weighbridges, Sidings, Workshops, Offices, Stores, View point &Coal Stocks. |
|-----------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| CCL                   |                                                                                                                                          1989 |
| NCL                   |                                                                                                                                          1284 |
| WCL                   |                                                                                                                                           555 |
| BCCL                  |                                                                                                                                           615 |
| ECL                   |                                                                                                                                          2745 |
| SECL                  |                                                                                                                                          1359 |
| TOTAL                 |                                                                                                                                          8547 |

## GPS based VTV System:

| Subsidiaries of CIL   |   Number of Coal Transport Vehicles fitted with GPS based VTS system for monitoring of internal coal transport. |
|-----------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| CCL                   |                                                                                                            3150 |
| NCL                   |                                                                                                             403 |
| WCL                   |                                                                                                            1070 |
| BCCL                  |                                                                                                             589 |
| ECL                   |                                                                                                            1479 |
| SECL                  |                                                                                                            1243 |
| TOTAL                 |                                                                                                            7934 |

- (e):        The  present  system  indicated  above  can  track/monitor  the  movement  of  subsidiaries authorized coal transport vehicles passing through the prescribed route from mine to stock/railway siding or vice versa.

In NLC India Ltd. E-surveillance can track illegal coal mining through CCTV, RFID & GPS  based  vehicle  tracking  system  helps  to  manage  and  monitor  the  Diesel  pilferage,  Coal production and also transportation of various trucks' movement in mines leading to prevention of illegal coal mining. E-surveillance avoids Coal pilferage and unauthorized entry of persons and vehicle in Mine boundary area. Surveillance through Geo-fence raise alert if vehicle moves out of mine boundary area.

In  SCCL,  GPS/GPRS  based  Vehicle  Tracking  System  (VTS)  on  BOO  concept  is  in operation  throughout  the  company  in  all  the  mines  to  curb  pilferage  of  coal  during  transport since  2016. Further,  1082  nos.  CCTV  cameras  were  installed  at  conspicuous  locations  like Weigh-bridge, Railway  sidings,  Manway muster booking, Stores distribution points,  Opencast Diesel  bunkers  and  FOIS  (Freight  Operations  Information  System)  locations  etc.  as  part  of surveillance system. In case of deviation of route, additional stoppages of vehicle or over speed, crossing of ego-fencing, the concerned officers will get SMS alerts. The present E-surveillance set-up is effective to curb pilferage of coal during transport in SCCL.

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