Lok Sabha Question No. 596 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-23
Subject: Accidents in Non-Coal Mines
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Shri Tanuj Punia

## 596. Shri Tanuj Punia:

Will the Minister of Coal be pleased to state:

(a) the details of common factors identified in accidents in non-coal mines and the manner in which they are being addressed; and

(b) the steps taken by the Government to eradicate illegal mining practices such as rathole mining and ensure the safety of miners in regions where these methods are prevalent?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF COAL AND MINES (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a):  Ministry  of  Labour  and  Employment  has  informed  that  the  common  factors identified in accidents in non-coal mines are fall of sides, fall of roof, fall of persons from height, transportation machinery (Winding & Rope Haulages), collisions & runover by wheeled trackless machinery, Explosives & Blasting etc.

The Central Government has enacted the Mines Act, 1952 to ensure occupational safety  &  health  of  mine  workers  including  coal  mines.  The  act  has  provisions  for training, protective equipment, medical examination etc. The Directorate General of Mines Safety  (DGMS) has been entrusted with  the  task of  inspection  of  mines  to ensure the compliance of the provisions of Mines Act, 1952 and rules and regulations framed thereunder for enhancing the safety of mine workers. Accordingly, DGMS has taken various steps to reduce fatalities in mines and enforce the safety of workers engaged  therein,  which  inter  alia  include  conducting  regular  enquires  into  the accidents and dangerous occurrences to ascertain cause and circumstances, regular inspection of mines, development of standard protocols, holding national conferences on safety in mines, observance of safety weeks, campaigns, awareness etc.

(b): Illegal mining such as rat hole mining is a law and order issue and falls under the purview of the respective state authorities. Ministry of Mines has informed that the Section 23C of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Act, 1957  empowers  the  State  Government  to  frame  rules  to  prevent  illegal  mining, transportation  and  storage  of  minerals  and  for  purposes  connected  therewith. Therefore,  the  control  of  illegal  mining  is  primarily  the  responsibility  of  the  State Government. The Central Government supports and augments these efforts through

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 596 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.07.2025

## Accidents in Non-Coal Mines

policy initiatives from time to time. Some of the steps taken by the Central Government for the prevention and control of illegal mining are as follows:

(i) The Mines and Mineral (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Act, 1957 was amended through the MMDR Amendment Act, 2015, which came into effect from 12th January, 2015. Wherein Section 30B and 30C read with section 21 and 23C, interalia, provides stringent punitive provisions for combating illegal mining.

(ii) Rule 45 of the Mineral Conservation and Development Rules (MCDR) 2017, provides for measures to ensure scientific management of the mining process. It also facilitates end-to-end national-scale accounting of all minerals produced in the country from the pit head to end-use, reducing the scope for illegal mining, royalty evasion, etc.

(iii) Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) (a subordinate office of the Ministry), has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), for a pilot project 'Sudoor Drushti' to demonstrate the feasibility of using High-Resolution Satellite imagery and Digital Elevation Model (DEM) in monitoring mining activities/changes over a period of time over selected group of mines.

(iv) The Ministry of Mines has launched the Mining Surveillance System (MSS) in October 2016. It aims at developing a system for detection of the incidence of illegal mining by use of space technology and surveillance of the area up to 500m outside the lease boundary to check incidences of illegal mining. If discrepancies are detected, alerts  are  generated  and  sent  to  the  respective  State  Government  for  ground verification.

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