Lok Sabha Question No. 1734 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-10
Subject: Pollution caused by Mines
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Shri Manish Jaiswal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1734 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.12.2025

## Pollution caused by Mines

## 1734. Shri Manish Jaiswal:

Will the Minister of Coal be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  launch  new  plans  to  mitigate  the  environmental impacts (dust pollution, degradation in air quality and water level) caused by coal mines in Hazaribagh and Ramgarh in Jharkhand;

(b) the steps being taken by the Government to strengthen safety and health measures for people living near such coal mines; and

(c) the new techniques or monitoring systems being implemented to check illegal mining?

## ANSWER

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

(a) and (b): The Ministry of Coal is committed to ensuring environmentally responsible coal mining. Coal mining projects are mandated to obtain prior Environmental Clearance under the EIA Notification, 2006; Forest Clearance under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, wherever applicable; and Consent to Operate from the State Pollution Control Board under the provisions of Air (Prevention and Control of Air Pollution) Act, 1981 and Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. State Pollution Control Boards oversee the compliance of emissions/ effluent standards. In order to monitor the continuous air quality of project site in coal mines, Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) are being installed.

Coal  companies  having  mining  operations  in  Hazaribagh  and  Ramgarh,  undertake  safety campaigns  in  mines  for  enhancing  safety  awareness  amongst  employees  and  nearby villagers. The measure taken by coal companies include extensive dust suppression through mobile/mist  sprinklers,  fog  canons,  construction  of  PCC  roads;  tarpaulin-covered  coal transport; development of green belts and dust screens. Technological interventions such as First Mile Connectivity projects, SILO loading systems, belt conveyors, and introduction of surface miners have significantly reduced environmental footprints. Large-scale reclamation, multi-species plantation, Miyawaki plantation and development of eco-parks in Barkasayal and Hazaribagh areas are being carried out to restore ecological balance.

(c) 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. These are law & order problems, which is a State subject and, hence, primarily falls under the domain of the State/District administration.

However, Central  Government  has  adopted  several  measures  to  strengthen  monitoring  and prevention of illegal coal mining. The Ministry of Coal has launched the Khanan Prahari

mobile application and the Coal Mine Surveillance and Management System (CMSMS) web portal,  which  enable  citizens  and  authorities  to  report  illegal  mining  incidents  in  real time. Under the provisions of Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, the  Central  Government  has  recently  authorized  designated  officers  for  exercising  powers related to filing of complaints before a court of law and prosecution, search, inspection, and examination  of  persons  and  documents,  etc.,  concerning  illegal  mining  and  other  offences under the Act.

Coal India Limited, through its  subsidiary companies, is taking various  measures to check illegal mining  of coal. Surveillance  has  been  strengthened  by  deploying  drone-based monitoring  systems  to  identify  illegal  activity  both  within  and  outside  leasehold  areas. Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCC) have been established for round-the-clock monitoring using continuous feeds from CCTV, GPS, Vehicle Tracking Systems, and RFID devices. Regular surprise checks, 24×7 patrolling, filing of FIRs, coordination with district police and public awareness initiatives in nearby villages are also being carried out to deter illegal mining and coal theft effectively.  Check-posts have been set up at vulnerable points, and  physical  preventive  measures  such  as  concrete  sealing  of  abandoned  mine  openings, overburden dumping in outcrop zones, and trenching along mine peripheries are undertaken to restrict unauthorized access.

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