Measures to Check Illegal Coal Mining

Ministry of Coal has been urging from time to time the Coal Producing States to check illegal mining. The State Governments were also advised to instruct their State law enforcing authorities to take stringent action under the provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 curbing illegal activities.The Ministry of Coal has written to the Chief Secretaries of the coal producing States requesting them to put in place effective mechanism to check illegal mining. The States were also asked to give appropriate direction to the concerned authorities to take effective steps to check such illegal activities at places where large scale illegal mining was believed to be taken place. The State Governments were also advised to consider framing of suitable Rules, if not already done, under the provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 to strengthen the hands of District authorities in curbing such illegal activities. Based on the decisions taken in the meeting held on 17.05.2005 between Secretary (Coal) and Chief Secretary (Jharkhand), Central Coalfields Ltd. (CCL) and Bharat Coking Coal Ltd. (BCCL) have taken up action to check illegal mining. Joint action for prevention of illegal mining has been initiated by the management of coal companies and District Administration. Government of Jharkhand has constituted State as well as District level Task Forces for this purpose. Minister of Coal also had meetings with the Chief Minister, West Bengal on 24.06.2009 and with His Excellency, the Governor of Jharkhand on 26.05.2009 to request the concerned State Government to check/curb the illegal mining activities under their respective States. In September 2009, Ministry of Coal again requested Chief Secretaries of coal bearing States to instruct their State law enforcing authorities to take stringent action under the provisions of the MMDR Act, 1957 to check illegal mining activities.Chairman, CIL has written on 13.02.2010 to all its subsidiary companies to take steps to curb illegal mining activities.Chairman, CIL also wrote the Director, CBI for involvement of CBI to bring much needed close coordination between the coal companies, State police and Administration to take up the matter seriously to curb the theft of coal and illegal mining activities.