MINISTER OF STATE FOR COAL & MINES (Dr. DASARI NARAYANA RAO)
(a) to (h): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED IN THE REPLY TO PARTS (A) TO (H) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 141 FOR ANSWER ON 3.8.2005.
(a) & (b): Government is aware of the pilferage of coal but it is not
possible to exactly specify the loss on this count due to the nature of
illegal operations. However, raids are conducted by security personnel
of the coal companies themselves as well as with the law and order
authorities of the concerned State Governments. FIRs are lodged with the
police and action is initiated by the local law and order authorities.
The details of FIRs lodged, quantities recovered and its approximate
value during last three years in the subsidiary companies of Coal India
Limited are as under:
2002-2003
Company FIRs lodged Arrests Made Qty. recovered App. Value (te) (Rs. Lakh)
ECL 804 174 14,140.00 113,00
BCCL 47 67 71.69 0.98
CCL 13 15 704.50 7.00
NCL 0 0 0 0
WCL 20 17 277.21 2.23
SECL 7 13 65.48 0.55
MCL 4 1 34.60 0.16
NEC 40 3 49.70 0.53
Total 935 290 15,343.18 124.45
2003-2004
Company FIRs lodged Arrests Made Qty. recovered App. Value (te) (Rs. Lakh)
ECL 698 190 11,912.00 95.46
BCCL 155 53 5223.23 54.86
CCL 11 16 1,200.00 12.06
NCL 1 1 9.00 0.07
WCL 18 17 169.39 1.66
SECL 17 24 139.50 1.54
MCL 3 4 31.00 0.15
NEC 0 0 0 0
Total 903 305 18,684.12 165.80
2004-2005
Company FIRs lodged Arrests Made Qty. recovered App. Value (te) (Rs. Lakh)
ECL 408 381 11,048.12 88.39
BCCL 374 108 2770.64 38.32
CCL 29 21 2263.00 22.98
NCL 0 0 0 0
WCL 5 12 20.80 0.21
SECL 51 37 730.71 7.55
MCL 22 25 196.72 1.23
NEC 39 0 137.57 1.70
Total 928 584 17,167.56 160.38
(c) to (h) The Government and the coal companies are seized of the problems and have taken the following steps to deal with them:
1. Specific complaints regarding pilferage of coal are got investigated by the Vigilance Wings of CIL and its subsidiaries. The systems improvement measures suggested by the Vigilance are implemented. Where outside parties are allegedly involved, the CBI is also asked to investigate the allegations.
2. State governments of the coal bearing states have been requested to take steps to prevent illegal mining in their areas.
3. Law and order is a State subject, hence the coal companies maintain close liaison with the State authorities.
4. The following steps are being taken by subsidiary companies of CIL to prevent theft/pilferage of coal:
i) Collection of intelligence reports about illegal coal depots and illegal movement of coal and informing district authorities of the same for taking preventive action.
ii) Installation of check-posts at vulnerable points to check transport documents.
iii) Construction of watch-towers and providing lighting arrangements around the coal stacking area.
iv) Erection of barbed-wire/wall fencing around pithead depots, static security manning including deployment of armed guards during the night hours.
v) Escorting of loaded rakes upto railway weighbridges by armed guards and joint patrolling with Railway Protection Force (RPF) in the long railway tracks which are prone to wagon looting.
vi) Sealing of illegal mining spots.
vii) Stringent action against transport vehicles `caught in the act of theft or pilferage.
viii) Engagement of lady security guards for preventing women and children indulging in theft/pilferage of coal, strengthening of the security discipline by reassessing the requirement of security personnel, horizontal movement of executives with aptitude for security work and inducting qualified security personnel at junior, middle and senior levels.
ix) Training of existing security personnel, refresher training of CISF personnel and basic training to new recruits in security discipline for strengthening the security set up.
5. The matter is brought to the notice of highest authorities in the State government concerned from time to time.
