Question : PILFERAGE OF COAL

(a) whether the Government is aware that there is a large scale pilferage of coal in the Public Sector Coal Companies due to the mafia operations and other illegal activities;

(b) if so, the estimated loss incurred by these companies during the last three years, company-wise and mine-wise;

(c) whether the Government has conducted any inquiry in this regard;

(d) if so, the details of the findings;

(e) if not, the reasons therefor;

(f) whether any comprehensive scheme/plan has been formulated by the Government to check these illegal activities;

(g) if so, the details therefor; and

(h) if not, the reasons therefor?

Answer given by the minister

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COAL (DR. DASARI NARAYANA RAO)

(a) & (b): Theft/pilferage of coal is carried out stealthily and clandestinely and as such it is not possible to exactly specify the quantity of coal that might have been stolen. However, as per raids conducted by security personnel as well as joint raids with the law and order authorities of the concerned State Government, the approximate value of coal recovered during the last three years is as under:

Name of the Coal	2006-07	2005-06	2004-05
Company	Value(Rs.Lac)	Value(Rs.Lac)	Value(Rs.Lac)
Eastern Coalfields	114.44	110.35	88.39
Ltd(ECL)
Bharat Coking Coal Ltd	130.096	169.508	378.95
(BCCL)
Central Coalfields	5.175	6.435	22.98
Ltd.(CCL)
Northern Coalfields	0	0	0
Ltd.(NCL)
Western Coalfields	1.565	5.868	0.21
Ltd.(WCL)
South Eastern	5.764	2.716	7.55
Coalfields Ltd.(SECL)
Mahanadi Coalfields	3.083	1.211	1.23
Ltd.(MCL)
North Eastern	0.060	0.165	1.7
Coalfields (NEC)
Coal India	260.183	296.251	160.38
Limited.(CIL)

(c) to (e): In case of theft or pilferage of coal, FIR is lodged with the police station concerned, and further action is initiated/taken by the local law and order authorities.

(f) to (h): The following steps are taken by the coal companies to prevent theft or pilferage of coal:

1. Collection of intelligence reports about illegal coal depots and illegal movement of coal and informing district authorities of the same for taking preventive action.
2. Installation of check-posts at vulnerable points to check transport documents.
3. Construction of watch towers and providing lighting arrangements around the coal stacking area.
4. Erection of barbed wire wall fencing around pithead depots, static security manning including deployment of armed guards during the night hours.
5. Escorting of loaded rakes up to railway weighbridges by armed guards and joint patrolling with Railway Protection Force (RPF) in the long railways tracks, which are prone to wagon looting.
6. Sealing of illegal mining spots.
7. Stringent action against transport vehicles caught in the act of theft or pilferage.
8. Engagement of lady security guards for preventing women and children indulging in the 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 level.
9. Training of existing security personnel refresher training of CISF personnel and basic training of new recruits in security discipline for strengthening the security setup.
10. The coal companies maintain close liaison with the State authorities.

Question : PILFERAGE OF COAL

Answer given by the minister

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