Onus on states to curb illegal coal mining: Union Coal Minister

New Delhi: Acknowledging the incidence of illegal coal mining, including rat-hole extraction, the Centre on Wednesday said it is the responsibility of state governments to stop such activities and action against the mining mafia cannot be successful without their cooperation.

Replying to questions, including by Gowaal Kagada Padavi of the Congress and Nishikant Dubey of the BJP, Union Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy said in the Lok Sabha that the Centre is working in close coordination with states to lower the number of accidents in coal fields.

Asked about the recent accident and loss of lives at a coal mine in Assam where rat-hole mining was allegedly being carried out, Reddy said that he has spoken to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on the matter.

"It is the responsibility of the state government to check rat-hole mining," he said. "We need the cooperation of the state government too. I had a meeting with (Jharkhand) Chief Minister Hemant Soren and I am hopeful that we will be successful in our plans," he said.

Reddy said the Assam chief minister has conveyed to him that around 250 rat-hole mining sites have been closed down in the state and 12 people were arrested in this connection.

Replying to another supplementary question raised by Dubey on alleged illegal mining in Jharkhand, which has large coal reserves, he said the state police and government have to act against such activities as it is their responsibility.

Reddy said the central government has a zero-tolerance approach towards coal mafia and violence in coal mining activities.

Dubey said an NTCP official was killed in Jharkhand and illegal mining has heightened safety concerns for public sector coal firms like BCCL, ECL and CCL working in the region.

He said his Lok Sabha constituency Godda is home to Asia's largest coal block and accused the JMM-led state government of not cooperating to curb illegal mining.

Reddy said illegal mining has been going on in the state for many years and he had recently met Jharkhand Chief Minister Soren over the issue.

Safety in coal mines is a top priority for the central government and it is working to reduce accidents in coal mines.

"We have taken some steps to reduce accidents in coal mines and results have started coming in," he said.

Asked about the unabated underground blaze in coal mines in Jharkhand's Jharia, Reddy said the fire has been going on for over a century and the central government is working to douse it completely.