CISF steps up crackdown under MMDR Act, seizes over 428 MT of illegal coal in Jharkhand, West Bengal
New Delhi, July 10
In a major step towards strengthening the Central government's "zero coal leakage" initiative, the Central Industrial Security Force has intensified enforcement against illegal coal mining, theft, unauthorised storage and transportation under the provisions of the Mines and Minerals Act, 1957.
Following the empowerment of designated CISF officers under Sections 22, 23B and 24 of the MMDR Act, the force said it has launched intelligence-driven operations in coordination with Coal India subsidiaries, local police and district administration to safeguard national mineral resources and strengthen transparency in the coal sector.
Between July 4 and July 8 this year, the CISF said, it conducted coordinated operations across the coalfields of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) and Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) in Jharkhand and West Bengal.
"The operations resulted in the recovery of 428.34 metric tonnes of illegally mined, stored or transported coal, registration of four FIRs, seizure of one Hyva truck and more than 13 motorcycles and other equipment used in illegal mining and transportation, besides apprehension of offenders and initiation of legal proceedings under the MMDR Act," said the CISF in a statement.
The enforcement drive covered several vulnerable mining belts and coal transportation corridors.
At BCCL, Dhanbad, the CISF carried out intelligence-based raids in Katras, Block-II, Basantimata (Kargil), Kustore, Sijua, Jealgora, Barora, Govindpur and NTST areas. Acting on specific intelligence inputs, drone surveillance and field verification, the CISF recovered 319.54 metric tonnes of illegally stored coal, seized a coal-laden truck and multiple motorcycles used for illegal transportation, and initiated legal action under the MMDR Act.
At ECL Sheetalpur, the force said, operations were conducted in Rajmahal, Salanpur, Chitra, Chapapur-II OCP (Mugma Area), Sonepur-Bazari and Kunustoria areas.
Besides intelligence-based search and seizure operations, the CISF undertook inspections of coal depots, weighbridges, transportation documents and statutory production and dispatch records. These actions resulted in the recovery of 85.93 metric tonnes of illegally mined and stocked coal, seizure of vehicles used in illegal transportation and apprehension of trespassers. Preventive inspections also confirmed compliance at several operational locations, reinforcing transparency and accountability in coal movement.
At CCL Piparwar, the CISF also said it intercepted a Hyva truck carrying concealed illegal coal during routine checking and subsequently recovered a total of 13.62 metric tonnes of illegally transported coal. The vehicle and recovered coal were handed over to the local police for legal action.
At CCL Kargali, special operations resulted in the recovery of 9.25 metric tonnes of illegally extracted coal and the seizure of seven motorcycles allegedly used in illegal mining activities. The operations employed a combination of human intelligence, drone surveillance, transit-route monitoring, surprise inspections, verification of transportation documents, inspection of coal depots and weighbridges and GPS-enabled documentation.
The CISF further said it remains committed to working closely with the Ministry of Coal, Coal India Limited, its subsidiaries, state governments and state police to eliminate illegal mining and coal theft.
"The ongoing enforcement drive will continue with renewed vigour, and stringent legal action will be taken against all persons involved in illegal mining, unauthorised storage and illegal transportation of coal in accordance with the provisions of law," added the CISF.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good initiative but I'm skeptical. These raids happen every few years, then things go back to normal. The real issue is the mafia network—they have local politicians and police in their pockets. Unless there's sustained pressure and strict punishment, this is just a one-time show. Let's see if they catch the big fish, not just truck drivers. 🤔
This is massive! As someone from Dhanbad, I can tell you illegal coal mining has been a curse for our region—environmental damage, unsafe mining deaths, and lost revenue for the exchequer. CISF using modern tech like drone surveillance is exactly what we need. But why just 4 FIRs? For 428 MT, that number should be much higher. Someone in the system is protecting these criminals. 🚨
Impressive numbers indeed. As someone who worked in mining compliance in Australia, I can appreciate the scale of this operation. The combination of human intelligence and tech like drones and GPS is a global best practice. But real success will come when they start targeting the buyers and middlemen, not just the transporters. Otherwise, the supply chain just re-routes. Solid work nonetheless. 👍
Ek baar to Modi ji ki sarkar ne kuch kiya hai! (For once, Modi's government has done something!) The coal mafia has been looting the nation for decades. But I'm worried about the poor people who depend on illegal mining for daily bread. The government should provide alternative livelihoods before cracking down so hard. Bhooke ko roti do, phir kanoon laagu karo. 🍞⚖️
K Kavya N