Union Home Minister Amit Shah
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Expressing concern over worsening illegal mining and theft in Dhanbad and nearby areas, Home Minister Amit Shah asked the Coal Ministry to adopt a ‘Zero Leakage Plan’ with periodic reviews.Besides, the Home Minister directed to include the coal sector under ‘priority deployment’ of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). Shah along with Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy on Sunday reviewed situation of illegal coal mining and coal theft in a high-level meeting, which was attended by the Union Home Secretary, the Union Coal Secretary, and senior officials from the Ministry of Coal, CISF, Coal India (CIL) and Bharat Coking Coal (BCCL).The ‘Zero Coal Leakage Plan’ will ensure a comprehensive and time-bound response to illegal mining activities and the unauthorised transportation of the dry fuel. Shah also instructed the Coal Ministry to review the action taken on a regular basis. “During the meeting, the Home Minister expressed concern over the worsening situation of illegal coal mining and theft in Dhanbad and nearby areas,” Coal Ministry said in a statement.To ensure that consumers use only legally mined coal and to deter the transportation of illegal coal, it was considered necessary to involve GST authorities. A mechanism should, therefore, be put in place to verify e-way bills for all coal being transported, it added.The Home Minister also directed officials of his Ministry to include the coal sector in the priority list for CISF deployment, so that personnel can be deployed immediately in vulnerable areas. He also directed CISF to form Quick Response Teams and establish a multi-layered security arrangement in vulnerable areas, enabling prompt action against illegal miners to take immediate action whenever information is received.Officials of CISF and Coal India have already been authorised to take action under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957. This authorisation legally enables them to file cases in court, enter premises where illegal coal is suspected to be stored, conduct search and seizure operations, and seize illegally extracted minerals along with the tools, equipment, and vehicles used in such unauthorised activities. Besides, the Union Home Secretary in a high-level meeting in December 2025 directed officials to set up a Coal Sector Coordination Committee which has since been constituted.Shah directed that high-resolution cameras installed at Integrated Command and Control Centres should be used to identify areas and persons involved in illegal mining activities.Published on July 6, 2026
