**Executive Summary:**
This document summarizes the Indian government's response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 596 regarding accidents in non-coal mines and illegal mining practices, answered on July 23, 2025. It details common accident factors, safety measures enacted, and steps taken to address illegal mining, emphasizing the role of both central and state governments.
**Key Points / Main Content:**
* **Accident Factors in Non-Coal Mines:**
* Common causes include falls (sides, roof, from height), transportation machinery incidents, collisions, and explosives/blasting accidents.
* **Safety Measures & Regulatory Oversight:**
* The Mines Act, 1952, ensures occupational safety and health for mine workers, including training, protective equipment, and medical examinations.
* The Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) inspects mines to enforce the Mines Act, 1952, and related regulations.
* DGMS reduces fatalities through accident inquiries, mine inspections, standard protocols, safety conferences, and awareness campaigns.
* **Addressing Illegal Mining:**
* Illegal mining is a state responsibility under Section 23C of the Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation (MMDR) Act, 1957.
* State governments are empowered to prevent illegal mining, transportation, and storage of minerals.
* **Central Government Support:**
* The MMDR Amendment Act, 2015, includes stringent punitive provisions for combating illegal mining (Sections 30B, 30C, 21, and 23C).
* Rule 45 of the Mineral Conservation and Development Rules (MCDR) 2017 ensures scientific management and end-to-end mineral accounting to reduce illegal mining.
* The Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) collaborates with the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) on the "Sudoor Drushti" pilot project, using satellite imagery to monitor mining activities.
* The Mining Surveillance System (MSS), launched in October 2016, uses space technology to detect illegal mining within 500m of lease boundaries, alerting state governments for verification.
**Impact Analysis:**
* **Mine Workers:**
* *Impact:* Affected by safety regulations and measures aimed at preventing accidents and ensuring a safer working environment.
* *Action Required:* To adhere to safety protocols, utilize provided protective equipment, and participate in training programs.
* **State Governments:**
* *Impact:* Primarily responsible for controlling illegal mining within their jurisdiction.
* *Action Required:* Enforce regulations, conduct ground verifications based on alerts from the Mining Surveillance System (MSS), and frame rules to prevent illegal mining, transportation, and storage of minerals.
* **Ministry of Coal and Mines:**
* *Impact:* Oversees safety regulations, supports state efforts against illegal mining, and implements technological solutions for monitoring mining activities.
* *Action Required:* Continue to develop and implement policies and technologies to prevent illegal mining and improve mine safety.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Coal: The Indian government ministry responsible for coal production and regulation.
Shri G. Kishan Reddy: The Minister of Coal and Mines.
Mines Act, 1952: Indian legislation to ensure occupational safety and health of mine workers.
Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS): The Indian government agency responsible for inspection of mines and enforcement of safety regulations.
Ministry of Mines: The Indian government ministry responsible for the regulation of mines and minerals.
Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation (MMDR) Act, 1957: Indian legislation governing the regulation and development of mines and minerals.
Mineral Conservation and Development Rules (MCDR) 2017: Indian rules providing measures to ensure scientific management of the mining process.
Mining Surveillance System (MSS): A system for detection of illegal mining using space technology.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF COAL
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 596
TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.07.2025
Accidents in Non-Coal Mines
596. Shri Tanuj Punia:
Will the Minister of Coal be pleased to state:
(a) the details of common factors identified in accidents in non-coal mines and the
manner in which they are being addressed; and
(b) the steps taken by the Government to eradicate illegal mining practices such as
rathole mining and ensure the safety of miners in regions where these methods are
prevalent?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF COAL AND MINES
(SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)
(a): Ministry of Labour and Employment has informed that the common factors
identified in accidents in non-coal mines are fall of sides, fall of roof, fall of persons
from height, transportation machinery (Winding & Rope Haulages), collisions & run-
over by wheeled trackless machinery, Explosives & Blasting etc.
The Central Government has enacted the Mines Act, 1952 to ensure occupational
safety & health of mine workers including coal mines. The act has provisions for
training, protective equipment, medical examination etc. The Directorate General of
Mines Safety (DGMS) has been entrusted with the task of inspection of mines to
ensure the compliance of the provisions of Mines Act, 1952 and rules and regulations
framed thereunder for enhancing the safety of mine workers. Accordingly, DGMS has
taken various steps to reduce fatalities in mines and enforce the safety of workers
engaged therein, which inter alia include conducting regular enquires into the
accidents and dangerous occurrences to ascertain cause and circumstances, regular
inspection of mines, development of standard protocols, holding national conferences
on safety in mines, observance of safety weeks, campaigns, awareness etc.
(b): Illegal mining such as rat hole mining is a law and order issue and falls under the
purview of the respective state authorities. Ministry of Mines has informed that the
Section 23C of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Act,
1957 empowers the State Government to frame rules to prevent illegal mining,
transportation and storage of minerals and for purposes connected therewith.
Therefore, the control of illegal mining is primarily the responsibility of the State
Government. The Central Government supports and augments these efforts through
1policy initiatives from time to time. Some of the steps taken by the Central Government
for the prevention and control of illegal mining are as follows:
(i) The Mines and Mineral (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Act, 1957 was
amended through the MMDR Amendment Act, 2015, which came into effect from 12th
January, 2015. Wherein Section 30B and 30C read with section 21 and 23C, inter-
alia, provides stringent punitive provisions for combating illegal mining.
(ii) Rule 45 of the Mineral Conservation and Development Rules (MCDR) 2017,
provides for measures to ensure scientific management of the mining process. It also
facilitates end-to-end national-scale accounting of all minerals produced in the country
from the pit head to end-use, reducing the scope for illegal mining, royalty evasion,
etc.
(iii) Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) (a subordinate office of the Ministry), has entered
into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Remote Sensing Centre
(NRSC), for a pilot project “Sudoor Drushti” to demonstrate the feasibility of using
High-Resolution Satellite imagery and Digital Elevation Model (DEM) in monitoring
mining activities/changes over a period of time over selected group of mines.
(iv) The Ministry of Mines has launched the Mining Surveillance System (MSS) in
October 2016. It aims at developing a system for detection of the incidence of illegal
mining by use of space technology and surveillance of the area up to 500m outside
the lease boundary to check incidences of illegal mining. If discrepancies are detected,
alerts are generated and sent to the respective State Government for ground
verification.
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