NEW DELHI: The Centre on Wednesday said it is the responsibility of state governments to stop all kinds of illegal coal mining, including rat-hole, underlining that it 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 allegedly rat-hole mining was being carried out, Union Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy said in Lok Sabha 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.
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 on alleged illegal mining in Jharkhand, he said the state police and government have to act against it as it is their responsibility.
Reddy said the central government has a zero tolerance approach towards coal mafia and violence in coal mining activities.
Safety in coal mines is top priority for the central government and it is working to reduce the accidents in coal mines.
"We have taken a number of steps to reduce the accidents in coal mines and results have started coming in," he said.
Asked about the unabated underground fire at coal mines in Jharkhand's Jharia, Reddy said the fire has been going on for over a century and the central government is working on a few action plans to douse the fire completely.
"We need cooperation of the state government too. I had a meeting with Chief Minister Hemant Soren and hopeful that we will be successful in our plans," he said.