Thirty-two cases of illegal coal mining have been registered in the mineral-rich Chhattisgarh state in last three years.
Chief Minister Raman Singh, who also holds the portfolio of mining department, informed in the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly that 32 cases of illegal coal mining were registered in the state between January 1, 2009 and February 29, 2012.
The government had however settled 11 cases by collecting a penalty of Rs 12,85,266. Of the remaining 21 cases, eight are pending in the court of law while 13 cases are under trial in the district offices, Singh said.
The chief minister said during the period, 491 cases of illegal coal transportation were registered in the state. The authorities, however, disposed off 448 cases by collecting a penalty of Rs 2,36,39,127. Of the 43 pending cases, 39 are in the court of law and four are in the district offices. Chhattisgarh has been endowed with rich coal deposit. The state shares about one-fifth of country’s total deposit. The Raigarh district however ranks top in the illegal mining of coal and its transportation without valid permit. Singh, in his written reply in the assembly, informed that of the 32 cases registered from January 1, 2009 to February 29, 2012, 22 cases of illegal mining are from the Raigarh district. Seven cases of illegal coal mining had been registered in Koriya and three in Sarguja district.