Top officials of the Coal India limited subsidiaries including Central Coalfields limited, Barat Coking Coal limited, Central Mine Planning and Design Institute alongwith district administration officials of Bokaro, Dhanbad, Ramgarh and other districts of Jharkhand today renewed their commitment to curb incidents of illegal coal mining and coal pilferage on the occasion of the launch of Coal Mines Surveillance and Monitoring System (CMSMS) and mobile App ‘Khan Prahari’ by Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday.
Union Coal, Energy, Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal today launched the CMSMS and ‘Khan Prahari’ in New Delhi in the presence of Union Coal Secretary Dr Indrajeet Singh, Chairman Coal India, AK Jha and others. The event was witnessed across the country through video conferencing by Coal India officials and district administration officials, with whom the Union Minister had interactions too.
Addressing the audiences during the programme Coal Secretary Dr Indrajeet Singh said that the purpose of the App is to stop illegal mining. Also, he said, ‘We need to make maximum use of the new technology and ensure that we improve it from time to time according to our needs.”
Congratulating Bhaskarcharya Institute of Space Application, Gujarat and CMPDI for developing the App, Coal India Chairman AK Jha said that it will help monitor the coal pilferage and illegal mining activities a lot. He stressed on the need of spreading greater awareness about the App among the workers of coal India subsidiaries and the common man so that illegal mining activities could be stopped.
CMPDI CMD Shekhar Saran gave a presentation on the CMSMS and ‘Khan Prahari’ giving details on the usage and applicability of the App and the portal. He explained how the App and the portal connected with the GIS system can trace the activities at the mining sites in the country.
Interacting with DCs of Dhabad and Bokaro Union Minister Piyush Goyal asked them how they can make best use of the technology. Bokaro DC MK Barnwal and Dhanbad DC A Dodde said that the App will be really useful for the administration to stop illegal mining activities. Dodde also suggested to make improvisation in the App to trace illegal mining activities in the underground (closed) coal mines.
At the CCl headquarters CMD Gopal Singh, Director (personnel) RS Mahapatra, Director (Finance) DK Ghosh, Director (Projects) VK Shrivastav alongwith other senior officials witnessed the programme and pledged to curb illegal mining through the use of technology.
The App can also be used by the common man and complaints, photos regarding coal pilferage and illegal mining can be uploaded through it. The identity of the informer will be kept secret. Also, through CMSMS satellite date would be taken in every three months that will be monitored and anlysed for further action.