BILASPUR — In a major move to curb black-market mineral networks, South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) has commenced a specialized four-day legislative and operational training program at its headquarters in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh.
Launched on June 23, 2026, at the company’s Management Development Institute (MDI), the initiative focuses on optimizing enforcement capabilities under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act) to eradicate illegal mining and safeguard national energy resources.
New Legal Mandates Against the Coal Mafia
The training program responds to recent statutory notifications from the Government of India, which significantly alter the legal powers available to field-level personnel.
Previously hampered by procedural delays, designated officials from SECL and allied security frameworks have now been vested with direct executive authority to handle mineral theft. Most notably, these authorized officers can now directly lodge complaints before judicial courts, accelerating the transition from detection to active prosecution.
Curriculum Handled by Security Experts
To ensure that frontline operations translate into successful legal convictions, the curriculum is being guided by Shri Vipul Shukla, a former Inspector General of Jharkhand Police and retired IPS officer who currently acts as Senior Advisor (Security) at Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL).
The capacity-building sessions provide exhaustive breakdowns of:
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MMDR Statutory Frameworks: Mastering the specific legal codes and penalties governing unauthorized extraction.
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Field Evidence Collection: Standardizing evidence accumulation at active containment sites to prevent technical dismissals in court.
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Prosecution Report Drafting: Building rigorous case files that withstand defense challenges during trial proceedings.
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Transit Interdiction: Establishing strategic protocols for identifying and confiscating heavy vehicles moving stolen minerals.
A Unified Security Front
The opening session was led by SECL Director of Human Resources, Shri Biranchi Das, who emphasized that breaking down departmental silos is essential to winning the fight against organized resource theft.
Running through June 26, 2026, the program is training successive batches of corporate personnel—including Area Security Nodal Officers, General Managers, and HR teams—alongside tactical frontline units from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), the Tripura State Rifles (TSR), and the State Industrial Security Force (SISF) of Madhya Pradesh.
By aligning corporate management directly with central and state security assets, SECL aims to build an airtight deterrent against unauthorized mining syndicates across its operational command.
