CCL suffers coal production loss of 1.6 LT due to naxal bandhs

NEW DELHI: The government today said CIL arm, Central Coalfields Ltd ( CCL), suffered a production loss of around 1.6 lakh tonne in the first 11 months of the current fiscal due to naxal bandhs.

"Loss in coal production on account of naxal bandhs during the period April'12 to Feb'13 in CCL was approximately 1.6 lakh tonnes," Minister of State for Coal Pratik Prakashbapu Patil said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

Asked on the steps taken to improve coal output in naxal- affected areas, the minister said that CCL, a Coal India Ltd (CIL) subsidiary, has indicated it is trying to make up the loss by increasing the production of other working days.

The minister also said: "As such, Police & Public order are state subjects and action with respect to maintenance of law and order lies primarily with the state governments.

"The Ministry of Home Affairs has stated that the central government closely monitors the situation and supplements the efforts of the state governments over a wide range of measures including assisting them under security and development related schemes."