Angul: Coal smuggling in the Talcher coalfield in the recent months has become a matter of concern for police and authorities.

Mahanadi Coalfields Limited chief Anil Kumar Jha on Monday met the chief secretary and the home secretary to demand immediate action to stop coal smuggling at Talcher.

"I have sought their intervention to check the smuggling at Talcher which is effecting the nation," Jha said.

Deputy director of mines L.D. Nayak said his department was keeping tabs on the situation and taking ac-tion when required to check the theft.

Talcher sub-divisional police officer H.K. panda said Mahanadi Coalfields Limited should secure the coal in its area first.

"We are taking all steps and seizing stolen coal when informed by our intelligence agencies but, at the same time, the firm too should maintain security in its vast areas to check the problem," he said.

The Talcher coalfield, having nine coalmines, produces more than three lakh tonnes of coal a day. The coal is lifted for consumers at various destinations of the state and outside by rakes or trucks.

The mines, spread over hundreds of acres, are open. Finding the coal in open field, coal smugglers steal them and supply to consumers at lower prices, causing loss of revenue to both the state and the Centre.

An official source said that nowadays the stolen coal was transported by trucks and other four-wheelers, and in some cases, even by JCB machines.

In the past three months, the Angul district police squad, which is conducting raids on various places, have seized more than 15 trucks loaded with stolen coal.

Talcher police station officers have also seized more than 10 trucks.

Apart from this, police stations on the outskirts of Talcher have also seized the smuggled coal.

The state mining department this week raided and detained 10 trucks, which was carrying coal from the Hingula mine.

The police of Talcher colliery and officers of Vikrampur police station also seized more than five trucks from various places in the past two days.