By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, February 10, 2016 : Odisha government has set the ball rolling to bring the mining and transportation of mineral activities under constant satellite surveillance. 

This has been decided in the State Level Task Force meeting chaired by chief secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi here on Wednesday.

Padhi directed to develop Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) for regular satellite checking of mining activities at the ground level. He also asked the department to expedite the process for putting in place the system for GPS tracking of mineral bearing vehicles.

Chief Secretary also advised Chief Executive of Orissa Remote Sensing Application Center [ORSAC] Sandeep Tripathy present in the meeting to carry forward satellite monitoring of mining activities and keep the department informed about the updates regularly for necessary actions in case of violations. It was decided to have a complete data base all the mineral transactions happening in the State including import, export and inside consumption figures, officials said.

Padhi further directed to intensify the enforcement activities at the ground level. The Collectors of the districts having mining and mineral transport hubs were asked to hold the District Task Force meetings regularly in each month and intensify the enforcement activities.

Chief Secretary directed Superintendents of Police and Collectors of 6 mineral bearing and mineral transporting districts who were available in the meeting over video conference to strictly deal with the trouble makers who obstruct or create any sort of barrier in mineral transport activities under plea of so called association/strikes/bands etc. The departments have also been advised to assess the activities of enforcement squads operating at district level and provide them necessary logistics.

Experts present in the meeting raised that Google earth map placed two years before may not provide the appropriate base for comparison of DGPS data being collected by ORSAC through satellite survey in recent months. Keeping the experts’ opinion in mind, it was decided to procure updated earth map from National Remote Sensing Center. ORSAC has been advised to procure the same and carry on surveillance activities in each six months.

Similarly, ORSAC has also developed a techno-commercial proposal for tracking of mineral bearing vehicles regularly from source to destination. The department has been advised to expedite the process for putting the system in place.

In the mean while, Odisha Mining Corporation [OMC] in collaboration with MSTC Ltd has put in place on line e-tendering system for engagement of transport agencies. All the lessees, end user industries and transport agencies have been asked to sign the service provider agreement with MSTC ltd.

Director General Of Police K.B.Singh, Principal Secretary, Home Asit Tripathy, Director Mines, Deepak Mohanty along with senior officers from concerned departments and representatives of end user agencies participated in the discussions.