Odisha moves to check illegal mining of minor minerals

Bhubaneswar, July 12 (IANS) The Odisha government will undertake Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) survey in all 314 tehsils in the state to check illegal mining of minor minerals, said a minister on Wednesday.

State Steel and Mines Minister Prafulla Mallick said the government would carry out DGPS survey and implement a robust hi-tech system to check illegal mining and transportation of minor minerals by March next year.

The department would implement the IT-based mineral administration through a software application, called Integrated Mines and Mineral Management System (i3MS), for minor mineral transportation as has been done in the case of major minerals.

"DGPS survey will be undertaken to identify sources of minor minerals like sand, stone chips, murram, etc., and after that those will be auctioned," said Mallick.

To check illegal mining and transportation of minor minerals, the system of issuing permits would be computerised using i3MS system and the issuance of handwritten permits done away with, informed the minister.

Mallick also accepted that illegal mining of minor minerals had become rampant in the state and the state was losing huge amount of revenue due to such mining as well as transportation of minor minerals.

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