To check mineral thefts, the State Government on Saturday said Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking devices would be installed in all the trucks carrying minerals by December 28 this year. The Chief Secretary issued this direction while presiding over a State-level taskforce meeting at the State Secretariat.
“With the devices, movement of mineral-laden trucks can be kept under watch from loading to unloading points and, thereby, transparency can be maintained,” he said.
Padhi directed the Steel and Mines department to develop Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) for regular satellite checking of mining activities at the ground level. He also asked the department to regularly inspect pollution level and quality of water and air in the coal mine areas.
Mines Director Deepak Kumar Mohanty said trucks without tracking systems would not be given permission for mineral transportation.
He said the Collectors of the mineral bearing districts were asked to hold the District Taskforce meetings regularly and intensify the enforcement activities. It has been targeted that a total of 75 million tonnes of coal would be transported from non-captive mines through trucks this year, Mohanty said.
Among others DGP BK Singh, Steel and Mines Special Secretary Raj Kumar Sharma, Transport Special Secretary Sanjay Rastogi, ORSAC CEO Sandeep Tripathy and SPCB Member Debidutta Biswal were present.