Curbing illegal mining the e-way

Besides making fitting the Global Positioning System (GPS) and the Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) to vehicles ferrying minerals mandatory, the government wants to introduce e-system to issue permits (issued by the Mines and Geology Department) from April 20 to check fake permit documents. Forest permits or forest way pass being issued by the Forest Department will continue to be generated manually, said B S Ramprasad, Secretary to the Commerce and Industries Department (Mines).

The existing manual system of issuing permits was misused rampantly to illegally transport minerals, especially iron ore in Bellary district. Large quantities of illegally dug up minerals were smuggled out with fake permits. Under the proposed e-permit system, mineral transporters should apply seeking permits online. The application will have details like quantity of mineral to be transported, destination and vehicle number. Permits will be issued online after verification. Like the manually generated permits, e-permits will have hologram mark.

e-permits also have a provision for issue of bulk permits. The Mines and Geology officials will inspect the stock, and after verification, they will approve transportation of large quantities of minerals in one go. However, the lease holders have to obtain a separate trip sheet for every vehicle transporting minerals.

The Department of Mines and Geology has developed a separate software for the purpose. Every mining lease holder will be given a unique code and a password to access it and apply for permits. The department is presently giving training to all lease holders on using the software. “The government has successfully implemented e-permit system in three lease areas — Tumkur (Mineral Corporation), Chitradurga (Sesa Goa) and Hospet in Bellary (Mysore Minerals Limited). Work is on to put in place necessary infrastructure to extend the system across the State from April 20,” Ramprasad said.

Besides, the government is likely to introduce use of PFID and GPS devices for mine lorries from April 20. The movement of GPS and RFID-fitted lorries will be monitored by computerised check-posts, located at strategic locations. The Government had sought the SC for 15 days’ time to introduce these devices, but the apex court turned it down.

Ramprasad said 13 composite check-posts, involving officials of four government departments — Mines and Geology, Forest, Transport and Home — have been set up across the State. Five composite check-posts are in Uttara Kannada district, three in Bellary, one each in Gadag, Hassan, Bijapur, Chitradurga and Dakshina Kannada. This is over and above the 22 old check-posts functioning in the State.