JOIN USChikkaballapur: Satellite imagery reveals mine problems
Collaboration between the Department of Mines and Geology (DMG) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has led to the identification of as many as 532 illegal quarrying sites in Chikkaballapur taluk.
The startling finding has been disclosed in a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), which had asked the DMG to use the help of the IISc to uncover the illegal quarrying problem.
But the auditor has pulled up the DMG for its inaccurate assessment of minerals production and failure to prevent illegal mining, due to which revenue implications to the tune of Rs 223.25 crore were detected.
Following the audit, the CAG has advised the government to direct DMG to prepare a "comprehensive inventory of all kinds of quarry sites in the State", while emphasising the need to aggressively adopt advanced technology for mine surveillance and production assessment.
According to the report, the CAG used satellite images to study quarrying activities in Chikkaballapur taluk. After the IISc obtained the topographic image of the taluk from the National Remote Sensing Centre, GPS coordinates of 292 quarry leases were collected from the office of senior geologist from the district.
“Areas other than those covered by the GPS coordinates furnished by the office were identified as unauthorised quarry sites as these areas were not granted leases by the DMG. Such unauthorised quarrying sites were identified in 532 locations over 115 hectares and the volume extracted was estimated as 11.12 crore metric tonnes,” the report noted.
Between 2008-18, the DMG in Chikkaballapur had detected illegal mining in only 63 locations, but had not recorded the GPS coordinates of these mines. Transportation of the stone could have entailed movement of 65.4 lakh vehicles, whereas the number of vehicles caught between 2007-17 was only 250, the report said.
Citing widespread irregularities observed in Chikkaballapur alone, the report directed the department to look into similar issues of all other leases in the state.
"Further, the existence of 532 illegal quarrying locations and huge differences in assessment of production with respect to 183 leases in Chikkaballapur taluk alone emphasises the need of DMG to aggressively adopt advanced technology for mine surveillance activities and production assessment to plug the leakage of revenue across the state," the report said.
Other shortcomings detected included deficiencies in the approval of quarry plans and environmental clearances, lack of use of modern technology to curb illegal quarrying, non-implementation of progressive mine closure among others.