The Ministry of Mines plans to utilise the services of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to check illegal mining and dumping outside the allotted mining lease.

“We are gearing up to check the menace of illegal mining through satellite technology. Shortly we are to sign an MoU with ISRO,” Balvinder Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Mines, told BusinessLine .

Explaining the technology, Kumar said: “ISRO, through its Global Positioning System (GPS), will map the mining lease area. After mapping, we will be periodically monitoring it through satellite imaging.”

IBM is co-ordinating with ISRO to develop the technology.

Kumar said: “Three weeks ago both the agencies discussed the modalities, and we will be shortly freezing the technology which is to be implemented.”

He added that IBM is also working on a mobile app which is to be implemented to record production on day-to-day basis.

Mines auction

Addressing ‘Mining Mazma’ — a three-day mining exploration convention organised by Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI) in Bengaluru — Kumar said two months from now States will have to commence auctioning mines of major minerals on the lines of coal blocks. In phase I, 80 blocks will be auctioned and in phase II, 90 will be auctioned.

“We are preparing to handhold the States to carry through these phases of auction,” he added

This is being done not only to instil confidence and bring transparency in the mining sector, but also to meet the growing demand in the domestic market.

Offshore mining

The Mines Ministry is also formulating a policy for offshore exploration and mining. “Mining blocks along the coast were identified. We were unable to allot due to numerous court cases since 2012. Now everything is clear and in less than two months, 80 blocks will be offered for mining,” said Kumar.

“There is tremendous scope in States where there is shortage of construction materials like Kerala and Karnataka,” he added.

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