Now drones used to prevent illegal mining of minerals
Posted on: 19/Dec/2019 9:57:03 AM
The latest news now is TN state government has decided to use unmanned aerial vehicles or drones and differential global positioning technology to find out the exact quantum of minerals quarried from leasehold sites by satellites. This is mainly to monitor and to prevent illegal mining activities. It is known that HC of Madras had passed an order 3 years back itself about this issue of illegal mining.
As per Mr N. Muruganandam, industries secretary, the GO was issued on 5th December for the use of drones to monitor mining. It must be noted that Mr N. Muruganandam was replying to the content of court notice that was issued by litigant Mr V. B. R. Menon who got a court order on 7th February 2017 from chief Justice Mr Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Mr M. Sundar.
Important information is the union ministry of mines had requested all state governments in December in the year 2016 to explore the use of drones and share their action taken reports.
After the request was made, there was an order passed by the High Court and a pilot project conducted by the Department of Aerospace Engineering of MIT, Chennai attached to Anna University.
On 12th August in 2017, the pilot project was carried out at an abandoned quarry at Naduveerapattu Village in Sriperumbuduir Taluk of Kancheepuram district for assessing the volume of stone quarried. The point to be noted is the results were found to be accurate. For the use of drones, a decision to allot an amount of Rs 50 lakhs was taken.
It is important to note that the amount was allocated since the approximate basic cost estimate for using drone was assessed to be around Rs 1.98 lakhs with 4% increase for lands from 11 to 25 hectares and 35 increase for lands from 25 to 50 hectares basic cost plus 2% increase for leasehold lands spread over 100 hectares.
For the purpose of availing drone technology services, the government had authorised the Director of Geology and mining to enter into an MoU with Anna University. Point is unmanned aerial vehicles are also known as drones and is an aircraft without the presence of a human pilot.
