Punjab has no tech mechanism to check illegal mining, says CAG
As per the Punjab mining policy and NGT, the state should use geo-tagging, geo-fencing and electronic surveillance to check the menace, but records revealed that technology was not used by water resources dept
Chandigarh : The Comptroller and Auditor General on India (CAG) has pointed out the failure of the Punjab government to use technology and electronic surveillance such as geo-tagging and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to detect and check illegal mining in the state.
In its annual review of the working of public works divisions for the financial year 2022-23, the office of the principal accountant general (accounts and entitlements) said the Punjab State Sand and Gravel Mining Policy, 2018, required and the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered use of geo-tagging, geo-fencing and electronic surveillance to check illegal mining, but a test check of records of in three drainage divisions showed that the technology was not used by the water resources department to detect and check illegal mining.
Rampant illegal sand mining has been a challenge for successive governments in the state. The present AAP government is also under fire from the opposition parties for “failing to effectively deal” with this hot button issue so far.
The report said that as per Clause 21 of the Punjab State Sand and Gravel Mining Policy, geo-tagging of the mining area will be carried out while conducting physical inspection as the boundary of the mines will be checked using the coordinates recorded in GPS device, and the monitoring team can check whether any mining activity is going on outside the permitted area or not. The state government also provided for geo-tagging of mines in the new Punjab State Minor Mineral Policy, 2023, notified in March last year.
On February 26, 2021, the NGT had directed the Punjab government to use electronic surveillance through UAVs or remote sensing surveillance, especially in areas where sand mafias are active. It said night vision drones could also be used for checking mining activity. The test check of records in Amritsar, Phagwara and Golewala divisions, which had jurisdiction over sand mining sites, revealed that they were not using geo-fencing, geo-tagging and UAVs to detect and check illegal mining.
The federal auditor also looked at the mechanism for monitoring illegal mining, including the formation of district/sub-division-level teams.
According to the Punjab District Mineral Foundation Rules, 2018, each district was required to set up District Mineral Foundation to work for the interest and benefits of persons, and areas affected by mining-related operations with one of its functions being to check illegal mining and take preventive measures from time to time. It said the directorate of mining issued a notification in March 2016 on monitoring and prevention of illegal mining under which the deputy commissioner was to prepare a roster for district/sub-division-level teams of authorised officers and dedicated police force for monitoring and prevention of illegal mining. The authorised officer was required to submit weekly reports to the deputy commissioner.
“Test check in Amritsar and Phagwara divisions that had jurisdiction over sand mining sites revealed that records with regard to preparation of roster, weekly/fortnightly reports of checking were not available with the division in the absence of which it could not be ascertained whether any district/sub-division-level team was formed, roster prepared and followed for checking illegal mining,” according to the annual review report. Also, no details of activities undertaken by the District Mineral Foundation to prevent illegal mining were available on records.
A senior mining department officer said they received the review report only a couple of days ago and “would surely look into the observations made therein”.