The high-powered Inter-State Coordination Committee on illegal mining comprising top officials of Odisha and Jharkhand governments met for the third time at Chaibasa in Jharkhand on Friday.
They discussed effective measures to curb illegal transportation and smuggling of minerals between the two States. Odisha Home Secretary UN Behera and Jharkhand Secretary for Mines Sunil Barnwal jointly presided the meeting which was attended by top officials of mines, transportation, forest and police departments.
It was decided at the meeting that Odisha would form a District-level Coordination Committee (DLCC) which would hold its first meeting with Jharkhand counterpart on July 1. The DLCC would have IGP (Western Range), Regional Chief Conservator of Forest, Collectors of Sundargarh and Keonjhar districts, DFOs of Bonai and Barbil sub-divisions, Deputy Director of Mines from Koida and Barbil besides Deputy Commissioners of Commercial Tax of Rourkela and Barbil. Odisha Mines Director Deepak Mohanty said, “It was a fruitful meeting and decisions taken would be implemented in right earnest.”
Mapping of mineral smuggling routes in Bonai sub-division and Keonjhar district would be prepared along with setting up low barricades. Mineral carrying heavy vehicles would have to ply on specific routes with GPS devices fitted in them.
Moreover, transporters have to register their vehicles with the mining offices. A special cell for illegal mining would operate in the Odisha Home Department and officials of both States would share intelligence on regular basis. Both States agreed to set up infrastructure and operate inter-state check gates of all departments concerned at Murgabeda, Jareikela and Malda. Setting up new check gates at Jamshola, Badadalmia, Chakasuliapada, Taparia and Telijhor were also stressed along with closure of ‘stand alone’ crusher units within 40 km radius of mines pit. Towing the lines of Odisha, Jharkhand Government agreed to introduce online permit system.
Among others, Principal Secretary of mines Rajesh Verma, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest PN Padhi and RCCF SC Swain from Odisha attended. From Jharkhand, besides a host of senior officials, IGP of Ranchi Zone MS Bhatia and Kolhan range DIG AK Singh were present.
