India to monitor mining activity with satellites

The Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) and the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) of the Department of Space have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for monitoring mining activity through satellite technology.

A new remote sensing cell is planned to be established by IBM as part of the MoU with NRSC assistance at its offices located in Nagpur and Hyderabad.

The new cell will use Bhuvan-based services to monitor mining activities and also develop mobile apps for field data collection in order to check ground realities in respect of approved proposals.

NRSC is expected to carry out a pilot project to demonstrate the use of satellite imagery in monitoring mining activity changes over a period of time in select mine groups at two IBM locations.

The latest project, named Sudoor Drishti, is part of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's digital India drive.

Set for launch in Odisha and Karnataka, the project is intended to check and validate the consistency of differential geo positioning system points that would be collected as part of the lease boundary survey programme of selected mine groups.

Once successful, the pilot project could be extended to other areas.

Newshence reported Indian Ministry of Mines joint secretary Subhash Chandra saying that use of space technology in minerals will eliminate illegal mining in the country.

Telangana State mining director Sushil Kumar said that the MoU will be helpful for the state to check illegal mining.