PANAJI: In a bid to stop illegal mining activity in the country, the ministry of mines has developed a mining surveillance system (MSS) that will use satellite imagery to trigger alarms of unauthorized mining activity.
Speaking at the launch of the system, minister of state (independent charge) for mines, Piyush Goyal, claimed that the system is a breakthrough mechanism which will help in unclogging the mining industry of illegal activities.
“The current monitoring system is based on local complaints and unconfirmed information. There is no mechanism to monitor the action on such complaints. MSS will help in unclogging and demystifying the mining industry,” Goyal said, via a video conference, at the launch held in New Delhi.
The system will work via feeding maps of the leased mines to the satellites. The maps will be superimposed on the latest satellite imagery obtained from the CARTOSAT and USGS - types of satellites. The system will then check within a region of 500 meters around the existing mines to search any unusual activity, and, if found, will trigger an alert.
These triggers will then be studied at a control room monitored by the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM), which will transmit the data to district level mining officials for field verification. The system also includes a user-friendly mobile application for officials as well as citizens to report unusual mining activity.
Developed under the Digital India programme, the MSS is a satellite-based monitoring system, is developed in coordination with the Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space Application and Geo-Information (BISAG), and is rumoured to be one of the first such surveillance system in the world using space technology.
Speaking at the launch of the system, minister of state (independent charge) for mines, Piyush Goyal, claimed that the system is a breakthrough mechanism which will help in unclogging the mining industry of illegal activities.
“The current monitoring system is based on local complaints and unconfirmed information. There is no mechanism to monitor the action on such complaints. MSS will help in unclogging and demystifying the mining industry,” Goyal said, via a video conference, at the launch held in New Delhi.
The system will work via feeding maps of the leased mines to the satellites. The maps will be superimposed on the latest satellite imagery obtained from the CARTOSAT and USGS - types of satellites. The system will then check within a region of 500 meters around the existing mines to search any unusual activity, and, if found, will trigger an alert.
These triggers will then be studied at a control room monitored by the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM), which will transmit the data to district level mining officials for field verification. The system also includes a user-friendly mobile application for officials as well as citizens to report unusual mining activity.
“The job of the MSS is to create a more transparent, unbiased and quick system. The Centre will be creating the data of illegal activities. It is up to the state governments to take action upon them,” Goyal said, adding that similar systems, where aerial surveillance is conducted, are in the preliminary user stage to asses and map the country’s natural resources.
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