Drone unit to be set up to stop illegal mining: Haryana minister

Chandigarh, July 28 (IANS) Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Friday announced a series of steps, including drone mapping of mining, setting up of drone unit and permit vehicles to enter the mining area. 

He stated this while presiding over the first meeting of Haryana State Enforcement Bureau here. 

He said the bureau would soon set up a drone unit to have a hawk eye to prevent illegal mining. 

He directed the bureau to immediately take up the work of drone mapping of mining area. Instructing the officers, Vij said the drone mapping is essential in areas like Yamunanagar, Narnaul, Bhiwani and Nuh, and this exercise should be done every month. 

Vij directed the bureau officers to only permit vehicles of valid contractors to enter the mining area and no vehicles without permission should not be allowed to enter the mining area. 

The Home Minister directed that to curb the illegal liquor business, cameras with number detection of vehicles should be installed at the entry and exit gates of distilleries.

Besides, the vehicles leaving the distillery should also be GPS enabled so that illegal liquor business can be curbed. 

The Home Minister was apprised at the meeting that the government has set up a bureau to monitor and initiate criminal action in cases of illegal mining, encroachment on government sites, illegal construction, challan and illegal liquor trade. 

The bureau has eight police stations in Ambala, Karnal, Rohtak, Rewari, Gurugram, Faridabad, Hisar and Jind and the bureau will function under various Acts. 

It was informed st the meeting that till now 253 sites were inspected and 43 vehicles were seized by the bureaus to stop illegal mining.