Drone surveillance to prevent irregularities in soil mining and transportation in Vadodara taluka

Stopped unauthorized mining of sand with sudden checking in Karjan taluka

The Mines and Minerals Branch is functioning as a part of Vadodara District Administration and under the guidance of the District Collector. In two separate incidents recently, the Mines and Minerals branch has vigilantly stopped the unauthorised mining and transportation of plain clay and sand minerals, preventing losses to the exchequer and confiscating crores of rupees.

The move has sparked outrage among illegal miners and transporters of the mineral. The operation was carried out in Vadodara and Karjan talukas in which the Karjan taluka administration was also involved.

Geologist Nirav Barot said, the department has adopted an advanced method of drone surveillance to monitor mineral theft. Recently, a drone survey was conducted in Raika, Dodka, Fajalpur and Khalipur areas of Vadodara taluka. Meanwhile, unauthorised mining and transportation of plain clay was successfully exposed by a sub-contractor of a private company at Khalipur.

He was given the permit of 50 thousand metric ons of plain clay were allowed to be mined and transported. However he started mining and transportation without paying the required royalty, advance royalty and security deposit. Items worth 30 lakhs were seized Including a Hitachi machine during the survey.

Similarly, in collaboration with the Karjan Taluka Administration, a contingency investigation was carried out on the mining and transportation activities of sand minerals in the Narmada belt at Sayar village in Karjan taluka.

During this, the unauthorised activity of lease holders of Velu village in Jaghadia taluka of Bharuch district from the border / extent area of ​​Sayar village in Karjan taluka to carry sand minerals by boat came to light. Rupees 1.60 crore including 5 Hitachi machines were seized. Legal action has been taken against the culprits in both the cases.