A meeting of the Multi-Departmental District Level Task Force Cell (MDDLTFC) was today convened under the chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner,(DC) Budgam Dr. Bilal Mohi-ud-din Bhat, to review, assess and further strengthen the regulatory and monitoring mechanisms for mineral extraction and transportation in the district.
During the meeting, a comprehensive review of the prevailing enforcement framework was undertaken and the functioning of various departments involved in mineral regulation was critically assessed. The DC emphasised the need for enhanced inter-departmental coordination, real-time monitoring, and strict adherence to statutory provisions to ensure transparency, accountability and effective control over mineral-related activities.
He stressed that illegal mining and unauthorized transportation of minerals shall not be tolerated, and that a zero-tolerance policy shall be adopted against violators. The DC underscored that robust technological interventions, coupled with field-level enforcement, shall be ensured to strengthen oversight and prevent revenue leakage.
In the meeting , District Mineral Officer (DMO), Budgam, was directed to ensure strict enforcement of installation of AIS-140 compliant GPS/RFID devices on all machinery used for mineral extraction and on all tippers, dumpers and other vehicles engaged in mineral transportation.
This process shall be carried out in close coordination with the ARTO Budgam and District Police. It was directed that strict legal action shall be initiated against all defaulters and violators to ensure full compliance. The DC further directed DMO to establish a dedicated Control Room in his office for real-time monitoring of GPS and RFID-enabled vehicles.
He further said that the Control Room shall serve as a centralized monitoring hub to track movement of mineral-loaded vehicles and detect any deviations or irregularities. DySP Hq Budgam was directed to identify additional hotspot locations, apart from the eight locations already submitted by the DMO Budgam, for installation of Automatic Plate Number Recognition (APNR) cameras.
These cameras shall be installed at strategic locations to enhance surveillance and enable automatic detection of unauthorized and illegal mineral transportation. ARTO Budgam was directed to initiate strict action against unregistered tippers, machinery and other vehicles found to be involved in mineral extraction and transportation.
The DC stressed that only duly registered and compliant vehicles shall be allowed to operate, and that enforcement drives shall be intensified to curb illegal operations. The Deputy Commissioner directed all concerned departments to ensure time-bound implementation of the decisions taken and to submit regular progress reports.
It was further emphasized that coordinated enforcement drives shall be conducted and accountability shall be fixed in case of lapses. The meeting was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), DySP HQ, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Executive Engineer, I&FC, District Mineral Officer (DMO) and other concerned officials.