Bhubaneswar, Aug. 1: The state government has decided to conduct survey and mapping of the mining areas using unmanned aircraft.

This system can also be used to survey forest and other areas. The standing finance committee has accepted the proposal of the Odisha Space Application Centre to this effect.

The state government's decision came after illegal mining turned into a major issue. It has been dogging the state government for the past few years.

In 2014, the central empowered committee had raised the issue of illegal mining in Odisha's forest areas. At that time, the committee had also raised questions on the mining lease contract between mines owners and industrial houses. The central empowered committee had also found that the arrangement of procuring ores by various private companies were brazenly illegal and highly objectionable. The committee had also observed that the issue of illegal mining activities had been ignored. Even the Justice M.B. Shah Commission, inquiring into the illegal mining case, had flagged the issue on how mining had been going on outside of the mining areas and even in the interior forest areas.

The mining operations in the case of 20 mining leases were carried out inside forests at different times from 2000-01 without prior approval under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. The mining operations had been done in the forestland in violation of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.

"The mapping would help in creating boundaries between the mining and non-mining areas. We will get a constant picture of the mining areas through such mapping," said an official.

Steel and mines minister Prafulla Mallik said: "The state government will do all mining activities in the most transparent manner. We have also opened a few closed mines with due approvals."

An official said the cost of the project related to the survey and mapping was yet to be caucluated. "The state government would also obtain necessary clarification from the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) about the mode of procurement, ownership and requirement of licensing that it needs to obtain," the official said.

The standard of procedure will be developed by Odisha Space Application Centre for post-project implementation within the overall framework of DGCA guidelines and consultation. "The user charges on hourly flying basis will be worked out," the official added.