Department of Steel and Mines, Government of Odisha has recently issued a notification regarding introduction of a system for Global Positioning System (GPS) based tracking of mineral carrying vehicles on compulsory basis.
This is done with a view to check illegal transportation and storage of mineral.
Vehicle Tracking Unit (VTU) is an industrial and automotive grade product integrated with GPS and General Packet Radio Service (GPRS). It has features like – location on demand, SMS facility and storage of past positional log.
Odisha government in exercise of the powers conferred by sub rule (15) of rule 10 of the OMPTS (Orissa Minerals Prevention of Theft, Smuggling & Illegal Mining and Regulation of Possession, Storage, Trading and Transportation) Rules 2007 the state government has issued following directions:
1. No vehicle shall carry or transport any mineral ore to which the Mineral Conservation and Development Rules, 1988 apply unless, the said vehicle has been fitted with a Vehicle Tracking Unit (VTU) conferring to the specifications supplied or certified by an empanelled vendor.
2. The empanelled vendor is to be selected through empanelment process by the Odisha Space Applications Centre (ORSAC) the nodal agency of the state for providing remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) applications solutions to all government departments.
Installation of Vehicle Tracking Units supplied by any vendor empanelled by the Director of Mines shall be mandatory for all vehicles registered to carry minerals or ores with effect from the date of expiry of two months from the date of publication of the list of empanelled vendors by the Director of Mines.
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