Drones to keep check on illegal mining in state

The Punjab mining and geology department has decided to deploy drones to curb illegal sand mining in the state, officials said on Wednesday.

The department may borrow the drones from the state police, they said. “We will soon be using drones (to keep a check on illegal mining) and hope it will start in next one month or so,” a senior official of the department said.

The drones can be deployed to monitor areas where the illegal mining is suspected to be rampant, he added.

The mining and geology department, which has been hived off from the industries department, has also decided to keep surveillance on the illegal mining through satellite mapping.

Last month, the state cabinet came out with a new mining policy, aimed to bring further transparency in the sand mining business.