Nagpur: The Maharashtra govt on Monday announced a sweeping, technology-driven crackdown on illegal mining, with revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule declaring that a comprehensive Electronic Total Station (ETS) survey and Google-based mapping of the entire state will be completed within three months.Bawankule said a Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by senior IPS officers and divisional commissioners, would be constituted to conduct a detailed probe to dismantle the illegal mining racket. He added that the ETS survey would help establish “the actual extent of minor mineral extraction.”Highlighting regulatory lapses, the minister said several sites were operating without verified leases, environmental clearances or licences for the use of explosives. A five-year audit of permissions granted for mining activities will be undertaken to identify irregularities and fix accountability.He indicated that officials who allegedly enabled such activities over the past five years would face departmental inquiries.In a major enforcement measure, he said any truck caught transporting minerals illegally three times would have its registration permanently cancelled through the transport authority. The govt will also present a white paper in the next legislative session detailing the scale of illegal mining across the state.At the same time, Bawankule sought to reassure farmers, stating that those extracting minor minerals for personal or housing use would not face action. He directed district collectors and police superintendents to launch a coordinated three-day drive to immediately halt illegal operations while ensuring that licensed activities continue uninterrupted. The measures, officials said, reflect a broader push to curb environmental damage, improve regulatory oversight and plug revenue losses linked to unregulated extraction.
