Panaji | Sept 20, 2017: The mines and geology department has been strictly monitoring the movement of mining trucks in the state. On a daily average, between 200 and 1,000 trucks found exceeding the speed limit of 40 km per hour are temporarily debarred from transportation, said Neha Panvelkar, deputy director, mines and geology department.

"We are very rigid with the speed limit. Truck drivers are allowed to exceed up to 50 kms per hour for 60 seconds in case of an emergency or while travelling downhill, but beyond that we debar them," Panvelkar said on Saturday, while speaking at a workshop on Air Quality Management in Goa, an initiative of the European Union.

He said that messages that are automatically generated are sent to truck drivers, and depending on their violations they aren't permitted to ply their trucks for two or three day as trip sheets are not generated.

All mining trucks have to be registered with the department and must have GPS tracking systems installed that allows for tracking of their movements. The department doesn't give into pressures, Panvelkar stated, explaining that the computerized system provides all the proof, including on which stretch a driver exceeded the speed limit and the duration. This system also helps the department keep a check on the movement of coal within the state, and all this information that is uploaded on the department's website allows anyone to view the movement of trucks and barges carrying iron ore, she said.

This system was set up following Supreme Court orders and with suggestions from the Goa mineral ore exporters association.

The department has also fixed a maximum limit on the maximum number of trips allowed on various stretches and the maximum trucks that can ply on a particular route in a day. Trip sheets in excess of these norms are not issued, Panvelkar said, adding that in Sonshi, the number of trips were brought down by 25%.

Other measures taken up by the department to reduce pollution include making it compulsory for trucks to cover ore using tarupaulin sheets. The department has also started sharing the data of number of trips undertaken by trucks with the Goa State Pollution Control Board.

(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)