Kochi: In a major initiative to curtail corruption and ensure transparency in granite mining, the State government is introducing e-passes for granite transportation.
“The National Informatics Centre is on the job and we hope to introduce e-passes by April 1 next,” Industries Principal Secretary P H Kurian told DC.
At present, the government follows a consolidated royalty payment system in which the quarry owners pay a fee to the government and issue passes to the transporter in the form of ‘Form P’.
As per rules, ‘Form P’ should have the details such as the amount realised (which indicates the amount of granite being transported), description of the vehicle, place from where and to granite is transported, place of issue, date and time, and duly signed and sealed by the quarry owner (dealer) and the government official concerned.
The quarry owners are required to procure the form, and issue them with each consignment.
"When the process goes online, the quarry owners will issue printed passes marking the registration number of the vehicle, quantity of the material and the time of plying.
The mining and geology department officials will have to check only the printed forms," Mr Kurian said. As per rules, the quarry owner can get additional Form 'P' on payment of Rs 5,000 per 100 forms, subject to a maximum of 1000 forms.
There have been allegations that the quarry owners, in collusion with the transporters, issue blank forms without filling the details of the vehicle.
In case of an inspection by the police, revenue or mining and geology department, they fill it up on the spot and present it before the official. If there are no inspections, they ply several times with the same form.
Revenue officials have even come across cases where the form was filled with a specially prepared ink which would evaporate on heating.
“We expect to enhance revenue collection from this route. For granite mining, which can be measured with precision, there is no need of a consolidate fee system," Mr Kurian said.
This move is also expected to give the government quality data on the amount of granite being quarried in the State. Going forward, e-passes can be issued for sand mining, too, Mr Kurian said.
