#contactcenterworld

Gurugram, India, May 4, 2023 - Functional for over a week now, the 24x7 mining helpline has left mining officials a harried lot. Launched to curtail illegal mining in the Aravallis, spread across Gurugram, Nuh and Faridabad, the helpline is allegedly being used by miners to settle scores with officials. According to the Mining Department, most of the 30-odd calls received in a week were either ‘check calls’ by green activists trying to catch them off guard, or fake alerts forcing them to rush to the hills in the middle of the night or wee hours.

"The helpline is active round the clock. As of now, we do not have any illegal stone quarrying or mine operational in our area. Following the crackdown, miners are misusing the helpline. The calls alert us about illegal mining or canters carrying stones in villages and when we reach the spot, we find nothing. When we insist the caller to accompany us, the line is disconnected. At the same time, the NCR brigade has got together and is making test calls to check if we respond. We appreciate feedback, but this is obstructing the purpose of the helpline," Anil Kumar, mining officer of Gurugram and Nuh, said.

A senior official said their investigation had revealed that the majority of calls were being made from 29 villages of Nuh on the Rajasthan border, and home to maximum accused wanted or convicted of illegal mining. After alerting us, the callers switch off the phone the moment our team reaches the spot.

Meanwhile, activists are seeking drone surveillance as mandatory standard operating procedure (SOP). "Using drones will help fill the gaps in the surveillance and monitoring system of the Aravallis. Instances of deforestation and illegal encroachments can also be captured and steps can be taken to stop these illegal activities. We request the task force committees to mandate drones as part of SOP," read a letter by the Aravalli Bachao team.

#contactcenterworld

Posted by Veronica Silva Cusi, news correspondent
Source: https://www.tribuneindia.com

Date Posted: Friday, May 5, 2023