The Centre today convened a meeting of all the states to evolve a mechanism to curb illegal mining, a senior official said.
"We have convened a meeting of the states today to ensure that the states initiate proper steps to check illegal mining and transportation of minerals," the official said.
"We have asked them to ensure boundaries of mining leases besides stressing on initiating measures like satellite imagery to check illegal mining of minerals and their transportation by all states," the official said.
Earlier, the mines ministry, in a letter to the Railways and the shipping ministry asked them to evolve a mechanism to check illegal transportation of minerals in the wake of reports that several rakes are being used in the movement of illegally mined iron ores in Orissa.