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Integrated Remote Sensing and GIS for Natural Resources Management
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Natural resources data management system - A spatial approach to micro-level planning
R.K. Midha, P.S. Acharya, Bhoop Singh
Department of Science & Technology*
New Mehrauli Road
New Delhi-110 016
India
Abstract
With the present emphasis on decentralizing the process and practice of planning to the various hierarchical units down the line, t has become essential to have comprehensive up-to-date location specific databases and spatial profiles. under the Project Natural Resources Data Management System, efforts are a foot to develop and operational methodologies for establishing geo-referenced computer based databases which allow study of different parameters in a holistic and integrated manner. pilot scale databases have been set up in a few selected districts located in different geo-environments. The NRDMS methodology is founded on the concept of Geographic Information System. Parameters relating to natural resources, socio-economy, agro-economy, infrastructure etc. are stored in the databases. Integration of conventional and remote-sensing data helps in filling the data gaps and in monitoring temporal features. Adequate attention is given to capturing the specificity of the areas to help chart out strategies for area-specific planning. On the basis of databases so far set up, study of problems relating to optimal management of water resources, land evaluation and natural disasters 9landslides, drought miligation0 is being attempted. Decision support models are being developed to provide handy and effective tools to the local administrators for developmental planning and monitoring.
Background
It is well recognized that natural resources splay a pivotal role in the economic development. In our country, ever since the beginning of structural planning in the form of Five Year Plans, the management of natural resources has been given prime importance. Further, from time to time, a need for instituting a mechanism for multi-level planning has been felt so as to take the process and practice of planning closer to the grass root level. In the mid-fifties and sixties, the process of decentralization of planning started taking roots. A number of committees were set up by the Government to examine the various issues connected with grass root level planning and implementation. However, not much headway was made in actual implementation as there were inherent weaknesses in the available administrative framework and technical capabilities existing at the lower, levels. The Working Group on District Planning
(Planning commission, 1984) took note of these limitations and elaborated on the
remedial measure. One of the important recommendations of this Working Group related to building up of micro-level spatially referenced resource inventories. The Study Group on information Gap (Planning Commission, 1989) further reiterated this need and has identified some data gaps. Decentralized planning is now accepted as an important instrument of the Government aimed at reduction of regional and sub-regional disparities.
The need
In our country there is a well established theme oriented mechanism for collection of data at the macro-level. It has the advantage of a vast and elaborate network for manual in-situ data collection. The conventional modes of data management, however have the following limitations :
- Multiplicity of agencies generating similar but incompatible data sets
- No regular procedures for updating the data periodically
- Practices of storing data are not amenable to efficient retrieval.
Thus, in effect though vast amounts of data are collected, they are not optimally utilised and often are not accessible to the planners/decision-makers in time in the desired format.
Realizing the above, the Government of India has launched the NRDMS project to address specifically to the problems of natural resources data management at micro-level. The emphasis is on integration of data from different sectors/sources so as to develop a comprehensive Geographic information System (GIS) at the micro level which can operate in a multiuser environment (Burrough, 1986, DST, 1986: DST, 11983). Under the Projct, efforts are underway to set up pilot swcale computer based databases in a few selected districts situated in different eco-geologic settings:
| District |
Setting |
| Pauri |
Mountainous terrain |
| Gurgaon |
Plains adjacent to the large metropolis of Delhi |
| Alwar |
Arid region |
| Sultanpur |
Plains Prone to frequent floods |
| Koraput |
Tribal region |
| Kheda |
Western coastal region |
| Visakapatnam |
Eastern Coastal region |
There are three more database centers coming up at Chandel(North Eastern Himalaya), Monghyr (district having typically diverse physiographic composition), and Bankura (plains prone to frequent droughts)
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* The paper expresses the views of the authors which may not reflect that of the Department of Science & Technology.
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