A decision support system for local administration in GIS environment - A study at Paramakudi Taluk of Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu

T.K.Ramachandran¹, A.Sundaram², S.Vasudevan³,
B. Pavendan³, B.Gurugnanam<sup>4

1</sup>District Collector, Villupuram.
²Madurai Kamarajar University, Madurai.
³Spatial Solution Integrated (P) Ltd., Trichy.
⁴Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar.
ssitgis@yahoo.com

Introduction
The amount of data generated by the government in this digital era is phenomenal. Attempts to process the data and rendering it as readily usable information by application of a powerful integrated approach such as GIS are not widespread. Contemporary decision-making is complex and involves a wide spectrum of knowledge sourced from diverse fields. The impacts of a decision thus made over an even more complex social fabric necessitate the use of sophisticated Decision Support Systems (DSS). The unique capability of a Geographic Information System (GIS) is that not only it can act as a database but also as a powerful tool, wherein complicated operations can be performed with greater ease and better quality information gleaned. When incorporated in this environment, Decision Support Systems can become flexible and fortified. Ushering in such systems in the administrative scenario has become nearly mandatory, to meet the challenges of management in the digital era.

In the present system of administration, the administrator or decision maker really depends on hierarchy for relevant information, which results in delay and gives room for errors. In the conventional data retrieval system practices, because of near impossibility of data verification, likelihood of errors in decisions is high. Therefore, quicker and reliable data access and efficient processing tools are in demand. While attribute data computerization is an ongoing process, a GIS database that invokes both map and tabular data should follow logically to maximize benefits. In fact, the work can be cited to have reached its logical and evolutionary perfection once the entire output is made available in the World Wide Web.

In this context, a Decision Support System (DSS) was attempted in Paramakudi taluk of Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu.

AIM
The aim of the study is to provide a Decision Support System in GIS environment to facilitate decision-making process qualitatively effective.

Objectives
In order to realize the above aim, the following objectives were identified.

• To create a digital database for select area, employing the following map data in existence.
  Administrative boundary
  Hamlet location
  Roads / Railway line
  Drainage network
  Water body
  Well
  Bridges
  Pilgrim Centre
  Burial Ground
• To collect the following secondary data pertaining to each hamlet available with various government departments.
  Union / Taluk Name
  General Population
  SC / ST Population
  Health Centre details
  Fair-price shop details
  Elementary School details
• To provide decision support features as
  Selective Data Display
  Attribute Data Display
  Query Builder
  Model Builder
  History

Methodology
The study commenced with basic data collection procedures. They were grouped into Map data and Attribute data.

All administrative boundaries and other relevant map information were obtained from the Land Records department Village maps at 1:5000 scale. The general methodology adopted for this study is shown in Figure 1.

Methodology Figure 1

Figure 2

The study area was about 724 Sq. Km. with 93 revenue villages (Fig.2). In all 186 map sheets of near A0 size were scanned at 400 DPI resolution, A0 scanner. All map sheets were vectorised systematically in the following themes for each map sheets.

• Administrative Boundary (Polygon)
  Village
  Panchayat
  Union
  Taluk
• Hamlet (Point)
• Road (Line)
  Major Road
  Minor Road
• Railway (Line)
• Drainage (Line)
• Water Body (Polygon)
  Kanmoi
  Tank
• Wells (Point)
  Round Well
  Square Well
• Bridges (Point)
• Pilgrim Centre (Point)
  Kovil
  Temple
  Church
  Mosque
• Burial Ground (Point)

Quality checking was done over the theme vectorization. Error correction, topology formation and map join process were executed in Workstation ARC/INFO 8.0.2. to finally create one map, mosaic of comprising 93 revenue villages and associated themes of Paramakudi taluk. Map joining process was conducted for every theme mentioned separately.

Simultaneously, Attribute data were collected from various government departments at Ramanathapuram. These include:

• Union / Taluk Name
• General Population
• SC / ST Population
• Health Centre details
• Fair-price shop details
• Elementary School details

These were edited and suitably formatted in Foxpro and linked with map database. Details about each hamlet of a village are included as attribute data.

Data Analysis
Before incorporating themes and data to ARC/VIEW GIS environment for the development of DSS using AVENUE script, certain spatial operations were conducted under two categories. Default data were generated during topology formation. For example, polygon area in square kilometer was generated and if for a line, the length of the line was calculated.

The other part of the analysis involves overlaying technique. In order to find out number of round wells occurring in a particular village, well theme was overlaid with village boundary theme and village wise STATISTICS were generated in ARC/INFO. For a line theme such as road map, this was overlaid with the village map so that, the length of each minor and major road was calculated. Accordingly, similar spatial operations were performed wherever necessary.

After performing spatial operations, coverages were converted into shape file format and attribute database was also transferred along with shape files. These were finally used for development of Decision Support System (DSS) in ARC/VIEW GIS using AVENUE script.

Development of Decision Support System (DSS)
Decision Support System (DSS) comprises five major modules as below.

• Data Display
• Attribute Display
• Query Builder
• Model Builder
• History

Apart from the above modules, provisions were also made available to update attribute data, hard copy print out, etc.

Data Display
This module developed to give a comprehensive look of the features in the study area, allows the user to selectively view the themes with their sub-category and tabular data simultaneously. The cursor position in the tabular data is highlighted on the map. This particular provision is available not only to each entity, but also to Union wise and to Taluk wise entities. In the tabular format, additional information about the selected feature is displayed (Fig. 3)

Figure 3

Attribute Display
In Attribute display, location specific attribute data can be viewed on the screen by simply placing the cursor over the village or hamlet position. This was done for two types of units namely Village wise Attributes and
Hamlet wise Attributes.

Figure 4

Village wise attributes provide data on the following (Fig. 4)

• Village Name
• Village (Revenue) No.
• Area in sq. km
• Area in Hectare
• Number of Water bodies
• Number of Pilgrim centers
• Number of Wells
• Number of Hamlets

Figure 5

Hamlet wise attributes display (Fig. 5)

• Name of Hamlet
• Name of Panchayat
• Name of Union
• Name of Taluk
• Population (General)
• Population (SC/ST)
• Govt. Hospitals
• Primary Health Centre
• Health Sub Centre
• Govt. Buildings
• Govt. Shop
• Elementary Schools

Query Builder
Three kinds of Query shells were developed, namely Simple, Complex and Compound query shells.

Simple query allows building a condition on a particular theme alone. For instance, villages of area less than 4.53 sq. km. can be identified by employing simple query.

Complex query allows further conditions with connectors like 'AND', 'OR' on the same theme. Villages having both round and square wells can be brought out by using compound query.

Figure 6

Apart from all the capabilities of Complex query, Compound query allows to build a condition on more than two different themes with connectors. For example a village having 'church' with population less than 2000 can be brought under Compound query (Fig. 6).

Model Builder
Model builder helps in building operational models satisfying a range of criteria in multiple stages until the desired outcome or a satisfactory result is achieved. At any stage, if the user is not satisfied on the results achieved at certain result, he can simply go one step behind and modify the earlier criteria and then can proceed to next step. At each step, results can be viewed on the screen allowing for an interactive approach.

History
There are number of schemes implemented in the villages. History module developed to view the scheme details in each hamlet from the year 1996-97 onwards. This permits the recovery of statistical information of any village to plan future development activity.

Conclusion
The DSS is effective and satisfies the stated objectives. However, further refinement is very much possible. Incorporating the two major aspects of GIS, Remote Sensing and Global Positioning System in this DSS would have amplified its scope manifold. To make it comprehensive, more and more data from all the government departments where computerization is in progress should be essentially integrated. For example, crime history can be incorporated to analyze crime pattern and law and order management in its scope. Even the marginal capability of a GIS database visualized through this study argues louder than many theoretical claims to opt for a full-scale state level GIS database. Obviously that will inevitably lead to a national level GIS. In addition, when the entire information is made available on the net the cherished dream of e-governance will approach reality sooner and on a firmer note.

References

• Andy Mitchel, (1999). The ESRI guide to GIS Analysis. Environmental System Research Institute, Redlands. Vol.1. P186.
• Anon., (1991). District Level Planning - A case study for Panchmahals district. A Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad. Report - SAC/RSA/NRIS - DLP/TR-1 June 1991.
• Ramasamy SM., Vasudevan S., Dhanapal T. (1998) GIS for Panchayat Level Planning and Decision Making. Map India 98, New Delhi 7-9 Oct.1998.

Acknowledgement
The authors sincerely thank DRDA, Ramanathapuarm for having permitted to execute the study.The assistance rendered by Mr.B.Rajeshkanna, Mr.S.Balamurugan and Mr.P.Kumar is gratefullly acknowledged. The authors thank all district level functionaries for their assistance during data collection phase of this study.