GIS@development December 2000; Classified Maps row in Gujarat

The Gujarat Government has shifted Forest Department Principal Secretary P. Basu, IAS, for his alleged role in handing over of some sensitive maps of forest areas in the border district of Kutch to a private company for a digitisation project allegedly without the mandatory permission of the Defence authorities. The digitisation project was given to a State Government owned company, Remote Sensing and Satellite Communication Centre for developing a Geographic Information System for the forest Department. However, the project was taken away from the Government undertaking on the pretext that it would not be able to complete it within the stipulated time frame. It was instead given to a private firm, Geotech, allegedly without inviting tenders. The issue got complicated when a Public Interest Litigation was filed in the High Court because of the defence related sensitivity of the case. Following the orders of the High Court, the CBI conducted raids at the premises of the private firm and recovered the topographical maps.

The despair
The GIS community got stunned by this turn of events. The reactions at GIS India discussion group revealed that the feelings of apprehension gripping the GIS community. S. Vasudevan, writes in GISIndia discussion group, “It is disheartening to learn that companies digitising maps for use in government departments are being penalised by some antediluvian Survey of India (SoI) law. This provision has not been directed at infotech majors who also have entered in to this field. In any case this threatens the very right to transact business as guaranteed in the constitution. This can be a mortal blow to the emerging GIS industry especially the small enterpreneurs. I suggest a mass email campaign to SOI by all the GIS India members to reconcile this anachronistic law.” Another member of the same discussion group questions, “Where does that put the forest and GIS digitisation scene? If not for border areas, almost all forest departments have given maps to private firms! Can the whip crack at any time on any one? Are digitising maps legal? Should we be cautious?” However, GIS industry in general is not willing to react for the obvious reasons. We tried to contact Geotech and P. Basu regarding this. Geotech was unwilling to speak on the issue and Mr. Basu declined to comment, as matter is sub judice.

The policy
Let us look at the government’s policy in this regard. According to an order dated July 13, 1998, issued by Ministry of Defence, Government of India - in addition to Survey of India, the 9 designated Governments departments would be allowed to undertake digitisation of topomaps of unrestricted areas up to 1:50,000 scale, already published by SoI, after deleting Defence/Civil VAs/VPs and important strategic locations. These Government organizations are Department of Space, Survey of India, National Informatics Centre, Ministry of Rural Areas and Employment, Geological Survey of India, National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land use Planning, Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Environment and Forests and Department of Ocean Development. As far as digitisation of maps of restricted areas are concerned, it will continue to be handled nby the Army HQrs and Survey of India and such data will be given only after obtaining security clearance of Ministry of Defence. Details of the order can be seen at http://www.gisdevelopment.net/policy/india/nd98rules.htm or the November-December 1998 issue of GIS@development.

The Practice
In the light of this order, one may consider the Gujarat case as a clear-cut example of compromise on the issue of national security and violation of existing rules and regulations. However,it is a different story that digitisation is being done by several companies, with or without the permission of the government. One may wonder what so many GIS companies are doing in India. If the aforesaid order is implemented in its true spirit, it will nail a deathblow to GIS industry in India.

The Hope
However, there have been certain related positive developments. The Ministry of Science and Technology has taken several initiatives. The concept of National Geospatial Data Structure (NGDI) is taking shape. An important workshop is being organisedby the Ministry in association with the Centre for Spatial Database Management and Solution during February 5-6, 2001. The workshop is expected to thrash out several relevant issues regarding this. It is understood that the Ministry is also contemplating to release the digital map in WGS84 projection system. If that happens, that will be a major boost to the GIS industry. The news that Eicher has obtained the clearance from the Ministry of Defence to sell their Eicher Digital data of Delhi has surely come as a relief.