May you please elaborate upon some of the latest (findings and) initiatives in the context of geo-spatial technologies of the organization?
Geological Survey of India has recently taken an initiative to build up an organizational network infrastructure and enterprise-cum-information portal. All the GSI offices will remain connected to a fast ethernet based network with powerful routers and virtual private network services for connecting each and every office. This will offer consistent, optimized access to a broad range of geoscientific information assets and applications. This entire setup, will facilitate information flow from one end to the other in an extremely fast rate — it will carry not only text data but also substantially big images, maps as part of spatial data and voice as well. It will provide an extremely capable, fast and reliable network infrastructure with the ability to accommodate rapidly evolving levels of application processing and large-scale data management as especially required in Spatial Data Management. A spatial data warehouse for organizing data into a structured repository facilitating fast and efficient information retrieval and storage of end products of analysis is also a part of the initiative. This dynamic data network system will provide the enterprise with a single source of data and information with documented integrity.



The proposed infrastructure will also have adequate security features, reasonable redundancy and failover features for providing a full proof availability and consistency in the system. The connectivity will be ensured by BSNL extended MPLS IP VPN services, which will provide GSI a fully dedicated, high bandwidth separate channel for data and voice communication and take full care of the security through suitable encryption decryption combination at both communicating ends. This will equip GSI with an integrated infrastructure that provides for data flow and workflow management, knowledge integration, decision support and product delivery and dissemination.

Mobile mapping is another area, Geological Survey of India, is turning to, for an effective, comprehensive and most modern technique of integrating GIS at the field level itself.

How do you maintain geo-scientific data in terms of its quality (updating and accuracy) and authenticity (techniques and methods)?
Data collection and storage is based on robust data models, which have been derived based on established and acquired geological knowledge. Consistency of original mapping is maintained as geologists use set procedures and data formats (based on the data model) for field data collection. Consistency of descriptive information stored in relational databases (based on the same data model) is maintained through coding and lexicon validation. For data compilation and presentation, in house and international (CGMW) standards are used.

Who do you think are the potential users of the data you develop and how do they reach you?
Geospatial data generated by Geological Survey of India finds use in many segments — the main consumer being the public sectors and the undertakings. Besides, GSI provides useful material for the research community and the educational institutes who use this information for further processing. The resource mapping carried out by GSI finds extreme importance within entrepreneurs for boosting up of local/regional economy and GSI often gets earnest response from them. City based GIS data also proves useful for the city developing authorities for urban development.

One of the most important areas where spatial data generated by GSI finds strongest application is power sector. Here the input from GSI acts as a principal component for selection of dam site and building up of peripheral arrangements. GSI data also assumes a cardinal role in infrastructure development that has a direct impact on the social landscape. It almost includes everything from laying out of railway lines, planning huge bridges and suggesting effective measures for hazard mitigation and even conservation of heritage sites / monuments.

The consumers mainly adopt conventional way to reach or approach GSI although presently sequential web page representing the organisational activities also act as an avenue to access us. Being a custodian of geoscientific database developed over 150 years, what is your idea about "data ownership" issues with regard to the coming days of a single window NSDI?
The issue of the right to access government owned data and information is regulated at the national level. The characteristics of information and communication technology demands that increasing attention should be paid to international environments with respect to access, use and data protection. There is need for research regarding the nature, number and use of public sector data. Availability of complete inventory of products and services with recommendations as to how data should be priced, used, and provided is a must. Some of the issues regarding data ownership, which has to be resolved are:

• How the data will be used?
• What will be the restrictions on use (use can be limited to a certain task, certain project or within an organization)?
• How can the restrictions be imposed?
• Copyright (Data set will be sold or licensed to use for a certain period) - for what period?
• Whether to allow or forbid resale - If allowed whether royalty should be charged?
• Whether to allow or forbid sale of value added products by third party?

Do you visualize any role of private sector in the activities of GSI?
Everyone should participate in the Geoinformatics revolution: challenge is to come to an agreement on how to participate. There is need for market research to determine and analyze user's requirements for GI products, and spatial digital data; there can be coordination of mapping activities between central, state agencies and private sector. Interested agencies can cooperate by establishing cooperative agreements for map and digital data production.

Educational institutions can conduct fundamental research and try resolving difficult problems involving geoscience workflow management. It is very difficult to design and standardize work processes because of the extreme heterogeneity of geoscience data formats, storage and computing system, differing conventions and terminologies.

A community based large-scale effort is needed. No single geoscientific organization has the financial resources or knowledge base necessary to rapidly develop an integrated, formalized and fully documented protocol that defines the data flow, sequencing of events and standards that integrate various inputs to create a measurable output.

What are your observations regarding the future of geospatial market in India?

• There has been an increase in geo-spatial data handling within organizations
• Robust, easy to use spatial data handling tools are available for enterprise wide deployment.
• Digital geospatial datasets covering areas of interest have now become more accessible, widely available.
• Corporate networks, advances in communication and database technology finally resolving serious technical limitations in the management and transfer of large, distributed datasets.
• Increase in number of specialist / informed end users (Users now want to evaluate raw data, rather than just examine summaries in final reports. They also need assurance, that data control and quality measures were followed)

The future earth science geoinformatics system will include efficient information and data retrieval mechanisms from distributed databases; 3D search engines; visualization, analysis and modeling capabilities; online workspace, software and tutorials and integration with online scientific journals and digital libraries. In practical terms, a system of seamless interoperability of databases will provide the ability to gather data over the World Wide Web from a variety of distributed sources, regardless of computer operating system, database formats and servers. Search engines will gather data about any geographic location, on, above or below the ground, covering any geologic time, and at any scale or detail. These products should be created on the fly, each time an inquiry is made, using the latest information in the appropriate databases.

What do you think are the key issues facing the geomatics community of the subcontinent?
GI organizations are now faced with challenge of cost effectively collecting, managing, analyzing and synthesizing multi-disciplinary and complex information. This information must be processed and disseminated in a way that allows users to make informed and rational decision. The new paradigm is clear - user needs must be better met, and the systems used to store and generate information must meet these needs. The GI organizations should upgrade its data and business processes to better address user concerns about data accessibility, control and quality. Simultaneously the following issues have to be dealt in order to achieve this objective.

Information policy: Research needed for identifying optimal government information policies and practices for promoting a robust SDI. Basic policy issues include intellectual property rights, information privacy, and liability.

Economic issues: Spatial information is an unusual commodity of great value. Issues of cost recovery, pricing, and markets for spatial data, and their relationship to intellectual property rights, are of central importance. Understanding the economic characteristics of information, especially government information, is important.

Partnership: Public and private roles in information creation (cooperative research, development agreements, etc) will be of great importance.

Geoinformatics must evolve a new context that includes not only traditional technological issues of geoscience data collection, storage, retrieval and processing, but also the formulation of essential data models, the formalization of common workflows, and ultimately the realignment of organizational structures.