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Rules on Mapping Technologies in India Heading Nowhere!



In 1989, the Ministry of Defence received representations from the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, National Remote Sensing Agency as well as Secretary, Department of space suggesting a relook on the subject of aerial photographic survey. The NRSA suggested that there is, perhaps, no need for such elaborate security for Indian aerial photographic survey outputs which have resolution of 35 metres, when the US, France and USSR remote sensing satellites have resoulation capabilities of 30 metres, 10 metres and even 5-6 metres. But the defence ministry officials pointed out that the capability of a few agencies to obtain the data will not justify throwing open the data collected by our own agencies to all and sundry. They pointed out that security of the data collected is of paramount importance and the thrust of the order of secrecy will have to be continued.

A similar stance is still clear now. Now, we have 5.8m resolution satellite imageries from India, 2m SPIN 2 imagery from Russian satellites, available to anyone at a price from Internet. With 2m and 1m Earthwatch imagery being a disticnt possibility by the end of this millenium, these restrcitions on digitsation of topomaps and aerial photography operations ensures that Indian will not be able to utilise the GIS technology for its development in the near future.

The new rules:
The complete order is given on the previous page. Our observations regarding the same are given below:
  1. The new policy seems to be against the spirit of IT Task Force recommendations in which it has been suggested that "Survey of India should make available digitised base maps with a threshold scale, free of charge and free of copyright restrictions. This would simulate the market for developments of value added applications and create new applications and services".
    Against this the government memorandum suggests that 'every value addition of the digitised data by authorised agencies should be vetted by the Survey of India, before it is cleared for further circulation'. This clearly would act as an obstacle for development of value added applications and creation of new application services.
  2. The most affected sectors will be infrastructure development (highways, telecom, utility services, urban development etc.) Any government or private agency requiring large scale maps (greater than 1:50,000) will be forced to use SOI data 'unofficially', so as not to break the rules. This will deny the due credit SOI deserves for its maps.
  3. The order says envisages that in addition to the Survey of India, the nine government departments have been authorised to provide data to NGOs and private agencies registered with them for developmental activities.
    The order is so poorly drafted that, although only eight organisations have been mentioned in para 1, the rest of the document talks of nine organisations in addition to Survey of India, who are allowed to undertake digitisation.
  4. The delegation of security may become operationally unviable, as no organisations may like to bear the responsibility of declaring any NGO/Private Company a bonafide user. All the permissions may still may be routed to SOI. Thus taking permissions may become more circuitous now.
  5. Has the Survey of India/Ministry of Defence issued any draft guidelines for MoUs to be signed by these designated agencies with NGOs & private agencies? Is this guideline available to the NGOs / private agencies, so that they would know if they fit in this scheme or not?
  6. Under the point 8 of para 2, the memorandum says that 'all users need not be given all encompassing information. It should be 'development-specific'. The details that can be given to various agencies should be worked out by Survey of India.'
  7. Para no. 5 says that 'digital data of restricted areas should not be disseminated on networks like NICNET due to security considerations.'
    Does it mean that digital data of unrestricted areas can be disseminated on newtorks line NICNET or Internet, If no, what is the status regarding the same?
  8. Was the GIS industry consulted before issuing this order? If yes, who were the persons involved? If not, why not?
  9. This order influences more than 250 organisations (NGOs, private agencies, and government agencies) who are involved in mapping. Have they been informed on it? If yes, how? There are many government organisations issuing tenders for digitisation of various maps using private agencies/NGOs (like CPCB, APEDA, Central Water Commission, Municipalities etc.) Are they implementing these rules? Was the industry informed on this order? If yes, what was the information channel used?
Most Immediate No. 2(5)/95/D(GS-III), GOVERNEMT OF INDIA NINISTRY OF DEFENCE, New Delhi, the 13th July 1998.

Office Memorandum

Subject:- Review of Map Restriction policy-Availability of map data in digital form,
  1. The undersigned is directed to say that the question of availability of digital map data to various users agencies was examined in the light of the Report of the Technical Group on Map Data Policy (TGMAP) set up by the Committee of Secretaries, Government of India. The TGMAP has identified 9 Government department/agencies, which are involved in the development process and require digital map data for various development activities. These Government organisations 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 of Forest and Department of Ocean Development.
  2. At present, survey of India is the only agency authorised to undertake digitisation on the basis of Ground Survey Data. In addition to this, the 9 designated Government departments would be allowed to undertake digitisation of topomaps of unrestricted areas upto 1:50,000 scale, already published by SOI, after deleting Defence/Civil VAs/VPs and important strategic locations. The extent of digital data/map content of unrestricted areas which can be digitised and disseminated by the 9 designated Government departments, are indicted as under:
No. Information Permissible Content
1. Administrative Boundaries International state, district, taluk, development block boundaries that are depicted on the topographic maps.
2. Road Network Road features of different types-NH, SH, District
3. Drainage Drainage system, not connected with any dam, maybe shown. Clearance from MOD may be taken for supply of drainage pattern in areas where dam  appears.
4. Water Bodies All water bodies reservoirs, lakes, ponds let, except Dams and Hydroelectric stations symbols and their Descriptions
5. Relief & Spot heights (slopes) Relief in form of layers/slopes/heights(slopes) a few  spot heights as appearing on unrestricted maps be  given.
6. Settlements  Cities, towns, villages-in terms of their extent
7. Man made features Man made features not restricted under the existing policy may be given. Details of areas falling under  existing MOD restriction policy may be given only 
No. Information Permissible Content After obtaining the clearance of MOD
8. Area and point features all users need not be given all encompassing information. It should be development- specific’.The details that can be given to various agencies Should be worked out by survey of India.
9. information Co-ordinate/locational information on national grid should not be supplied. The designated agencies may supply data on an arbitary grid covering only the ‘development specific’ areas.

  1. the designated 9 Government departments would be authorised to provide digital data as indicated in theTable-2 above to Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and private agencies registered with them for developmental activities for bonafide use on the basis of a MOU to be entered into with such private agencies/NOGs in which the responsibilities of these agencies, including non-disclosure of information to third parties would be clearly defined. The designated Government agencies and their associates can collate and combine the digital map layers with satellite imagery for further use in developmental activities.
  2. Any value additions to the digitised data by authorised agencies should be vetted by the Survey of India, before it is cleared for further circulation.
  3. As regards digitised data of the 'restricted areas' this will continue to be handled by the Army HQrs. And Survey of India and such data will be given only after obtaining security clearance Ministry of Defence. Further, the digital data of restricted areas should not be disseminated on net works like NICNET due to security considerations.
  4. The above instructions may be noted by all concerned for strict compliance.

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