ISSN 0972-6810
geospatial 092011 ` 100/- www.geospatialtoday.com
TODAY
The Indian coast is confronting major issues of erosion, inundation, encroachment and shifting of shoreline, resulting mostly from human intervention and natural forces. Sustaining
the health of coastal environment is the need of the hour The Indian coast is confronting major issues of erosion, inundation, encroachment and shifting of shoreline, resulting mostly from human intervention and natural forces. Sustaining
the health of coastal environment is the need of the hour
CONSERVING THE
COASTLINE
COASTLINE
CONTENTS
02 NEWS 14 COVER STORY
The Indian coast is confronting issues of erosion, inundation, encroachment and shifting of shoreline, resulting mostly from human intervention and natural forces. Pravakar Mishra and Tune Usha explore the various initiatives implemented for sustaining the health of coastal environment
INTERVIEWS 22 Tanmoy Chakrabarty
Vice President and Head, Government Industry Solutions Unit, TCS 40 Jennifer Hu
MD,
SOUTH Precision Instrument Pvt. Ltd 27 GEOSpaTIal INTEllIGENCE ON THE
flY
Commercial geospatial intelligence providers have moved beyond the traditional task of providing imagery, to equip users with processed data, enabling them to speed up decision- making and respond to challenges in real-time
37 ENHaNCING SITuaTIONal aWaRENESS
Indian armed forces need to catch up with the latest geospatial technology applications that provide real-time situational awareness
21 COlumN Kevin macDonald
Senior Architect, ThinkWrap Solutions Inc
45 pRODuCT SHOWCaSE Surveying with South precision
prof Ian masser Visiting Professor, Centre for Advanced Spatial Analyses, University College, London, UK Jack Dangermond Founder and President, ESRI Dr Shailesh R Nayak Secretary, Min of Earth Sciences Dr V Jayaraman
Former Director, NRSC maj Gen (Dr) R Siva Kumar CEO-NSDI, Head - NRDMS K R Sridhara murthi Senior Expert, Office of Advisor to PM, Innovation and Public Information Infrastructure, India m moni
Deputy Director General, National Informatics Centre, Government of India Rajesh C mathur Vice Chairman, ESRI India Dr mukund Rao Consultant (National GIS), Planning Commission.
Dr R Nagaraja Group Head, NDC, NRSC Dr N l Sarda Prof. Computer Science &
Engineering Department, IIT Bombay
TRaNSITIONING TO SaTEllITE baSED aIR TRaffIC CONTROl
14
32
aIDING uTIlITIES IN REGulaTORY COmplIaNCE
TODAY
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CONTaCT uS
VOLUME 10 ISSUE 7
Editorial advisory board
INTERVIEW
22
Cover Story
Tanmoy Chakrabarty
Vice President and Head, Government Industry Solutions Unit, TCS
42
coastline
Conserving
the
News
ISRO tracks important wetlands in Gujarat
Manipur S&T Council to offer distance learning National biomass Resource atlas for India soon
A
recent study conducted by Space Applications Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad and ISRO provides details including maps, satellite imageries and statistics on different wetland types available in the state of Gujarat and their importance.Among the most important wetlands in India, at least nine are in the state of Gujarat, the study found. A major highlight of the report is that wetlands constitute 17.56 per cent of total geographic area of Gujarat, covering 34.74
T
he Government of India is planning to initiate a national bioenergy mission under the Twelfth Five Year Plan, to boost power generation from biomass. The mission will draw the policy and regulatory environment to facilitate large-scale capital investments in biomass- fired power stations, while encouraging development of rural enterprises. According to Farooq Abdullah, minister of new and renewable energy, India has a surplus biomass estimated at 150 milliontonnes, which could be used to generate 16 GW of power.
The bioenergy mission also proposes to develop a GIS-based national biomass resource atlas to map potential biomass regions in the country. Efforts will be initiated to improve energy
The atlas will aid in identifying biomass resources to boost power generation from biomass
efficiency in traditional biomass consuming industries, develop a bioenergy city project and provide logistics support to biomass processing units.
Bioenergy projects can generate employment in rural areas, besides helping in the stabilisation of electricity grid. Currently, India has capacity to generate 3,000 MW of biomass-based power.
The new and renewable energy ministry is targeting to double this capacity during the Twelfth Plan (2012-17).
of this report is that it has identified some lesser known sites, like the Kerly Lagoon in Porbandar. The report will help lack hectare. A total of 23,891
wetlands, of five different types, can be found all over the state. An important aspect
M
anipur Science &Technology Council is organising six-week distance learning programme on
‘basics of remote sensing, GIS and GPS’ at Manipur Vigyan Prasar SIT, Manipur Science Aquarium Complex DM college. The Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehradun
weeks, GPS for one week, GIS for two weeks and RS &
GIS application for one week.
Total intake capacity for the programme is 20 candidates, which will be on first-come- first-serve basis. An enrolment fee of `500 per student will be charged and study material will be supplied.
under National Natural Resources Management Systems Department of Space, is conducting this programme that will be relayed through EduSat from August 1 till October 28. The programme is divided into four modules including remote sensing and digital image analysis for two
the government in protecting the wetlands from industrial development and any other illegal activity.
upgrading law enforcement infrastructure
R
ecognising the importance of a strong IT network across the nation’s police outposts for streamlined flow of information, the Home Ministry has expressed plans to upgrade India’s law enforcement infrastructure. Plans have been framed to lay ground work to use wired and wireless networking technologies to connect 15,015 stations and 7,000 offices nationwide.The ambitious project will make use of VPN, WiMax, Broadband, VSAT and other such technologies. 3D building imagery technology will be imported from the US and a comprehensive image database of vulnerable buildings will be developed. Using the database, the law enforcement and anti- terrorism units will be able to access 3D virtual imagery of targets. Further, plans have been proposed to equip ground personnel with range finders, better GPS devices, thermal imagers, close combat and assault weapons.
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News
moES to conduct undersea survey
ISRO supporting regional remote sensing centres India to help lesotho in rural development
T
he Government of India is helping the Government of Lesotho in implementing rural development.A memorandum of understanding has been signed between both the countries to collaborate in the areas such as development of planned settlements; development and maintenance of rural access and connectivity; rural water supply & sanitation and minor-irrigation;
development of rural
enterprises and small-scale industries; the use of new and renewable sources of energy; development of rural housing; establishment of sun-national administrative institutions; generation of wage and self-employment opportunities for the rural
India will provide technology, equipment and training for implementing planned rural development in Lesotho.
poor; development of rural infrastructure using wage employment programmes and sector-specific human resource development.
India will provide technology including GIS, relevant equipment and satellite imagery along with sector- specific training through established institutions and customised schemes and medium-term courses to aid officials in Lesotho in undertaking planned rural development.
I
SRO is extending support to state remote sensing centres in the field of tele-medicine, tele-education, setting up village resource centres and disaster management among others. According to ISRO Chairman, Dr K Radhakrishnan, the North East Space Application Centre (NESAC) of ISRO has been coordinating with theprogrammes initiated by ISRO.
Projects like land use, land cover mapping, land degradation mapping, updation of wasteland and preparation of national wetland inventory and assessment on 1:50,000 scale are some of the recent projects completed by ARSAC under the National Resource Census Programme of ISRO.
remote sensing centres of the northeastern states. NESAC is also preparing a plan of action for the next five years to further extend assistance to the regional centres.
Assam Remote Sensing and Application Centre (ARSAC) division of the Assam Science Technology and Environment Council is partnering in various natural resource mapping
T
he government of India has embarked on a new mission to look for prospects of undersea mineral resources and natural gas.In this regard, a major oceanic survey is being conducted in the territorial waters, including parts of the Bay of Bengal, Gulf of Cambay and Andaman Sea. The Ministry of Earth Sciences in collaboration with the Geological Survey of India and the Goa-based National Antarctic and Ocean Research Centre will take up the project. The survey is expected to study 90,000 square kilometres of the sea floor till 2014. According to Shailesh Nayak, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, the main purpose of the survey is to assess the hydrocarbon and geochemical resources.
Carbon
measurement centre established in madhya pradesh
I
SRO in collaboration with the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department has installed a carbon measurement centre at Sukwan beat of Tawadi forest division in Betul district of the state. Testing of various sensors at the centre is currently under process. They will measure velocity of wind, temperature and humidity and the data recorded will be sent to ISRO centre at Hyderabad for analysis. This is the fourth centre in India, the other three being located at Haldwani, Saharanpur and Barkot. There are plans to install a total of 15 centres across India. These centres play a major role in measuring the impact of carbon and carbon dioxide on flora and fauna using scientific equipments and methods, and these details will be used in assessing the impact of growing carbon emissions and in planning mitigation efforts.manipur maps rural schools
Odisha to update database of towns
T
he central government in India has asked the state government in Odisha to update the existing database of six towns - Cuttack, Balasore, Baripada, Sambalpur, Rourkela and Berhampur. The database was earlier developed by SoI under the Central-sponsored National Urban Information System (NUIS) scheme, but the towns have subsequently witnessed changes in termsThe updated database will reflect the current developments in towns and will aid in planning development activities.
According to Prashant Kumar Pattnaik, director of state town planning, Odisha, a request has been sent to the urban local bodies to provide information about the changes in terms of development witnessed in recent times. These changes will be incorporated in the respective maps, followed by ground verification of the same. The revised maps will then be collected and provided to the Survey of India.
M
anipur is using GIS for mapping schools located in remote areas of the state.This is the first of its kind of initiative implemented in India. The technology will aid in checking whether the funds sanctioned for development of school infrastructure are properly utilised. Physical inspection of schools located in remote areas is not possible due to
parts of the state. Following the successful use of GIS in mapping schools in Manipur, similar exercises have been undertaken in Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. In addition to mapping 4,640 schools, the exercise has also identified 1,093 different places where there is no school available. A need for 535 primary schools and 558 upper primary schools has been identified.
bad transport infrastructure or security reasons. The technology implementation was done by the state government with help from the Delhi-based Mission of Geo-Spatial Application, a Central Government agency.
State Mission Authority of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan scheme is using GIS to map 4,640 primary and upper primary schools located in different
of geographical expansion, prompting the government to go for an updated database.
The updated databases will aid in creating master plans and in carrying out development activities.
GETIT launches search app for iphones in India
GETIT Infoservices, a local information search service provider, has launched a local search application for iPhone users in India. The application enables easy searching for information on various points of interests such as pizza shops and multiplexes on iPhone anytime and anywhere. The application provides information via a rich, interactive and graphical interface. It auto-detects the users’ location using GPS to provide quick links to top/popular categories of search results. It refines search results based on attributes and location and shows interactive maps with directions. Sidharth Gupta, CEO, GETIT Infoservices, said that his company would continue to innovate and offer free upgrades to
suit the changing needs of iPhone users.
Nepal to make maps easily accessible
The Supreme Court has directed the Nepal government to make Nepal´s historical documents including its map and other documents concerning the country´s properties, territories, sovereignty and security easily accessible to citizens for the purpose of research, viewing, reading and investigation.
A separate entity such as a museum should be set up for this purpose. According to the SC order, people have the right to observe and study Nepal´s original maps and other historical documents, which had remained beyond access for a long time. The maps are also expected to help in solving land and border related disputes in a diplomatic manner, with due respect to the sovereignty, liberty and integrity of the country.
september 2011 geospatial TODAY |05
Sugarcane crop monitoring using satellite imagery
SGl to develop 3D geomapping software
Kathmandu police enhances security in metros
T
he Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) and the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories (NFCSF) are, for the first time, using satellite-based mapping to gather data on sugarcane acreage and yield.The monitoring will start for the standing sugarcane crop which will be crushed in the new season beginning October.
The development is in line with the huge difference in the government output estimates and actual output produced, which is affecting the industry’s profitability.
ISMA and NFCSF have invited proposals from about a dozen agencies with remote-sensing background to gather acreage
S
canPoint Geomatics Limited (SGL) is developing a microwave or radar data processing and geo-mapping software in association with the Space Application Centre (SAC) of ISRO. The software will be embedded into IGiS version 2.0 and is scheduled to belaunched in mid-2012. It will be targeted at users in the industry, R&D labs and educational institutes in the country. In addition to radar
GIS and GPS in tandem with the public stakeholders, establishment of data bank backed by the Department of Transport Management, municipalities, Finance Ministry, Foreign Ministry and Tourism and Civil Aviation Ministry, working in close coordination with
private security companies shouldering security responsibilities of financial enterprises, building up relationships with schools and colleges and taking public audit as a source of inspiration for better policing.
Short-term plans focus
on enhancing efficiencies within the force, professional development of cops, people- oriented police service, result- oriented crime investigation with due respect to human rights, technology-based crime investigation, expansion of police mobilisation and public- police partnership.
The software will be useful for both radar data processing and 3D modelling.
data processing, the software will also provide 3D image modelling capabilities that will facilitate mapping for military and civilian agencies alike.
The product will be priced at `7 lakh for the industry,
`2.5 lakhs for government agencies and `75,000 for
educational institutes. It will offer more than 300 applications including advanced GIS analysis, terrain analysis, hydrology modelling, raster GIS analysis, GPS tools, zonal tools, tracking analyst, decision support and uncertainty management.
collected from various sugar mills. Technology-based crop assessment will aid in knowing mapping with satellite images
that can be compared and analysed with the field data
production data which will be used by the government to take timely policy decisions.
T
he Metropolitan Police Commissioner’s office in Kathmandu has formulated a charter of short-term and long-term plans to enhance efficiencies in combating crime and enhance civil security. Long-term plans include installation of community alarm system,News
Odisha may get grant under R-apDRp
Nagaland initiates landslide hazard zonation mapping mysore police to nail erring police drivers
A
t the 31st State Geological Programming Board (SGPB) meeting, the Department of Geology &Mining in Nagaland released two comprehensive reports on ‘Landslide Hazard Zonation and Disaster Management/Mitigation Plan’ and ‘Geological Hazard Studies of Townships.’
These reports will form the basis for all future land-use planning activities, disaster management, mitigation and
of early warning systems and adequate mitigation measures in landslide prone areas, and will be used by agencies maintaining national and state highways and others.
For compiling the reports, mapping was done using high- resolution satellite images, followed by intense fieldworks covering 17 villages/towns falling along and around NH 29 (Chumukedima-Kohima), in total 108.85 square kilometres in area.
remedial action. Compiled over a period of two years (2009-11), these reports are funded under the state plan.
The information generated by these reports will play a key role in indentifying vulnerable zones, designing
F
ollowing complaints about rash driving and traffic violations by police drivers, the Mysore Police have sought public cooperation in this regard. Any person noticing negligent driving of any police vehicle can note down the registration number of the vehicle and report it to theparking zones, one-way norm violation and overtaking from wrong direction. Commenting on the development, DCP (traffic) P Rajendra Prasad said that the police drivers do not have any kind of exemptions and are required to follow traffic rules. They should be a role model to others.
set up. Efforts are also being taken to further streamline the functioning of these police stations.
police control room. GPS and other electronic information on the vehicle will be tracked and the driver will be punished with a fine. Police vehicles have been fitted with GPS devices to track violations such as over speeding, signal jumping, violating parking rules like parking on the road and at no-
F
ollowing sustained persuasion by the state government of Odisha, the central government is likely to include Odisha for release of grant under R-APDRP.Devendra Singh, joint secretary, Ministry of Power, has been recently reported saying that the ministry would shortly consider the proposal to include Odisha under R-APDRP scheme.
Even though the state had pioneered reforms in power sector way back in early 1990s, it was denied grants as per the
revised guidelines of R-APDRP, according to which assistance would not be available for private distribution companies and any participation of the private utilities is to be considered after a period of two years from the issue of sanction.
In an attempt to further clamp on power pilferage and theft, chief minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik has declared to establish 16 more Energy Police Stations in different parts of the state to augment the 18 stations that are already
The maps will aid in identifying vulnerable areas and in better land use planning.
Satellite imagery to curb illegal mining in India
The Government of India in collaboration with the state governments is promoting the use of technology to curb illegal mining. Following rampant cases of illegal mining being reported from ore-rich states like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Jharkhand, the central government wants states to aggressively initiate geo- referencing of mining leases and collaborate with ISRO for using satellite imagery to track mining activities.
The centre has also suggested the state governments to carry out differential global positioning system survey to resolve disputes on boundary and position of mining lease area. States have also been told to use geographical positioning system devices to detect and curb illegal mining.
Smart truck technology from DHl
DHL and Blue Dart have initiated a pilot programme in Bengaluru to test the smart truck technology developed by DHL Solutions &
Innovation for pickup and delivery.
The technology is designed to cope with urban logistic challenges in India such as traffic restrictions, density and clogging.
It computes delivery deadlines to chalk out the ideal sequence for shipments, and uses real-time GPS to avoid jams, optimise routings, thereby enabling flexibility and last-minute pick-ups. The technology was earlier tested in Germany in 2010, and it reduced number of miles travelled by 15 per cent and length of average route by 8 per cent, significantly reducing both fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. According to Jerry Hsu, CEO, DHL Express Asia Pacific, the technology is just in line with DHL’s GoGreen programme that aims to resolve issues affecting the environment and reduce carbon footprint, while enhancing service to consumers.
september 2011 geospatial TODAY |07
Vision 2020 for Indian Railways
maharashtra to curb forest encroachment
brazilian utility Sabesp deploys bentley’s WaterCaD
D
inesh Trivedi, the new railway minister, has set out his priorities for Indian Railways to be implementedI
n an attempt to curb deforestation and encroachment in forests by local people in the Dhule forest circle, the state government of Maharashtra has teamed up with National Remote Sensing Centre, Hyderabad, and the Regional Remote Sensing Application Centre,Nagpur, to get 2.5 m X 2.5 m resolution satellite pictures of these areas to examine where fresh encroachments
Satellite imagery will help Maharashtra government in controlling deforestation and encroachments.
have happened. The Dhule circle area, consisting of parts of Nashik, Jalgaon and Nandurbar, has been witnessing forest encroachments by local people for many years In this regard, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has also provided the services of a
judicial magistrate to the State Reserve Police (SRP) to enable it to give firing orders in situations of extreme exigencies. A fund of `1.5 crore has been allocated for hiring ex-servicemen and other existing security forces to guard the forest area and prevent fresh encroachments.
that were announced in previous railway budgets, and new technologies will be implemented to enhance
the water system eliminated the need for two booster stations, reducing the utility’s energy consumption by about 8,000 kilowatt hours per month.
Sabesp used WaterCAD to identify high pressure areas in the system, simulate the
productivity, efficiency and process reforms. GPS tracking will be introduced in trains, and advanced traffic analysis will be done to ensure efficient operations. Substantial expansion in passenger and freight handling will aid in meeting the needs of the growing Indian economy.
Railway factories will be modernised to increase capacity, and the emphasis will be on using indigenous design and production. In order to identify development opportunities, a database of railway-owned land will be complied, and stations will be modernised through PPP agreements.
impact of the implementation of pressure reducing valves in neighbouring areas, analyse segments affected by ongoing construction, set optimal operational parameters, identify areas for water loss prospecting, with a view to detecting non-visible underground leaks.
under the Vision 2020, which was set out by his predecessor Mamata Banerjee. Priority will be given to projects
Santa Etelvina Sectors) by 57 per cent by using Bentley’s WaterCAD product for water distribution modelling and management. This helped Sabesp reduce its monthly production of potable water by 440,000 cubic metres – saving the utility $170,000 per month. Moreover, changes in
B
entley Systems, Incorporated announced that the Brazilian utility Companhia de Saneamento Básico do Estado de São Paulo (Sabesp – East Business Unit) has decreased water losses in its 272-kilometre-long Passagem Funda distribution system (Cidade Tiradentes &News
GPS to aid in tracking files in government departments
Jharkhand maps mineral reserves
Geoinformatics centre for Himachal pradesh
will be fixed on about 5,000 files at a cost of `30-50 each, and the total project cost is estimated at `10 lakh. GPS chips will be installed in the files which will not only aid in tracking the file but also in
T
he Jharkhand mines and geology directorate has approved the proposal made by National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) to map the mineral reserves of the state. The proposal is awaiting final clearance from the advisor to the state governor, following which an MoU will be signed between the government of Jharkhand and NMDC. NMDCA
n Aryabhatta Geo- Informatics and Space Application Centre (AGISAC) is being planned to be installed in Himachal Pradesh, based on the Gujarat model.It will enable layering of
T
he Urban Improvement Trust (UIT) in Bikaner, Rajasthan is using GPS technology for real-time tracking of files. GPS-enabled chips or Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID)The maps will aid in better exploiting the mineral resouces in Jharkhand.
the India’s mineral reserves are said to be in Jharkhand.
The mineral maps will aid in identifying specific mineral locations in the state which will be used for giving mining leases to the companies. It will also aid in checking the extent of mineral reserves located in forest areas and the number of existing leases given to companies.
climate change. The data will be used by revenue, forest, education, health, agriculture, horticulture and rural development departments to make better the decision- making process.
checking the amount of time taken by department officials to clear up the file. The files will be tracked with the help of a reader up to a distance of 5 m, which is called the reader coverage area. Chip readers will be installed in various sections/departments of UIT.
According to Bikaner district collector Prithviraj Sankhala, in case an unnecessary delay is observed in any file clearance, the system will send an automated SMS to the relevant officer urging him to hurry up. The GPS solution will aid in stemming the issue of corruption in clearing files and also in resolving the issue of missing files. Depending on the success of this pilot project, it will be replicated in other departments as well.
has set aside `40 crore for the exploration work. According to the proposal, the mines and geology directorate will collaborate with NMDC to conduct a detailed minerals survey. Forty per cent of developmental data with GIS mapping for formulating micro planning, and is scheduled to start functioning by the end of the year. Plans have also been tabled for setting a state centre for
NaTmO maps freedom struggle in India
The National Atlas and Thematic Mapping Organization (NATMO) has released an atlas that depicts the freedom movement of India. The history of India between 1850 when the first war of Independence happened, and 1950 when India became a republic, is mapped in the atlas.
It also highlights various places of importance during the freedom struggle. With four researchers working on it, the atlas was developed in a period of one and a half years, and it is expected to be extremely useful for the civil service aspirants. The atlas can also be included in the history curriculum for school students to make them familiar with GIS technology.
Superpad 3 to support cached images for prompt map display
SuperGeo Technologies announced that SuperPad 3, its fully functional mobile GIS software, now supports displaying of cached images generated by SuperGIS Map Tile Tool. Since the mobile devices are often overloaded with multiple layers during the field tasks, SuperPad 3 now supports to directly display the cached images to demonstrate the map effortlessly. Therefore, the layers that are not edited can be generated as cached images, and the images can then be displayed as the basemaps in SuperPad 3. In that case, the map display performance can be greatly enhanced, and field surveyors can collect and edit the spatial data more efficiently.
SuperGIS Map Tile Tool is the add-on of SuperGIS Desktop 3.1.
Users interested in accelerating map display performance in SuperPad 3 need to upgrade SuperGIS Map Tile Tool on SuperGIS Desktop 3.1.
september 2011 geospatial TODAY |09
India to install electronic toll collection
T
he Government of India has constituted a committee under the Chairmanship of Nandan Nilekani, Chairman, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), to initiate the process of installing electronic toll collection.The committee examined all technologies available for Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) and recommend RFID as the most suitable one for implementation. For implementing ETC across India, an apex committee has been constituted that will develop strategy for
The apex committee will finalise standards for various components of ETC system, develop an institutional framework for implementation and operation, oversee the implementation including
planning, operational methodology, process design, system design, security function and performance requirements.
implementation of the project by the designated agencies and will consider the issue of upgrading High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) by using RFID Technology.
News
Singapore land authority embarks on capacity building premium science institutes to be improved
S
peaking at an event organised, in collaboration with ISRO, at KC College in Mumbai, K Sankaranarayanan, Governor of Maharashtra, assured to discuss the dismal state of scientific institutions in the state with the government as well as vice-chancellors at a meeting to be held soon. Improving research and developmentactivities, upgrading infrastructure and recruiting trained staff are some of the critical issues to be addressed at academic institutions in Mumbai. ISRO reached out to the students in Mumbai
Maharashtra will soon have well equipped science institutions with trained staff.
for the first time, through this event which marked the birth anniversary of Vikram Sarabhai, to introduce them to the Indian space programme.
A presentation on how ISRO evolved from the beginning of the Indian space programme in a church building in Thumba, Kerala, to the current stage, was shown to the students on the occasion.
T
he Singapore Land Authority (SLA) is collaborating with the Ministry of Education (MOE), industry and training institutions to enable churning out of more skilled geospatial professionals in Singapore. According to Law Minister, K Shanmugam, as an initial step, basic GISand demand for geospatial professionals is growing in organisations interested in analysing the spatial profile of their customers using maps.
The local tertiary institutions are now offering modules in geospatial information science and technology to generate more skilled workers.
courses have been arranged for public sector officers. In order to facilitate the sharing of ideas and networking among industry professionals, a regular geospatial
information and technology forum is also being organised.
Shanmugam further said, the geospatial industry is experiencing high growth
Critigen becomes GeoEye channel partner
C
ritigen, a leading spatial enterprise solutions and cloud managed services provider, has inked an official agreement with GeoEye to become its channel partner.The agreement expands the list of Critigen’s spatial products, enabling it to resell GeoEye’s high-resolution satellite and aerial imagery and LiDAR products. Critigen now has direct access to GeoEye’s vast imagery archive and the ability to commission new collection of imagery. For decades, Critigen has been helping organisations in designing and deploying some of the most complex location intelligence solutions. The partnership with GeoEye now enables Critigen to deliver detailed imagery as part of its product offerings across all of its major vertical focus areas.
forest department gears up for wildlife conservation
Open data collector from IDV
Solutions built on Visual Fusion can now be easily connected to any source using open data protocol.
I
DV Solutions has released an open data protocol connector for their business intelligence software, Visual Fusion. Organisations can now easily connect solutions built with Visual Fusion to any source that uses the OData protocol, including the DataMarket on Microsoft’s Windows Azure Marketplace.Visual Fusion is an innovative business intelligence software that unites data
and other analytic tools to achieve greater insight and understanding. Users can combine OData sources with other business information including content from SQL Server, SharePoint, Salesforce, Oracle, ArcGIS, and Web feeds.
OData provides an HTTP- based, uniform interface for interacting with relational databases, file systems, content management systems, or websites.
from disparate sources in a Web-based, visual context.
Users can analyse their data in the context of location and time, using an interactive map, timeline, data filters
the country will cost less than `1 crore. The GIS-based software identifies location from latitude and longitude provided by the satellite. This will help in monitoring the development of plants, lakes, water bodies and buildings in and around the forest area.
The new system will bring transparency in operations of the forest departments.
Jharkhand, UP, J&K and Himachal Pradesh have asked the respective forest departments to educate their staff in using the software.
According to R K Dave, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Madhya Pradesh, a presentation in this regard will be made to the Planning Commission.
Implementing GIS across
F
aced with staff shortage issues, the forest department of India is using more of information technology including GIS for forest and wildlife conservation. Following the success of the Madhya Pradesh forest department in using software, six more states of India, including Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra,Committee to be set up for global geospatial information management
The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) has voted to establish a committee of experts on global geospatial information management to coordinate international dialogue on spatial data infrastructures and enhance cooperation in that field. Currently, there is no global multilateral or intergovernmental mechanism that can play the important leadership role of setting the agenda for the development of global geospatial information and promote its use to address key global challenges.
The Secretary-General proposed that the UN take the lead role and serve as the coordinating entity of the global geospatial information community, hence the decision to create the committee. The committee is mandated, among other tasks, with providing a platform for the development of effective strategies on how to build and strengthen national capacity on geospatial information, especially in developing countries.
bauxite survey in Jharkhand hits roadblock
A survey being conducted in Jharkhand to track reserves of bauxite has been stalled due to protests by villagers fearing displacement. According to information revealed from maps provided by the Geological Survey of India and the data available from remote sensing studies, particularly the western part of the state has bauxite reserves spread over an area of around 460 square kilometres.
Due to the lack of information on the exact reserve and quality of the ore, the state government has been able to issue mining licenses only for 60 square kilometres of the area.
september 2011 geospatial TODAY |11
News
leica Cyclone v7.2 improves point cloud data processing
CSR develops traffic management solutions
GpS stations to be set up at amritsar and Hissar
A
major research project has been issued by the Ministry of Earth Sciences to Prof. Surinder Singh, a senior professor of department of physics at Guru Nanak Dev University, for setting up, operating and maintenance of GPS stations at Amritsar (Punjab) and Hissar (Haryana). Total grant sanctioned for the project is estimated at `64 lakhs, in which GPS systemscosting `40 lakhs would be provided by the agency. The Guru Nanak Dev University is among the six Institutes in India selected for installation of GPS stations by the Ministry. Scope of the project
The GPS station will study seismic activity in regions of Punjab, Haryana and North-West Himalays.
includes crustal deformation studies and studying the movement of Indian plate subducting North-West Himalayas in the regions of Punjab and Haryana which fall on Shiwalik foothills of Himalayas. The regions in the study are known for their high seismic and tectonic activity and crustal deformation, responsible for creating lineaments and faults and indirectly the seismic activity.
C
SR, the leader in wireless technology, is developing solutions based on GPS which could be used by traffic managers and/or individuals.Its solution for fleet managers collect data from GPS-fitted vehicles connected to servers for information processing, and give real-time result on the travel time of each vehicle.
CSR’s “learning server” studies
of CSR India, says the time estimation of a vehicle “will be soon available through SMS and through applications in all smart phones.” If one wishes to travel by a certain bus, he or she can visit the website of the transport company or query through his phone to check the time when the bus will reach the specific bus stop.
the pattern of traffic in areas where the tracked vehicles are moving and interprets and predicts the composite traffic speed in that area. Taking the GPS feed and the collected data, the CSR solution is capable of providing a time estimation of when a certain vehicle will arrive at a certain stop. Ashu Pande, managing director, SiRF India, a part
of black & white scan targets from scans; “registration grouping tool” that lets users efficiently register dozens or even hundreds of scanner setups where field problems might exist, such as targets mislabeled, moved, or insufficiently scanned;
Virtually immediate export of point clouds to Leica point cloud Engine (pcE) based applications, such as Leica Cyclone II TOPO, using
“referencing” method.
built” point cloud data. Several innovations in Leica Cyclone 7.2 address key market needs and trends in the processing and
Qatar to install E-chip plates on all buildings
T
he civic ministry in Qatar has initiated a project to replace the existing address plates with E-chip enabled plates that include details on building number, street and area’s name and number, water, electricity and telecom connection number. The E-chips in the address plates will be directly connected to a comprehensive database of buildings being developed by the Geographical Information Systems Centre (GISC) of the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning. The project is scheduled to be completed in 18 months and will help public service providers such as fire fighters and ambulance services in reaching a place faster in case of emergency.The GISC will link the database to more than 60 public agencies providing different types of services, including utilities, civil defence and medical emergency units.
use of rich, as-built point cloud data from laser scanning/High- Definition Surveying.
New Leica Cyclone 7.2 features that reduce processing time include: Up to 4x-10x improvement in rendering (vs.
Cyclone 7.1) as a user moves or navigates through scan data sets; greater CPU availability for converting point clouds into models – rendering is now done by graphics/video card GPU instead of computer CPU; automatic extraction
L
eica Geosystems launched new Leica Cyclone v7.2 software that improves office processing and use of rich “as-THE 3 D GIS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE –
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To find out how Bentley Map is advancing GIS for infrastructure, visit www.Bentley.com/Map/GT or call +91-11-4902 1100.
© 2011 Bentley Systems, Incorporated. Bentley, the “B” Bentley logo, Bentley Map, and MicroStation are either registered or unregistered trademarks or service marks of Bentley Systems, Incorporated or one of its direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiaries. Other brands and product names are trademarks of their respective owners.
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coastline
The Indian coast is confronting major issues of erosion, inundation, encroachment and shifting of shoreline, resulting mostly from human intervention and natural
forces. Pravakar Mishra and Tune Usha explore the various initiatives implemented for sustaining the health of coastal environment Cover Story
Conserving
the
the local scale are determined by physical properties of the coastline. The climate, through its wind regimes, and the waves generated by those regimes at regional to local scales, are of fundamental importance in major coastal processes in shoreline change. The tidal regime and consequent tidal currents also play significant role over broad inter-tidal zones and in creeks, estuaries, lagoons where the spring tidal excursion is high.
Along-shore winds initiate near shore currents and thereby littoral drift and onshore winds trigger aeolian sediment transport. The most important variable in modulating the coasts is the waves. Waves impinging on a shoreline are generated either by local winds or by distant storms referred to as “seas” and as “swells” respectively.
Water levels variations in the coastal areas are caused by oceanographic, meteorological, hydrologic, geologic, seismologic and eustatic factors. The later four factors are important for long-term variations of seawater level. Beach processes and coastal geomorphology are partly affected by variations of these water levels at short-term or long-term basis. The short-term regular variations are the semi- diurnal and diurnal tidal cycles and are associated with tsunamis and storm surges. Long-term changes are due to eustatic and isostatic effects and the periodic oscillations of sea levels affect the beach processes. Sea level change at the global scale due to anticipated global warming is said to be rising currently at 1-2 mm per year. The possible effects of sea level rise need to be accounted in assessing long- term shoreline changes.
Sediment deposition in harbours, beach erosion and the coastal geomorphology are intimately associated with sediment transport. Sediment movement perpendicular to shoreline (onshore-offshore) is responsible for short-term beach changes, whereas sediment movement parallel to the shoreline (along- shore) within surfzone result in major long-term changes of the coastal zone. The material transported along the shore in the littoral zone by waves is referred to as the littoral drift.
Major coastal zone issues and threats along Indian coasts
India has a 7,500 km long coastline and an estimated coastal population of approximately 295 million people, which is 26 per cent of the country’s total estimated population. Its coastal areas include 5,790 sq km of coral reefs and 6,700 sq km of mangroves – 8 per cent of the total area of mangroves in Asia.
The coastline is characterised by different types of geological-
The coastline is characterised by different types of geological- biophysical features, making the coastal zone related issues varying from place to place;
partly driven by natural forces and mostly man- made.
Figure 1: Movement of longshore transport (littoral drift) under the action of wave approaching at an angle
september 2011 geospatial TODAY |15
Longshor e dirft = s
and mo vement
by sw ash and backw
ash
Backflo w Paths of sand particles on beach
Waves approach beach at an angle refract to more parallel position
Path of water particles Longshore current in shallow water parallel to shoreline
T
he coast is a unique environment where land, sea and atmosphere interplay continuously influencing a strip of spatial zone defined as coastal zone.Coastal problems of erosion and accretion, inundation and encroachment by sea, shifting of shoreline caused by natural or anthropogenic forces, such as construction of artificial structures for shore protection, port and harbour along the coastal front, emphasise to understand the processes over short- and long-term time scales.
Factors affecting the coastline
The contributing factors affecting the coastline may be global, regional or local in scale, e.g.
monsoon / rainfall variations due to global factors like El Nino, variability in sediment supply from rivers due to change in land-use pattern far away in hinterland or human activities such as the installation of coastal defenses that interrupt the sand supply nourishing the beaches. The causes at
biophysical features, making the coastal zone related issues varying from place to place;
partly driven by natural forces and mostly man-made. Rapid urbanisation, port development, and major coastal related trade and economic activities such as expansion of fisheries, aquaculture in the recent years along Indian coastline have gained major attention affecting the coastal zone.
Natural factors
The coastal erosion problem is severe all along Kerala, some parts of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Lakshadweep group of islands. The high wave activity – swells reaching from Indian Ocean – has eroded more than 90 per cent of the total Kerala coast. The east coast of India is highly vulnerable to tropical cyclones of different intensities originating from Bay of Bengal causing storm surges and inundating coastal areas of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh alternately every year. The best example is the 1999 Orissa super cyclone that generated storm surges of the order of 8-10 m, inundating 35-50 km landward
and caused a death toll of more than 12,000 human lives in the low-lying areas of north Odisha coast.
The major river systems of eastern coasts cause heavy floods and damage to the West Bengal, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh coasts. A major segment of Indian coast is bestowed with uninterrupted sandy beaches and huge sediment transport rate changes the river mouths, inlets and affects the near- shore processes invariably.
The 2004 Sumatra earthquake that generated a tsunami of global reach caused colossal damage to the Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andaman and Nicobar coasts. This attests to the fact that Indian coasts are quite vulnerable to a number of natural coastal hazards originating from different sources. The narrow strip with rocky cliffs and promontories along Karnataka and Goa coast experience very little sedimentation and inundation;
however, the interlocked sandy beaches attract tourists, trade and socio-economic and cultural diversity.
Measurements indicate that the construction of groins/
breakwaters trap the littoral drift and build up the beach on one side and erode the coast on the other side.
Human intervention Development of open coast ports and harbours, flattening of sand dunes and altering the coastal land for settlement, road and accessibility purposes, mining of sand dunes for placer deposits for ilmenite, monazite zircon and rutile in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Odisha coasts have proved disastrous in many instances. Measurements indicate that the construction of groins/ breakwaters trap the littoral drift and build up the beach on one side and erode the coast on the other side (e.g.
Madras, Ennore, Paradip and Gopalpur ports).
Mangroves at stake Some areas of Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal coasts are marked by low-lying, wide intertidal huge mudflats and mangrove forests. The total area of mangrove forests in India is about 7 per cent of world’s mangrove area. The east coast of India supports 80 per cent of the total mangrove forests and rest 20 per cent exists in the west coast. Although these mangrove systems support a large fishery nursing ground and act as barriers to natural hazards, but past studies indicate that indiscriminate and diverse human economic activities for fuel wood, fodder have reduced the mangrove extent. Over the past 30 years, India has lost approximately 12 per cent of its mangroves due to human pressures on coastal areas. Encroachment of mangrove habitats for agriculture and expansion of large-scale industries in case of Paradip in Odisha, Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat, and Mangalore in Karnataka inevitably caused destruction of coastal habitats. The Gahimatha
Cover Story
north of Paradip Port, world’s largest Olive Ridley rookery, had undergone phases of erosion and the habitat is at stake.
Threat to coastal biodiversity
The coastal lagoons, e.g.
Chilika lake, Vembanard lake and Pulicat lake, are allegedly dying and are on the verge of environmental catastrophe.
Natural forcing through heavy siltation, eutrophication and biological sedimentation has transformed major portion of the lakes into swamps, threatening their existence. Excessive fishing, aquaculture, agriculture, recreation and tourism have caused severe biodiversity loss and pollution. The sprawl of industries and large-scale human settlements generate different kinds of wastes that are discharged to the coastal marine environment either directly or through rivers, canals and creeks. This results in the degradation of coastal water quality which has environmental and socio-economical concern.
The growth of maritime and shipping activities has also increased the accident incidents and occurrence of offshore oil spills, affecting the coast, coastal organisms, fisheries resources and biodiversity.
Strategies for coastal zone management
The factors affecting the coastal process as discussed, disparate as they are, illustrate the major coastal biodiversity loss resulting from natural forces and human activities, unrests due to the overexploitation of resources and the need for sustainable development. Increasing population / settlements/
industrial growth along Indian coasts is already exerting immense pressure on coastal resources and is expected to increase even further in near future. Balancing competing demands on coastal resources with coastal conservation and accommodating the growth pressures while sustaining the ecological health and productivity of the coastal and
marine environments will be a challenge for coastal planners.
Effective coastal zone management can be done using monitoring and modelling techniques based on reliable and precise data. Conventional field-based data collection and mapping methods demand time, manpower and sometimes have its own logistic limitation for surveying inaccessible coastal areas, e.g. mangrove forests, vast wetlands, lagoon and estuarine processes. The advancement of remote sensing and geospatial technologies in collection and monitoring of real-time information on temporal and spatial scales are helping a great deal in proper decision making, better resource quantifications and good management of coastal zones.
Controlling coastal pollution
In the last two decades the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), through its various programmes such as Coastal Ocean Monitoring and Prediction System (COMAPS) and Integrated Coastal and Marine Area and Management (ICMAM), has initiated long- term studies for coastal marine pollution monitoring at selected points all along the Indian coast.
COMAPS
Initiated in 1991-92, this programme constantly monitors pollution at 80 locations along the coastline of the country. It primarily aims to continuously assess status and trend of coastal marine environmental quality on a long-term basis and to alert government and public institutions, of their implications.
Data on nearly 25 environmental parameters including physical,
Over the past 30 years, India has lost approximately 12 per cent of its mangroves due to human pressures on coastal areas.
Figure 2: The temporal variation in shoreline position due to construction of groins at Gopalpur Port, Odisha (+values indicates beach width gained, - values indicates beach width lost in the inset Table)
Photo courtsey : R N Sahu
september 2011 geospatial TODAY |17
Cover Story
chemical, biological and microbiological characteristics of water and sediment are collected with the help of R&D institutions in 0-10 km sector of these locations. The results obtained under the programme are periodically published in the annual report of the Ministry and also in the website http://www.
dod.nic.in ICMAM
The ICMAM directorate fosters the application of GIS, remote sensing, environmental impact assessment strategies and mathematical modelling in evaluating the impact caused by sectors (like ports and harbours, waste disposal) on coastal zones, to prevent cross- sectoral impact and promote sustainable development of economic activities. Having made significant contributions in analysing causes for coastal erosion and suggesting remedial
solutions through shoreline management plans, ICMAM under the Eleventh Plan envisages to:
• Assess vulnerability of coastal areas of Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha and Tamil Nadu to coastal erosion and prepare shoreline management plans
• Develop seawater inundation model for storm surges
• Ecosystem modelling in Kochi backwaters, Chilka lake and Sunderbans
• Prescription of seawater quality criteria for more heavy metals and organic compounds through marine ecotoxicology experiments Other coastal zone management initiatives include monitoring coastal erosion, prediction and management strategy for oil spill occurrence, modelling and prediction of storm surge and tsunami, preparation of coastal vulnerability maps, coastal flood
management, waste assimilation capacity for selected estuaries, development of environment impact guidelines for ports and harbours – shoreline management plans, coastal tourism and waste disposal through marine outfalls,.
Monitoring coastal erosion Coastal erosion is a chronic problem along most open-ocean shores of the Indian coast. As coastal populations continue to grow, and community infrastructures are threatened by erosion, there is increased demand for accurate information regarding past and present shoreline and the erosion and accretion patterns along the coast. In India, satellite data is widely used to study many aspects of coastal zone including coastal erosion and shoreline changes. Availability of remote sensing data for the last three decades has ensured synoptic and repetitive coverage for the entire coast and this information has been extremely useful in generation of spatial information on coastal environment
at various scales and with reasonable classification and control accuracy.
In India, shoreline-change maps have been produced on 1:250,000, 1:50,000 and 1:25,000 scale using IRS LISS I, II and III, LANDSAT MSS/TM and SPOT data. The availability of 1-5 m high-resolution and stereo data from IKONOS, RESOURCESAT-I and CARTOSAT greatly facilitate preparation of large-scale local level maps.
The easy access to high spatial resolution data along with multi-spectral characteristics, repetitive coverage and development of geographic information system has provided new impetus to shoreline
The major coastal biodiversity loss results from natural forces and human activities, unrests due to the overexploitation of resources and the need for sustainable development.
Figure 3: Oil spillage due to ship collision at the world’s largest Olive ridley rookery at Rushikulya River mouth, Odisha before hatching (13, March 2010)
