Mapping Policy gets Cabinet go-ahead

Fifty-eight years after Independence, India’s topography is set to be mapped in totality. So far, 45 pc remains to be mapped, but all t...

Fifty-eight years after Independence, India’s topography is set to be mapped in totality. So far, 45 pc remains to be mapped, but all that is set to change with the new draft National Map Policy being given the green signal by the Cabinet on Thursday morning. This, despite last-minute objections from the Defence Ministry.

‘‘The Cabinet today cleared the mapping policy. There will be two kinds of maps: An open series for everyone and a defence series,’’ said Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal. ‘‘The open series is pending one-time clearance from the Defence Ministry.’’

The Ministry, which in the past objected to the mapping of the 7,500 km-long coastline and the Himalayas for security reasons, in principle gave its nod to the new policy. Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee was not present when the mapping policy was passed.

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‘‘The maps in India will provide coordinate heights needed for developmental policies. This kind of map will be valuable for decision-making in agriculture, health, water, rural development—all pre-requisites for the CMP,’’ said Sibal.

Sibal said there was no prohibition on scale and they will consider private partners to prepare the digitised maps, which will be ready in a few months. The maps will be released with a set of guidelines.

Though the Defence establishment has been using satellite imagery to track infiltration, in some cases, the armed forces have had to rely on maps generated by foreign satellites.

The new policy will give the mandate to the Surveyor General of India’s office to provide maps with a resolution upto 5 cm with the help of aerial survey and satellite imagery. Any agency can then requisition 3-D maps from the Survey office.