GIS OVERVIEW OF DISTRICT ALMORA IN UTTARANCHAL, INDIA J.S.Rawat, S. Naithani,G. Rawat, C.M.S. Adhikari and V.S.Rawat NRDMS Centre, Department of Geography, Kumaun University Campus Almora-263611 Uttaranchal (India) ABSTRACT Most of the planners or administrators whether National, State or District (or below) level, would have the need for geospatial data sooner or latter for efficient planning or implementation of projects, and other activities. Creation of geospatial database especially at district level or below is still in infant stage in India. To create district level geospatial database, the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India (DST GOI) has developed as many as 45 district data base centres, among them the data base centre at Almora in Uttaranchal is the youngest one started since 12 th June 2002. The fundamental objectives of this Centre, viz., Natural Resources Database Management System (NRDMS) Centre Almora are; to develop integrated database of district Almora as per the DST, GOI database design, to generate information and sectorial plans needed by the district line departments, to develop technology basket as per need of the line departments; to impart training to the officers of the line departments; and to provide assistance to the district authorities as and when required. By using indigenous GIS software, viz., GRAM++ and Vec Viewer the NRDMS Centre Almora has prepared about 51 layers of vector maps of District Almora at 1:50000 scale which includes administrative, road network, health and educational facilities and landuse pattern; and Vector maps with integrated socio-economic database at different levels, i.e., District, Tehsil, Development Blocks and Nyaya Panchyat. This paper presents anoverview of the above digitized vector maps and integrated database of District Almora. 1
INTRODUCTION In recent years, there has been increased need for more timely responses to promote effective administration, planning, decision-making and development process. The complexity and huge volume of timely data requirement for developmental planning have proved inadequate in the traditional methods of paper based data handling, spatial analysis and presentation. Preparation of resource profile at different levels ( i.e., national, state and district or below) using GIS should be our main objective. The GIS provides a systematic spatial and attribute database which is prerequisite for implementing development and research project; for drawing development strategies that are sustainable, area specific and take into account the local need; and to facilitate the process of decentralized (to smaller unit i.e. district or below) planning, and for more timely response to promote effective administration, planning, decision making and development process. The process of planning is being decentralized to smaller units i.e. (district or below) to facilitate drawing developmental strategies that are sustainable, area specific and takes into account the local needs. With increasing stress on decentralized planning there is an urgent need to develop a district level mechanism for effective natural and human resources database system which could help to the decision makers, planners, researchers and administrators in implementing there projects. Preparation of district level resource profile should be the primary activity for sustainable district level resource developmental planning. In view of the significance of the systematic database under GIS environment for development of natural resources, a Natural Resource Database System (NRDMS) Centre at Almora in the Department of Geography, Kumaun University SSJ Campus, Almora has been establish under a DST,GOI research project. ALMORA THE 46 TH NRDMS CENTRE OF INDIA The DST, GOI has recently awarded a research project on "Setting up of Natural Resource Digital Database Centre at Almora, Uttranchal and Creation of an Integrated Database for Decentralized Planning (Rawat, 2002). Presently under the NRDMS programme of the DST, Government of India, 46 pilot district Database Centers are operational in different parts of our Country. With the help of above projects, 46 th NRDMS Centre of our country was established in the Department of Geography, 2
Kumaun University SSJ Campus Almora which was formally inaugurated by the Honorable State Minister of Science and Technology Government of India on 16 th June 2003. OBJECTIVES OF THE CENTRE The Fundamental objectives (as approved by the DST,GOI) of the NRDMS Centre Almora are: Development of Integrated Database as per the DST NRDMS Database Design. Generation of Information and Sectorial Plans Needed by District Line Departments. Development of Technology Base/ Basket, specific to the Need of Line Departments. Training of the Officers of District Line Departments of Almora. To provide assistance to District Authorities as and when required. STUDY AREA District Almora (area 3146 km 2 ) one of the thirteen districts of Uttaranchal (Fig.1) is drained by non-glacial fed perennial river systems i.e. Kosi and Suyal. District Almora is one of the thickly populated (147-persons/km 2 ) District of Uttaranchal. Presently it has four Tehsils ( viz; Almora, Ranikhet, Bhikiyasain and Sult), eleven developmental blocks (viz; Sult, Syalde, Chokhutiya, Bhikiyasain, Dwarahat, Tarikhet, Takula, Hawalbag, Bhisiachhana, Lamgada and Dholadevi), 95 Nyaypanchayat and 2244 villages. GIS Software METHODOLOGY The Centre is using indigenous GIS software i.e., GRAM++ (Geo Referenced Area Management System) and Vec-Viewer developed by the DST Government of India through CSRE, IIT, Mumbai. The Department of Science and Technology, Government of India launched a project entitled Natural Resources Data Management System (NRDMS) to generate computer compatible, spatially oriented data base of natural resources and socio-economic parameters to facilitate area specific micro-level planning. The project has emphasized the development of comprehensive spatial database at district level encompassing all the resources. This system (Gram++) operates on a small and relatively low budget configuration and can be used as a viable tool by local level planners ( district administrators, district line departments, block 3
development officers even village panchyat representatives) for decentralized planning. The important characteristics of GRAM ++ is that it can be handle both vector and raster data and can be used in different natural resources assessment, village and district or rural and urban planning, resource conservation, watershed management, demographic analysis, trafficability studies, event mapping, marketing and business, alignment studied, environmental impact management and so on. Thus, Gram++ is a tool which can collect, analyze and retrieve the spatial and non-spatial data speedily. The Gram++ has capability to spatial quarries for the maps generated in its domain. The tool contains all the data in particular Geo-referenced mode. The facility of digitization, attribute assignment, registration, joining and analysis are being performed very well in this indigenous GIS package. Vec- Viewer is the supporting tool of the Gram++. It has the capacity to present the data in spatial form at any scale. It helps the user for generating thematic layers, the database quarries and map production generated in the Gram++. Information Need Assessment For the preparation of the GIS database for the District Almora -an information need assessment workshop (Rawat,2000) was organized to prepare the list of the information needs of the stakeholders of the local level planning, i.e., the different line departments (forest, agriculture, horticulture, soil conservation, jal nigam, jal sansthan, public work department, irrigation, tourism, education and electricity) of the district. A list of information needs of these line departments was workout to prepare the GIS of natural and human resources of district Almora. Digitization of maps was started as per the list of the information needs of the stakeholders of local level planning. Sensitization of GIS Technique It is difficult, if not impossible to sensitize the GIS technique among the local level planners, i.e., district or below who are not aware about this latest GIS intervention in planning. To sensitize the GIS technique among the local level planners, a District Coordination Committee is constituted in District Almora. The committee is comprises of the district administrators ( i.e., District Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Chief Development Officer), and Heads of the line departments (i.e., Public Work Department, Forest, Agriculture, Horticulture,Soil Conservation, Irrigation, Tourism, Jal 4
Nigam, Jal Sasthan, Education and Health etc.). This committee is headed by the District Magistrate Almora and the Principal Investigator of the NRDMS Centre Almora is the Coordinator. Through this committee a Nodal Officer from each line department for NRDMS activities has been appointed which is responsible to depute two officers from his department to bring the maps/ data for digitization at the NRDMS Centre Almora. The deputed officers learn the use of GIS and do practically digitization work of their department information/maps under the supervision of NRDMS Centre Almora. They used to work for two to three weeks at Centre for learning and doing digitization work of their department and than go back to their department with the soft copy of digital data for their own use. In this way the Centre is sensitizing the use of GIS technique among the stakeholders of the local level planning and systematically preparing GIS database for district Almora as per users needs.. GIS DATA LAYERS With close association with the district administrators and nodal officers of the line departments as many as 51 spatial raster data maps at 1: 50,000 scale (see section -Preliminary Outputs ) have been prepared so far by the Centre. The data for the study area have primarily been collected from the topographical maps Government Departments. Apart from above, integration of socio-economic data in the digitized District (Fig 1) Tehsil, Development Block (Fig.2), and Nyay Panchyat map (Fig. 3); and also in road, medical and education facilities maps, have been on Vec Viewer environment. PRELIMINARY OUTPUTS Besides data collection, sensitization and digitization with simultaneous training of the government officials the Centre has created a) fifty one Vector maps ( at 1:50,000 scale) in the Gram++., b) six Master Database (MDB) files, and c) nine Integrated Database on Vec-Viewer Environment. Details of above maps/ database is given below. Vector maps Digitized on GRAM++. 1. District Outline Map of Almora with integrated Socio-Economic Data. 2. Tehsil Map of District Almora with integrated Socio-Economic Data. 5
3. Development Block Map of District Almora with integrated Socio-Economic Data. 4. Nyay Panchayat Map of District Almora with integrated Socio-Economic Data. 5. Administrative Map of District Almora. 6. Village Location Map of District Almora. 7. State Highways Map of District Almora 8. Major District Roads of District Almora 9. Other District Road of District Almora 10. Village Roads (Matelled) of District Almora 11. Village Roads (Un-matelled) of District Almora 12. Light Vehicle Roads(Matelled) of District Almora 13. Light Vehicle Roads(Un-matelled) of District Almora 14. Roads Underconstruction of District Almora 15. Proposed Roads of District Almora 16. Sanction Roads of District Almora 17. Prime Minister Roads Under Construction of District Almora 18. Child and Maternity Welfare Centres of District Almora 19. Ayurvedic Hospitals of District Almora 20. Allopathic Hospitals of District Almora 21. Homeopathic Hospitals of District Almora 22. Community Health Centres of District Almora 23. Public Health Centres of District Almora 24. Additional Health Centres of District Almora 25. Base Hospital of District Almora 26. District Hospital of District Almora 27. Civil Hospital of District Almora 28. Women Hospital of District Almora 29. Government Inter Colleges of District Almora 30. Government Girls Inter Colleges of District Almora 31. Private Inter Colleges of District Almora 32. Government Higher Secondary Schools of district Almora 33. Government Girls Higher Secondary Schools of district Almora 34. Private Higher Secondary Schools of District Almora 35. Professotional Education Centres of District Almora 36. Central Schools in District Almora 6
37. Degree Colleges in District Almora 38. Perennial Waterbodies (Streams and Springs) of District Almora. 39. Non Perennial Warter bodies of District Almora 40. Forest Cover of District Almora (1963AD). 41. Agriculture Land of District Almora (1963AD). 42. Barren Land of District Almora (1963AD). 43. Raingauge Network of District Almora 44. Temperature Gauge Network of District Almora 45. Sunshine Recorder Network of District Almora 46. Wind Vane Network of District Almora 47. Evaporation Tank Network of District Almora 48. Landslide Scars in District Almora 49. Floodplains in District Almora 50. Spot Heights in District Almora 51. Waterfalls in District Almora Master Database (MDB) File creation Following MDB files have been created in MS-Access: 1. District Level Database of District Almora (42 fields). 2. Tehsil Level Database of District Almora (42 fields). 3. Block Level Database of District Almora (42 fields). 4. Nyay Panchayat Level Database of District Almora (42 fields). 5. Weather data of district Almora. 6. Landuse map (1963) of district Almora. Integrated Database Prepared under Vec Viewer Environment District Level (Fig.2). Tehsils Level. Blocks Level (Fig.3). Nyay Panchayat Level (Fig.4). Road Network. Educational Facilities Medical Facilities Landuse (1963). Weather Data. 7
The software 'Vec-Viewer having above mentioned database has been installed in the computers of following Line Departments of district Almora for their use: 1. District Magistrate,,2. The Chief Engineer Public Work Department, 3. Superintendent Engineer Public Work Department,,4. Chief Development Office, 5.Executive Engineer, Uttranchal Pey Jal Nigam, 6. Chief Medical Officer, 47 Uttrakhand Sewa Nidhi (NGO). EXPECTED OUTPUTS FROM THE PROJECT The following outputs are expected from this project. - Integrated District ( Almora) Database - GIS based Digital Database of Natural Resources and Socioeconomic aspects. - Development of Sustainable Plans for Selected Sectors. - Generation of Action Plans for Selected Sectors - Technology Baskets Specific to the Needs of the Line Departments - Improved Planning Tools and Methodologies. - Trained Human Resource. - Technology Base/Basket Specific to Resources. - Fully Equipped and Well Established NRDMS Center for District Almora. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This paper constitute a part of DST Govt. of India project, new Delhi on Settingup of Natural Resource Digital Database Centre at Almora, Uttranchal and Creation of an Integrated Database for Developmental Planning.The authors are thankful to Dr. D. Dutta, Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi; Dr. B.K.Mohan, Mrs. Suri and Mr. Mayur, CSRE, IIT Mumbai, Dr. A.N.Singh and Late Dr. Ravi Sharma, Dr. Ravinder Kaur, IARI, New Delhi, and Prof. A.K.Gosain, Department, of Civil Engineering, IIT Delhi, their technical guidance; Prof. H.S. Bisht, Head of the Department, Geography, Kumaun University, S S J Campus, Almora for providing Departmental facilities and Prof. L.S.Bisht, Dean, Faculty of Arts, SSJ Campus, Almora and Shri K.K.S.Bisht, Scientist, Vivekanand Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan, Almora, District magistrate Almora and Mr. M.L.Kanojia for their logistic support and 8
cooperation to conduct this project. We are extremely thankful to all the line departments those who have help us in digitization work of the base maps. REFERENCES Rawat, J.S. (2000): Information Need Assessment Workshop on Land and Water Resources in Almora District, Sponsored by DST, New Delhi and Kumaun Univeristy Campus Almora in association of the District Administration, Almora, Techniocal Report,, Department Geography, Kumaun Univeristy Campus, Almora, pp. 1-42. Rawat, J.S., (2002): Setting-up of Natural Resource Digital Database Centre at Almora and Creation of an Database for Developmental Planning, DST Project, Department of Geography, Kumaun University Campus Almora. Outline Map of District Almora with location of the District in Uttranchal State. (the socio economic data of district Almora can be read on computer screen by clicking on attached Region Information table on the map). 9
Development Block Map of District Almora with integrated socio-economic Database Viewer \(the socio-economic data of each development block total 11, can be read on computer screen by clicking on attached Database Viewer on the map). Nyay Panchyat Map of District Almora the Almora with integrated soio-economic Database Viewer (the socio-economic data of each Nyay Panchyats- total 95, can be read on computer screen by clicking on attached Database Viewer on the map). 10