courtesy: Google Earth
India: Satyapal Singh, Union minister of state for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation in India, has asked the officials of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) to use geographic information systems ( GIS) mapping for assistance in cleaning the river.
The minister told the officials to develop a water quality monitoring app and a water testing kit that can be distributed to the people.
He laid emphasis on the use of geospatial and crowdfunding technologies like Bhuvan Ganga app, and said that steps should be taken to popularize the movement and involve mass participation in it.
He said “Technology can play the role of a bridge between the government and the people. We should encourage people who are ready to become part of clean Ganga movement and can give incentives to the ones who are doing exemplary work in this field.”
Expressing concern over the pace of GIS mapping and other geospatial technology related works, he said that a time frame for completion of the program should be prepared and strictly followed.
National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), a part of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), is supporting the NMCG to use geospatial technology in water quality monitoring and hydrological monitoring and evaluation.
The support is aimed at mapping water pollution in Ganga. The NMCG is also endeavoring to prepare a GIS map of the complete Ganga basin.
