The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) is planning to use space tech to identify potential water collection spots in a recent development. In an attempt to employ people under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee (MGNREGA) scheme, these water spots would be developed for fish culture and other purposes. And the ministry is mulling over using space technology for creation of water bodies. The MoTA Secretary also visited National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Department of Space, Hyderabad.
Speaking about the initiative, a ministry official said, "The data on existing water bodies in districts having high tribal population will be sent by them in due course. NRSC have been requested to use IR data of spectrum to identify places where there is water below the surface so that new water bodies can come up there, as the soil is impermeable there. This will require interpretation of the satellite imagery and NRSC is working on this," said a senior Ministry official.
Source: PTI
