The land-use, land-cover map of Uttarakhand prepared by Uttarakhand Space Application Centre (USAC) with the assistance of the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) Hyderabad was released by Uttarakhand Minister for Science and Technology Surendra Singh Negi at a workshop on the role of land-use, land-cover mapping in participatory sustainable resource management. The workshop was held to mark the completion of the second stage of the land-use, land-cover project by USAC with the assistance of NRSC.

Addressing the gathering on the occasion Negi exhorted various scientific institutions and subject experts of linear departments to contribute towards the development of Uttarakhand through their scientific works and research. The database prepared by USAC will prove to be useful for development and planning works linked to land use and management in the State, he added.

Earlier, speaking at the inaugural session of the workshop, NRSC land Use land Cover Map department head Dr G Ravishankar said that Uttarakhand is the first State to organise a workshop on land use and land cover under the project. He stressed no the necessity of coordination and balance between natural resources and human-made resources. Considering the extensive increase in industry and resources used by humans, all departments must ensure while drafting plans that the natural resources are not damaged, he stressed.

Dr SPS Kushwaha of the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) said that the utility of the database would remain untapped till coordination is established between the producer and consumer. The use of such maps is vital for linear departments during the planning of policy, he added. Speaking on geo-informatics, land use and resource management, Professor Dr PK Joshi from TERI University said that space technology has an important role in land use planning and management of resources. USAC scientist Dr Sushma Gairola said that as part of the land use land cover (second cycle) project, complete information about the land use and land cover in Uttarakhand has been provided on the basis of satellite data pertaining to three seasons (Rabi, Kharif, Zayad) of 2011-12. USAC director Vijay Kumar Dhaundiyal said that that as part of the project conducted by USAC with the help of NRSC, a map (1:50,000 scale) was prepared based on satellite data while a digital database was created based on field surveys.

He stressed on the need for developing a nation-wide State level land use/land cover information system for the district, block and Panchayat levels so that the data generated can be utilised to facilitated planned land use and land management. Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation (IISWC) director Dr PK Mishra, Forest Survey of India assistant directors Dr Sunil Chandra, Sanjay Agrawal, Peyjal Nigam general manager YK Mishra and scientists and officials from various departments and institutions were among those present on the occasion.