GIS or No GIS

Let me share with you a small slide show

I found in my mail box. It goes like this.........

Before we brood over the topic ...

COMMUNICATIONS WITHOUT LIMITS!!

Welcome to the era of ...

…rrring

Any one day in any modern office

gSyks jes’k !

D;k rqeus og dkWa¡VªsDV i<k tks eSus rqEgs Òstk Fkk \

--------Rkks ;g r; jgk ! rqe eq>s og bZ esy ls Òst jgs gks\

esjk bZ esy ,Msªl\og rks eq>s vÒh Bhd ls ;kn ugh vk

jgk !!!

- Just a minute, let me check.

-NICOOOLE, ... WHAT’S MY E-MAIL ADDRESS?

- No, no, that’s my home e-mail address!

- Listen, I can’t find it. Let me check and call you back.

- Oh!... You’re going for lunch...

OK, I’ll send you the address by fax.You’ll have it when you get back. OK?

OK. So give me your fax number.

- What! You don’t know it?

- OK, here’s what we’ll do.You e-mail me your fax number and I’ll fax

you my e-mail address.

- No, that won’t work. Wait, I’m getting mixed up...

Let me think...

So… Hum… OK… Well… Yeah…

- What’s your cell-phone number?

- Oh, your battery is dead ... Mine too...

- OK, listen, here’s what we’ll do...

- You charge your cell-phone battery, I’ll call you in a couple of hours and leave you my e-mail address in your voice mail.

- Then you take my e-mail address in your voice mail and youe-mail me your fax number.

-Then I can fax you my e-mail address.

- That’s plan A. Now for plan B!

I send myself an e-mail to see what my e-mail address is and then I record a message for you in my voice mail....

…when you get it, you send me the answer on my pager...

…so then, I send you a fax with my e-mail address.

- Complicated? No, it’s not at all complicated.

-We just need a bit of coordination... and luck...

-There’s also a third possibility that’s much simpler: plan C...You send me the contract directly by express messenger.

-Yeah!... It’s the best plan strategically speaking...

- But actually, I have a small question...

…what was I supposed to send you by e-mail?My e-mail address, my fax number, my cell number,

pager, telephone?

- Oh! You don’t remember either.

- It would probably be a good idea to have periodic bilateral coordination meetings concerning protocols

for internal communications.

-But anyway,- since your office is at the other end of the corridor,

- I’ll come by to pick it up in 2 minutes...

-OK? Bye!

And the moral…

Thanks to technology, we can now waste time with an efficiency until now unimaginable, all in the name of saving time…

Can technology work on it’s own?

Acceptability ?

Adaptability ?

Applicability?

What is the priority?

Topmost priority of Topmost priority of Pollution control board is to Pollution control board is to

enforceenforce Environmental LawsEnvironmental Laws

and to discharge functions and to discharge functions entrusted by the entrusted by the

Government Government towards towards

the Pollution Prevention, Control the Pollution Prevention, Control & Mitigation& Mitigation

1

Enforcement of Environmental Enforcement of Environmental LawsLaws

The WaterThe Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution)(Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act,1974Act,1974

as amended up till 1988as amended up till 1988

The WaterThe Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution)(Prevention & Control of Pollution) Rules,1975 Rules,1975 Amendment Rules1988Amendment Rules1988

The WaterThe Water(Prevention & Control of Pollution)(Prevention & Control of Pollution)Cess Act,1977Cess Act,1977 as amended up till 1991as amended up till 1991

The WaterThe Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution)(Prevention & Control of Pollution) Cess Rules,1978Cess Rules,1978The AirThe Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution)(Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act,1981Act,1981

as amended up till 1991as amended up till 1991

The AirThe Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution)(Prevention & Control of Pollution) Rules,1982Rules,1982 Union Territories Rules1983Union Territories Rules1983

1

Enforcement of Environmental LawsEnforcement of Environmental Laws

The EnvironmentThe Environment (Protection)(Protection) Act,1986 Act,1986 [Umbrella Act][Umbrella Act] The HazardousThe Hazardous Wastes(Wastes(Management & HandlingManagement & Handling)) Rules,1989, and the Amendment Rules,1989, and the Amendment

Rules 2000 & 2003.Rules 2000 & 2003. The Manufacture, Storage and Import of HazardousThe Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous ChemicalsChemicals Rules,1989.Rules,1989. The Rules for Manufacture, Use, Import, Export & Storage of HazardousThe Rules for Manufacture, Use, Import, Export & Storage of Hazardous Microbes, Microbes,

Genetically Engineered Micro- organisms (GEMS) or Cells,1989 .Genetically Engineered Micro- organisms (GEMS) or Cells,1989 . The Environmental Impact assessment Notification,1994 and 1997.The Environmental Impact assessment Notification,1994 and 1997. The Bio-MedicalThe Bio-Medical Wastes(Wastes(Management & HandlingManagement & Handling)) Rules,1998 & Amendment Rules2000.Rules,1998 & Amendment Rules2000. The Recycled Plastics Manufacture & Usage Rules,1999 & Amendment Rules2003.The Recycled Plastics Manufacture & Usage Rules,1999 & Amendment Rules2003. The Noise Pollution (The Noise Pollution (Regulation & ControlRegulation & Control) Rules,2000.) Rules,2000. The MunicipalThe Municipal Wastes(Wastes(Management & HandlingManagement & Handling)) Rules,2000.Rules,2000. Ozone Depleting Substances (Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation & ControlRegulation & Control) Rules,2000.) Rules,2000. The Batteries(The Batteries(Management & HandlingManagement & Handling)) Rules,2001. Rules,2001.

The Public Liability InsuranceThe Public Liability Insurance Act,1986Act,1986 The Public Liability InsuranceThe Public Liability Insurance Rules,2001. Rules,2001.

The Scheme of ECOMARK,1991The Scheme of ECOMARK,1991

2

FunctionsFunctions

Lay down the standards for emission of Air pollutants.Lay down the standards for emission of Air pollutants. Lay down the standards for treatment of trade effluents.Lay down the standards for treatment of trade effluents. Grant permission for setting-up/Operation of the Industry.Grant permission for setting-up/Operation of the Industry. Grant of authorization to Medical establishments and Industry.Grant of authorization to Medical establishments and Industry. Evolve method of utilization of sewage in agriculture.Evolve method of utilization of sewage in agriculture. Lay down, Modify, Annulet effluent standards for Sewage.Lay down, Modify, Annulet effluent standards for Sewage. Lay down standards for Vehicular emissions.Lay down standards for Vehicular emissions. The monitoring of ground water in & around Municipal Landfills.The monitoring of ground water in & around Municipal Landfills. Quantification of ODS [Ozone Depleting Substances] in the state.Quantification of ODS [Ozone Depleting Substances] in the state. Monitoring & Analysis of Air effluents & Water Effluents. Monitoring & Analysis of Air effluents & Water Effluents. Implementation of rules on Batteries, Plastics, MSW, BMW etc. Implementation of rules on Batteries, Plastics, MSW, BMW etc.

How does GIS can help in these?How does GIS can help in these?

We do not question here the applicability of GIS

But the concern is the limited utility of this tool in discharging the functions of the board

at the same time we do not wish to lag behind

So, perhaps we can initiate GIS use in the MPPCB may be by asking the Large or Mega Industrial

projects exceeding investment of Rs.300/500 crore to submit their EIA reports in GIS format. This shall not only help us to build the Valuable

Resource database but shall help develop skill sets to make better & appropriate use of GIS software.