Tuesday, April 1, 2008

GIS News:Eye in the sky for Mumbai�s jungles

GIS News:Eye in the sky for Mumbai�s jungles: "Every inch of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park forests will be watched. Not by predators on the prowl, but by distant satellites.

The forests on Mumbai�s outskirts will be the first in India to be electronically scanned for poachers and encroachers, as well as to trace the route guards take through the woods.

The Mumbai experiment could be India�s hope of saving its rapidly depleting forest cover and vanishing plant and animal species. And your grandchildren may still be able to see the Indian tiger � just 1,411 left at last count.

Countries like the US, Canada and Australia use the system to tackle bushfires and replenish trees cut for timber. Several Mediterranean nations and African countries like Ghana also use it to protect their forests.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) will install the Geographical Information System (GIS)-based software surveillance network, GeoVun, in the Borivali forests.

TCS, along with Conservation Action Trust (CAT) and WTI Advanced Technology Limited, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Maharashtra.

According to the agreement, which is still to be made public, GeoVun allows the users to identify best routes for patrolling, perform spatial analysis and produce reports. It integrates all maps and tables, an"

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