Keekli Reporter, 23rd September, 2016, Shimla
A mega venture was undertaken by the Himachal Pradesh Remote Sensing Centre (HPRSC) of the Himachal Pradesh State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (SCSTE) in collaboration with Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), at the Himachal Pradesh Secretariat. The Meet was inaugurated by Chief Secretary of Himachal, V C Pharka.
The theme was ‘Promoting Use of Space Technology in Governance and Development in HP’. The aim was to identify the requirement of space technology (remote sensing), GIS (geographical information system), GPS (global positioning system) and Communication Technology in natural resources management, disaster management, development in planning and better governance.
Attended by around 40 departments of HP government, scientists and experts from ISRO, Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, National Remote Sensing Centre, it was a one day event that was joined by Dr A S Kiran Kumar, Secretary Department of Space & Chairman ISRO who addressed the participating departments via video conferencing.
Various departments showcased their current usage of space technology and also a possible future plan regarding the same. Speaking on the occasion, Pharka urged the departments to increase the use of space technology in planning and development. The future use of space technology was then discussed under nine themes, namely, agriculture, land resource planning, environment and energy, infrastructure, water resources, health and education, weather and disaster management, technical diffusion, communication and navigation. Additional Chief Secretary (Personnel, Power) Tarun Shridhar, Principal Secretary (Environment, Science & Technology), Tarun Kapoor, Director IIRS, Dehradoon, Director (Env. Science & Technology), Ajay Kumar Lal and Kunal Satyarthi, Joint Member Secretary, State Council for Science, Technology & Environment were present in the inaugural session.
