Dated October 22, 2002
Echo of Arunachal

Application of Geographical Information System (GIS) in landslide hazard mitigation in the North East may widely identify the problematic areas as the region is located in the country's most unstable seismic zone, said Dr. Ashok Kaushal, Program Coordinator, Geomatics Group, Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Pune, in his opening remarks at the 11 day orientation course on the subject here today.

WIHG in collaboration with C-DAC has undertaken a two project-microzonation and risk assessment of the landslide prone areas between Banderwa to Gohpur in Itanagar capital complex, Dr. Kaushal who is the co-principal of the project said.

Addressing as the chief guest, chief engineer, project Brig. M.S. Ghai highlighted the problems confronting the Border Road Organization in constructing roads in Arunachal Pradesh.

He called upon the experts to recommend ways to find out long term solutions to the problems.

Tourism and Planning Secretary Shri. Amarnath said, sustained development could not be achieved in the state because of the fragile topography and recurring disasters. The investors as well as tourists shy away from the state despite its huge potentials, he said and urged the organizers to evolve remedial packages suitable to ground realities. Science and Technology Secretary Shri. Chandrakar Bharat also spoke on the occasion.

The orientation course, jointly organized by the C-DAC and WADIA Institute of Himalaya Geology (WIGH) Arunachal unit aims at training manpower on the region for uses of GIS, said principal course organizer and scientist in charge of WIHG Trilochan Singh.

Scientists and experts from C-DAC, ISRO, GSI, Indian Institute of Rural Sensing and Universities from all over the country are attending the central sponsored course.