IMPHAL | Dec 27: A “ Report on Land Use Survey of Manipur” under Manipur Strategic Statistical Survey Programme (MASSSP) using Remote Sensing & GIS was published by deputy chief minister Yumnam Joykumar Singh. The function was held at his office chamber at Manipur Secretariat today. The project which is implemented by the directorate of Economics & Statistics and executed by Manipur Remote Sensing Applications Centre (MARSAC) is to generate geo-database of nine-fold land use classes as per recommendation of the Ministry of Agriculture, and covering the entire state of Manipur.
Speaking at the function,Joykumar said that the project will be very helpful in various ways especially in planning and executing developmental works in the state. It has to be a continuous process through which various agencies can utilize the data available and through which initiatives like controlling deforestations and reversing the same, wet land management to control flood and also agricultural and horticultural processes can be taken up. He further said that it will also enable us to know what exactly the land use pattern in the state is and will enable us to control natural resources.
While pointing out the need to provide data to prospective agencies, Joykumar asked the concerned departments to provide the available data even to the researchers so that a co-lateral effort can be made possible in this direction. The state government will discuss and try to find out ways which are more comprehensive and can easily be implemented in future, he added.
Principle secretary of Economic & Statistics, Vivek Kumar Dewangan mentioned that this is an important step through which various departments can use the data in executing developmental works. Agriculture, horticulture, forest and environment, revenue etc. are some of the departments which are going to be the major users of this project. Any dispute in the mapping process can also be settled scientifically through this project. He also asked the implementing agencies to make sure that the data is made available in the public domain.
The survey report generates geo-database of Nine-fold Land Use classes as Forest, Area under Non-agricultural Uses, Permanent Pastures and other Grazing Lands, Land under Miscellaneous Tree Crops, Barren and Un-culturable Land, Fallow Lands other than Current Fallows, Current Fallows, Culturable Waste Land and Net area sown.
Principal secretary of agriculture Suhel Akhtar, principal chief conservator of forest Kereihoubi Angami, director (MARSAC) Dr.N. Randhir Singh, director of science and technology H. Ibocha Singh and director of economics and statistics Peijonna Kamei also participated among others at the function.
Source: Imphal Free Press
