Adopting Geo-ICT in Survey Department:
Need for
Kalyan Gopal Shrestha
Deputy Director General
Survey Department
e-mail: kalyanshrestha@gmail.com
Abstract
The Geospatial Information and Communication Technology (Geo-ICT), is gaining momentum and has revolutionized the Surveying and Mapping profession. Since the geo-technology is evolving continuously, constant efforts are being made for its diverse applications. Most of the users are convinced that digital technology is known for its easy use and the power to improve their work process. Survey Department has witnessed tremendous changes in the technologies and corresponding policies in Global scenario in last fifty two years of its history and particularly during last two decades. Adoption of Geo-ICT has become indispensable in the present context. Even though Survey Department, so far, is not in the stage of fully exploiting the Geo-ICT, Time has come to think of adopting Geo-ICT application. Because, the wider use of Geo-ICT could be prime instrumental to support the overall Surveying and Mapping business. The success of efficient Geo-ICT application heavily depends on the capacity building, institutional reforms, devolution, education and continuous training, and ultimately the commitment of the government.
This article has tried to focus on various factors responsible for successful implementation of Geo-ICT in Nepalese context.
Introduction of Geo-ICT
Geo-ICT means Geospatial Information and Communication Technology. The concept of Geo-ICT is to integrate the Geospatial technology into the mainstream of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). ICT and Geo-ICT are rapidly gaining momentum as an
indispensable research methodology in geography, environmental science etc.
Geo-Information and Communication Technology (Geo-ICT) includes convergence of various modern technologies dealing with various aspects of spatial data management including: data acquisition, data assimilation, data analysis, information generation, decision support, and information dissemination. Geographic Information System (GIS), remote sensing, Global Positioning System (GPS), satellite communication system and web technologies are the chief technologies falling under Geo-ICT.
There are many Geo-ICT applications. GIS could be considered as part of Geo-ICT. Geo-ICT provides even broader applications that traditional GIS may have not addressed well. Geo-ICT is truly an interdisciplinary area that would require the integration of GIS, GPS (position tracking), RS (remote sensing), satellite wireless communication systems, mapping technologies etc.. More importantly, the wise use of Geo-ICT could be prime instrument to support the overall objective of the Land Administration System (LAS) of the nation.
Geo-spatial revolution led to acquire and update knowledge towards high end research resulting Geo-ICT (Geo-information and Communication Technology). The role of Geo-ICT has become vital for local level geo-spatial planning. Spatial data management includes: data acquisition, data assimilation, data analysis, information extraction, decisions support and data/ information dissemination.
Necessity for adopting Geo-ICT
The twenty-first centuries is the age of ICT and numbers of technologies are evolving day by day to accelerate the efforts for the maximum yields. Among the many applications of the information technology, Spatial Information System holds the potentiality of rendering significant contribution on policy-making, formulation of plans, infrastructure development, natural resource management and other development activities. Geo-ICT will have a significant impact on geomatics sector, industry, research and academia. This emerging technology will open up many new applications resulting from a great improvement of data flow efficiency, on-line data processing, management and calculable savings of operational costs.
Now-a-days, most of the professionals have moved from conventional analogue to digital. Since the geo-technology is evolving continuously, constant efforts are made in its diverse applications. This acceptance comes from a growing understanding about the technology and its benefits. Most of the users are convinced that digital technology is known for its easy use and the power to improve their work process.
The technologies in the information and communication discipline are developing rapidly. Information and communication technology (ICT), more specifically Geo-ICT, has provided the opportunity for improving quality and cost effectiveness in the production and dissemination of geo-information products.
Even though the traditional disciplines are very essential for infrastructure development, the specialized and modern areas are more important for comfort, safety, accuracy and reliability.
Adoption of Geo-ICT in Survey Department
In over 50 years of history, Survey Department has witnessed its growth from cadastral surveying unit to National Mapping Agency with the hub of National Geographic Information Infrastructure in
.
The technologies and corresponding policies have undergone tremendous change or development in last fifty years and particularly during last two decades. Speedy development of technology in the field of surveying and mapping demands the changed role of surveyors and surveying institutions.
Survey Department is responsible for cadastral survey and preparing land records or establishing Cadastre. Cadastral survey is the source of key information for the comprehensive Land Information System. An efficient Land Administration can not be imagined without accurate and reliable cadastral information.
Survey Department is gradually and slowly replacing the traditional methods adopting modern methods but yet much remain to be done. Survey Department, so far, is not in the stage of fully exploiting the Geo-ICT
In this context, it has already introduced some of the systems such as establishment of Geodetic Network and densification of control network by Global Positioning System Survey, Topographical base maps updating using Remote Sensing technology and Nepal-India border strip mapping by Geographical Information System technique and Digital technology for cadastral mapping. .
The advancement of Geo-ICT technology has been so rapid that it is very difficult to adopt in our organization by virtue of lack of resources (Human, finance and others). Majority of the Human resources are turning out of date with the speed of change.
In many developing countries there is a lack of university education in Geomatics. Indeed low levels of technology, less skilled staff and lethargic processes are the critical issues in geospatial field. Appropriate ICT investment and capacity building are necessary conditions for establishing accurate geodata management for sustainable development. Education, training and research on geoinformation science are the fundamental factors for sustainable Geo-ICT use.
Land Administration is strongly influenced by social, cultural and bureaucratic environment, and overlooking of the existing practices and capacity would make failure in adopting such new technology. In this context, Geo-ICT has the vital role to play and has to be looked upon the overall objective
Although the cadastre system was focused to fiscal purpose in the beginning, it is being gradually used as legal and multipurpose cadastre. Updating of the cadastral maps is undertaken by district survey offices of Survey Department. Computerization of existing land records and cadastral maps to develop land information system and provide computer-based land administration services is under progress.
Progress so far achieved in adopting Geo-ICT
GPS survey for establishing geodetic controls was initiated by Survey Department in 1992. This survey is continuing to provide necessary control points to support cadastral surveying in different districts of the country.
Survey Department produced a new series of Topographic Base Maps between 1992 to 2001 at the scale of 1:25,000 (for the terai and middle mountains) and the scale of 1:50,000 (for the higher mountains and Himalayas) covering entire country in paper print. And subsequently converted all those maps into digital form by GIS technology and made available to the users as National Topographical Database (NTDB). Survey Department is working to create digital data files at smaller scales as well. Data files at a scale of 1: 100,000 are already available and has a plan to produce in 1:250,000, 1:500,000 and 1:1000,000.
With the mission of strengthening and developing geographic information infrastructure for the access of geographic and related data for decision-making, National Geographic Information Infrastructure Project (NGIIP) was established under Survey Department in 2002. This project facilitates the sharing of Geographical information among Geographical information user organizations within the country. This project has published Socio-economic atlas of
Topographical base maps, which were prepared during 1990’s are updating with Remote Sensing Technology. Survey Department has also prepared Global map of
Survey Department proposed Cadastral Logical Framework Plan in Fiscal Year 2005/2006 with a vision of replacing traditional technology with digital technology in ten years time. In this line Cadastral Survey Branch under Survey Department started re-cadastral mapping by Digital technology and development of Land related information system from 2006 in Ward no. 6 of Banepa Municipality of Kavre District as a piloting project. After evaluating the success of piloting job, survey was extended to the rest of the wards too. Survey works have been finished so far in 9 out of 11 wards of the Municipality. Surveys in rest of the two wards are continuing. Survey Department has proposed a plan of extending this kind of job in
Significant numbers of Geo-referenced cadastral map sheets from various district survey offices have been digitized by Department of Land Information and Archive. Survey Department can use these data if needed.
Himalayan Airborne Gravity survey is under way to facilitate the National Geoid determination.
Capacity building for efficient Geo-ICT application
The present pace of progress in Digital Cadastral and Topographical Map updating seems far lag behind to meet the real sense of cadastral mapping and topographical map updating. Survey Department is thinking of initiating cadastral survey through Ortho-photo based technology for Achham and Arghakhanchi districts, where old cadastral records were completely destroyed during conflict.
Our present capacity may not be sufficiently supportive to bring about the desired result with the situation at hand. The accomplishment of above mentioned jobs can be materialized only when we strengthen our current capability. Immediate plan of action for Capacity building is thus an essential aspect to be addressed upon before adopting Geo-ICT for that purpose. Geo-ICT offers an opportunity to build land administration enhanced and efficient. But in a developing country like
The success of efficient Geo-ICT application heavily depends on the capacity building, institutional reforms, devolution or location based services, education and continuous training, and ultimately the commitment of the government.
Effective utilization of any technology depends mainly on the qualified and well trained manpower. So, effective education and training programs are to be imparted. Attempts are on in this direction.
Land Management Training Centre (LMTC) has a proposal to transform its one year Basic and Junior courses into a three-year Diploma in Geomatics Engineering course, and to offer a two-year post-graduate degree programme.
However, since most of Survey officers have obtained further Post Graduate and Masters level studies abroad in various survey faculties including geo-informatics and use of ICT. Thus they can make use of ICT for their respective works.
The continuous support of ITC in providing scholarships to various level courses ranging from Diploma to Masters Level and the support from JAXA for capacity building of Survey Department by conducting mini-projects for disaster management have contributed the department. Coordination and cooperation among the organizations involved in space technology application and enhancing awareness in its importance could boost up the effectiveness. Furthermore, regional cooperation in this sector including human resource development, a proper platform for data sharing, etc. is equally essential for maximizing space benefits
Sporadic transfer of staff from other branches or sections to particular specific branches/sections without previous experience and skill of related works has hindered the working flow. Proposed functions of the individual are to be assessed on the basis of past education, experience and skill possessed by individual before transfer. Otherwise, remedial training must be imparted immediately after transferring such kind of personnel.
Constraints
In present context, Survey Department has following constraints for adopting an efficient adoption of Geo-ICT :-
§ Lack of awareness among political leaders and policy planners resulting low priority in this discipline. There is little recognition that ICT can be used to supplement and complement the conventional system or processes,
- Lack of proper and sufficient education in this field, proper human resources and expertise.
- Lack of Infrastructure: Some of the problems include lack of reliable electricity supply, lack of bandwidth capacity in internet.
- Lack of financial support for managing Hardware, Software and Humanware.
- Related technology changes very fast and is difficult to keep pace with such changes.
- Replacement of traditional equipments and methodologies by digital technology has tremendously demanded increased and enhanced knowledge and skill.
- The original cadastral plans of half of the districts of
Issues to be addressed
Adopting Geo-ICT remains a complex problem in Survey Department and the implementation of Geo-ICT is certainly a challenging task ahead in the present context. A firm commitment on the part of Policy planners, high level managers and whole hearted support from all the staffs may be the starting point.
The following Prime issues were identified for successful implementation of Geo-ICT:-
§ Technical issues, which include system components, system design, and technical expertise;
§ Organizational issues, which include how well the staff of an organization understands the technology and its role, and how the organization adapts to new sources and types of information;
§ Project management and process re-engineering related issues; and
§ Institutional issues, which include factors external to an agency that influence an organization's ability to adopt or use Geo-ICT.
Plan of Actions
The efforts should be concentrated for the following plan of actions to adopt Geo-ICT effectively and efficiently:-
1. All the issues namely technical, organizational, project management, and institutional are important for geo-information management in the country. These issues are to be addressed while making plan of actions.
- Development of human resource is a pre-requisite; a continuous system of education, training and technology transfer need to be planned in house or abroad.
- Job placement and transfer should be wisely administered.
- Hardware and software:
o adding Geo-ICT aids,
o its maintenance and updating
- Enactment of Survey Council Act.
- Policy for the Geo-ICT to be adopted to ensure effective and efficient utilization of resources.
- A strategy for formulating measures to control brain-drain.
- Organizational re-structuring suited to Geo-ICT need to be carefully planned.
- Resistance and/or non-cooperation from the existing staff in adopting new technology need to be addressed effectively
- A strategy for the transformation from manual to Geo-ICT (re-engineering) has to be carefully planned and adopted
- Participation of the public and private parties: and winning their faith in the new system is a pre-requisite: However, there are very few private parties, which can contribute to the implementation in
2. Geo-ICT applications at present have poor implementation scenario. Hence a strong need for research is felt in the area of geo-information management in the country.
3. Constitute a task force on ‘geo-information management’ by inducting professionals having expertise in technical, organizational, project management, and institutional areas.
4. The task force should also be assigned to bring out a business model for Geo-ICT products at Private partnership for its greater sharing between various stakeholders.
Private participation in Geo-ICT
All necessary conditions for the successful adoption of Geo-ICT cannot be imagined to be materialized only through the governmental efforts. In the new political environment of Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal with open policy of Privatization, there may not be any more monopoly of government in mapping and geo-information sector.
Land (Survey and Measurement) Act revised in 1999 has made a provision of licensing to qualified surveyors, twenty seven surveyors have already got licenses, but have not fully implemented yet due to lack of supportive regulations and few other bureaucratic reasons. It can be expected that the system will start soon. Till date licensing surveyor’s participation in Geo-ICT application has not been surfaced.
There are four professional associations namely Nepal Surveyor Society, Nepal Surveyor's Association, Nepal Remote Sensing and Photogrammetric Society and the Nepal Association of Chartered Surveyors to promote the Geoinformatics profession. However, their activities in the professional development and contribution to the Geo-ICT technological development in their respective fields lag far behind. Their activities are found limited to arranging a few number of seminars and publication of journals.
Survey Department should take a pivotal role in the country through Public-Private Partnership and Public-Public Partnership by bringing in the professional’s associations and private licensed Surveyors in Geo-ICT activities for land management.
Conclusions
In spite of numerous constraints, the importance of Geo-ICT applications can not be neglected to keep pace with the advancement of technology and to serve the overall development of the country. Due to various reasons mentioned above the Department has not been in position to adopt Geo-ICT to desired potential. So, national and international cooperation in this respect might be the possible solution to address the capacity building of the department. However, Government policy makers continued support and the participation of the stakeholders are also equally vital for its sustainability.
The wise use of Geo-ICT could be prime instrument to support the overall Geomatics business. The success heavily depends on the capacity building, institutional reforms, devolution of functions and services, education and continuous training, and ultimately the full commitment of the government and other stake holders.
References
- R.R.Chhatkuli,2002,NationalGeographic Information Infrastructure, Programme to support NGIS in
- Maheshwar Bhattarai, 2005, Land Resource Management and Human Resource in context of space technology application in Nepal, A seminar paper
- Rabin Kaji Sharma and Toya Nath Baral, 2005, Survey Department in the General Context of Land Mnagement, Proceedings of the colloquium on the role and functions of Survey Department in the context of broader technological development
- Ganesh Prasad Bhatta, 2006, Applications of open source software in Land Administration, Nepalese Journal on Geoinformatics, Vol 8
- Sjaak Beerens, 2006, Building Capacity in Geoinformation Handlings, Archives of Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Science, Vol. XXXVI
- Babu Ram Acharya, 2009, Adopting Geo-ICT application for Land Administration, 7th FIG Regional Conference paper
- Pramod K. Ssingh, 2008, Of opportunities and challenges, GIS Development, 2008August issue.
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