TERROR BLASTS AT DELHI: ANOTHER INTELLIGENCE MAPPING FAILURE

The Continual nature of recent terrorist strikes at various Indian Cities is forcing Government of India to strengthen and restructure its Anti Terror laws and efforts to protect the people of India against invisible enemies.

Has anything changed after 5 serial blasts on Saturday (9/13) at New Delhi??

• Home ministry of India shouted that they are aware of the possible terrorist strike in such cities, but they failed to capitalize on the ground in real time (at zero hours).
• Investigating Agencies confirmed that “Terror Pattern” is similar to the last four blasts and similar chemical agents used in the preparation of bombs.
• Intelligence agencies suspect the involvement same terrorist outfit behind all the attacks.
• Home ministry repeated the same version of words (what he is used to use after any terror blasts) to the Press “Who ever is involved in carrying out the blast will be punished under law of the land”.
• Our politicians started blaming each other‘s failure.
• State Police claimed to capture the one of the Mastermind of the blasts and bet on solving the case soon.

Are all these above statements really ensure us that we are now protected?

I doubt. The government of India is really in a need to change in approach to terror.

Change; The Government of India needs:

- Need to ensure that the baseline information is accurate to provide situational awareness.

- Intelligence agencies need to be more successful in obtaining the background information on mission, critical information on threat potential.

- Needs more Coordination between state investigating agencies. May be a formation of “a national federal agency “to deal with terror issues.

- Implementation of high end GIS & Mapping initiative. The Majority of information required for Emergency Management and Home land Security is spatial. Once the base data is collected, GIS & mapping initiative becomes extremely helpful in visualizing the necessaries to be developed.

o Threat Assessment and Planning
o Vulnerability Assessment
o Protection Strategies & preparedness
o Response
o Recovery

- (Just to remember) Government of India came out successfully in Kargil War (Operation – Vijay) with an aid of high end GIS & Mapping initiative.

Thank you.
Sushanta Kabi

TATA NANO : A BIG NO NO !!

Welcome All !!!

I would like to extend my heartiest thanks for sharing your valuable time in reading this blog. Frankly, I had never thought of start writing the blogs rather than prefer to discuss the issues in “Spatial Discussion” forums.

Thanks to Evan Williams and his friends for their wonderful creation (I would prefer to say a user friendly weblog invention) of “Blogger” which is a part of “Google Inc’s” team since last 6 years and is helping millions of users in sharing their opinions online.

Anyway, I have just made my name entered into their user list on this very auspicious day. As a mapping professional, we always do come across the various challenges and solutions in our day to day activities (from planning to implementation) and it varies from projects to projects.

NASA and Google Inc have taken initiative and sharing the common desire to map the Universe. They have started with mapping the Moon first. For some interesting information about moon, please visit the Google moon at www.google.com/moon

On this forum, we will discuss issues related to challenges and solutions in mapping each unit of our earth. I would like to request every one to post their views and suggestions.

As a very first topic for discussion, I have preferred to choose the subject the TATA NANO: A Big NO-NO in Singur, WB and its mapping perspectives.

TATA NANO: A Big NO-NO from Singur, WB

Since the day veteran industrialist Mr. Ratan Tata announced on the sidelines of the AGM of TATA tea Limited “Tata motors will be pulling out from Singur plant and will look to relocate the Nano Project if the protection and agitation continues......” , everyone (Industrialists, Media, Government, Federal, Internal agencies) is keenly watching the fate of “Once Lakh Priced - Peoples Car”. Western world community is tracking the lunch of Nano in October and if it will be successful in Indian roads, it will open a large market and strong Competition in small car segments throughout the world. TATAs are also looking for overseas market to lunch Nano.

Most importantly, TATAs and India will also register their name in the record book as first entry in this segment (World’s Cheapest Car).

But today, every one is following the same questions:

• Will TATAs pull out from Singur plant and shifted to anywhere else after making an investment of Rs2000 crore (TATA Motors : Rs 1500 Crore + TATA suplliers Rs 500 Crore) though other state governments have announced their “Red Carpet” Welcome.

May be, Yes. We all know Mr. Ratan Tata as one of the most Socio-Conscious Leader of the India ever produced. He had severally insisted out in his interviews in the past that they will not pull out from Singur Plant. He is also gifting a hospital which will be commissioned in early 2009. But now things are worsened. They are worried for their October lunch of Nano, their peoples safety over increasing agitation at the work site. TATA motors board is expected to meet soon to decide the future course of action (may be PLAN B).

I had few sleepless nights and also few questions in mind:

• Had Tata’s done proper feasibility analysis on site selection when they have opted for Singur to give birth to the world’s first cheapest car “NANO”?


• Have they mapped the project site well before plant installation?


• Have they opted for mapping the political context and behavior of the affected rural village people in the project site?

I doubt. TATAs seem to be relied on WB government’s word for Site selection feasibility and they might have seen Singur’s easy connectivity to Durganagar Expressway NH2 to keep the “NANO” Cost down.

Now the question is “Can such a situation is avoidable by making better decision through GIS & Mapping initiatives”.

My answer is: Yes

Such situtations are avoidable in future by :

• Proper ground reality needs assessment


• Proper survey, feasibility analysis with respect to location, human behavior, political and social aspects.
  

(All these information can be mapped and analyzed. All the leading GIS tools can be integrated with ERP applications and will be easily accessed by top leaders in the organizations).

Thanks.

Sushanta Kabi

In the next issue we will discuss " US Presedential Election 2009 : Its GIS & Mapping Perspectives".