Govt eases norms on use of satellite pix

The new Remote Sensing Data Policy unveiled by the government on Tuesday is aimed at catering to a huge demand for high-resolution maps and images from a wide variety of user agencies both in the public and private sectors. Such data is required not only for urban development and infrastructure projects but also for laying down pipelines or telephone lines,for monitoring crop production and ensuring compliance of laws such as Coastal Regulation Zone guidelines.

With the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) controlling the use and distribution of such data,these user agencies were forced to obtain such imagery from foreign and commercial remote sensing satellites,thus bringing in the possibility of security breach and mischief.

The decision will enable the ‘Bhuvan’ application — ISRO’s answer to Google Earth that was launched with much fanfare two years ago — to compete with its more illustrious rivals.

An existing High Resolution Image Clearance Committee would screen and clear requests for imagery with resolutions greater than one metre from private user agencies.

In recent years,ISRO has had remote sensing satellites capable of sending images with resolutions as high as 0.8 metre. Much of this imagery had been lying unused because of earlier restrictions.