ARHA ASKS GSI TO SUSTAIN NATURAL
BALANCE
With advancement
of time, expectations and aspirations of people are rising, thereby
requiring inclusion of issues of societal values in the priority
list of operations. Geological Survey of India (GSI) should accord
greater attention towards natural and anthopogenic hazard evaluation,
assesment and mitigational measures, both on regional and localised
scale, Mines Secretary Shri C.D.Arha today said chairing the 38th
meeting of Central Geological Programme Board (CGPB). He pointed
out that the vast wealth of existing data, supplemented by judicious
acquisition of additional critical data, needs to be collated,
synthesized and digitized as thematic maps with user- friendly
explanatory notes.
The Secretary
cautioned that any development activity leads to imbalance in
nature. Earth scientists are the best judges as to how to restore
harmony in nature and while formulating new programmes should
take this aspect into consideration. He said the annual draft
programme is discussed in such a forum involving GSI scientists,
concerned PSUs, state and Central Government departments, representatives
of planning commission, North Eastern Council and private sector,
to obtain reservation of areas on priority basis and to see that
the new fields of activities do not harm natural balance. He said
all collected GSI data should be preserved for the posterity as
it may play a vital role in future.
Outlining the
achievements of GSI during 2002-03, he said GSI hosted the 4th
South Asian Geological Congress during the year and Offshore Areas
Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002, came into force
for development and regulation of mineral resources in the territorial
waters, continental shelf and exclusive economic zone. The report
of the Expert Committee was accepted by the Government which has
made far reaching recommendations to make GSI more responsive
to the scientific and social needs. Ministry of Mines has taken
initiatives to establish bilateral cooperation in the field of
geosciences with South Africa, Australia and Canada.
He was happy
to know GSI's diversified role over the years has embraced the
studies on geo-chemical mapping, geo-environment, glaciers, geothermal
energy, sciesmic hazard and risk microzonation, coal bed methane
and gas hydrates. It has rendered valuable services to the power
and agriculture sectors and assisted major engineering and communication
projects.
Shri Arha said
the Government has introduced many changes in the MMDR Act and
the MCR in the post liberalisation period to encourage more investment
and technology inflow to this sector. The Ministry has reconstituted
the CGPB Committees to make them more broad based by inducting
the representation from the private sector. The country is awaiting
the major mineral deposits discovery by the private sector.
The Director
General, GSI, Shri P.C.Mandal said the meeting is important due
to the enhanced powers given to state governments in exploration
work. The meeting reviewed the geo-scientific and mineral exploration
activities in the country in the light of economic reforms and
liberalisation in the mineral and mining sectors. It discussed
and approved the programmes of GSI for the field season 2003-04,
commencing from October 2003 keeping in view the national priorities.
Though priority has been accorded to mineral exploration mainly
for gold, diamond, base metal, coal, lignite, ferrous, industrial
and fertilizer minerals due weightage has been given to basic
earth science data generation through systematic ground, aerial
and marine surveys aided by laboratory studies so that this premier
organisation can play the leading role in the arena of geo-sciences
based activity.
