(a) whether the Government has set up disaster warning support system at National Remote Sensing Agency, Hyderabad;
(b) if so, the details of support services so far provided by the Department of Space;
(c) whether the Government proposes to expand the VSAT based Virtual Private Network;
(d) if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the manner in which such space inputs in disaster warning and mitigation efforts will be able to check the damages caused by disasters ?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE PRIME MINISTER`S OFFICE (SHRI PRITHVIRAJ CHAVAN) :
(a)&(b) Yes, Sir. The disaster management support services provided by Department of Space are mainly in terms of value added products generated from satellite, aerial and other collateral information, and emergency communication support. The information products are in the form of maps dynamically depicting the disaster impact, damages, and also vulnerability. The disaster management support programme, since its inception, has responded comprehensively to the major natural disasters the country has faced - including the 26th December 2004 Tsunami, monitoring of artificial lake in Sutlej basin that caused flash flood threat in parts of Himachal Pradesh, the recurrent floods, droughts, landslides, forest fires and earthquakes in different parts of the country.
(c)&(d) Yes, Sir. Department of Space is implementing the VSAT based Virtual Private Network for emergency communications, in three phases. The Ministry of Home Affairs at Delhi are linked with data providers such as National Remote Sensing Agency, Survey of India, Department of Ocean Development etc. and state capitals. In the second phase, the connectivity is planned to disaster prone district headquarters.
(e) The advantages of space technology in disaster management lie in its capability to synthesise inputs from multiple sources, produce as well as disseminate the information on near real time basis. Based on these inputs, actions towards relief, mitigation and regulatory measures are planned and taken up.