Question : Aerial Mapping of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands

(a) whether with a view to get better picture of the ocean floor, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) along with National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) proposes to conduct aerial mapping
of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands;

(b) if so, the details and the need for conducting the aerial mapping thereof;

(c) whether the increasing number of landslides under the sea beds and other such sudden sea/ocean threats have led to conducting of the said aerial mapping and if so, the details thereof; and

(d) the details of each such project along with the progress made in last five years and funds spent thereon?

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
AND EARTH SCIENCES
(DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

(a) Yes, Sir.

(b) Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), along with NRSC, proposes to conduct Airborne LiDAR Terrain Mapping (ALTM) of surface topography on land side of the coast (not underwater) of Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The high resolution data on coastal topography acquired through ALTM survey is useful for modelling and assessment of the coastal inundation caused due to oceanogenic hazards such as tsunamis, storm surges, high waves, etc. This information will improve the tsunami, storm surge and ocean state warnings generated by INCOIS of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

(c) No, Sir. The aerial mapping proposal is not due to any increase in underwater landslides.

(d) During the last 5 years, under an MoU with INCOIS, NRSC conducted ALTM survey for the west coast of India from Kochi to Gujarat at cost of about 16.2 Crores. This dataset is already being utilized by INCOIS for coastal multi-hazard inundation modelling.