It is very commendable to note that the Punjab Government is going to use space technology applications for accelerating economic growth process as well as for exploration of minerals and preparation of forests inventory in the province.
According to the reports, this good work is going to be done by the Provincial Government in collaboration with Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SU-PARCO) Pakistan.
A high level meeting held recently in this regard was informed that SU-PARCO would soon be launching its own Remote Sensing Satellite through which a local research engine will also be operated as a result of that Google Earth will be replaced and our own institutions will acquire capability of utilising the most accurate the most geological information through enhanced high-resolution satellite free of cost.
It is quite appreciable indeed that through the use of space technology forests inventory in Punjab will be prepared on urgent basis besides GIS Laboratories will also be established in the provincial departments for Crops Reporting System, soil crop condition assessment, mapping of crop land characteristics, forest mapping, crime mapping, infrastructure development and health management, identification of contaminated levels in the industrial areas ,encroachment in beds of rivers will be identified and exploration of mines and minerals done in a more efficient and accurate manner.
While lauding the Provincial Government for going ahead to use space technology for development purposes, it is requested to accelerate the process of collaboration with SU-PARCO so that the province can draw benefits for the above-mentioned objectives at the earliest, please. Hopefully, the needful will be done for giving the much welcome collaboration between a national institution and the provincial government in a speedy manner.
Ahsan A.H. Shaikh
Lahore