ZONING ATLAS PROGRAMME

The nation-wide environmental planning and mapping programme on "Zoning Atlas" is being executed under the World Bank funded ‘Environment Management Capacity Building Project’, by the Central and State Pollution Control Boards and other executing agencies. The programme that covers various spatial environmental planning activities has been conceived as a tool for the protection of the environmental resources and for achieving developmental targets in an environmentally sound manner. Following are the significant achievements of the programme during the year 2000:

Zoning Atlas for Siting of Industries

The study on Zoning Atlas for siting of industries taken up District-wise, zones and classifies the environment and presents the pollution receiving potential of various sites/zones in the district and identifies the possible alternate sites for industries, through easy-to-read maps (1:250,000 scale). The work had been covered in the previous years for 60 Districts. The work during the current year has been taken up for the 50 Districts in 15 States.

Atlases have been published for the Districts of East Singhbhum and West Singhbhum (Bihar), Panchmahals (Gujarat), Solan (Himachal Pradesh), Mysore (Karnataka), Palakkad (Kerala), Chhindwara (Madhya Pradesh), Imphal, Thoubal and Bishnupur (Manipur), Sundargarh (Orissa), Udaipur and Rajasmund (Rajasthan), Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) and Bankura (West Bengal).

Industrial Estate Planning

In continuation of the Zoning Atlas studies, the Industrial Estate Planning studies have been taken up at micro-level (1:50,000 and lower) to identify environmentally acceptable sites for industrial estates, to suggest wastewater disposal points and to provide suggestions on control of surrounding land uses. The studies will be helpful to the industrial development corporations and the industries departments in properly locating the industrial estates and in providing the needed pollution abatement infrastructure.

Studies have been taken up for sites in the Districts of East Godavari (Andhra Pradesh), East Singhbhum (Bihar), Amreli (Gujarat), Solan (Himachal Pradesh), Mysore (Karnataka), Palakkad (Kerala), Sagar (Madhya Pradesh), Imphal (Manipur), Ri-Bhoi (Meghalaya), Undivided Cuttack (Orissa), Ludhiana (Punjab), Alwar (Rajasthan), North Tripura (Tripiura), Bulandshahr (Uttar Pradesh) and Bankura (West Bengal).

The draft reports are ready for the sites in Bulandshahar, Ludhiana, Sagar, East Godavari and Ri-Bhoi. The studies for the other sites are in advanced stage.

Mapping of Environmentally Sensitive Zones and Industrial Sites (ESZIS) - State-wise

The activity on Mapping of Environmentally Sensitive Zones and Industrial Sites aims at presenting the information on environmentally sensitive zones viz. National Parks, Reserve Forests, Protected Forests etc. and industrial sites, state-wise, in the form of maps

Work has so far been completed for the States of Bihar, Meghalaya, Kerala, Goa, AP, Orissa and it is in progress for the States of Gujarat, Karnataka, Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Manipur and Maharashtra.

Environmental Management Plans for Urban Areas, Mining Areas, Environmentally Fragile Areas, Tourism Areas etc.

These studies are targeted for improving environmental quality through appropriate land use planning and development. As a pilot study, the Central Pollution Control Board took up Kanpur Urban Area and provided planning solutions for improving the environmental quality.

The Kanpur Development Authority used the pilot study report "Environmental Management Plan for Kanpur Urban Area" and has incorporated it in their short and long term developmental plans and a number of measures for improvement of environment are under implementation at Kanpur. The experience from the Kanpur study have helped in conceiving the "ECOCITY" concept that the Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India is now contemplating implementation in the large metropolitan cities.

Encouraged by the response on Kanpur study, the following studies have been taken up during the year 2000:

1. Environmental Management Plan for Taj Trapezium Zone
2. Environmental Management Plans for Mining Areas of Dhanbad
3. Environmental Considerations for Land Use Planning in Vasai Virar Sub-region, District Thane, Maharashtra
4. Siting of New Township for the Proposed and Existing Industrial Estates in Vidharba Region – based on environmental considerations
5. Environmentally Sound Development Concept for Tourist Destinations - Bakel Fort of Kannur District (Kerala)
6. Environmental Status Mapping for Cauvery River Basin

The above studies are expected to be completed by the end of 2001.

Regional Planning

In continuation of the District-wise Zoning Atlas studies, pilot studies on regional planning had been taken up for Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal and for the entire state of Tripura. These studies are targeted for demonstrating the utility of environmental planning tool for achieving overall development of the district/region in a sustainable manner. The studies are in progress.

Environmental Atlas of India

The Environmental Atlas of India is a compilation of various environmentally related information presented in the form of maps and text including statistical data. The information on maps is being presented in 1:12 mi and 1:2 mi scales. The Atlas has information on the land, climate, natural hazards, population, major sources of pollution, environmental quality, environmentally sensitive areas and pollution control. The Atlas is expected to be released during 2001.

Human Resource Development

The Centre for Spatial Environmental Planning has been created at the Central Pollution Control Board for intensifying the Zoning Atlas activities. The Centre was inaugurated by Shri T.R. Baalu, Hon’ble Minister for Environment & Forests on December 12, 2000. Similar Centres are also planned for Tripura Pollution Control Board, Agartala, Kerala State Pollution Control Board, Thiruvananthapuram, West Bengal State Council of Science & Technology, Calcutta and Environmental Protection Training Research Institute, Hyderabad. In the other States, staffs to undertake spatial environmental planning tasks are being strengthened.

Training/awareness programmes on the need for planning and incorporation of environmental aspects into developmental activities and on usage of Zoning Atlas outputs were held in Panchamahals (Gujarat), Patna (Bihar), Mysore, Hassan, Bangalore (Karnataka), Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), Agartala (Tripura), Bhubaneshwar (Orissa) and Jalpaiguri (West Bengal).

A two - week executive information visit on ‘Environmental Management and Land Based Natural Resource Planning in Germany’ was organised for the senior level officers from the pollution control boards and other environmental administration during January 2000.

Training-cum-Exposure in Germany for the Senior Officers from Environmental Administration

Considering the progress of the Zoning Atlas programme so far and the usage of the planning tools, a detailed training need assessment has been carried out and a comprehensive human resource development programme has been developed. Under the programme, it is proposed to establish a network of institutions called "SEP-NET" (Spatial Environmental Planning Network) for developing capacities in the field of spatial environmental planning and executing various training programmes catering to the regional needs. The concept document and the training plan have been prepared and the programme is expected to take-off during 1^st quarter of year 2001-02.

Infrastructure Development

Spatial environmental planning requires GIS tools and other supporting infrastructure for mapping and disseminating the results. The infrastructure including GIS hardware and software, audio-visual equipment and cartographic equipment have been installed at CPCB and are being installed at various organisations participating in the programme.