Utilisation of Space Technologies Across MoEF&CC Divisions – Comprehensive Study Notes

Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) Division – MoEF\&CC

Completed & Ongoing Uses of Space Technology

  • State Governments now rely exclusively on IIRS/ISRO high-resolution imagery, SoI toposheets and Bhuvan GIS tools to draw ESZ boundaries. All 498 Protected Areas (PAs) already carry final ESZ notifications issued through this spatial approach.
  • ESZ boundary layers have been fully uploaded to both PARIVESH and PM-GatiShakti Digital Corridor, creating a common Decision-Support-System (DSS) for project appraisal and inter-sectoral clearance.

Work to be Continued / Enhanced (Vision 2047)

  • Keep satellite-based delineation as the sole accepted method for the remaining 683 PAs (difference between legally declared PAs and those yet to receive ESZ notification).
  • Continue real-time synchronisation of ESZ layers with national e-governance platforms.

Proposed New Activities (NM 2025)

  1. National ESZ Health Index (NEHI) – build an automated dashboard that mines temporal ISRO data sets (LULC, NDVI, night-lights) to score each ESZ on ecological integrity (2025{-}2035).
  2. Near-Real-Time Anthropogenic Alert System – AI models on PlanetScope/Sentinel data to flag illegal mining, >1-ha constructions or encroachment inside ESZs (2026{-}2035).

National CAMPA – MoEF\&CC

Existing Spatial Workflows

  • Google-Earth based vetting of KML polygons for Annual Plans of Operations (APOs) from every State/UT has:
    • Cut scrutiny time, saved field manpower and improved fund utilisation.
    • Become the de-facto method for Monitoring & Evaluation (M\&E) of CAMPA plantations.

Pipeline Enhancements (Short-term)

  • Extend the same Google-Earth verification to post-plantation survival audits (geo-tagged photo overlays).

New Technology Missions (NM 2025)

  1. AI-Driven Satellite Survival Tracking – machine-learning on Sentinel 10-m and very-high-resolution (VHR) data to auto-classify live vs. dead saplings, predict fire risk & grazing pressure; produce early-warning maps (Medium-term).
  2. Output–Outcome M\&E Platform – fuse spatial (vegetation, NPP, soil moisture) and non-spatial (financial) inputs to compute ecological ROI – soil stability index, water-yield changes, carbon balance.
  3. Mobile GIS Apps – offline data entry, auto-sync to national server; mandatory for third-party monitors.
  4. Digital Dashboard 2.0 – state/division/project wise score-cards; drill-down analytics on hectares planted, survival %, fund utilisation vs. disbursement.

Indian Council of Forestry Research & Education (ICFRE)

Forest Research Institute – Dehradun

Major Finished Projects (selected)

  • Fire-Prone-Area Mapping in five districts (Idukki, Pauri Garhwal, Aizawl, Amravati, Kadapa) – multi-temporal MODIS + ecological models delivered: higher accuracy, reduced timelines, labour savings.
  • Floristic Revisions (Osmaston & Kanjilal Floras) – 785 spp./470 genera & 843 spp./451 genera respectively geo-referenced in “Bhuvan”; improved planning for sustainable forestry.
  • Soil-Erosion Susceptibility (Kempty watershed & Tons River) – MCA on morphometry + land-cover; quicker, more precise hazard zoning.
  • River-bed-Material Replenishment – Ganga, Yamuna, Subarnarekha: RS-aided sand budgeting.
  • Geo-spatial Butterfly–Forest-Type Associations – 365 species across 20 forest types; revealed 17 new conservation gaps beyond current PA network.
  • Climate SDMs for Himalayan cheer pheasant & western tragopan – RCP 4.5,6.0,8.5 show severe elevational habitat shift by 2050/2070; calls for adaptive corridor management.
  • Forest Temperature & Precipitation Trends 2000{-}2020 – Bioclim data showed mean T 15–25^\circC, rainfall 1000–4000 mm; hotter south, wetter centre.
  • Eco-distribution & ENM of Buxus wallichiana, Salvadora oleoides, Ringal Bamboos, Pinus wallichiana mortality – MaxEnt + field genetics guiding ex-situ conservation.
  • FGR Centre of Excellence – mapped 50 priority species; produced policy briefs, habitat suitability, KGCC layers.

Ongoing / Future

  • Future-Climate Forest-Fire Vulnerability – nationwide MODIS/SNPP/WorldClim model; Uttarakhand layer done.
  • UP Floristic Revision – full geocoded flora 2025{-}2029.
  • Buxus SDM, Desmodium Niche + GBS, superior Grevillea CPT trials, CAMPA plantation audits: all active 2024{-}2027.
  • Proposals – NIRANTAR pest-risk modelling; UAV-LiDAR tree-health; hyperspectral peatland mapping.

Centre of Excellence – Sustainable Land Management

  • Delivered India’s UNCCD 2022 report (productivity, LULC, SOC change 2000–2019) with just 2 staff owing to satellite data; advocated dedicated geospatial portal.
  • Next cycle (Tier-II, use of national rather than global layers) awaiting funding; proposal includes setting up a GIS lab and algorithm for NISAR-based chir-pine biomass.

Arid Forest Research Institute – Jodhpur

  • Continuous GPS tagging of 1000 CPTs (Neem, Dalbergia), soil-sampling sites, seed-production areas, Luni basin mapping.
  • Future: Phenocams for climate phenology (from 2026), LiDAR biomass (2027+).

Institute of Forest Productivity – Ranchi

  • RS-based NTFP resource map for S. Bihar, forest-fire impact, Subarnarekha & Damodar DPRs, invasive‐spread maps (Lantana/Prosopis) and disease-hazard SDM of Dalbergia sissoo.
  • Upcoming: Amrapali mine-site eco-restoration (2025{-}2029).

Biosphere Reserve (CS-I) Division

  • Historically no satellite usage.
  • NM 2025: two new tasks – (i) LULC Change Detection across 18 Biosphere Reserves (2025{-}2030), (ii) Socio-Ecological Mapping of transition zones for biotic-pressure analysis.

Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)

Present Satellite Workflow

  • Daily VIIRS-based wheat/paddy stubble-fire monitoring (15 Sep–30 Nov) via IARI+ISRO has already reduced fires.

To Continue / Expand

  • Hourly burnt-area & biomass-loss tracking via future GEO-sat sensors.

New NM 2025 Projects

  1. Hourly multi-pollutant AQ mapping (AOD→PM{2.5}, NO2, SO2, O3) – 1{-}2 yr.
  2. VHR imagery + AI to locate industries, brick kilns, traffic hot-spots, MSW burning – 3{-}6 months.
  3. Single web-portal ingesting global satellite AQ products for forecasting & enforcement.

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)

  • SAANS-I delivered 1-km daily PM{2.5} using AOD. SAANS-II (till 2026) adding hourly PM{2.5} plus daily PM_{10}.
  • Proposed: satellite-based SWM – methane hot-spots, dumpsite remediation tracking; satellite trends in river/lake water quality.

National Institute of Himalayan Environment (NIHE)

Ongoing Himalayan Remote-Sensing Portfolio

  • Glacier & Permafrost – SRTM, Landsat OLI, Sentinel, DEM-v3 since 2015; to continue till 2028.
  • Species Distribution & Phenology – WorldClim 2.1, NDVI/EVI, Sentinel 2016{-}2030; outputs feed conservation plans.
  • Fire/Landslide Susceptibility – SRTM DEM + MODIS/VIIRS hazard indices (2018{-}2030).
  • Water-Resource Mapping – NDWI, LST, block-level springshed inventories.
  • Forest Productivity, Wetlands, Climate-Vulnerability EVI – multiple sensors; culminating in high-resolution dashboards.

Fresh NM 2025 Concepts

  1. High-temporal vegetation-change & floristic shift mapping.
  2. LiDAR-based 3-D biomass for critical ecosystems.
  3. AI-driven micro-climate SDMs for threatened taxa.
  4. Sentinel-1 SAR glacier debris / movement monitoring.
  5. TanDEM-X DEM for precise terrain & landslide forecasts.
  6. Sentinel-5P + MERRA-2 synergy to study pollution-linked cloudburst.
  7. GeoAI predictive environmental DSS for proactive management.

Botanical Survey of India (BSI)

Completed RS-aided Floristic Works

  • Rajasthan Landscape Characterisation (2008{-}2011) – vegetation, species-richness, ESA maps.
  • Shingba Rhododendron WLS (Sikkim) – 530 spp. distribution & elevation.
  • Todgarh-Raoli WLS (Rajasthan) – 25 papers, community maps.
  • Bassi WLS, EET spp. of Rajasthan, A\&N endemic trees – all combined ENM + GIS mapping, IUCN assessments (EOO/AOO).

Current Project (till 2027)

  • Indian Desert (Raj + Guj) vegetation mapping; IUCN evaluation of 30 endemic/rare spp.

NM 2025 – Ambitious Long-Term RS Agenda

  1. Economic‐botany GIS atlas (Raj + Guj) – 3 yr.
  2. Coastal Gujarat vegetation & climate-impact map – 3 yr.
  3. National floristic geo-database – 20 yr.
  4. AI spectral recognition for medicinal species; phytochemical hot-spot mapping.
  5. Climate-vulnerability & invasive hot-spot mapping; predictive SDMs.
  6. Space-assisted ethnobotanical validation & drug-discovery support.

Zoological Survey of India (ZSI)

Ongoing RS-Centric Programmes

  • NMHS species SDMs (Himalayan ibex, musk-deer) – now integrating Sentinel-2, LiDAR-DEM.
  • MODIS-based phenology & fire-impact on fauna.
  • Sentinel-1/2 for trans-boundary connectivity corridors & conflict-hotspots.
  • Aquatic habitat mapping + eDNA correlation.

Expansion Plans

  1. Human-Wildlife Conflict & snake-bite risk portals (multi-temporal RS layers).
  2. AI-powered land-use change detection for Eastern Himalaya.
  3. SAR + optical fusion for real-time climate-sensitive species watch.
  4. Drone-LiDAR micro-habitat mapping, marine remote sensing for coral/fish kill.
  5. National geo-spatial Faunal DSS integrated with IUCN assessments.

National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM)

Legacy Deliverables (high-res imagery & aerial photos)

  • HTL / LTL Demarcation – 67{,}451.29 km baseline for CRZ 2011 & 2019.
  • ESA Mapping – 34{,}000 sq km of mangroves, reefs, turtle grounds, etc.
  • Shoreline Change Phases I–III – hazard-line & management plan for erosion hot-spots; Phase III updated to 2021/22.
  • Island CRZ & IIMP – Andaman, Nicobar, Lakshadweep OT approved; 23 IIMPs on 1{:}25{,}000.
  • Mangrove Community Atlas – 11 state books; LAI-NDVI crown-density layers.
  • Mineral, LULC, Geomorphology, ICZM Plan (West Bengal) – multispectral archives.

Active Tasks

  • CZMP 2019 updates for remaining States; Maharashtra already on 1{:}4000.
  • Wetland Mapping (Maharashtra) & Bathymetry – 25{,}914 wetlands under RS.
  • CVI – Coastal Vulnerability Index for Maharashtra, AP, Odisha; nation-wide CVI under National Coastal Mission.

Forthcoming (2025{-}2030)

  1. Update HTL/LTL & ESA with high-res imagery.
  2. Annual shoreline change series; national CVI – high-spatial DEM + SAR.
  3. ICZM & full-scale Marine Spatial Planning (11{,}098 km) by 2047.
  4. New RS Missions – marine-litter tracking, HAB early-warning, blue-carbon stock & restoration, rip-current risk, near-shore bathymetry via UAV-LiDAR, real-time coral spawning watch, cyclone-surge mapping, altimeter sea-level trends.

Forest Survey of India (FSI) / Survey & Utilisation Division

Core RS Products – Status Quo

  • India State of Forest Report (ISFR) – biennial since 1987; LISS-III (23.5 m, 24-day repeat).
  • Forest-Fire Alerts – pre-fire risk zone, near-real-time MODIS/VIIRS, burnt-area inventory.
  • Above-Ground Biomass (AGB) Algorithm – ALOS-PALSAR L-band SAR since 2019.

Up-gradation Blueprint

  1. Forest / Tree Cover Mapping 10-m or better (Sentinel – shorter revisit, AI‐aided) to resolve small & fragmented patches and differentiate Open Forest vs Scrub.
  2. Fire-Risk Zonation to Beat-level; sensor resolution from 14 ha to 1 ha; integrate local weather; real-time alerts.
  3. Precise SAR Biomass – multi-band fusion with LiDAR; complete by 2026.
  4. Forest Type Atlas 3.0 – VHR + LiDAR; AI classification; capture seasonal spectral shifts.
  5. Fire Spread Models – terrain, fuel-load, live moisture, AI; operational 2026.
  6. Citizen Mobile App – push alerts, interactive fire map 2026.
  7. Deforestation Alert AI – high-frequency imagery; pilots ongoing.

Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA) – Capacity Building Outlook

  • Currently runs two regular RS–GIS modules for officer trainees.
  • Concept papers (yet to be implemented):
    1. Drought-time water-flow RS monitoring in forested landscapes.
    2. Post-FRA vegetation & biodiversity satellite audits.
    3. UAV detection of invasive species.
    4. NTFP yield forecasting via RS.
    5. 3{-}5-day ML-based forest-fire prediction model.

Climate Change Division – MoEF\&CC

  • No past or present satellite activity recorded; no concrete proposal for NM 2025.

Cross-Cutting Insights & Significance

  • Space-based data has shifted MoEF\&CC from sample‐plot extrapolation to wall-to-wall, near-real-time governance.
  • Emphasis is evolving from static mapping (boundaries, inventory) to dynamic monitoring & predictive AI dashboards (health indices, conflict, fire spread, blue-carbon, air quality).
  • Ethical & Practical Implication – open-access RS layers empower community monitoring but raise concerns of data-misuse around sensitive wildlife & mineral zones.
  • Strategic Trajectory – integrate forthcoming Indian missions (NISAR, Oceansat-3, GISAT) and commercial VHR constellations; couple with GeoAI to meet Viksit Bharat 2047 targets of resilient ecosystems, net-zero pathways and nature-positive development.