Major public assets of 55 gram panchayats under Mangaluru taluk are now available online. In a first-of-its-kind exercise in the State, the assets have been spatially mapped on a pilot basis under the Bhuvan Panchayats project of the government.
A joint initiative by ISRO, Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat, and Alva’s Institute of Engineering and Technology, Moodbidri, the assets documented are available on www.bhuvan-panchayat. nrsc.gov.in
Addressing presspersons here on Saturday, M.R. Ravi, Chief Executive Officer of the panchayat, said it would help the panchayat in planning its future public projects. For example, it has been found that there are only two rainwater harvesting structures against 277 public open well-cum-borewells.
“With this, we can decide our priorities on the need to construct recharging structures as well as to replenish the groundwater,” he said.
The mapping has found that the taluk (excluding the jurisdiction of Mangaluru City Corporation and other urban local bodies) has 19 check dams and 22 rivers. The data helps in planning future check dams as well.
Mr. Ravi said that every planner would be equipped with the requirements of the village with this project. It also helps in drawing inferences.
The mapping found 111 banks under the jurisdiction of 55 panchayats indicating high commercial activity.
Vivek Alva, trustee of Alva’s Education Trust, said that Alva’s Institute of Engineering and Technology is one among the 10 colleges in India associated with the ISRO for the Bhuvan Panchayats project.
The mapping was done in 25 days. Of 281 public assets identified by the National Remote Sensing Centre, ISRO, 192 categories of assets were found in Mangaluru taluk, he said.
The CEO said that the Alva’s institute has shown interest to map the public assets in Bantwal and Puttur taluks in the district in the second phase. The panchayat will extend all its support to it.
