[Botanical Survey of India, Zoological Survey of India, Forest Survey of India]
Botanical Survey of India (BSI)
Botanical Survey of India (BSI) is a premier institute under the Ministry with head quarter at Kolkata and Circle/Field offices at nine centers in the Country.
To survey the entire plant resources of the country,
To undertake and complete taxonomical studies on the flora of the country,
To list all endangered species and to undertake measures for their effective conservation and also to collect and maintain germ plasm and gene-banks of endangered, threatened and vulnerable species,
To bring out volumes of National Flora of State/Union Territories,
To identify, collect and preserve specimens of plants, which are economically and otherwise beneficial to human beings,
To prepare National Database on herbarium collections (including types), live collections, plant genetic resources, plant distribution and nomenclature,
To undertake studies on selected critical and fragile ecosystems,
Secondary Objectives :
To undertake assessment of Flora related to environmental studies as may be specifically called for,
To undertake ethnobotanical studies and evaluate plants of economic utility is areas specified by the Ministry,
To carry out geo-botanical studies in areas specified by the Ministry.
Highlights of the major activities carried out by the BSI during the year are as follows :
Botanical Exploration and Inventorisation of Phytodiversity
More than 74 exploration / collection tours were undertaken by circle offices and units of Botanical Survey of India in different districts of different states, in protected areas, sanctuaries, fragile ecosystems including wetlands of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Uttaranchal, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. More than 11,505 specimens have been collected including lower groups of plants viz. algae, fungi, lichens, bryophytes and pteridophytes and 6,205 specimens were identified. 42 specimens inventorised by different offices/unit of the BSI.
Documentation of Phytodiversity
Editing of manuscript for the families from Leguminosae to Asteraceae for the Flora of West Bengal vol.2; from Ranunculaceae to Leguminosae for Flora of Sikkim vol. 1 and for the families from Rosaceae to Ericaceae for Flora of Sikkim Vol.2; for Pteridophytes. Gymnosperms and families from Ranunculaceae to Moringaceae for the Flora of Jammu and Kashmir vol. 1 have been completed.
Description of 90 species under the families Labiateae, Valorianaceae, Lentibulariaceae, Ericaceae, Vaccinaceae, Boraginaceae, Acanthaceae Caesalpiniaceae of Flora of Kerala have been completed.
One thousand three hundred and twenty species under 78 families of Flora of Karanataka; 220 species of Poaceae of Flora of Nagaland: 72 species under the families Myrsinaceae, Sapotaceae, Ebenaceae, Symplocaceae of Flora of Assam; 151 species of the families Cucurbitaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Boraginaceae, Amaranthaceae of the Flora of West Bengal have been completed.
Two hundred and eighty three species of the national Flora under the families Solanaceae (10 spp.), Bromeliaceae (1 sp), Menianthaceae (2 spp.), Budlejaceae (3 spp.). Menispermaceae (10 spp.), Caprifoliaceae (30 spp.), Orchidaceae (60 spp.), Cactaeceae (29 spp.). Ebenaceae (62 spp.), Lauraceae (10 spp.) Chenopodiaceae (52 spp.), Valerianaceae (2 spp.), Urticaceae (12 spp.) were completed.
The following 10 species have been described for the first time and all were new to the world. Thirty two species recorded from India for the first time and four species rediscovered after lapse of 50 to 150 years.
New Species Discovered :
Epilobium ladakhianum T.K. Paul - Onagraceae
Zeuxine dhanikharianae V.Maina et.al - Orchidaceae
Habenaria kalpongia P.V. Sree Kumar - Orchidaceae
Eclipta prostata var. dixitii A. Kumar & K.K.Khana - Asteracea
Trichodesma mudgali A. Kumar & K.K. Khanna - Boraginaceae
Trichodesma indicum var. betulense A.Kumar & K.K.Khanna - Boraginaceae
Eriocaulon raipurensis K.K.Khanna et.al - Eriocaulaceae
Armodorum senapatianum S.J.Phukan & A.A. Mao - Orchidaceae
Notothylas Kashyapii D.K. Singh - Notothylaceae
Petalonema straito-theca Gupta - Seytonemaceae
Three hundred and sixty five species were collected for ex-situ multiplication of rare, endangered, wild relatives of ornamentals medicinally important plants in different Gardens of Botanical Survey of India and 213 species have been multiplied.
Different circles/units of the BSI have mounted 5,216 specimens and remounted 986 specimens. Stitching, label pasting etc have been done of 8,259 specimens, 3499 specimens were identified, 4369 specimens incorporated in different herbaria of Botanical Survey of India. 779 specimens were sent on loan and 239 specimens were received on exchange, 241 type photographs received from Kew.
Studies on Cytology/Palynology/Plant Physiology/Ethnobotany/Pharmacognosy
Chromosome numbers of 14 species along with 2 species of Acanthaceae have been determined. Documentation of Chromosome number reports of India species after 1981 completed for the families from Celastraceae to Fabaceae, Balsaminaceae, Dipterocarpaceae, Burseraceae and manuscript has been prepared.
Three tours were undertaken and 260 species were collected out of which 240 specimens were identified comprising of 175 species. Seeds of 27 species were collected for study of germination rate, viability rate etc of rare, medicinal, endemic species and 12 live plants were collected for ex-situ conservation. Two local tours were undertaken and collected 14 species to study germination rate. 40% germination were observed for Sporobolus indicus and 15-20% were observed in other species.
Two tours were undertaken and 111 species of ethnobotanical interest have been collected. Besides, 170 species were also identified from earlier collections.
Pollen morphological studies of 44 species under the families Genitanaceae (27. spp.). Thalypteridaceae (17 spp.) were completed under Light Microscope for Pollen Atlas of India Plants.
Pollen of 7 species under the families Potamogetonaceae (3 spp.). Apogetonaceae (3 spp.). Ruppiaceae (1 spp.) and seeds of 19 species under Ericaceae (16 spp.) and Indigoferae (3 spp.) have been studied under Scanning Electron Microscope.
Nine tours were undertaken and 1,017 aquatic or wetland specimens were collected. 359 specimens were identified and 150 described. 50 soil samples and 35 water samples were collected and analysed.
Plant parts of 41 species have been collected and 16 species have been extracted in different solvent and screened for active phytoconstitutents. Two single pure alkaloids have been isolated from Tiliacora racemosa.
The National Database is being regularly updated at Northern Circle, Dehra Dun; Southern Circle, Coimbatore and Industrial Section Indian Museum, Kolkata (ENVIS Centre) relating to medicinal plants. type collection and rare and threatened species.
Essay writing, debates, painting, sit and draw competitions, quiz contests, film shows and exhibition for school children and general public were organized on World Environment Day, International Day for Bio-diversity Conservation, Wildlife Week and Van-Mahotsav.
Various offices of the BSI were associated in the major EIA studies during the year .
Two workshops were organized during the year
Training in herbarium methodology imparted to three persons.
Seventy five batches comprising 385 students, 40 teachers from schools, colleges, institutions were taken on guided tour round the herbarium, musea and gardens of BSI.
A national workshop on "validation of threatened plants of India" during 15th and 16th May, 2001 was organised by BSI and its southern circle, Coimbatore. Workshop on "Plantation of medicinal plants" was also organised by Industrial Section, Indian Museum, BSI, Kolkata in collaboration with Academy of Ayurvedic Doctors of India.
The following publications were published by the BSI during the year:
Paschim Banglar Udvid: Flora of West Bengal (in Bengali) Vol. 3
Bulletin of the Botanical Survey of India Vol. 39 (1997)
Bulletin of the Botanical Survey of India Vol. 40 (1998)
Bulletin of the Botanical Survey of India Vol. 41 (1999)
Bulletin of the Botanical Survey of India Vol. 42 (2000)
Flora of Cold Desert of Western Himalaya : Monocotyledons, vol. I
Flora of Maharashtra State (Dicotyledons) Vol. 2
Vanaspati Vani Vol. 11 (10) : 2000
Annual Report of the Botanical Survey of India 1995-96 & 1996-97
Andaman of Nicobar Dweep Samuha Ki Vanaspati Sampada.
Monograph on Indian subtribe Cassiinae of Caesalpiniaceae
Monograph on Indian Leucas R.Br. (Dronapushpi)
Asteraceae of Sikkim
Flora of Madhya Pradesh Vol. III
Flora of Bihar-an analysis
Supplement to the Flora of Madhya Pradesh
Flora of Haryana: a check list
Zingiberaceae of Sikkim
Flora of Mahanadi Delta, Orissa
Flora of Gulf of Mannar
The Verbenaceae of India
Brochure on "Plantation of Medicinal Plants"
Brochure of BSI
A total of 101 research papers/scientific articles were also published and 39 communicated.
The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), a premier institute under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, has been undertaking survey, exploration and research leading to the advancement of our knowledge on the exceptionally rich faunal diversity of the country since its inception in 1916. With its Headquarters at Kolkata and sixteen Regional Stations located in different parts of the country, ZSI in recent years, has reoriented its plan of work by grouping the survey and studies under five major programmes, viz. 1) Fauna of States, 2) Fauna of Conservation areas, 3) Fauna of Important Ecosystems, 4) Status Survey of endangered species and 5) Ecological Studies. Besides these, the ongoing Fauna of India programme was also continued.
Seventy seven extensive faunal surveys were undertaken to different States/UTs including important ecosystems and some selected conservation/protected areas. Besides these, several short duration intensive surveys for ecological and bio-monitoring studies were also undertaken. Detailed taxonomic studies were carried out on the material collected during these as well as earlier surveys. Ecological studies including status survey of endangered animals was covered under no fewer than six projects. Besides, studies on seven other projects, which included one revisionary study, were also continued.
The National Zoological collection was further enriched by the addition of 17,614 specimens belonging to 1,659 species including 40 species new to science.
Besides, identification and advisory services to 199 individuals or institutions in India and abroad, two training courses under training and extension programme were also undertaken by the ZSI.
Publications brought out during the year include four issues of volume 99 of the periodical Record of ZSI, two Occasional Papers, one Volume of Bibliography of Indian Zoology and five volumes under Fauna of States series.
Highlights of the major activities during the year are as follows :
Faunal Explorations and Surveys
Ecosystems :
Tropical Rainforest
Surveys were conducted in mangroves of Kolavipalam, Kerala.
Himalayan
Ladakh Cold Desert-two extensive surveys were conducted in Ladakh Cold Desert areas.
Wetlands :
Nalsarovar, Gujarat, Gobind Sagar Dam, Crater Lake, Maharashtra, Wetlands of Chakrata Hills, Siwalik and Subernrekha River, Jharkhand were some important wetlands surveyed during the year.
Esturaine :
Vansadhra-Nagavali estuary in Andhra Pradesh was surveyed.
Marine :
Surveys were conducted in Gulf of Kutchch and coastal areas of middle A&N Islands and West Bengal.
Surveys were conducted for the faunal diversity in the following National Parks
Sanjay Gandhi National Parks, Maharashtra;
Pin Valley, H.P.
Panna, M.P. and
Ranthambore, Rajasthan.
Biosphere Reserve :
Gulf of Mannar and Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserves were further surveyed.
Tiger Reserve :
Pench Tiger Reserve was surveyed for its faunal diversity during the year.
Wildlife Sanctuaries :
Bethuadahari, West Bengal wildlife Sanctuary was surveyed during the year.
States and Union Territories :
Under this programme surveys were conducted in several districts of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Goa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttaranchal, U.P. and West Bengal.
Ecological Surveys :
Some islands of Sunderban (coastal biomonitoring)
Some east Kolkata wetlands and floodplain wetlands of North 24 Parganas district (plankton and benthos ecology)
A newly emerged island at Sunderban delta (faunal succession).
Identification of New Taxa :
Detailed taxonomic studies carried out during the year resulted in the discovery of a total of 40 species and one genus.
Arthropoda : Insecta : Hemiptera 1 Genus, 1 species
Arthropoda : Insecta: Diptera: Chloropidae2 species
Arthropoda : Insecta : Hymenoptera : Chalcidoidea2 species
Arthropoda: Insecta : Dermaptera25 species
Arthropoda : Arachnida 4 species
Arthropoda : Arachnids : Acarina 6 species
Taxonomic Studies :
The research works carried out on fauna collected from different States, conservation areas and other ecosystems are as follows :
The following volumes are being finalized for publication
Coleoptera : Scolytidae, Part I
Dermatera, Part II
Works in progress : Chlaropidae : Diptera
Details of number of specimens collected and species identified (in parentheses) based on the collections made from different states are given in Table-1.
Major Groups of Animals Collected
(Total number of specimens and species in parenthesis)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- States surveyed Porifera Bryozoa Annelida Nematoda Thysonoptera Apterygota Odonata Isoptera Hemiptera Hymeroptera Lepidoptera --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Andaman & Nicobar Is. 45(3) 80(8) Andhra Pradesh 6(2) 58(8) 200(4) Arunachal Pradesh 59(9) Assam Goa Gujarat 137(7) 44(6) Himachal Pradesh Karnataka 20 (vials) Kerala 53(1) 20(6) 16(6) 186(12) Madhya Pradesh 6(3) 1(1) Maharashtra Manipur 25 (vials) Megalaya Mizoram 65(12) 100(2) Nagaland Pondicherry 28(5) 8(3) Rajasthan Seceral (13) 12 vials (8) several (4) Tamil Nadu Uttar Pradesh 64(4) 215(31) 12(5) 93(12) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- States surveyed Coleoptera Orthoptera Myriapoda Arachnids Acrina Crustacea Pisces Amphibia Reptilia Mammalia ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Andaman & Nicobar Is. 19(5) Andhra Pradesh 258(8) 97(12) 285(44) Arunachal Pradesh 103(14) 350(58) 12(2) Assam 28(3) Goa 20(5) Gujarat Himachal Pradesh 14(3) 13(3) Karnataka 2845(98) 148(10) Kerala 4(3) 7(3) 144(24) 195(10) Madhya Pradesh 150(11) 30(19) Maharashtra 15(7) 3(1) Manipur 244(23) Megalaya 11(1) Mizoram Nagaland 301(48) Pondicherry Rajasthan 100(22) Tamil Nadu 99(9) 114(14) Uttar Pradesh 821(7) 364(31) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Biosphere Reserves
Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh
Six examples under four species of Odonata, 15 examples belonging to 10 species of Lepidoptera and 25 examples pertaining to two species of Acarina were examined.
Ranthambore, Rajasthan
Eighteen examples belonging to four species of Coleptera, and two vials containing two species of Isoptera, 49 examples belonging to 23 species of Lepidoptera were studied and identified.
Pench, Maharashtra
Seventy examples pertaining to 16 species of Mollusca, 71 examples belonging to 18 species of Thysanoptera, and four examples under one speices of Chilopoda collected from this park were studied.
Tadoba, Maharashtra
Two examples belonging to one species of Mollusca, and 42 examples under 13 species of Crustacea : Cladocera were studied and classified.
Panna, Madhya Pradesh
One forty five examples pertaining to 37 species of Lepidoptera were identified.
Melghat, Maharashtra
Four examples belonging to four species of Diptera, one example belonging to one species of Lepidoptera, 18 examples belonging to eight species of Pisces were recognised.
Agasthyamalai, Tamil Nadu
One hundred and eleven examples belonging to 28 species of Hemiptera were identified and the studies on this group were concluded.
Kaimur, Bihar
Twenty two species of Reptilia, 107 species of Apes and 48 species of Mammalia were identified from this sanctuary.
Billigiri Rangaswamy, Karnataka
Seven examples pertaining to three species of Arachnida and 76 examples belonging to eight species of Pisces were studied and identified.
Parambikulam, Kerala
Studies in this sanctuary were completed and the manuscript is being finalized.
Dalma, Bihar
Field observation on Tetrapods of this sanctuary were carried out.
Bethuadahari, West Bengal
Seventy two examples belonging to 4 species of Annelida were identified.
Asola Bhatti, Delhi
One hundred and twenty six examples pertaining to four species of Centepede were studied and identified.
Western Ghat, Kerala
Three hundred and twenty eight examples belonging to 55 species of Odanata, 148 examples pertaining to 57 species of Hymenoptera and 338 examples under 45 species of Pisces collected from different districts were studied and identified.
Nalsarovar, Gujarat
Twenty five examples belonging to three species of Diptera were identified.
Nathsagar, Maharashtra
Nine examples under three species of Crustacea were identified.
Keoladeo, Ghana, Rajasthan
Thirty examples pertaining to three species of Mollusca, 50 examples belonging to 16 species of Odanata and 16 examples of four species of Lepidoptera were identified.
Subernrekha River, Jharkhand
One hundred and thirty two examples pertaining to 22 species of Pisces were identified.
Wetlands of Siwalik region, Uttaranchal
Sixty six examples comprising of nine species of Pisces were studied.
Krishna Estuary
Forty nine examples comprising of 14 species of Polychaeta, 548 examples belonging to 108 species of Mollusca, 527 examples pertaining to 38 species of Crustacea : Decapoda and 990 examples comprising of 187 species of Pisces were identified.
Andaman and Nicobar
The studies on Echinodermata Fauna have been completed
Andhra Coast
Five examples pertaining to five species of Mollusca were identified
Chennai Coast
Nine examples comprising of three species of Crustacea : Decapoda : Brachyura were identified
Kerala Coast
Twelve example pertaining to eight species of Pisces were studied and identified.
West Bengal (Digha) Coast
Sixty-nine examples belonging to 19 species of Polychaeta : Annelida were studied and identified.
Work has been continued on the following project :
Faunal succession in a newly emerged Nayachar Island at Sunderban Delta
Impact of some heavy metal on the soil micro-fauna in reclaimed wetlands embankments of Kolkata
Faunal diversity of floodplain wetlands of southern West Bengal
Ecology of East Kolkata Wetlands
Faunal diversity of Zooplankton and Bents in Kerala backwaters
Biological Monitoring of West Bengal Coast.
Revisionary Studies :
Revision of the families Coengrionidae and Platycenmidae (Pisces) was made.
Other Studies :
Endemic freshwater fishes of India
Tricho-taxonomic studies on Indian mammals-families Ursidae, and Vivernidae
Checklist of Indian mammals
Endemic mammals of India
Endemic land and fresh water molluscs
Upgrading of the list of rare, threatened and endangered birds of India.
Research Papers :
During the years, a total a 240 research papers were either published or sent for publication by the scientists of ZSI.
Advisory Services :
The ZSI continued to render identification and advisory services free of cost to research and teaching institutes in India and abroad, Central and State Government/Agencies, Non-governmental organisations, industries and individuals on zoological matters. During the year, 199 enquiries pertaining to different group of faunas were attended.
Development of National Zoological Collection
The ZSI, which is a national repository of Zoological specimens, maintains the collection of a large number of identified examples of species belonging to almost all groups of animals of the country. The National Zoological Collection was further enriched by 17,614 examples belonging to 1,659 species including 40 new species.
Training Programme
The following training programmes were conducted during the year:
Leadership course on environmental awareness and wildlife conservation.
Training course on collection, preservation and identification of Zoological specimens at the ZSI, Eastern Regional Station, Shillong.
Publications :
The following publications were released during the year by the ZSI :
Records of Zoological Survey of India - Volume 99, parts1-4
Records of Zoological Survey of India-Occasional Papers :
Habitat Suitability Analysis of Chinkara, Gazella bennetti in Rajasthan
Water birds of North India
State Fauna Series
Fauna of Meghalaya Part 9
Fauna of West Bengal- Part 8
Fauna of Tripura, Parts 2,3, and 4
Fauna of Conservation Areas
No. 10. Valmiki Tiger Reserve.
Bibliography of Indian Zoology Vol 32.
Database Development
The Database on National Zoological Collection encompassing all groups (Protozoa to Mammalia) was developed in the ZSI headquarter. During the period, following entries were made
Lepidoptera : 35,000 entries
Odonata : 5,000 entries
Coleoptera : 22,000 entries
Mollusca : 850 entries
Other Activities
World Environment Day and Wildlife Week were celebrated at ZSI Hq. Kolkata.
Laboratory facilities and guidance were provided to a number of scientists, both from the country as well as from abroad.
A large number of ZSI scientists attended various conferences/symposia/workshops in the country and abroad and presented their papers in their respective disciplines.
Forest Survey of India (FSI), an organization of Ministry is engaged in generating information and database development on forest cover and forest resources in the country besides providing services of training, research and extension. The mandate of the FSI, established in June, 1981 was redefined in 1986 with the following objectives :
To prepare a comprehensive State of Forest Report (SFR) including National Vegetation Map (NVM) once every two years. To prepare thematic maps through use of remote sensing data (aerial photographs) with minimum essential ground truth verification.
To undertake work in regard to preparation of forest inventory in the country.
To collect, store and retrieve necessary forestry and forestry-related data for national and state level planning and to create a computer based National Basic Forestry Inventory System (NBFIS).
To design methodologies relating to forest surveys and subsequent processing and updating.
To impart training in modern forest survey techniques to foresters at various levels.
To undertake special studies and consultancies.
The Forest Survey of India with its head quarter at Dehra Dun and four zones located at Shimla (North Zone ), Kolkata (East Zone), Nagpur (Central zone) and Bangalore (South Zone) are largely carrying out inventory of forest resources inside and outside forest areas. During the year, infrastructure of these offices have been strengthened for carrying out digital image processing activities.
Activities undertaken by the FSI during the year are as follows :
The FSI has been assessing the forest cover of the country using satellite imagery on two years cycle. First assessment was made in 1987 by visual interpretation of Land-sat MSS satellite data on 1:1 million scale having 80 meters resolutions. Subsequently three assessments, done in 1989, 1991, and 1993 by visual interpretation of Land-sat TM satellite date on 1:250,000 scale having 30 meter resolution. Thereafter, fifth and sixth assessments were made in 1995 and 1997 using IRS-1B, LISS IIth data on 1:250,000 scale having resolution 36.25 m. During fifth and sixth assessments interpretation of data for Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra State has been done digitally and for rest of the State/UTs it has been done visually. The seventh assessment was made in 1999 using IRS-1B, 1C and 1D data on 1:250,000 scale. The resolution of IRS-1B-(LISS II) sensor in 36.25m whereas IRS-1C and 1D (LISS III) is 23.5 m. In seventh assessment digital method of interpretation has been used for Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi (UT), Sikkim and for the North-eastern states which comprises 63% of the forest cover of the country. The eighth assessment, which is scheduled to be completed in March 2002, is under progress and is completely based on digital interpretation of satellite data.
The country is covered by 363 Survey of India (SOI) toposheets on 1: 250,000 scale. Target of the work of interpretation for one year covers about half of the country. During 2000-2001 the interpretation of 182 sheets pertaining to Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Haryana, Punjab, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, A&N Islands and North Eastern states has been completed. For the purpose of map composition, digitization of the features like district boundary, roads, railway lines, rivers etc. to be overlayed on the forest cover maps was also undertaken. The interpretation of the rest of the country has been done during 2001-2002. Ground truthing of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and a part of Orissa has been completed. An extensive ground truthing programme has been formulated to cover the rest of the states.
Apart from regular activities, special studies for assessment of changes in the vegetation status of seven Biosphere Reserves, seven tiger reserves, three National Parks and three wildlife sanctuaries have also been done. Besides, FSI has undertaken one project of Mizoram Forest Department for providing assistance in preparation of working plan with the application of Remote Sensing and GIS techniques. A methodology is being standardized for assessing growing stock by stratifying forest area into homogenous strata. Application of Remote Sensing and GIS has been made in creating different layers of information like forest cover, administrative boundaries, roads, forest boundaries, compartments etc. With the help of spatial data base, thematic maps have been generated and stratification has been carried out.
Preparation of thematic maps based on interpretation of Aerial photographs is an important activity of FSI. Aerial photographs procured from Survey of India are interpreted using Stereoscopes. After intensive ground verification corrections are incorporated in the interpreted aerial photographs. These photographs are sent to SOI for transference of interpreted details on base maps on 1:50,000 scale and for preparation of thematic maps. Thematic maps depict forest types, major species composition, crown density of forest cover and other land use classes. They depict as many as 48 forest types and 14 other categories of land uses. These maps are used by various State Forest Departments for updating stock maps, working plan preparations, management of forest resources and land use planning. These are also indented by railways, engineering, educational, mining and other establishments for their general planning and programme execution. Each year about 5200 aerial photographs corresponding to 260 SOI toposheets on 1: 50,000 scale are interpreted for generation of Thematic Maps. Thematic mapping has covered about 75% of the forested area of the country. Due to non-availability of the latest aerial photographs in time the thematic mapping works has been scaled down to 50 sheets per year since 1999-2000. During the year 50 sheets pertaining to Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Orissa state has been taken in target for interpretation.
During the year following forest inventory reports were published:
Shahdol, Hoshangabad, Sidhi and Narsingpur of Madhya Pradesh.
Undivided Puri and Cuttck districts of Orissa,
Andaman group of Island
West and South districts of Sikkim
Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu
Hazaribagh, Dhandabd, Aurangabad and Giridih districts of Jharkhand state and
Gaya, Munger, Nalanda and Nawada districts of Bihar.
Forest Inventory report of Ranchi, Gumla and Lohardaga and undivided Sighbhum and Santhal Pargana of Jharkhand State and Banka and Bhagalpur district of Bihar State and Sundergarh district of West Bengal State were also published.
Wood consumption report of Shahdol, Narsingpur, Sidhi and Chhindwara districts of Madhya Pradesh and Amravati, Wardha, Nagpur, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Ahmednagar districts of Maharashtra state were also published.
Inventory of Trees outside Forest
Keeping in view the important role played by forestry plantations and to assess the impact of Social Forestry and other forestry extension programmes in meeting fuel-wood and timber needs of the people and raw material requirements of the wood based industries, survey of plantation outside conventional forest has also been initiated by Forest Survey of India. The survey of TOF has been completed in Haryana. Similar surveys have been initiated in other states also. During the year, 26,962 sq.km. in Maharashtra, 3,358 sq.km. in Gujarat, 264 sq.km. in West Bengal, 11,870 sq.km. in Bihar, 2300 sq.km. in Rajasthan and 48,000 sq.km. in Andhra Pradesh of National Forest Area (NFA) have been surveyed so far. Thus the total NFA surveyed (upto October, 2001) is 92,754 sq.km. Proposals have been also submitted for Punjab, Delhi and Karnataka State for TOF surveys to respective State Forest Departments. During the year, TOF reports in respect of Haryana, Bangalore, rural of Karnataka State, Sambalpur, Balasore, Mayurbhanj of Orissa State, Mathura, Farrukabad of Uttar Pradesh, Midnapore of West Bengal State and Betul district of Madhya Pradesh have been published.
Training
The FSI organises training programmes for forestry personnel on various aspects such as applications of remoting sensing techniques in forestry (Details of its activities are given in Chapter 8).
Electronic Data Processing
The objective of the Electronic Data Processing Unit is to provide qualitative and quantitative information about the forest resources of the country, within and outside the forest. During the year 34,097 sq. km of Maharashtra State, 25,697 sq. km of Gujarat State and 7,000 sq. km of West Bengal State has been processed. The total area processed so far is 66,794 Sq.km.
The State Forest Reports, which are published biennially, provide a comprehensive account of the forest cover scenario of the country to different user groups. The inventory reports and wood consumption studies, which are taken up for specific forest/non-forest areas, furnishes valuable information on growing stock, status of regeneration, incidence of grazing, incidence of fire etc. and are largely used by State Forest Departments. They are of great importance for policy, planners, managers, researchers and academicians etc.
The draft SFR 2001, the 8th in the series, is being finalized during the year. Besides, 19 technical reports comprising eight reports on Forest inventory, five on tree outside forest (TOF) inventory and six on wood consumption studies have also been published during the year.
National Forest Data Management Centre (NFDMC) is engaged in Forest Cover Mapping and special projects using state-of-art computer hardware and softwares. NFDMC has 3 Sun Ultra 60, One Sun Spark and 2 Intergraph Workstations equipped with ERDAS IMAGINE 8.4 with Vector module for Digital Image Processing. For GIS, map publication and photogrammetry related works, center has Intergraph machine based Digital Cartography System consisting of Servers, Graphic Edit Workstations, Image Stations and Map Setter.
Involvement with NSDI and Launching of Website
FSI is part of national initiative on creation of National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). The NSDI aims to promote and establish an infrastructure for organized spatial and non-spatial data and multilevel information networking to fulfill local, national and global needs for data. FSI will function as focal organization in NSDI framework for compilation, storage and dissemination of forest maps and forestry data.
In order to provide information on countrys forest resources i.e. Forest cover and Growing stock, FSI has launched its website "www.fsiorg.net" during the year.
Special Studies
The organization, while retaining its primary role of forest resources assessment, has also been carrying out special studies on subjects of contemporary importance from time to time. Some of the special studies undertaken are as follows:
Monitoring of shifting cultivation in NE hill states
Mapping of alpine pastures in the Himalayas
Vegetation cover changes in Protected Areas
Preparation of Ganga basin forest cover map
Global forest cover assessment for FAO (1990 & 2000)
Vegetation cover changes in Project Tiger Areas
Forest fire mapping (1995 and 1999)
Thematic mapping of Corbet National Park
Forest cover changes in Biosphere Reserves
Monitoring forest cover in metal mines in forest areas
Assessment of damage to forest due to super cyclone in Orissa
Application of GIS in preparation of watershed management plan (Uttar Kosi Project)
Promotion of Hindi
During 2001-2002 measure were ensured to enhance the pace of implementation of official language policy in FSI. Besides regular appraisal of different units/regional offices of FSI ensured through quarterly meetings, encouragement of noting and drafting in Hindi. To facilitate typing in Hindi "Hindi Software" has been installed in many office computers. Various programmes and activities related to promotion of Hindi were undertaken by the FSI during the year.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands Forests and Plantation Development Corporation Ltd., Port Blair
The Andaman & Nicobar Islands Forest and Plantation Development Corporation Ltd., a Government of India undertaking has an authorized capital of Rs. 600 lakhs. The paid up share capital is Rs. 359.18 lakhs, all the share capital being held by the Central Government. The Company started functioning in 1977 and is a category C Central Public Sector Undertaking. The corporation has also financed its capital from the resources generated internally.
The main activities of the Corporation during the year were timber logging and regeneration, oil palm cultivation and processing and commercial management of rubber plantation. The Corporation is also in the process to diversify its activities wherever possible within the ambit of its objectives.
On 10th October, 2001, Honble Supreme Court has issued an order in Civil Writ No. 202/1995 putting complete ban on felling of all naturally grown trees except plantation in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which has resulted in complete standstill of activities in the Corporation.