Government agrees to share classified hydrological data at a cost

The government has decided to share classified hydrological data at a cost only if the user is able to convince a panel about the requirement. The classified data can be availed by both Indian and foreign users by applying for it.

Why the government has agreed to share hydrological data?

• There has been increased demand by the community that statistics collected using public funds should be made more readily available to all for facilitating rational debate, better decision making and in meeting society’s needs.

As per Hydro-meteorological Data Dissemination Policy 2013:

• The classified data will be released for a specific purpose or study and will be non-transferable.
• There is a ban on reproduction of the classified data in any report or publication or detailed project report.
• Only result of analysis and inferences drawn thereof should be published.

How to get access to hydrological data?
Those who want to use the data will have to approach a designated chief engineer of the Central Water Commission (CWC) with a secrecy undertaking. The official would first verify the authenticity of the user, the purpose for which the data has been requested and the minimum amount of data required for the purpose. He will forward the request along with his recommendations to theClassified Data Release Committee which will take a final call on the issue.
Indian commercial and foreign users will be provided the classified hydro data at a cost of Rs 75,000 per site, per annum while the Indian non-commercial users will be provided with the information free of cost.

India divided into 3 regions regarding data dissemination:

1. Region-I: Indus basin and other rivers and their tributaries discharging into Pakistan
2. Region-II: Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna basin and other rivers and their tributaries discharging into Bangladesh/Myanmar
3. Region-III: Remaining other rivers and their tributaries.

 
According to the policy, while the data of Region-I and II are classified, the data of Region-III is unclassified.
The reservoir water level, live storage position, water quality, groundwater and meteorological data for all regions are also unclassified.

Month: Current Affairs - August, 2013

Category: Science & Technology Current Affairs