Dr. Avnish Jolly ,11 July:Planning Ministry in Maldives has signed an agreement with Geoinformatic International to digitally capture all areas of the country for establishing a geographic information system and monitoring environmental changes.
As per the agreement, Geoinformatic will utilise the pictures for amending the Map of Maldives, besides establishing a geographic information system, special planning of Maldives and also to prepare Regional and Urban Plan. The Ministry informed that as per the agreement, all areas of the country will be digitally covered for a fee of US $4.8 Lac payable in four instalments.
According to Ministry the pictures will also be utilised by other government agencies in their projects and the digital pictures will also be used to monitor reefs, vegetations beach erosion as well as other environmental changes. It further said that the pictures will prove useful in preparation of environment impact assessment reports of large infrastructure projects.