A satellite imagery based atlas depicting most updated information of the entire 'kacho' areas of Sindh has been prepared. This was announced by a senior official of the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco).
General Manager, Remote Sensing Applications, Abdul Nasir said this atlas would serve as the most valuable information source for carrying out planning and development activities in the 'kacho' area of Sindh.
He stated that the atlas and a report on analysis of satellite based survey was part of the one-year project awarded by the Sindh Forest Department titled 'Baseline study and survey of kacho area of Sindh.'
The same was handed over to the chief conservator forests, Ghulam Mustafa Shaikh by the chairman Suparco, Major General Raza Hussain (Retd).
Nasir informed that the Sindh Forest Department intends to initiate poverty alleviation programme in the kacho area of Sindh extending from Jacobabad to Thatta districts.
Before embarking on such an initiative, baseline information relating to existing land resources including forestry, agriculture, livestock, fish and other land use as well as infrastructure such as roads, power lines, irrigation facilities, settlements, health, education, drinking water facilities, livestock and details of habitation etc are required.
Suparco collaborated with the department to map the requisite land use/land cover categories using satellite remote sensing data and a satellite imagery based atlas depicting the most updated information of the entire kacho area of Sindh was prepared.
Nasir said the atlas would serve as the most valuable information source for carrying out planning and development activities in the area.
With this, he added, a new dimension would be added to the information base. This would ultimately serve and support the policy as well as the decision making process.