Development of GIS-based environmental information system: an Indian scenario

Abstract

Ideally, scientists should be able to format, explore, analyse, and visualise data in a simple, powerful and fast application that would seamlessly integrate georeferenced data from a variety of data sources into an intuitive visualisation. The focus of an Environmental Information System is providing environmental information to decision makers, policy planners, scientists and engineers, research workers, etc. which ensures integration of data collection, collation, storage, retrieval and dissemination to all concerned. All such queries should be responded to supplying substantive information in the form of reports. The paper presents an innovative way to utilise the geographic information associated with the environmental data. The stand-alone application is the integration of using ArcObjects Environmental System Research Institute ArcGIS Engine 9.1 and VB.Net. The geographic information system (GIS)-based application, a framework of digital earth in terms of environmental information system provides a user-friendly query interface, which gives information about various environmental parameters in tabular as well as on map display. It also provides the visual interpretation to make further analysis and future decisions at multiple scales, locations and extents. The facility for modifying the map attributes and corresponding databases is integrated to update the information system. Output spatial data are produced in the form of reports using selected fields with display on map.