Kurukshetra Magazine May 2024 - 3 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

 Page 1


Growing human-led exploitation of natural resources and climatic changes has put 
biodiversity of India (which is one of the twelve mega biodiverse countries in the world) 
under severe threat. Globally also, it comes under increasing pressure on account 
of factors such as habitat fragmentation/habitat loss, over-exploitation, pollution, 
invasive species, and global warming. In such a scenario, the potential of geospatial 
tools needs to be utilised in terms of forest cover maps, land use, land cover maps, and 
vegetation maps especially in places of inaccessible, rugged terrain for further macro 
and micro level planning.
Biodiversity Conservation using 
Remote Sensing and GIS Tools
*Dr. Ritesh Joshi
*Dr. Kanchan Puri
* Both the Authors are Scientists in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, New Delhi. 
   Email: puri.kanchan@gov.in
iodiversity is variability among 
organisms from all sources including 
terrestrial, marine and other 
ecosystems at three levels - species, 
genetics, and ecosystem. It deals 
with the degree of nature’s variety in the biosphere. 
Variety of ecosystems which occur in deserts, forests, 
wetlands, mountains, lakes, rivers, and agricultural 
landscapes encompass overall biodiversity on earth. 
Consumptive use value of biodiversity covers the 
direct utilisation of timber, food, fuelwood, and fodder 
by local communities. Globally also, biodiversity has 
come under increasing pressure on account of factors 
such as habitat fragmentation/habitat loss, over-
exploitation, pollution, invasive species, and global 
warming. 
B
Page 2


Growing human-led exploitation of natural resources and climatic changes has put 
biodiversity of India (which is one of the twelve mega biodiverse countries in the world) 
under severe threat. Globally also, it comes under increasing pressure on account 
of factors such as habitat fragmentation/habitat loss, over-exploitation, pollution, 
invasive species, and global warming. In such a scenario, the potential of geospatial 
tools needs to be utilised in terms of forest cover maps, land use, land cover maps, and 
vegetation maps especially in places of inaccessible, rugged terrain for further macro 
and micro level planning.
Biodiversity Conservation using 
Remote Sensing and GIS Tools
*Dr. Ritesh Joshi
*Dr. Kanchan Puri
* Both the Authors are Scientists in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, New Delhi. 
   Email: puri.kanchan@gov.in
iodiversity is variability among 
organisms from all sources including 
terrestrial, marine and other 
ecosystems at three levels - species, 
genetics, and ecosystem. It deals 
with the degree of nature’s variety in the biosphere. 
Variety of ecosystems which occur in deserts, forests, 
wetlands, mountains, lakes, rivers, and agricultural 
landscapes encompass overall biodiversity on earth. 
Consumptive use value of biodiversity covers the 
direct utilisation of timber, food, fuelwood, and fodder 
by local communities. Globally also, biodiversity has 
come under increasing pressure on account of factors 
such as habitat fragmentation/habitat loss, over-
exploitation, pollution, invasive species, and global 
warming. 
B
36 Kurukshetra       May  2024
India, with just 2.4% of the land area, has over 
45,000 species of plants and 91,000 species of animals 
which have been recorded so far. Four of the 34 
identified hot spots (presence of endemic species) of 
the world are in India: Himalaya, Indo-Burma, Western 
Ghats, and Sundaland. This Biodiversity is spread across 
10 bio-geographic zones namely (1) Trans-Himalayan 
zone (2) Himalayan zone (3) Desert zone (4) Semiarid 
zone (5) Western ghat zone (6) Deccan plateau zone (7) 
Gangetic plain zone (8) North-east zone (9) Coastal zone 
(10) Islands [Rodgers and Panwar, 1988]. The Convention 
on Biological Diversity is a legally binding instrument 
to address biological diversity with three objectives, 
viz. conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of 
its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of 
benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. The 
Convention has near universal membership with 196 
countries (including India) as Parties.
Talking about the information on the global 
extinction risk status of species, International Union 
for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) prepares the Red 
List of Threatened Species which is a critical indicator 
of the health of the world’s biodiversity. Species are 
classified into one of nine Red List Categories: Extinct, 
Extinct in the Wild, Critically Endangered, Endangered, 
Vulnerable, Near Threatened, Least Concern, Data 
Deficient, and Not Evaluated. Vulnerable, Endangered, 
and Critically Endangered species are considered to be 
threatened with extinction. Conservation of biodiversity 
is crucial because it provides several goods and services 
36 Kurukshetra       May  2024
Page 3


Growing human-led exploitation of natural resources and climatic changes has put 
biodiversity of India (which is one of the twelve mega biodiverse countries in the world) 
under severe threat. Globally also, it comes under increasing pressure on account 
of factors such as habitat fragmentation/habitat loss, over-exploitation, pollution, 
invasive species, and global warming. In such a scenario, the potential of geospatial 
tools needs to be utilised in terms of forest cover maps, land use, land cover maps, and 
vegetation maps especially in places of inaccessible, rugged terrain for further macro 
and micro level planning.
Biodiversity Conservation using 
Remote Sensing and GIS Tools
*Dr. Ritesh Joshi
*Dr. Kanchan Puri
* Both the Authors are Scientists in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, New Delhi. 
   Email: puri.kanchan@gov.in
iodiversity is variability among 
organisms from all sources including 
terrestrial, marine and other 
ecosystems at three levels - species, 
genetics, and ecosystem. It deals 
with the degree of nature’s variety in the biosphere. 
Variety of ecosystems which occur in deserts, forests, 
wetlands, mountains, lakes, rivers, and agricultural 
landscapes encompass overall biodiversity on earth. 
Consumptive use value of biodiversity covers the 
direct utilisation of timber, food, fuelwood, and fodder 
by local communities. Globally also, biodiversity has 
come under increasing pressure on account of factors 
such as habitat fragmentation/habitat loss, over-
exploitation, pollution, invasive species, and global 
warming. 
B
36 Kurukshetra       May  2024
India, with just 2.4% of the land area, has over 
45,000 species of plants and 91,000 species of animals 
which have been recorded so far. Four of the 34 
identified hot spots (presence of endemic species) of 
the world are in India: Himalaya, Indo-Burma, Western 
Ghats, and Sundaland. This Biodiversity is spread across 
10 bio-geographic zones namely (1) Trans-Himalayan 
zone (2) Himalayan zone (3) Desert zone (4) Semiarid 
zone (5) Western ghat zone (6) Deccan plateau zone (7) 
Gangetic plain zone (8) North-east zone (9) Coastal zone 
(10) Islands [Rodgers and Panwar, 1988]. The Convention 
on Biological Diversity is a legally binding instrument 
to address biological diversity with three objectives, 
viz. conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of 
its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of 
benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. The 
Convention has near universal membership with 196 
countries (including India) as Parties.
Talking about the information on the global 
extinction risk status of species, International Union 
for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) prepares the Red 
List of Threatened Species which is a critical indicator 
of the health of the world’s biodiversity. Species are 
classified into one of nine Red List Categories: Extinct, 
Extinct in the Wild, Critically Endangered, Endangered, 
Vulnerable, Near Threatened, Least Concern, Data 
Deficient, and Not Evaluated. Vulnerable, Endangered, 
and Critically Endangered species are considered to be 
threatened with extinction. Conservation of biodiversity 
is crucial because it provides several goods and services 
36 Kurukshetra       May  2024 37 Kurukshetra       May  2024
necessary for human survival. The need of hour is to 
use appropriate technologies to formulate effective 
and sustainable management of the natural resources. 
In this regard, remote sensing and Geographic 
Information System (GIS) play an important role in 
the field of conservation. GIS is a system that creates, 
manages, analyses, and maps all types of data. It 
connects data to a map, integrating location data with 
all types of descriptive information (www.esri.com). It 
facilitates storing, manipulating, and retrieving spatially 
referenced data. It is widely recognised that Remote 
Sensing and GIS are powerful tools in the assessment of 
biodiversity and conservation. Remote Sensing provides 
information on biodiversity at landscape, regional, 
continental, and global spatial levels (Nagendra, 2001). 
The derived information from mapping specific land-
cover classes can aid both biodiversity assessment and 
conservation.
Nowadays, new imaging technologies are 
there to gather digital spatial information at very 
fine resolution. There will be change in dynamics 
of land-use/land-cover pattern which is the result 
of anthropogenic interaction with the natural 
environment. Information on the rate and kind of 
change in the use of land resources is essential for 
proper planning, management, and regularising the 
use of resources. Satellite data in association with 
GIS provides cost-effective tools for mapping and 
formulation of conservation and management plans. 
Geospatial tools have given a new dimension to the 
management of protected area. Effective management 
of protected area and conservation of biodiversity 
in general demands inventory, evaluation, planning, 
and management at scales ranging from local and 
regional to national, continental, and global (Nix et al., 
2000). Previously, protected area managers combined 
CASE STuD y
Spatial database for Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh has been created, which would be very 
valuable in both management and monitoring of resources and especially in regard to rugged terrain conditions 
coupled with inaccessibility of the park. The availability of spatial information at the Forest Range level helps in 
improving the efficacy of protected area management. The study intended to generate spatial database relevant 
to the management of the National Park, which includes maps showing classified vegetation, topography, 
drainage, village/town locations, water bodies and major infrastructural facilities. Secondary data for preparation 
of current vegetation cover/type map was obtained from various sources. Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellite 
IRS-P6, LISS-III data procured from the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Hyderabad was used. In addition, 
satellite data was acquired and interpreted (visually/digitally) to generate such maps. The interpretation was fully 
supported with adequate ground truth. Vegetation strata observed on satellite image was verified on the ground 
for accuracy assessment. The above information formed the basis to prepare documents for interpretation of 
the maps consisting of extent, status and species composition of various vegetation types in the PA.
(Source: Baseline Mapping for Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh,  
India using Geospatial Tools available at http://www.igrsm.org/mjrsgis/issues.html).
37 Kurukshetra       May  2024
Page 4


Growing human-led exploitation of natural resources and climatic changes has put 
biodiversity of India (which is one of the twelve mega biodiverse countries in the world) 
under severe threat. Globally also, it comes under increasing pressure on account 
of factors such as habitat fragmentation/habitat loss, over-exploitation, pollution, 
invasive species, and global warming. In such a scenario, the potential of geospatial 
tools needs to be utilised in terms of forest cover maps, land use, land cover maps, and 
vegetation maps especially in places of inaccessible, rugged terrain for further macro 
and micro level planning.
Biodiversity Conservation using 
Remote Sensing and GIS Tools
*Dr. Ritesh Joshi
*Dr. Kanchan Puri
* Both the Authors are Scientists in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, New Delhi. 
   Email: puri.kanchan@gov.in
iodiversity is variability among 
organisms from all sources including 
terrestrial, marine and other 
ecosystems at three levels - species, 
genetics, and ecosystem. It deals 
with the degree of nature’s variety in the biosphere. 
Variety of ecosystems which occur in deserts, forests, 
wetlands, mountains, lakes, rivers, and agricultural 
landscapes encompass overall biodiversity on earth. 
Consumptive use value of biodiversity covers the 
direct utilisation of timber, food, fuelwood, and fodder 
by local communities. Globally also, biodiversity has 
come under increasing pressure on account of factors 
such as habitat fragmentation/habitat loss, over-
exploitation, pollution, invasive species, and global 
warming. 
B
36 Kurukshetra       May  2024
India, with just 2.4% of the land area, has over 
45,000 species of plants and 91,000 species of animals 
which have been recorded so far. Four of the 34 
identified hot spots (presence of endemic species) of 
the world are in India: Himalaya, Indo-Burma, Western 
Ghats, and Sundaland. This Biodiversity is spread across 
10 bio-geographic zones namely (1) Trans-Himalayan 
zone (2) Himalayan zone (3) Desert zone (4) Semiarid 
zone (5) Western ghat zone (6) Deccan plateau zone (7) 
Gangetic plain zone (8) North-east zone (9) Coastal zone 
(10) Islands [Rodgers and Panwar, 1988]. The Convention 
on Biological Diversity is a legally binding instrument 
to address biological diversity with three objectives, 
viz. conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of 
its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of 
benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. The 
Convention has near universal membership with 196 
countries (including India) as Parties.
Talking about the information on the global 
extinction risk status of species, International Union 
for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) prepares the Red 
List of Threatened Species which is a critical indicator 
of the health of the world’s biodiversity. Species are 
classified into one of nine Red List Categories: Extinct, 
Extinct in the Wild, Critically Endangered, Endangered, 
Vulnerable, Near Threatened, Least Concern, Data 
Deficient, and Not Evaluated. Vulnerable, Endangered, 
and Critically Endangered species are considered to be 
threatened with extinction. Conservation of biodiversity 
is crucial because it provides several goods and services 
36 Kurukshetra       May  2024 37 Kurukshetra       May  2024
necessary for human survival. The need of hour is to 
use appropriate technologies to formulate effective 
and sustainable management of the natural resources. 
In this regard, remote sensing and Geographic 
Information System (GIS) play an important role in 
the field of conservation. GIS is a system that creates, 
manages, analyses, and maps all types of data. It 
connects data to a map, integrating location data with 
all types of descriptive information (www.esri.com). It 
facilitates storing, manipulating, and retrieving spatially 
referenced data. It is widely recognised that Remote 
Sensing and GIS are powerful tools in the assessment of 
biodiversity and conservation. Remote Sensing provides 
information on biodiversity at landscape, regional, 
continental, and global spatial levels (Nagendra, 2001). 
The derived information from mapping specific land-
cover classes can aid both biodiversity assessment and 
conservation.
Nowadays, new imaging technologies are 
there to gather digital spatial information at very 
fine resolution. There will be change in dynamics 
of land-use/land-cover pattern which is the result 
of anthropogenic interaction with the natural 
environment. Information on the rate and kind of 
change in the use of land resources is essential for 
proper planning, management, and regularising the 
use of resources. Satellite data in association with 
GIS provides cost-effective tools for mapping and 
formulation of conservation and management plans. 
Geospatial tools have given a new dimension to the 
management of protected area. Effective management 
of protected area and conservation of biodiversity 
in general demands inventory, evaluation, planning, 
and management at scales ranging from local and 
regional to national, continental, and global (Nix et al., 
2000). Previously, protected area managers combined 
CASE STuD y
Spatial database for Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh has been created, which would be very 
valuable in both management and monitoring of resources and especially in regard to rugged terrain conditions 
coupled with inaccessibility of the park. The availability of spatial information at the Forest Range level helps in 
improving the efficacy of protected area management. The study intended to generate spatial database relevant 
to the management of the National Park, which includes maps showing classified vegetation, topography, 
drainage, village/town locations, water bodies and major infrastructural facilities. Secondary data for preparation 
of current vegetation cover/type map was obtained from various sources. Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellite 
IRS-P6, LISS-III data procured from the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Hyderabad was used. In addition, 
satellite data was acquired and interpreted (visually/digitally) to generate such maps. The interpretation was fully 
supported with adequate ground truth. Vegetation strata observed on satellite image was verified on the ground 
for accuracy assessment. The above information formed the basis to prepare documents for interpretation of 
the maps consisting of extent, status and species composition of various vegetation types in the PA.
(Source: Baseline Mapping for Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh,  
India using Geospatial Tools available at http://www.igrsm.org/mjrsgis/issues.html).
37 Kurukshetra       May  2024 38 Kurukshetra       May  2024
in mountainous areas are affecting the regeneration 
of various plant species and there may be upward 
movement of the habitats of many species from their 
current locations. Similarly, the State of Environment 
Report highlights the upward shifting of tree-line 
and decreasing trend of the quantum of rainfall. Any 
minor or drastic change in the local climate of an 
area may affect the species’ distribution and thus 
the structure of the entire ecosystem. Long-term 
studies using geospatial tools are needed to record 
the consequences of climate change on species and 
natural habitats. Unusual sighting records of various 
species in middle and higher Himalayas have opened 
the scope to revisit our existing knowledge on the 
distribution of species and to start working towards 
a landscape-level conservation model. Here the 
geospatial techniques are imperative to strengthen 
our conservation approaches towards mitigating the 
negative impact of climate change on population 
distribution of species in small area. ?
References 
•	 Nagendra H (2001). Using remote sensing to assess 
biodiversity. Int. J. Remote Sens. 22:2377–2400 
(NRSA, 2007).
•	 Nix, H. A., Faith, D. P ., Hutchinson, M. F., Margules, 
C. R., West, J., Allison, A., Kesteven, J.L., Natera, 
G., Slater, W., Stein, J. L. & Walker. P . (2000). The 
BioRap Toolbox: A National Study of Biodiversity 
Assessment and Planning for Papua New Guinea. 
CSIRO Press. Canberra.
•	 Wilson RJ, Thomas CD, Fox R, Roy DB, Kunin 
WES (2004). Spatial patterns in species 
distributions reveal biodiversity change. 
Nature 432:393–396.
topographical and land ownership maps with their 
knowledge of local climate, species distributions, 
topography, environment law, and land use to define 
management zones and strategies. Today, all this data 
can be analysed in digital databases to provide more 
efficient, accurate, and informed decision-making. 
Protected area mapping is an important aspect of 
protected area management. It serves as baseline 
for ecological modelling and future monitoring and 
assessment. These technologies provide vital geo-
information support in terms of relevant, reliable, and 
timely information needed for conservation planning.
Land use/land cover mapping of inaccessible, 
rugged terrain is helpful for further macro and micro-
level planning. One can understand the underlying 
ecological dynamics impact of human pressure on 
changing vegetation patterns and thereby providing 
better land management options for maintaining its 
unique richness of biodiversity. These technologies 
can help in preparation of Habitat Suitability Map 
for species, for example in case of tigers, Habitat 
Suitability Mapping can guide the management plans 
for fragmented patches of critical tiger habitat. GIS is 
a powerful tool which not only analyses the present 
environmental scenario but also helps in projecting 
the future, in other words, one can effectively use it for 
past, present, and future studies on environment. The 
ecological aspects of most of the species have been 
studied in their natural ranges, but our knowledge is 
still lacking for new distribution ranges of the species. 
We have to strengthen our knowledge on climate 
change at local and regional level and its effect on 
biodiversity.
Uttarakhand Action Plan on Climate Change 
reveals that the abrupt changes in climatic conditions 
38 Kurukshetra       May  2024
Page 5


Growing human-led exploitation of natural resources and climatic changes has put 
biodiversity of India (which is one of the twelve mega biodiverse countries in the world) 
under severe threat. Globally also, it comes under increasing pressure on account 
of factors such as habitat fragmentation/habitat loss, over-exploitation, pollution, 
invasive species, and global warming. In such a scenario, the potential of geospatial 
tools needs to be utilised in terms of forest cover maps, land use, land cover maps, and 
vegetation maps especially in places of inaccessible, rugged terrain for further macro 
and micro level planning.
Biodiversity Conservation using 
Remote Sensing and GIS Tools
*Dr. Ritesh Joshi
*Dr. Kanchan Puri
* Both the Authors are Scientists in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, New Delhi. 
   Email: puri.kanchan@gov.in
iodiversity is variability among 
organisms from all sources including 
terrestrial, marine and other 
ecosystems at three levels - species, 
genetics, and ecosystem. It deals 
with the degree of nature’s variety in the biosphere. 
Variety of ecosystems which occur in deserts, forests, 
wetlands, mountains, lakes, rivers, and agricultural 
landscapes encompass overall biodiversity on earth. 
Consumptive use value of biodiversity covers the 
direct utilisation of timber, food, fuelwood, and fodder 
by local communities. Globally also, biodiversity has 
come under increasing pressure on account of factors 
such as habitat fragmentation/habitat loss, over-
exploitation, pollution, invasive species, and global 
warming. 
B
36 Kurukshetra       May  2024
India, with just 2.4% of the land area, has over 
45,000 species of plants and 91,000 species of animals 
which have been recorded so far. Four of the 34 
identified hot spots (presence of endemic species) of 
the world are in India: Himalaya, Indo-Burma, Western 
Ghats, and Sundaland. This Biodiversity is spread across 
10 bio-geographic zones namely (1) Trans-Himalayan 
zone (2) Himalayan zone (3) Desert zone (4) Semiarid 
zone (5) Western ghat zone (6) Deccan plateau zone (7) 
Gangetic plain zone (8) North-east zone (9) Coastal zone 
(10) Islands [Rodgers and Panwar, 1988]. The Convention 
on Biological Diversity is a legally binding instrument 
to address biological diversity with three objectives, 
viz. conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of 
its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of 
benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. The 
Convention has near universal membership with 196 
countries (including India) as Parties.
Talking about the information on the global 
extinction risk status of species, International Union 
for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) prepares the Red 
List of Threatened Species which is a critical indicator 
of the health of the world’s biodiversity. Species are 
classified into one of nine Red List Categories: Extinct, 
Extinct in the Wild, Critically Endangered, Endangered, 
Vulnerable, Near Threatened, Least Concern, Data 
Deficient, and Not Evaluated. Vulnerable, Endangered, 
and Critically Endangered species are considered to be 
threatened with extinction. Conservation of biodiversity 
is crucial because it provides several goods and services 
36 Kurukshetra       May  2024 37 Kurukshetra       May  2024
necessary for human survival. The need of hour is to 
use appropriate technologies to formulate effective 
and sustainable management of the natural resources. 
In this regard, remote sensing and Geographic 
Information System (GIS) play an important role in 
the field of conservation. GIS is a system that creates, 
manages, analyses, and maps all types of data. It 
connects data to a map, integrating location data with 
all types of descriptive information (www.esri.com). It 
facilitates storing, manipulating, and retrieving spatially 
referenced data. It is widely recognised that Remote 
Sensing and GIS are powerful tools in the assessment of 
biodiversity and conservation. Remote Sensing provides 
information on biodiversity at landscape, regional, 
continental, and global spatial levels (Nagendra, 2001). 
The derived information from mapping specific land-
cover classes can aid both biodiversity assessment and 
conservation.
Nowadays, new imaging technologies are 
there to gather digital spatial information at very 
fine resolution. There will be change in dynamics 
of land-use/land-cover pattern which is the result 
of anthropogenic interaction with the natural 
environment. Information on the rate and kind of 
change in the use of land resources is essential for 
proper planning, management, and regularising the 
use of resources. Satellite data in association with 
GIS provides cost-effective tools for mapping and 
formulation of conservation and management plans. 
Geospatial tools have given a new dimension to the 
management of protected area. Effective management 
of protected area and conservation of biodiversity 
in general demands inventory, evaluation, planning, 
and management at scales ranging from local and 
regional to national, continental, and global (Nix et al., 
2000). Previously, protected area managers combined 
CASE STuD y
Spatial database for Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh has been created, which would be very 
valuable in both management and monitoring of resources and especially in regard to rugged terrain conditions 
coupled with inaccessibility of the park. The availability of spatial information at the Forest Range level helps in 
improving the efficacy of protected area management. The study intended to generate spatial database relevant 
to the management of the National Park, which includes maps showing classified vegetation, topography, 
drainage, village/town locations, water bodies and major infrastructural facilities. Secondary data for preparation 
of current vegetation cover/type map was obtained from various sources. Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellite 
IRS-P6, LISS-III data procured from the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Hyderabad was used. In addition, 
satellite data was acquired and interpreted (visually/digitally) to generate such maps. The interpretation was fully 
supported with adequate ground truth. Vegetation strata observed on satellite image was verified on the ground 
for accuracy assessment. The above information formed the basis to prepare documents for interpretation of 
the maps consisting of extent, status and species composition of various vegetation types in the PA.
(Source: Baseline Mapping for Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh,  
India using Geospatial Tools available at http://www.igrsm.org/mjrsgis/issues.html).
37 Kurukshetra       May  2024 38 Kurukshetra       May  2024
in mountainous areas are affecting the regeneration 
of various plant species and there may be upward 
movement of the habitats of many species from their 
current locations. Similarly, the State of Environment 
Report highlights the upward shifting of tree-line 
and decreasing trend of the quantum of rainfall. Any 
minor or drastic change in the local climate of an 
area may affect the species’ distribution and thus 
the structure of the entire ecosystem. Long-term 
studies using geospatial tools are needed to record 
the consequences of climate change on species and 
natural habitats. Unusual sighting records of various 
species in middle and higher Himalayas have opened 
the scope to revisit our existing knowledge on the 
distribution of species and to start working towards 
a landscape-level conservation model. Here the 
geospatial techniques are imperative to strengthen 
our conservation approaches towards mitigating the 
negative impact of climate change on population 
distribution of species in small area. ?
References 
•	 Nagendra H (2001). Using remote sensing to assess 
biodiversity. Int. J. Remote Sens. 22:2377–2400 
(NRSA, 2007).
•	 Nix, H. A., Faith, D. P ., Hutchinson, M. F., Margules, 
C. R., West, J., Allison, A., Kesteven, J.L., Natera, 
G., Slater, W., Stein, J. L. & Walker. P . (2000). The 
BioRap Toolbox: A National Study of Biodiversity 
Assessment and Planning for Papua New Guinea. 
CSIRO Press. Canberra.
•	 Wilson RJ, Thomas CD, Fox R, Roy DB, Kunin 
WES (2004). Spatial patterns in species 
distributions reveal biodiversity change. 
Nature 432:393–396.
topographical and land ownership maps with their 
knowledge of local climate, species distributions, 
topography, environment law, and land use to define 
management zones and strategies. Today, all this data 
can be analysed in digital databases to provide more 
efficient, accurate, and informed decision-making. 
Protected area mapping is an important aspect of 
protected area management. It serves as baseline 
for ecological modelling and future monitoring and 
assessment. These technologies provide vital geo-
information support in terms of relevant, reliable, and 
timely information needed for conservation planning.
Land use/land cover mapping of inaccessible, 
rugged terrain is helpful for further macro and micro-
level planning. One can understand the underlying 
ecological dynamics impact of human pressure on 
changing vegetation patterns and thereby providing 
better land management options for maintaining its 
unique richness of biodiversity. These technologies 
can help in preparation of Habitat Suitability Map 
for species, for example in case of tigers, Habitat 
Suitability Mapping can guide the management plans 
for fragmented patches of critical tiger habitat. GIS is 
a powerful tool which not only analyses the present 
environmental scenario but also helps in projecting 
the future, in other words, one can effectively use it for 
past, present, and future studies on environment. The 
ecological aspects of most of the species have been 
studied in their natural ranges, but our knowledge is 
still lacking for new distribution ranges of the species. 
We have to strengthen our knowledge on climate 
change at local and regional level and its effect on 
biodiversity.
Uttarakhand Action Plan on Climate Change 
reveals that the abrupt changes in climatic conditions 
38 Kurukshetra       May  2024
Usage of Green Technologies 
in Sustainable Water 
Management
Water is an essential but scarce resource and 
therefore consuming and managing every drop 
of water is vital. Since this management involves 
decisions related to billions of lives and vast 
quantities of invigorating resources, the usage of 
green technology can be a correct path towards 
redemption. Green Technologies in the water sector 
can create an environment-friendly yet cost-
efficient option for Indian Cities like Bengaluru 
which are running out of water.
* Dr. Namrata Singh Panwar
* The author is Assistant Professor, Institute of Tourism Studies, University of Lucknow. 
   Email: panwar.namrata@gmail.com 
ustainable water management is 
just not a luxury but a necessity for 
our present and future generations. 
Achieving this sustainable water 
management requires a prolonged 
strategy in four main aspects which are environment, 
economic, social, and energy and resources. All these 
aspects are interdependent and should be viewed in an 
integrated manner .  The sustainable water management 
approach views the whole water system as an integrated 
system. This whole system includes drinking water, 
wastewater, rainwater, and stormwater drainage in a 
collective form which should be managed together to 
be truly efficient and sustainable. 
The importance of sustainable water management 
particularly in India arises from the fact that not enough 
attention is paid to the mismanagement of water 
resources in our daily life. A normal resident of the 
country is still under the impression that water is and 
S
will always be freely available in nature and can be used 
without any restrictions. But the reality is far away from 
this impression. Due to the increasing population in the 
country, per capita annual availability of water which 
was 1816 cubic metre (cu m) in 2001, was reduced to 
1544 cu m in 2011 which will reduce to 1140 cu m in the 
year 2050. Any situation of availability of less than 1000 
cu m per capita is considered by international agencies 
as scarcity conditions. Besides, by 2030, the country’s 
water demand is projected to be twice the available 
supply, implying severe water scarcity for hundreds of 
millions of people and about 6% loss in the country’s 
GDP (NITI Aayog). This indicates that if indiscriminate 
exploitation and poor management continue the way it 
is happening, India may become one of the top 6 Water 
Scarce Countries very soon. 
From the above facts, it can be asserted that 
issues like limited potential for augmenting the supply 
of water, falling water table, water quality, climate