Hi all, I have serious reservations about this draft, and we must definitely respond to it.
Firstly, this proposed bill is just too vast in its scope. It wants to regulate not only the capture and collection of raw data, but the Dissemination and distribution of any kind of value added products, i.e. visualization, maps and analysed reports. This is something that is totally unheard of. There are no reasonable restrictions in it. It applies to satellite/UAV/ Ariel data, as well as digital data depicting natural or man-made physical features.... without any limitation of scale or precision. It applies to to those collecting data as well. So If I download Landsat Data from USGS's Earth explorer site, and store it on my computer, I need to apply for a permit under these rules. This means that storing data which is in the Public domain will be against these rules. If you for example make a simple visualization about your morning jog, you need permission under this Act. Given my background in the GIS Industry (and not in law), I think that we should respond to it at least along the following points: - This proposed bill is just too vast in its scope. It should have some restrictions, probably of spatial resolution, and areas. It does not even talk about military/defence related area or high security zones, and tries to classify the whole of India as restricted. For example, this act should be applicable to data higher than say 0.5 m resolution; anything courser is not under the ambit of the law. - This act tries to prevent the dissemination of data and documents under the Public domain. Data from many US, European & Japanese satellites is available in the Public domain. I'm not a lawyer, but I don't see how controls and restrictions can be applied on this kind of free data. - We should argue that is just security through obscurity for Indian citizens and countries. This law will not be respected by foreign entities, and foreign enemies and terrorists can just source this data from such foreign data providers. - We should also argue that this goes against the Digital India and Start up India programs, and will stymie such initiatives, because over 80% of data is spatial data; without the free access to such data by Industry, Academia, researchers, and citizens, these kinds of programs cannot progress. - Coming to the border issue; It is worth arguing that since the Indian Government doesn't disseminate high resolution boundaries itself, then is unreasonable to expect private players to have correct boundaries to use. - The last point is probably for Indian GIS Industry to pick up, but this act will handicap the Indian GIS industry and put it at an disadvantage when compared to the state of the GIS industry. Let me know if any more details are required. Regards, Devdatta On Fri, May 6, 2016 at 9:11 AM, Suvajit Sengupta <[email protected] > wrote: > Thanks Vaishnavi for the draft bill. > Lets identify clauses, which we may find partial or unjustified. > We can review them together, and consolidate it as our collective response > before forwarding it to the Department. > Can we form a short term dedicated work force for this activity ? > > Regards, > Suvajit Sengupta > > Regards, > Suvajit > > My galleria @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeet_sen > > On Fri, May 6, 2016 at 8:49 AM, Vaishnavi Jayakumar (Inclusive India) < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> Not should, but MUST. We have 30 days to respond / campaign for this. >> The draft is attached as sourced 2016-05-06 via >> http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/GeospatialBill_05052016_eve.pdf >> >> >> indiatoday.intoday.in >> http://indiatoday.intoday.in/technology/story/take-license-or-close-maps-modi-govt-may-soon-tell-google/1/659908.html >> Take licence or close Maps, Modi govt may soon tell Google >> >> Indian government is working on a new law that will make it illegal for >> companies to provide maps or imaging services like Google Maps without a >> prior licence. Also, the licence will be provided only after the maps and >> the related services have been vetted by a special committee -- Security >> Vetting Authority -- that will be formed to look into it. >> >> Once the licence has been provided, the service will have to adhere to >> certain norms and show accurate maps of India. Any violation will not only >> attract a fine of up to Rs 1 crore but may also result in punitive action >> -- up to 7 years of jail -- against the executives of the company providing >> maps. >> >> The draft of the Geospatial Information Regulation Bill, which the NDA >> government is hoping to introduce soon in the Parliament, shows the bill is >> aimed at ensuring that all maps distributed in the country -- digitally or >> physically -- are accurate and adhere to the guidelines issued by the >> government. >> >> “Every person who has already acquired any geospatial imagery or data of >> any part of India either through space or aerial platforms such as >> satellite, aircrafts, airships, balloons, unmanned aerial vehicles or >> terrestrial vehicles... shall within one year from the commencement of this >> Act, make an application along with requisite fees to the Security Vetting >> Authority for retaining such geospatial information and grant of >> licence,” notes the draft of the bill . >> >> In the past, on some occasions there have been inaccuracies in some of >> the maps provided by services like Google Maps as they have shown India >> without areas like PoK. With the new bill, the government hopes to put an >> end to it. >> >> The draft of the Geospatial Information Regulation Bill describes it as a >> “Bill to regulate the acquisition, dissemination, publication and >> distribution of geospatial information of India which is likely to affect >> the security, sovereignty and integrity of India.” >> >> Interestingly, even as the government hopes to punish mapping errors by >> private bodies, the government organisations will not be regulated by the >> Geospatial Information Regulation Bill. >> >> “The Central Government may, by notification in Official Gazette, exempt >> the Ministries, Departments, Public Sector Enterprises or any other >> attached or subordinate offices of the Central Government or State >> Governments from the provisions of this Act to the extent it deems fit,” >> notes the draft. >> >> Services like Google Maps have been of great use for most people but they >> have also created some unease among the government officials. A few years >> ago when Google started mapping roads in Bengaluru for its Street View >> service, the company was told to put the project on hold because of the >> security concerns. While Google continues to talk to the government for the >> Street View project, even after years it has apparently not secured the >> permission. >> >> At the same time, the company’s geo teams have found the going much >> easier while working with the government for mapping tourist attractions. >> In the last few years, Google and Archaeological Survey of India have >> worked together to bring a lot of monuments like Taj Mahal online. >> >> Once it is approved, it is not clear how the bill will change the >> regulatory conditions for companies like Google. For now companies >> providing map services are not saying anything but at a time when creating >> and distributing maps or geo-imagery is incredibly easy, it is possible >> that the government may not find enforcing the Geospatial Information >> Regulation Bill easy. >> >> >> --------------------------------------- >> *VAISHNAVI JAYAKUMAR* >> http://about.me/vjayakumar >> >> On Fri, May 6, 2016 at 8:27 AM, Nisha Thompson <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >>> We should start drafting a response >>> On May 6, 2016 7:34 AM, "srinivas kodali" <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> Maybe. Wait for the draft to be out. >>>> On May 5, 2016 11:06 PM, "Dilip Damle" <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>>> HI, >>>>> >>>>> I was shocked to see this news today. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> http://www.businessinsider.in/PoK-and-Arunachal-as-disputed-territories/articleshow/52129850.cms >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> A part from the news >>>>> >>>>> "To add to this, the Geospatial Information Regulation Bill would >>>>> soon be brought to tables, and any person or institution acquiring and >>>>> disseminating any geospatial imagery or data of any part of India through >>>>> space or aerial platforms will be required to first seek permission and >>>>> license from a government authority." >>>>> >>>>> A so a large part of what we are doing here will become Illegal >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Rgards >>>>> Dilip Damle >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> Datameet is a community of Data Science enthusiasts in India. Know >>>>> more about us by visiting http://datameet.org >>>>> --- >>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>> Groups "datameet" group. >>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>>>> an email to [email protected]. >>>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>>>> >>>> -- >>>> Datameet is a community of Data Science enthusiasts in India. Know more >>>> about us by visiting http://datameet.org >>>> --- >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>> Groups "datameet" group. >>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>>> an email to [email protected]. >>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>>> >>> -- >>> Datameet is a community of Data Science enthusiasts in India. Know more >>> about us by visiting http://datameet.org >>> --- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "datameet" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>> an email to [email protected]. >>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>> >> >> -- >> Datameet is a community of Data Science enthusiasts in India. Know more >> about us by visiting http://datameet.org >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "datameet" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> > > -- > Datameet is a community of Data Science enthusiasts in India. Know more > about us by visiting http://datameet.org > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "datameet" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- Datameet is a community of Data Science enthusiasts in India. Know more about us by visiting http://datameet.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "datameet" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
