Abdul Kalam is doing an aerial survey tomorrow, to have a look at the flood affected areas of Tamilnadu.
I have always had this question on aerial surveys. Who accompanies the dignitaries when it comes to aerial surveys? Are they accompanied from experts in the met deparment, district collector etc? And how much does one aerial survey cost?
If am not wrong the purpose of these aerial surveys is to assess the damage right? If that is the case, why do we need to have multiple aerial surveys by different dignitaries? Couple of days back, CM JJ conducted an aerial survey. Now why one more?
Wouldnt it make sense if the aerial survey is done by experts, and later a presentation made to all dignitaries? Cant they build some more houses for the affected people, using the cost incurred for aerial surveys?
I dont think, people who are affected will be bothered about things like who is doing the aerial survey, who is coming to see us and all. They will be more worried about relief materials! Hmmm.
16 Responses to “Aerial Survey!”
on 30 Nov 2005 at 10:04 am # Richa
yeah you are right..!! There are lot of other dumb things that need to be given some serious thought….
on 30 Nov 2005 at 10:37 am # Rubic_Cube
Ferro. Based on what you have commented, let me share an experience that I had at Cauvery emporium @ Mysore. I had purchased a few artifacts. Now here’s where the fun starts.
For each and every artifact, I received 3 bills. One original and 2 carbon copies. Original in a sorry gray colour. CCs in Pink and Green. You know those government colours. Anyways… There is yet another 4th bill that is retained in the invoice/bills book itself. The original was returned to me. The pink one was retained by the delivery and packaging department. The green one was taken by the guys who confirmed I had made the payment. So… 4 receipts for each artifact that was being purchased over there. I was puzzled. Being from this e-business age, I questioned the need for so many receipts. Grandpa was by my side, he worked with the P&T all his life. This was his explanation. “You see, we have to check the flow of each material through each of the departments to ensure that all materials have been accounted for. All the materials sold have been delivered and paid for. The yellow receipt is for cross checking all other entries. It is an elaborate auditing procedure that does not allow for any missing link. One missing link can trap the person who created it. Everybody have to be necessarily truthful to avoid getting caught.” I let out a big sigh.
Somehow I had a feeling that eBusiness is so much a need in government businesses and organizations. All approvals being made electronically after the essential checkpoints were verified. A lot less mess with paper work and auditing made so much more easier.
This repeated aerial surveys appear similar to me. Each bureaucrat wants to verify the situation himself and then attest the previous view as “Yes, I agree that the information recorded herein is correct and verified by me personally”. Except that it is a very costly option. One video recording of the affected area should do for everybody.
IBM has a provision called “Thinkplace” (if I remember correct) where we can field such ideas and which get commented upon. Good ones are built into the system. Likewise I do not know if there is a provision in the Indian Governance. Our President is knowledgeable enough to think about these solutions, I guess.
on 30 Nov 2005 at 11:19 am # rsubras
as a mtech remotesensing student (intha maathiri occasions vitta naan peter adichikka mudiyaathe
), i wish to clarify your doubts prabhu.. Aerial survey will be done by experts only..they will get satellite pics to assess the extent of damage, places of damage etc., I guess CM panrathu, President panna porathum for them to assess the ground situation firsthand rather than to see those aerial photos and satellite pics…. of course our president is a remotesensing expert himself so he wud get a point or two better than what our CM did 
and Aerial survey is not what you think, it requires special cameras and sensors to get a meaningful aerial photo….. cost incurred for aerial survey is def much more, but to assess what ppl need, we def need precise information…… of course as u say, ppl want daily food, but the impact of the rain and damages caused by it sariya therinjathan, edukkara decision and funds allocation correct ah pana mudiyum
on 30 Nov 2005 at 11:20 am # rsubras
forget to add
Disclaimer : naan sonathu ellam out of my guess, the minimal academic knowledge that i still have (4 varushathukku munnadi padichathu) and my belief..if it has some technical flaw kindly point it out
on 30 Nov 2005 at 11:59 am # F e r r a r i
Richa,
Yes
Rubic_Cube,
Agree with you word to word man
on 30 Nov 2005 at 12:27 pm # F e r r a r i
rs,
My point is not on whether our president has remotesensing capabilities. Replace our current president with any XYZ. Dont you think, he/she would have also made an aerial survey? My point is why do we need to have so many visits by dignitaries. Maybe in this case, Amma shouldnt have done the survey! For how long are going to drain the taxpayers money?
on 30 Nov 2005 at 12:46 pm # rsubras
prabhu,
president has out of his own interest wanted to see the assess the extend of this damage himself. Amma done the survey to allocate funds with her power and to place a request for more funds to central.
my point is not that our president has remotesensing capabilities.
of course waste of money ah irukkalam, but dont link president’s visit with amma’s visit or the central ministers’ visit which has more political meaning and to tell those ppl, listen guys we are here for you, we are taking care of you etc.,
appuram prabhu, intha politicians pannathuku lam aerial survey nu periya peru kodukka koodathu……appuram wat is the defn for an aerial survey nu naan lecture kodukka vendi irukkum
on 30 Nov 2005 at 1:21 pm # F e r r a r i
rs,
You are not getting the point. I used this as an instance to express my opinion on the multiple aerial visits which doesnt seem to have any purpose. It starts there and ends there. It is the norm that I am referring to, and not against the individuals who are representing the nation or state!
I feel the scientists, met dept officials etc are the best people to do an aerial survey, use satellites to capture information and act accordingly! Otherwise it all goes in the drain.
on 30 Nov 2005 at 2:00 pm # Kaps
When central ministers go for aerial survey, Doordarshan and Sun TV and accompany them to cover the event and also the extent of damage.
When CM is doing aerial survey, Jaya TV will be accompanying to cover the event.
on 30 Nov 2005 at 2:24 pm # F e r r a r i
Exactly!!!!More of an advertisement!
on 30 Nov 2005 at 3:29 pm # rsubras
ok ok prabhu cool
I used this as an instance to show off ;)… neway aerial survey na thatz a diff procedure altogether…….this could help you have an idea about watz an aerial survey means
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/legsregs/directives/fapg/g601205.htm
of course whatever u said were right….. but solvaar enna sonnalum nadakkarathu nadanthuttu than irukkuthu……cant help much though
on 30 Nov 2005 at 3:44 pm # F e r r a r i
rs,
Nee scene podare. Politician aana aerial survey pove. Adhaan nadakkudhu ippo naatula
on 30 Nov 2005 at 4:03 pm # J
I agree!
on 30 Nov 2005 at 11:58 pm # abhishek
i think its more of a customary thing… and as legend goes most customary things are pointless matters.
on 02 Dec 2005 at 10:38 pm # Sarat
You are raising a valid issue. But policy makers have to see the situation first hand. The common complaint against administrators is that once they get elected they are disconnected from realities on the ground. Its the same for disasters. You can read and see all the reports and news you want to but there is no substitute for a first hand experience to feel the impact of the event.
Of course it makes no sense for the President to do this because he has no decisions to make…just another slide in his powerpoint presentation.
on 09 Dec 2005 at 11:05 pm # Senthil
You know any disaster site looks very very impressive in the aerial view (you must have noticed this in any of the hollywood apocalypse movies). So thats what our ‘elected and non elected’ leaders are enjoying with our money, watching our tragic life.
So this is not just waste of our money but a perverted view of our pathetic life.