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Home » News » Internet Internet & Software » Indian Farmers Look to Google Earth for Help
Indian Farmers Look to Google Earth for Help
By: Sharon Khare   |   Oct 10, 2006

Google Earth may have caused an uproar when 'sensitive' areas in India showed up on it; but it has now come to the rescue of farmers in Maharashtra—providing them with info to back up their claims regarding their land.

Farmers in Pen Taluka—140 kms from Mumbai—were told that the State government would be acquiring their land to build the 2,500 acre Maha Mumbai Special Economic Zone (SEZ). They were also told that only a small portion of the earmarked land was fertile and that some parts of it were submerged by salty creek water—which translated into lower compensaton to the farmers for their land. Arun Shivkar, an activist of the SEZ Hatao Virodh Samiti, then logged on to Google Earth.

But when Google Earth's satellite pictures clearly indicated that the 'submerged' parts were in fact fertile crop areas the farmers could back their claims for higher compensation.

The technology has also brought together farmers from 45 villages to put up a common front and protest the acquisition of their land.

Read more here.
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Post a Comment on “Indian Farmers Look to Google Earth for Help”
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Google earth principle "don't do evil" is into action again...Glad its farmers...The more the technology is integrated into (govt) systems the lesser the chances of corruption...Thanks to google and keyhole guys..
Praveen, Hyderabad @ Oct 18, 2006
Great ... Now our farmers became more intelligent to raise this issue. There should be positive reply to them .. then it will become a lesson for our politicians
INDIA @ Oct 11, 2006
its good to listen that google has launched this technology, but its even sad that this is going to help the terrorist also.
Mumbai @ Oct 11, 2006
Go farmers go... fight for ur rights!!

Ps: Who said rural indians are not IT-friendly??!!
Choobs, Chennai @ Oct 11, 2006
this is great. i was always wondering why people dont use GE for land survey purposes.
the illegal land grabbing mafia on the outskirts of bangalore can also be investigated using this!.
is any news channel reading this?
prashant- bangalore @ Oct 11, 2006
If this is true...
Atrocious Govt... Hats off to Google Earth.. Good luck to Farmers!
Mani, Valletta @ Oct 10, 2006
"great" technology makes facts more reliable than what exists on records. but can we completely rely on a internet based documenmtation of facts and primarily on googleearth which is updated not so often.the facts related to agriculture and land has a sustainable evidence and is agreed because it is a long-term situation. but relying completely on an open software for all details will not be a sustaining impact. to be evident there could have been a real time check of the same i.e the ground realities do have a greater impact and concerns.
Ofcourse it is an impeccable job done and lot more utilities can be derived from the same to help more, to prove the reality.
Epari Sukumar, Kolkata @ Oct 10, 2006
This is nice. Very constructive and touchy indeed. It also shows that an individual need to check/verify himself rather than go by word of mouth
Ashish, Bangalore @ Oct 10, 2006
It is good news to listen that farmers are taking help from Google.Every one including Corporate Companie’s should come forward to help them.Because they are the Backbone to our Country.Let’s do it.
Sukumar,Mumbai @ Oct 10, 2006
Wow This is fantastic. Google should give these guys a printed high resolution image at zero cost!!!
Rohit, New Delhi @ Oct 10, 2006
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