Development Alternatives: ENVIS Center # 4

Protop chandra Roy  protop@sdalt.ernet.in

Environmental Information System (ENVIS) in the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India is a decentralized network information system comprising 25 subject specific centres located in various prestigious institutions/organizations all over the country. Ministry of Environment and Forests is functioning as a National Focal Point of  INFOTERRA/UNEP, which is a global Environmental Information System.

Genesis

Development Alternatives has been engaged in the area of "Environmentally Sound and Appropriate Technologies (ESAT) and large scale creation of Sustainable Livelihoods (SL) sfrom its very inception in 1983. MoEF designated Development Alternatives as one of its important Environmental Information System Centres or ENVIS Centre, namely –ENVIS# 4.
ENVIS # 4 was established in 1984.It is globally linked to UNEP’s  INFOTERRA, which stimulates and supports exchange of environmental information within and between nations. To achieve this objective, ENVIS # 4 has been involved in the task of collecting, organizing and disseminating information globally on ESAT.

Sources of Information:

In addition to International organizations, such as UNDP, IIED, IUCN, UNEP, IISD, UNICEF, each nation has sources of information on Environment and Sustainable Development. In our country, the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India and research organizations, such as Tata Energy Research Institute and Development Alternatives are generating relevant information on this subject area.

Collection of Information:

When ENVIS # 4 was established in 1984, the policy of procurement of documents was mainly restricted to hard copies that prevailed during those days. But, with the advent of technology, especially in the field of electronics, the realm of collection and dissemination of relevant information has transcended from the medium of the printed word to the electronic medium, where documents are even on-line ( on websites). DA has a wealth of resource material in the form of books, periodicals, reports, maps, slides, audio-video cassettes and CD-ROMs.

Information Services

Our policy of collection of information, also covers the procurement of useful reference books, especially statistical documents either in exchange of our publication or gratis from several organizations, such as United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Industrial Development Organisation  (UNIDO), the World Conservation Union (IUCN), International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), the World Bank, Worldwatch Institute, GATE/GTZ (Germany), SKAT (Switzerland), Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India and Tata Energy research Institute (TERI), in addition to periodic procurement of useful documents.

Information Services:

From the very beginning, emphasis has been placed on the provision of information services to keep the professionals, policy makers, planners, academicians and other potential users abreast of current developments in the field of appropriate technology and sustainable development. The services are as follows:
 

Query response services:

 On an average, ENVIS # 4 attends to approximately 4,000 queries from a variety of sources like Appropriate Technology Designers, NGOs, Research Institutions, Local Enterprises and Government Agencies. Moreover, the centre acts as a switchboard to connect users with appropriate sources of environmental information.

Database of documents:

ENVIS # 4 has developed computerized databases of books, periodicals, articles selected from periodicals, research reports, project proposals, conference proceedings , annual reports and audio-visual materials with the help of newly installed Library Automation Software ‘Alice for Windows’. With the help of the Software, the Bibliographical database is available on intranet and in the next few months would available online.

ENVIS Website:

A new website (www.daenvis.org) designed and uploaded specially for ENVIS Centre # 4 to disseminate existing and current information which will meet the global information need. The following information is available in this site:
 

There is a growing need for gathering appropriate information on environmental issues and sustainable livelihoods, from professionals and institutions engaged in this field all across the globe. This calls for further strengthening of the libraries and information centres in these areas through networking.

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