ENVIS Ecotourism

ENVIS is a decentralized system with a network of distributed subject oriented Centres ensuring integration of national efforts in environmental information collection, collation, storage, retrieval and dissemination to all concerned.
Realizing the importance of Environmental Information, the Government of India, in December, 1982, established an Environmental Information System(ENVIS) as a plan programme. The focus of ENVIS since inception has been on providing environmental information to decision makers, policy planners, scientists and engineers, research workers, etc. all over the country. Presently the ENVIS network consists of Focal Point at the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and ENVIS Centres setup in different organizations/establishments in the country in selected areas of environment. These Centres have been set up in the areas of pollution control, toxic chemicals, central and offshore ecology, environmentally sound and appropriate technology, bio-degradation of wastes and environment management, etc. ENVIS focal point ensures integration of national efforts in environmental information collection, collation, storage, retrieval and dissemination to all concerned.

Objectives of ENVIS Centres
Long-term objectives
To build up a repository and dissemination centre in Environmental Science and Engineering;
To gear up the modern technologies of acquisition, processing, storage, retrieval and dissemination of information of environmental nature; and
To support and promote research, development and innovation in environmental information technology.

Short-term objectives
To provide national environmental information service relevant to present needs and capable of development to meet the future needs of the users, originators, processors and disseminators of information
To build up storage, retrieval and dissemination capabilities with the ultimate objectives of disseminating information speedily to the users;
To promote, national and international cooperation and liaison for exchange of environment related information;
To promote, support and assist education and personnel training programmes designed to enhance environmental information processing and utilization capabilities;
To promote exchange of information amongst developing countries.

Responsibilities of ENVIS Centers
Building up a good collection of books, reports and journals in the particular subject area of environment;
Establishment of linkages with all information sources in the particular subject area of environment;
Responding to user queries;
Establishment of a data bank on some selected parameters relating to the subject area;
Coordination with the Focal Point for supplying relevant, adequate and timely information to the users;
Helping the Focal Point in gradually up an inventory of information material available at the Centre; identification of information gaps in the specified subject areas and action to fill these gaps;
Bringing out newsletters/publications in their subject area for wide dissemination.

The ENVIS scheme is headed by;

Dr. Anandi Subramanian, IES
Senior Advisor,
Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change,
Room No.A424, 4th Floor, 'Agni' Wing,
Indira Paryavaran Bhawan, Jor Bagh Road,
New Delhi - 110 003
Ph(O): 011-24695367
Fax: 011-24695430
Email: sradv-mef@gov.in

ENVIS centre Sikkim on Ecotourism
This centre is a thematic centre on Ecotourism for the country and is functioning under Sikkim State Council of Science & Technology, Vigyan Bhawan, Deorali, Gangtok.

Subject Area: Ecotourism

Location: The Centre has been established at the First Floor, of Vigyan Bhawan building, near Siliguri taxi stand (opposite smoke testing centre) , Department of Science & Technology and Climate Change, Deorali, Gangtok, East Sikkim.

Administration: Sikkim State ENVIS centre is functioning under the overall administration of the Secretary, Government of Sikkim and Ex-Officio Member Secretary to the State Council of Science & Technology for Sikkim. The day to day affairs of the centre are being supervised and managed by the Additional Director (Technology Transfer), who is also the Programme coordinator for ENVIS Centre Sikkim on Ecotourism. There are four project staff working under the centre to look after the needs of collection, compilation, database development, updating of information on the database and in websites, etc.,

ENVIS Sikkim Ecotourism Coordinator: Shri. D.T. Bhutia, Additional Director, SSCS&T

ENVIS Sikkim Ecotourism Team
Shri. Sherap N Bhutia - Sr. Programme Officer
Shri. Prabhakar Gurung - Information Officer
Miss Kalzang E Ladingpa - IT -cum- Programme Assistant