The Tamil Nadu Forest Archive and Data Centre (TNFADC) is proposed to be set up at the Guindy National Park, Chennai. The centre will be a repository for archival reports, forest maps, gazette notifications, photographs and so on, according to the Forest Department.
ADVERTISEMENT
An old abandoned building has been identified inside the Guindy National Park and renovation work will begin soon, said K.V. Giridhar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Information Technology).
The 6,200 sq. ft. building was earlier used as the forest utilisation office, but had remained unused for eight years. The State government, in 2021, announced in the Legislative Assembly that a forest archive and data centre would be set up.
ADVERTISEMENT
Digital initiative
As part of the Tamil Nadu Digital Forests Initiative, the department is focusing on end-to-end computerisation, for which over 100 services will be made paperless, and digitising old records.
At the TNFADC, all digitised data will be made available in an e-library.
A State-level technical advisory committee on digital initiatives will hold a meeting next week and work on renovating the Guindy building after getting a nod from the government, said Mr. Giridhar.
The TNFADC will have historical forest working plans, action plans approved by the Centre and the State government, and vision documents and books. Most of them will be available in digital formats, said officials.