Appointment of Samsuddin as KSSDI director spark off row

Arjun Raghunath
First Published : 08 Jul 2010 08:17:20 AM IST
Last Updated : 08 Jul 2010 12:03:57 PM IST

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The appointment of a scientist of the Centre for Earth Science Studies (CESS) as director of the Kerala State Spatial Data Infrastructure (KSSDI) has sparked a row.

M Samsuddin, scientist in charge of the Geomatics Lab in CESS, has been appointed as director of KSSDI last week on deputation for two years. He has been serving as convener of a technical committee constituted by the government earlier to study various aspects for setting up KSSDI.

A section has alleged that Samsuddin had earlier faced various charges of irregularities and hence it would not be ideal to post him as the director of a sensitive body. Samsuddin had faced allegations pertaining to the missing of certain toposheets from CESS as well as certain other misappropriations in CESS. As director of KSSDI, he would have access to the spatial data of the state, which is highly critical, says the section which opposes his appointment to the post.

However, the IT Department justifies the appointment of Samsuddin. ``It is true that there were certain complaints against Samsuddin.

But those complaints were inquired into with the help of the Home Department and were found to be baseless. Hence, he was posted as KSSDI director,’’ a top official of the IT Department told `Express.’ Moreover, Samsuddin has been associated with KSSDI project since its beginning and he is competent to hold the post, says the IT Department source. Samsuddin is also a member of a 14-member technical committee that was recently constituted by the government to look into the objections raised against the Kerala State Spatial Data Infrastructure and SPARK projects, especially with regard to the use of proprietary software for the projects.

KSSDI is being set up with the aim of developing a common standard and framing policy guidelines of the state for spatial mapping.

The project is being developed on the lines of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure.