Survey of Pakistan, GSoP locked horns over jurisdiction

The Survey of Pakistan and Geological Survey of Pakistan have reportedly locked horns over jurisdictions in the survey of different parts of the country, sources in Petroleum Ministry told Business Recorder here on Tuesday. This was witnessed at a recent meeting of Federal Cabinet presided over by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.
Sources said that the Cabinet was informed that the Survey of Pakistan is responsible for meeting the surveying and mapping requirements of both the armed forces and the civil organisations/departments. However, a number of firms have engaged themselves in mapping activities which, being non-professional, are not only producing substandard maps but are also involved in mapping of sensitive areas, not authorised to be mapped by them.
In the absence of any law and a regulatory authority, it would be technically and legally difficult to keep a check on the unlawful activities of such unauthorised firms. Countries like Australia, China, India, Turkey, USA, UK, etc have enacted necessary laws to regulate the mapping activities.
With the objective of regulating and implementing surveying and mapping standards in the country to obviate potential security risk to sensitive information, to prevent damage to affixed survey markers, to avoid duplication of efforts in mapping, and to transform Survey of Pakistan into a national mapping agency, a draft of Land Surveying and Mapping Bill 2010 has been prepared by the Survey of Pakistan.
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Division has vetted the draft Bill, which was prepared after the approval, in principle, of the Cabinet. Now, formal approval of the Cabinet was solicited for presenting the Bill in the parliament.
According to sources, the Cabinet considered the summary of Defence Division on Land Surveying and Mapping Bill 2010 and directed that Secretaries of Defence, Interior and Petroleum should deliberate on the anomalies of overlapping of jurisdiction between the two organisations, the Survey of Pakistan, and Geological Survey of Pakistan, and evolve a consensus.