Distorted Maps etc: In which small steps do make a difference…
Uplifting post of the week..in which small steps do make a difference.
Three days ago, on the post related to “distant” Assam, long-time blog reader Kaffir alerted us to a BBC news-report which had a map of India with the entire state of J&K lopped off (pl see comment #9). Here is a cached screenshot of the article (pl click to enlarge):
Kaffir subsequently wrote to the BBC:
I told them that the map was incorrect, that J&K was very much part of India, gave them a link to GOI website that lists the states and told them that putting an inaccurate map reflects badly on BBC and the writer.
I requested others on the blog to do so too…and decided to write a complaint myself – only to discover that the offending map had been removed (in less than 24 hours!*). Here is the same article the way it looks now (pl click to enlarge)..
Kaffir and others also mentioned that the official website of the Government of India carried no map which could be forwarded as a link to others. I did some digging and came up with the website of the Survey of India. This site has multiple maps of India (including physical, political etc) and these can be freely downloaded. The official map of India is here.
The episode reminded me of this post: The Importance of Small and the Power of Insignificant…So please keen an eye out for such things and do let organisations, editors and publications know when you spot such mistakes. Small steps do make a difference…
* This site mentions that the article was changed twice since it was first posted on 12th Nov.
Related Posts: What do you make of this?,  Has anyone else seen a smilar map? and Google Maps and Disputed Borders
Awesome! This should encourage small people to do their small bit!
I once wrote to CDAC to change its map..and they did change..but shamelessly without acknowleding the mistake first. Read the letter I wrote to them here. HinduJagruti has been dedicating a section of their website exclusively for the Map issue for a few years now. I am not a member of this org..I support this cause.
http://www.hindujagruti.org/news/1819.html
This is the letter:
The protest letter sent by Shri. Ramesh Chengappa to the CDAC is following –
Dear Sir,
Why doesn’t the picture of Bharat in your site show Kashmir in it? I can understand a US or a Pakistani site doing it, but not your site.
http://www.cdac.in/html/about/rti/rti_bng_electr.asp?center_id=2
Please do the necessary correction. If you guys still don’t have any clue as to what I am talking about see the attached jpeg image.
I was looking for information on how to find if anyone in the Government of India is keeping track of maps in literature, newspapers and websites published from India which show Kashmir as not belonging to India. I did a google search to find information about the same ( if you don’t believe me see the google search string in the Google toolbar in the attached image) To my astonishment the place – a Government of India site – to which I went for a solution, itself was a source of my problem. This criminal negligence on your part.
I promise to file a RTI application to find out who is responsible for the very obvious mischief.
If you need assistance you can go here:
http://www.hindujagruti.org/activities/campaigns/national/india-map-controversy/
– Shri. Ramesh Chengappa
Shri. Chengappa had sent the BCC of the email to the following Persons.
1. Hon’ble Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Chairman
2. Shri Jainder Singh, Secretary, DIT, Vice-Chairman
3. Prof. V. S. Ramamurthy, Secretary, DST, Member
4. Dr. R. A. Mashelkar, Secretary, DSIR & Director General, CSIR, Member
5. Shri F. C. Kohli Chairman, Tata Consultancy Services, Member
6. Dr. N. Balakrishnan, Head Super Power Centre, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Member
7. Shri M.Madhavan Nambiar, Additional Secretary, DIT, Member
8 .Shri Ajeer Vidya, Jt. Secretary & Fin. Adv., DIT (as representative of Secretary, Ministry of Finance), Member
9. Dr. A. K. Chakravarti, Advisor, DIT, Member
10. Shri Pankaj Agrawala, Joint Secretary, DIT, Member
11. One of the Secretaries (IT) from the following three States on rotation basis : Kerela, West Bangal and Uttar Pradesh, Member
12. Director General, C-DAC
Way to go Kaffir. Nicely done.
Reporters are often too busy to check every detail. It would be impractical, too. Similarly, individual initiatives in this matter are fine as one-off, but if you would like to see a more accurate picture of itmes that are of relevance to you, you must do it through a responsible body. BBC is a mere media organisation. Accurate information pertaining to Indian map should be EASILY available with all relevant Indian government bodies and their PR officers must do this job.
Of course, as license fee payers we do have a right to expect accurate information from BBC and the few emails have impressed that upon BBC in an effective manner. That was good. I have done that before in other matters. It should work and it does work.
Shantanu,
I’m grateful that you converted this incident into a post! It was a tiny effort on my part, and it is your blog posts and your efforts that motivate me and others. And thanks for the Survey of India website, with images of official maps. It will be very useful in future, when pointing out such errors related to the Indian map.
Jai Hind.
Hello Kaffir,
Great job boss.
Jai Hind
Hi Kafir
Great Job Sir , Well Done …
Cheers
Sudeep
Very nice, if we all feel our little responsibility, nobody will dare to do such mistakes..:)
Kafir,
Great job Sir. Tks .
Dear Kafir,
great job sir. I salute you.
Thanks
Infinite thanks to you, Sir Kaffir 🙂
Keep up the good work
Nice and a wonderful job Mr. “Kaffir” and Thanks to Shantanuji for posting this on his blog.
We Indians have to keep our nations honor intact and prevent such cartographic aggression from taking place.
Sites like yours should raise more awareness on India’s territorial integrity so that our folks know correct facts and land boundaries of India.
Dear All: Grateful if you could pl take a few minutes from your busy schedules and email the Editor with your own protest letter and forward this to your friends..
See map here: http://pinterest.com/pin/156851999492731553/
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: B Shantanu
Subject: Grossly Inaccurate Map of India on your website
To: letters@dailymail.co.uk
Dear Sir/ Madam: Can you please urgently correct this grossly inaccurate map of India that accompanies your story on the shameful & horrifying incident in Guwahati?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2173868/Young-woman-stripped-beaten-mob-men-India-police-45-minutes-respond-station-mile-away.html
I have attached a screenshot for your ready reference.
As you will notice, the 2 states of Punjab and Haryana are shaded differently. Jammu & Kashmir is shown with crossed lines (no explanation is given). I wonder why.
None of these states have anything to do with the Guwahati where the incident happened.
Can you please issue an apology and make amends? I would appreciate a note in confirmation.
Thank you.
Shantanu
The map appears to have now been taken off the site.
Thanks to each one of you who sent emails and protest letters…
Small steps do make a difference!
Email from DailyMail:
**
On Fri, Jul 20, 2012 at 9:52 AM, Editorial Dailymailonline
Dear Shantanu
Thank you for your email.
I can confirm this error has now been corrected. I am sorry if this has caused you offence, this was not our intention.
It may be helpful to know that we work under extremely tight deadlines and this can sometimes leave room for human error.
Yours sincerely
**
Dear Kafir,
You are an Indian Patriotic and have done a great work for India.
Have just made a complaint via twitter and online re. an incorrect map of India (cuts off J&K) in the video on this report http://www.live.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-26878181
Fingers crossed.