Editorial

Innovation Must to Strive and Thrive

The Times They Are a-Changin using their premises, those that have — this song by Bobby Dylan, not been turned into Covid hospitals composed in 1964, seems so and quarantine centers, for the wellrelevant in 2020, but for very heeled to cater to home delivery of different reasons. This is our third premium food items. A major tourist issue and the third editorial on the agency in my hometown has turned COVID-19 pandemic. In March-April, to manufacturing common items of we knew we had a problem, but were ready-to-cook food. Clearly, they have confident of tackling it. In April-May, understood that people may not travel we realized that the problem was far and tour, but they need to eat! from going away, and now we are resigned to living with COVID-19. But Prof. Arup Dasgupta Geospatial has played a role in living with Covid is easier said than arup@geospatialmedia.net the management of the pandemic done, because that needs a major in terms of monitoring the spread, change in the mindset, apart from managing supply chains, and creating masks, soap and physical distancing. apps for personal contact tracing. There is a

That mindset must recognize that there is no What do we need geospatially in these radically going back to ‘normal’. The clock cannot be turned changed circumstances? back. The normal is decided by what it is here and now. “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees sums up There are several lessons for humanity from the the situation. It is no wonder therefore that the Covid experience. There is a need for a better and busiest professionals are from the medical fratermore resilient global healthcare system. Stringent nity — from taking care of the infected, advising travel restrictions have shown that atmospheric the healthy to developing a vaccine — they are on it pollution can be reduced. While there are many 24/7. Pharmaceutical firms are thriving. Uber is now studies on the reduction of pollution, there is a less important than an ambulance service. Working need to study whether this will in fact delay the from home and online classes have seen a spike in global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Will this device sales and data plans, and the proliferation then be the way to go in the future? The travel of online courses. Pedagogy is seeing a change as restrictions cannot be continued forever, but can teachers come to grips with the new medium. Malls there be some regulation which will reduce the have been replaced by online e-commerce. Amazon damage to the travel and tourism industry? In the is laughing all the way to the bank. era of physical distancing, there is a need to relook

According to the WHO, it will be another tions in smaller areas and develop smart satellite two years before the world sees the end of this towns instead. pandemic. There are speculations and warnings need to think beyond these ‘linear’ applications. at smart cities which seek to concentrate populaabout another pandemic in the future. Clearly, The COVID-19 global pandemic has rudely progress and development are not linear projecdisturbed the continuum. But disruption is known tions on spreadsheets. What is needed now is to bring opportunities to innovate and change lateral thinking or thinking out of the box. things for the better. Those who grab this opportunity will survive and thrive. Those who long for a

The tourism and hotel industry have taken and return to normal may not. The geospatial industry are taking a beating. Smart hoteliers are shifting to will be no exception.