The ENVIS Centre has built up a reasonably good information base in the form publications, reports, bibliographies, abstracts, data bases etc., as well as numeric data i.e. statistics relating to environment.
The ENVIS Centre responds to various requests for information on diverse areas related to environment from national and international user groups. All such queries are responded to by supplying substantive information in the form bibliographies, photocopies of reprints/reports etc.
During 1997-98, the ENVIS Centre responded to a total number of 237 queries of which 194 were national and 43 were international.
The subjects in which queries were received more frequently include the following biogeochemistry, river pollution, sediment chemistry, heavy metals, trace metals, nutrients, coastal zone regulation management, environmental management, water pollution, chemical and biochemical wastes, industrial wastes, Environmental Law and Institution Environmental Awareness, etc.
In some cases where ENVIS Centre is unable to provide substantive information, referral services are provided to users. Referral means receiving requests for information and referring inquiries to the sources most likely to be able to provide the desired information. For responding to the queries, Focal Point makes use of the ENVIS network as well as other potential sources of information in the country. ENVIS Referral procedure is shown in Figure.