india and Japan to Cooperate in the Fields of Cyber Security and Green ICT

India and Japan to Cooperate in the Fields of Cyber Security and Green ICT (Information and Communication Technology)

​            India and Japan decides to cooperate in the fields of Cyber security and Green ICT (Information & Communication Technology). In a statement after India-Japan Joint Working Group Meeting on ICT, in New Delhi today, the two countries announced the decision to work on the following five areas which are to be implemented as India-Japan joint projects:- 1.      Green ICT -  Green Mobile Base Station project 2.      Cyber Security Cooperation -  Japan-India Combat Spam project 3.      Cooperative project for detecting symptoms and quick response to cyber attacks (PRACTICE) 4.      ICT for Disaster Management (ICT4DM) -  ICT Use in disaster-affected areas project  5.      ICT Application for Social and Economic Challenges -  National ID Application and Utilization Platform project             Ministry for Communication and Information Technology (MCIT) in India and Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication (MIC, Japan will coordinate the activities for taking these projects forward by involving industrial partners in both the countries. They will aim towards implementation of these joint projects by early 2015.             The two countries also decided to further discuss development of standards in the field of ICT, for future cooperation. Further, India had also offered Japan to manufacture ICT equipment in India by taking advantage of new conducive environment for manufacturing in India.             The next meeting of the joint working group is to be held in Tokyo next year.

Indian systems for world’s largest telescope

Will gain dual-use technology to manufacture fine aspherical mirror segments

An artist’s rendition of the telescope.— Photo: AP

Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday signed a multilateral agreement admitting India’s participation in the development of the Thirty-Metre Telescope (TMT) in Hawaii.

The Cabinet rapidly cleared the project and India has agreed to spend Rs.1299.8 crore on it over the next decade. Besides learning about the universe, India will gain the technology to manufacture fine aspherical mirror segments from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). This technology, say experts, will form the basis of the next generation of spy satellites.

TMT will contain 492 hexagonal mirror segments of 82 different kinds. These will behave like a single mirror with an aperture of 30-metre diameter. This large collecting area of 650 square metres is thrice as sensitive as the Hubble Space Telescope.

India’s role will primarily be to create the control systems and software that keep the mirrors aligned and collect the data.

The control system is an intricate process involving edge sensors that detect the mutual displacement of mirrors, actuators to correct their alignment, and the segment support assembly. These will be manufactured by General Optics (Asia) in Puducherry, Avasarala Technologies and Godrej in Bengaluru respectively.

G.C. Anupama of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics explained that India would also manufacture 100 aspherical mirror segments in Hoskote near Bengaluru. “These thin glass slabs made in Japan have minimal expansion when heated. We will apply a protective layer and a reflective coating using technology from Caltech,” she told The Hindu .

“Initially we will start off by producing two a year and after the technology transfer is complete, we will make one every fortnight,” she added. The telescope is expected to be ready by 2024.

Institutions from the United States, Canada, Japan and China are also participating in the construction of the world’s largest telescope on Mount Mauna Kea. This telescope, 4207 metres above sea level, may cost more than $1.47 billion.

Research Institutes Providing Solutions in Renewable Energy Sector

The need to have a sustainable energy supply necessitates the exploration of available energy resources. Among these, renewable energy resources are in the forefront. It is now an established fact that renewable energy can be an integral part of sustainable development because of its inexhaustible nature and environment friendly features. Renewable energy can also play an important role in resolving the energy crisis in urban areas to a great extend. So far , renewable energy projects with an aggregate capacity of about 33,200 MW have been installed in the country which includes 22,168 MW of wind power, 2870 MW of solar power, 4225 MW of bio power and 3938 MW of small hydro power.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has been supporting Research and Development (R&D) for technology development and demonstration through various academic and research institutions, autonomous organisations and industry. In addition, the Ministry has set up three research institutes, namely, National Institute of Solar Energy, Gurgaon, National Institute of Wind Energy, Chennai and Sardar Swaran Singh National Institute of Renewable Energy, Kapurthala, Punjab for R&D in solar energy, wind energy and bio-energy, respectively.

  Budgetary Support to R&D:

 Against a budget of Rs. 500.00 crore allocated for R&D in new and renewable energy sector for the 11^thFive Year Plan, a total of 169 R&D projects in the areas of solar energy, bio-energy, hydrogen and fuels cells with an outlay of Rs.525 crore were sanctioned and an amount of Rs.239.56 crore was released. The R&D projects taken up include: higher efficiency solar cells, Mega Watt scale solar thermal power generation, advance research in biomass energy, hydrogen production, storage and utilization and fuel cells development. In the area of biogas, demonstration projects on purification and bottling of biogas for various applications were taken up.  During the last two and a half years of the current plan period, a total expenditure of Rs.208.12 crore has been incurred on R&D in new and Renewable energy.

12^th Plan- Increased Support:

 For the current 12^th Plan Period, the Ministry has increased the budgetary provision for research and development to Rs.910.00 crore. The focus is on reduction of cost and improving efficiency of renewable energy systems and the key areas for R&D include: Solar energy, wind energy, biomass, biogas, bio-liquid fuels and Hydrogen/fuel-cell technologies.

The details of the Institutes involved in R &D in Renewable Energy Sector are as follows :

1.         National Institute of Solar Energy

The main objective of the institute is to assist the Ministry in implementing Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) and function as the apex National Centre for research, testing and technology development in the area of solar energy. The areas of research include solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, energy storage and solar resource assessment.

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2.         National Institute of Wind Energy, Chennai (NIWE)

The NIWE serves as the technical focal point for wind power development and supports the growing wind power sector in the country. The activities being carried out include wind resource assessment onshore and offshore, wind turbine performance testing,  Grid connection and Power Quality, operation and maintenance, wind power development, human resource development, national and international collaborations for research & design development, NIWE has established real time network for  wind resource assessment with 100m met-masts  at 73 locations, and  121 automatic stations  for Solar radiation resource assessment  all over India. NIWE is also working on development and implementation of procedures and guidelines for orderly development of quality wind turbines besides preparation of Indian standards for wind turbines.

3.         Sardar Swaran Singh National Institute of Renewable Energy    

The main objective of the Institute is to carry out and facilitate research, design, development, testing, standardization and technology demonstration in bio energy. The R&D activities include development of bio energy, bio fuels and synthetic fuels in solid, liquid and gaseous forms for transportation, portable and stationary applications and development of new technologies for effective utilization of different types of biomass.

            The achievements made by three institutes during last three years are as follows:

1.         National Institute of Solar Energy

(a) Solar Photovoltaic

·        Setting up of module reliability test beds

·        Setting up of accredited SPV modules test lab

·        Setting up of solar cell test and characterization lab

·        Setting up of roof top SPV power units

·        Setting up of solar hydrogen production & research facility

·        Setting up of advanced lighting system test lab

(b) Solar Thermal

·        Setting up of solar thermal system test lab

·        Setting up of solar water desalination plant

·        Setting up of solar air conditioning

·        Setting up of solar-biomass cold storage system

·        Setting up of 1 MW solar thermal power plant

(c)   Energy Storage

·        Setting up of test bed for batteries used in solar systems

·        Setting up of test bed for inverters used in solar systems

(d) Solar Resource Assessment

·      Setting up of establishment of solar radiation measurement set up

2.         National Institute of Wind Energy

·      Continuous health monitoring facility for components of wind turbines of 2 MW established.

·      Three multi-institutional research projects dealing with grid connection, power quality and blade aerofoil  characteristics completed 

·      Capacity building for acoustic measurement, power quality measurement, small wind turbine performance testing, inter-laboratory comparison of power curve measurements, establishing world’s largest real time resource measurement networks for wind and solar, wind power forecasting and first offshore wind measurement at Dhanuskoti, near Rameshwaram.

·      Over Rs.33 crores of internal revenue generated through the expertise developed, to entirely meet and sustain the salary expenditure of regular and temporary staff in the last three years. 

·       Intangible outcome is the orderly development of over 7000 MW of wind power installed capacity in India using indirectly the expertise of NIWE scientists.

3.         Sardar Swaran Singh National Institute of Renewable Energy

·      The laboratory infrastructure for production and characterization of bio fuels has been created.

·      A project entitled “Integrated technology development for biodiesel production using heterogeneous catalyst” was completed successfully in 2013. Under this project a process has been developed for biodiesel production from high free fatty acid containing Jatropha curcas oil in a single step, under elevated condition.

·      Two numbers of highly efficient thermo tolerant yeasts i.e. NIRE-K1 and NIRE-K3, for bio ethanol production from lignocelluloses biomass have been isolated, characterized and submitted to culture bank. A process has been developed for bio ethanol production from lignocelluloses materials.

·      A thermo phallic consortium isolated and process has been developed for biogas production from paddy straw and the research under biogas area is in progress.

·       Testing and R&D facilities for improved biomass cook stove have been established.

Development as a people’s movement

Modern technology-based industries and services cannot generate employment on a massive scale. It is therefore imperative that this modern sector must rein in its adverse impacts on labour-intensive, natural resource-based livelihoods

Development was a key issue in the 2014 Lok Sabha election. In his very first speech after taking over as Prime Minister, Narendra Modi asserted that his government is committed to carrying on development as a people’s movement. This, he has asserted, will draw upon India’s democratic, demographic and demand dividends. But are we genuinely moving towards organising development as a people’s movement while building on these strengths?

At the heart of democracy is access to information. We do have the vital Right to Information Act, but need to do much more since the public is being continually misled. To reap the demographic dividend, our youth should be well nourished. But what is the reality? The government’s statistics show that 28 per cent of school children were malnourished in 1993; this came down to 17 per cent by 1999 and declined further to 8 per cent by 2006. However, this is based on information provided by schools, and many of them are guilty of maintaining bogus records of enrolment and expenses towards the provision of mid-day meals. As a cross-check, we have the data provided by the carefully and professionally conducted National Family Health Survey. According to its very different and shocking results, 53 per cent of school children were malnourished in 1993. This came down slightly to 47 per cent by 1999 and changed a little by 2006, to 46 per cent.

To cater to India’s massive population of consumers, people should have adequate purchasing power, such as that enjoyed by people employed in the industries or services sector. Unfortunately, as the malnourishment statistics indicate, a vast majority of Indians are poor, with barely 10 per cent employed in the organised sector. We are being convinced that vigorous economic growth is generating substantial employment. But this is not so. When our economy was growing at 3 per cent per year, employment in the organised sector was growing at 2 per cent per year. As the economy began to grow at 7-8 per cent per year, the rate of growth of employment in the organised sector actually declined to 1 per cent per year since most of the economic growth was based on technological progress, including automation. At the same time, the increasing pressure of the organised sector on land, water, forest and mineral resources has adversely impacted employment in farming, animal husbandry and fisheries sectors. People who are being pushed out of these occupations are now crowding in urban centres. This is in turn leading to a decline in the productivity of the organised industries and services sector. Evidently, the ship of our development is sadly adrift.

What is development?

Undoubtedly, people aspire for development. But what is development? Joseph Stiglitz, a recipient of the Nobel Prize in Economics and one-time chairman of Bill Clinton’s Economic Advisory Council, offers an insightful analysis, asserting that development should result in an enhancement of the totality of a nation’s four-fold capital stocks: the capital of material goods, natural capital such as soil, water, forests and fish, human capital including health, education and employment, and social capital comprising mutual trust and social harmony. Our current pattern of economic development is by no means a balanced process resulting in the overall enhancement of the totality of these stocks. Thus, for instance, mining in Goa has severely damaged the State’s water resources and caused high levels of air and water pollution. The ever-increasing content of metals in drinking water reservoirs has adversely impacted health. When thousands of trucks were plying ore on the roads of Goa, the resulting chaos in traffic and accidents seriously disrupted social harmony. Evidently, the single-minded focus on industrial growth is not leading to sustainable, harmonious development, but merely nurturing a money-centred violent economy.

“The single-minded focus on industrial growth is not leading to sustainable, harmonious development, but merely nurturing a money-centred violent economy.”

We must, of course, continue to develop modern technology-based industries and services, but these cannot generate employment on the massive scale required. It is therefore imperative that this modern sector must rein in its adverse impacts on labour-intensive, natural resource-based occupations and livelihoods. The modern capital-intensive, technology-based economic sector must nurture a symbiotic relationship with the nature-based, labour-intensive sector. Our democracy provides for fashioning such a mutual relationship through the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments and the Biological Diversity Act, the Panchayats (Extension to Schedule Areas) Act and the Forest Rights Act. We must take advantage of this constitutional framework that promotes decentralised governance and work with nature and people to move forward on a path towards genuine development — a path that would be entirely compatible with making development a people’s movement.

Examples of people’s movements

In Chandrapur and Gadchiroli districts of Maharashtra, both of which are Naxal-torn, there are hopeful examples emerging of how development may be nurtured as a people’s movement. A number of tribal and other traditional forest-dwelling communities of these districts now have management rights over Community Forest Resources under the Forest Rights Act. The state retains ownership over such resources, and these cannot be diverted to other purposes. But now these resources are being managed holistically with a fuller involvement of the people. The citizens of Pachgaon, for instance, have, through two full-day meetings of their entire Gram Sabha, decided upon 40-odd regulations. Tendu leaves are a major forest produce, but their harvest entails extensive lopping and setting of forest fires. So, Pachgaon has decided to forego this income and instead focus on marketing the edible tendu fruit. By stopping the collection of tendu leaves, the trees are healthier and both fruit yield and income from its marketing have gone up. Incomes from bamboo harvest have also gone up manifold, and for the first time the people are moving out of the earlier precarious existence. Notably, they have on their own initiated protecting part of these forests as newly constituted sacred groves. Such community management of forest resources is the only sane way to combat extremism, and I have every hope that the new government, with its commitment to making development a people’s movement, will wholeheartedly support these initiatives.

Verle village, perched atop Sahyadri mountains in Goa’s Sanguem taluk, provides another instance of how we can make development a people’s movement. In this charming village, the locals have initiated a cooperative tourism project. Visitors stay in the homes of the locals, which are now equipped with modern amenities, and enjoy home-cooked food. They can wander around to their heart’s content with three well-trained local youth who serve as nature guides. This is a neat example of how development benefits people at the grassroots level while safeguarding the natural heritage.

Recently, I had requested Goa University students to write an essay on any issue of their interest. Many chose tourism; they were very concerned with the negative fallout of the flourishing hotel industry. These included depletion and pollution of ground water, ever-growing piles of solid waste, encroachments on public beaches and alarming growing drug abuse, associated crimes and women’s insecurity. They also felt that few economic benefits actually reach the people of Goa. Why then can we not focus on enterprises that are nature-friendly and give full scope to local initiatives like Verle to develop tourism? Why do we not organise activities such as these that genuinely promote development as a people’s movement?

Furthermore, Goa could revive its currently stagnating mining business through novel people-oriented initiatives such as the proposal from the tribals in Caurem village in Goa’s Quepem taluka. There, extensive community lands that harbour a large sacred grove — lands that ought to have been assigned as Community Forest Resources — have been encroached upon by palpable illegal mining, which has damaged water resources, affected farming, and created social dissonance. The mines are currently closed because of the illegalities, and the Gram Sabha has unanimously resolved that if they are to be restarted, this should be done through the agency of their multi-purpose cooperative society.

The Goa government ought to seize this golden opportunity and do all that it can to ensure that it succeeds. When the first cooperative sugar factory in the country was established at Pravaranagar in Maharashtra 60 years ago, many doubted if the farmers could manage such an enterprise. But it succeeded beyond people’s wildest dreams because of capable farmer-leaders like Vitthalrao Vikhe Patil and a sympathetic Finance Minister like Vaikunthbhai Mehta. Let us therefore hope that the Goa government with its commitment to making development a people’s movement will vigorously support the Caurem initiative and create for the country a new model of how mining can be developed as a people’s activity.

Insecure and insular in urban India

When every politician, industrialist and bureaucrat resides in palatial isolation on select real estate, the message of civic insecurity and isolation comes out loud and clear. Divided by caste, class, rank, economics, social order and professional position, shared life has become a distant dream

In the design of a recent house in Delhi, I was intrigued by how the owner’s interest in the building was sustained merely by the gadgets that were part of the home. All rooms had air conditioners and humidifiers, each fitted with its own fridge, television and home entertainment, Internet, security and alarm system. A private lap pool and barbecue extended along the side of the house; four cars were parked in the driveway. Gadgetry proclaimed independence for all the residents of the house, while old ideas of comfort, familiarity, family togetherness were all but forgotten.

It is easy to see how in the past 20 years the idea of private ownership has had a huge debilitating impact on urban life. The city has changed from being a congenial space of shared amenities and relationships to a fearful nightmare of private strongholds and walled compounds — insecure, insular and isolated. As the boundaries of the city have expanded to take in more people, the real boundaries around residents have closed in. In Gurgaon outside Delhi, Vastrapur in Ahmedabad, or Whitefield in Bengaluru, the gated community coaxes the home owner into believing in the security of living among people like each other. The house comes now with greater realms of private facilities: private parking, private entertainment, private office, private pool, private barbecue … when the home acts as a virtual city, there is no need to go out.

Concept of sharing

Has the privatisation of what were once public assets and opportunities endorsed a better quality of civic life? How has the continual expense on private goods and services produced anything but a lazy and bland convenience? If anything, isn’t its larger impact, a more pervasive isolation and despair? What indeed is the effect of the bloated house on the consumption patterns of the neighbourhood, and life in the city?

“The city has changed from being a congenial space of shared amenities and relationships to a fearful nightmare of private strongholds and walled compounds”

In the 1970s, with little use for a car, my parents opted to share the expense of a car and driver with four other homes in the neighbourhood. Such efficient allocation ensured that the shared car was fully employed during the day within selected time slots. Five houses came together to share one car; today, each of those houses has four to five cars, mostly clogging the driveway. At the time, the local market had several lending libraries with the latest books. The system of short-term borrowing ensured that every book was happily thumbed by many interested readers, as were magazines and later, videos. The larger thrust of the shared life also extended to living spaces within and outside the home. The absence of multiple TVs and fridges allowed the family to share time together; as did the community park, where people met in the evening.

Global trends

Throughout the world, cities are attempting to create optimal conditions for shared interactive lifestyles. Suburbs in Washington and Boston encourage carpooling by creating special fast lanes into the city. In a new scheme in Orlando, tight-knit town houses open out into a common garden, allowing an easy mingling of all residents. Offices in Bogotá hire shared taxis to ferry their staff into the city. Other initiatives such as co-housing in Denmark support communities planned and managed by the residents who share responsibilities of child care, recreation and security along with social activities. Some new Chinese cities discourage any form of private ownership — whether house or car — so people live close to places of work in rental housing. Stockholm’s suburban ordinance even allows private gardens to be used publicly. Families without their own lawns are encouraged to use someone else’s as their own. The world’s most liveable cities are without doubt those that encourage such shared patterns in civic regulations.

Does the idea that every successful Indian must isolate himself behind encircling shields of privacy seem an absurd, lopsided form of civic entitlement? What is the real purpose of living among others if every action states you really don’t want to live among them? Wouldn’t it make more sense to evolve a more deliberate pattern of shared routines and consumption based on a common lifestyle?

Obviously, when domestic life is measured as an outcome of scarce resources put to efficient use, the new urban affluence begins to appear a terrible waste. The undying urge to excessive material possessiveness produces a selfishness that has a contemptible and miserly social dimension. With only one time or one person use, the possession itself loses its utility and usefulness, and becomes redundant. The multiple uses of cars, homes, gardens, city space, offices, books, films, etc. in the long run will reduce private possessions, increasing public dependence and interaction and result in a more hospitable city.

Governments abroad have also made conscious and consistent efforts to eradicate the visible hierarchy of their cities, ensuring that everyone lives together, works and shares a common pool of services and facilities. Senators in Washington live in standard suburban homes and commute every morning like ordinary citizens. In the Netherlands, Queen Beatrix could be seen choosing vegetables in the local market. Warren Buffett, one of America’s richest men, still maintains his old family home in Omaha, and is often seen playing with his grandkids on the sidewalk.

What would it take to get President Pranab Mukherjee to walk across to Connaught Place to pick up a pair of wool socks for his winter wardrobe, or Prime Minister Narendra Modi to select his vegetables at Subzi Mandi? How would it look if Mukesh Ambani lived in a two bedroom flat in Lower Parel and commuted by hanging on to the suburban train, instead of residing in ‘Antilia’, his 27-storied home on Altamount Road? When every politician, industrialist, tyre manufacturer and bureaucrat resides in palatial isolation on select real estate and is followed by a posse of machine- gun toting guards, the message of civic insecurity and isolation comes out loud and clear. The city is a dreadful place, so protect yourself. Divided by caste, class, rank, economics, social order and professional position, the shared life becomes a distant and impossible dream.

Evaluating the civic model

Naturally, a government that still follows antiquated regulations and by-laws is hardly capable of offering thoughtful solutions in this direction. Equally, it is a shameful sign of our times that builders profiting from construction, continue to lavish all their efforts where none is needed. As money and good times roll in, developers begin a steady and relentless marketing of luxury villas and townships, privatising the city further with high electrified boundaries and yet more isolation.

Why is it then that these fortress walls in suburban Delhi, Bengaluru and Pune foster such seclusion and despair, but the narrow lanes of Mehrauli and Dharavi — despite the stigma of slum living — are welcoming and unrestrained? In a society that has traditionally lived on the ideal of dependence, a return to a more egalitarian shared existence is a certain possibility. Now, more than ever, with the threat of smart cities looming large, the creation of a civic model needs careful stating, design and evaluation. Beginning with the redesign of the middle-class home, its relation to its neighbours, the value of community over privacy, shared transport over the private car, the compaction of distance between home, workplace and recreation, the abolishing of gated complexes, the inclusion of common greens, the reduction of private commerce, the conversion of roads to parks and walking tracks, can all be directed in the thrust for a different type of city. If private builders wish to apply any such ideas in their projects, the government should allow them a slate clean of all local restrictions to make it possible.

There are of course colossal economic and environmental benefits of a shared life — fewer cars on the street, more people accommodated more comfortably in less space, larger common open areas, consequently increased personal security, healthier cities and a happier more connected citizenry. If such an ideal is to be tested in India’s new towns, planners would have to create conditions where people don’t need to buy cars or houses. Obviously the present structure of city living is unlikely to accommodate such concerns. But given that cities are expanding and new ones being proposed, it may be useful to explore and state a new set of regulations before any construction begins, so that the larger benefits of sharing could be enjoyed by all sections of society. Without these, we may only end up creating yet more Gurgaons and Whitefields.

High-level panel counsels caution on GM food crops Suggests setting up of special environment courts

Suggests setting up of special environment courts

The government-appointed High Level Committee (HLC) to review environmental laws, while proposing a near complete overhaul of the regulatory system, has sounded a note of caution on genetically modified (GM) food crops.

In a report submitted recently on its review of six laws, the HLC headed by former Cabinet Secretary T.S.R. Subramanian, said the potential consequences of mindless use of science and technology could possibly be illustrated by referring to the potential for medium/ long-term adverse affects through unprepared introduction of GM food crops. While other Ministries naturally would aggressively push for early field trials and induction, the HLC said the role of the Environment Ministry may have to be one of being a Devil’s Advocate to advise due caution. It said that Europe does not permit field trials, and that the average Indian farm is of very small size (which could lead to severe adverse impact on biodiversity through gene-flow) and also noted that there are no independent expert agencies in the country, and perhaps the Ministry of Environment may ask for greater assurance in respect of potential adverse effects in the medium and long run. The HLC takes this aspect of assurance and good faith further in its new proposed law, the Environment Laws (Management) Act (ELMA). The new law prescribes new offences, as also for establishing special environment courts presided over by a session’s judge and higher penalties.

The proposed new law will have an overriding effect on all other relevant laws. However, the proposed legislation prescribes that the application for environmental clearances expects the applicant to be honest and truthful — the concept of ‘utmost good faith’ is statutorily introduced, and the consequences of breach are also set out.

The Committee which was criticized for inadequate consultation and its brief time frame of three months, however, felt that most pending issues were addressed constructively, and equally a roadmap has been suggested for continuous monitoring of the legal, legislative and management framework in this field. It noted that among the most important gaps in the present regime, the issue of enforcement of conditions of approval remains nearly totally unattended and needs to be addressed effectively. It called for the setting up of a new All India Service called the Indian Environment Service. The present monitoring regime is heavily dependent on field verification through ‘inspectors’. It also noted that the cause of environment preservation is not adequately met by the present monitoring methods.

The HLC has said forest areas with 70 per cent or more canopy cover and protected areas should be notified as ‘no go’ areas and suggested a slew of other measures for forest protection. However, it said that where there are considerations of national interest and issues relating to safeguarding the territorial integrity of the country, activities may be permitted in such areas subject to the prior and specific approval of the Union Cabinet.

In keeping with the Centre’s desire to dilute the Forest Rights act (FRA), the HLC has said that for linear projects, it is recommended that FRA needs amendment to consider removal of the condition of Gram Sabha approval. However, there is already an order from the Eenvironment Ministry to this effect. It said that forest and environmental clearances should time bound and streamlined.

While environmentalists have fought for increased regulation in wildlife areas during festivals, the HLC says India has a varied and glorious cultural tradition. While there are many national festivals, there are also localised festivals which are of great local importance in different States. Nature and animal worship has been part of the national culture. Thus, for example Nag Panchami in many States is celebrated and snakes worshipped during five days in Shravan month, as a “thousands years-old’ tradition. It is to be noted that the snakes are never harmed — indeed are worshipped during this period. A dispensation in the various Schedules should be permitted to take into account such local practices, and reflect them in their approved schedules, through gazette notification, the HLC said.

It called for Wildlife Management plans to be made mandatory, the demarcation of eco sensitive zones to be enforced around all protected areas and proposed the banning of polythene bags and plastic bottles into Protected areas. It has proposed to create new agencies, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) at the national level and the State Environment Management Authority (SEMA) for each State as the pivotal authorities to process applications for a one-window composite environmental clearance. The NEMA and SEMA will replace the Central Pollution Control Board and State Pollution Control Boards.

On the question of public hearing, the HLC recommends that the method of public consultation prescribed in the existing notification should continue with the modification that only environmental, rehabilitation and resettlement issues are captured in the public hearing. A mechanism should be put in place to ensure that “only genuine local participation” is permitted. The extant provision of dispensing with public hearing should be continued only in respect of situations when it is reported that local conditions are not conducive to the conduct of hearing, or in the matters of projects of strategic importance and national importance. There is no necessity for public hearing in locations where settlements are located away from the project sites.

It also takes away the role of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) which under the proposed ELMA, will only be able to judicially review the decision of Appellate Boards. The Special Environment Courts shall dispose of cases expeditiously and normally within six months. Aggrieved parties may approach an appellate board presided over by a retired high court judge. The HLC also called for streamlining of the assessment process, preparation a perspective coal plan from a sustainable point of view, creating an Environment Reconstruction Fund for facilitating research, standard setting, education and related matters, and putting in place systems for managing solid waste.

GSLV Mark III faces its first experimental flight

Later this month, the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark III is expected to lift off for the first time from India’s spaceport at Sriharikota on an experimental flight that will assess the rocket’s performance as it hurtles through the atmosphere to reach speeds many times that of sound.

When operational, the GSLV Mark III will be the Indian Space Research Organisation's most powerful rocket, capable of putting four-tonne communication satellites into orbit, almost double the capacity of the current GSLV. The Mark III will weigh about 640 tonnes at launch, about 50 per cent heavier than the GSLV.

Should India decide to send astronauts into space, this will be the rocket that carries them. So it is perhaps appropriate that the forthcoming launch will also provide an early test of a crew module that is being developed.

During the 1990s, it became clear that a new launcher was needed to meet the country's requirements for communication satellites heavier than what the existing GSLV could carry, according to K. Kasturirangan, who was the ISRO chairman when the Rs. 2,498-crore project for developing the GSLV Mark III was approved by the Government in May 2002. Over four years of studies, simulations, debates on technical issues and several reviews went into finalising the Mark III’s configuration, he said.

Reducing the total number of propulsion modules that make up the GSLV Mark III was seen as crucial to increasing the rocket’s reliability and reducing launch costs, according to ISRO experts this correspondent spoke to. The GSLV Mark III has just four propulsion modules while its predecessor, the GSLV, has seven.

The GSLV Mark III has two huge solid propellants boosters, which are among the largest in the world, flanking a big liquid propellant core stage. Atop the core stage, sits a cryogenic upper stage that will provide half the velocity needed to put communication satellites into the proper orbit.

While the solid booster and the liquid propellant core stage completed ground tests and were qualified for flight about three years back, development of the cryogenic engine, running on liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, for the Mark III's upper stage is still in progress.

For the experimental launch, the Mark III will be equipped with a dummy cryogenic engine and stage that will simulate the weight and other characteristics of the flight version. Consequently, the rocket will not be able to put the crew module it carries into orbit.

The rocket will, however, give the crew module a velocity of 5.3. km/second when the latter separates at a height of about 125 km. The capsule will then descend and splashdown in the Bay of Bengal, about 600 km from Port Blair in the Andaman Islands.

The GSLV Mark III is “a totally new configuration,” observed K. Radhakrishnan, the current ISRO chairman, explaining the rationale for the experimental mission. “So if there are issues with respect to the configuration and we need to take care of that, it is better to take care of [them] early.” It was not necessary to wait till the cryogenic stage was qualified.

The GSLV Mark III is more sensitive than the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and the current GSLV to disturbances that might occur as it accelerates through the dense atmosphere, noted S. Ramakrishnan, who was the first project director for its development and retired earlier this year as director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram. The ability of the rocket’s control systems to effectively handle such perturbations without violating the vehicle's structural capabilities will be tested during the experimental flight.

Building on experience with the big solid propellant first stage of the PSLV and GSLV, which carries 139 tonnes of propellant, the Mark III’s two giant ‘S200’ boosters each holds 207 tonnes of solid propellant. Only the solid boosters for America’s Space Shuttle and Titan IV-B as well as Europe's Ariane 5 have more propellant than the S200. Of these, only the Ariane 5 is still operational.

A separate facility has been established at Sriharikota to make the S200 boosters. The closely matched thrust levels required from the two boosters was achieved by carefully controlling both the quality of the raw materials used and their subsequent processing, said M.C. Dathan, who oversaw the development of the S200 and is currently director of VSSC.

Another major achievement is that the S200’s large nozzle has been equipped with a ‘flex seal.’ The nozzle can therefore be swivelled when the rocket’s orientation needs correction.

The GSLV Mark III’s two S200 boosters fire at lift off, together generating a thrust of over 800 tonnes. The sheer volume of sound produced at lift off could potentially damage the rocket and the spacecraft. A sound suppression system has therefore been installed on the launch pad that will be spray about 20 tonnes of water per second to reduce noise levels during lift off.

In flight, as the thrust from the S200 boosters begins to tail off, the decline in acceleration is sensed by the rocket’s onboard sensors and the twin Vikas engines on the ‘L110’ liquid propellant core stage are then ignited.

Before the S200s separate and fall away from the rocket, the solid boosters as well as the Vikas engines operate together for a short period of time. The thermal environment at the base of the L110 stage will be monitored during the experimental mission. The transition of control over the vehicle’s orientation from the S200s to the L110 will also be closely watched.

The L110 stage, with a diameter of four metres, carries 115 tonnes of liquid propellant. Although the Vikas engine has already flown on the PSLV and the GSLV, those on the Mark III have to operate for a longer duration.

The first developmental flight of the GSLV Mark-III, with a functional cryogenic engine and stage, could take place in two years’ time, according to Dr. Radhakrishnan.