Government to facilitate operation of Short Haul Air Operation

CSIO OBSERVATORY FOR RESEARCH LEADING TO EARTHQUAKE PREDICTION

New Delhi - January 30, 2003

The seismological observatory of the Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO), Chandigarh is being modernised and expanded to take up research that may ultimately lead to prediction of earthquakes. It will have facilities for the measurement of plate tectonic movement with Geo-Positioning Systems (GPS), Radon level gravity and changes in geo-magnetism. A group of scientists at the CSIO is also currently working on Earthquake Alert Systems (EAS) and instrumentation for rescue operations. All these will go a long way in strengthening seismological research and help evolve a system for forewarning earthquakes. The Minister for Science and Technology Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi who just visited the observatory said the CSIO, Chandigarh established the modern seismological observatory with funding from the Department of Science and Technology (DST)under the National Programme on Himalayan Seismicity,.

The observatory generates very high-grade seismic data round the clock and is used for assessing the seismic level in and around Chandigarh for societal and strategic applications. The data is shared on regular basis with the other user agencies i.e. India Meteorological Department, Wadiya Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradoon, Roorkee University and the DST for advanced seismological research. It has been provided with advanced central data recording and processing system that will receive field data from three seismic stations, being set up with DST funding at Morni Hills, YPS University - Solan and Sundernagar, forming a broad band seismic telemetry network.
(keralamonitor.com)

Arun Shourie takes over as communication and IT minister

Shri Arun Shourie has taken over as Union Minister for Communications &IT today. He had an extensive meeting with senior officials of the Department of Communications, Post and Information Technology. The officials apprised the Minister of the important thrust areas of the respective Departments and briefed him on the policy initiatives undertaken recently.

Outlining priorities, Mr. Shourie said that the growth in telecom should continue. The Government would play the role of an enabler in the telecom sector. There should be many players to take advantage of the competitive environment that was prevalent in the Communications sector. On his part, the Minister said that no restriction would be imposed by the Government to arrest the march of technology. On the IT front, the Minister said that though India had achieved considerable success in the software sector, the priority now would be to repeat similar success in the hardware sector. The Minister also asked the officials of the three Departments to prepare position papers on key issues concerning their respective departments.