Lok Sabha Question No. 684 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-19
Subject: Laboratory under CSIR
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: MANSUKHBHAI DHANJIBHAI VASAVA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## DEPARTMENT OF SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 684 (TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.07.2017)

## LABORATORY UNDER CSIR

684.  SHRI MANSUKHBHAI DHANJIBHAI VASAVA: Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:
2. (a)    whether the Government has set up any laboratory under CSIR in Gujarat;
3. (b)    if so, the details thereof  during the last three years and the total number of laboratories functioning in Gujarat as on date; and
4. (c)    the outstanding works  done by these laboratories  till date in Gujarat during the last three years?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES (SHRI Y. S. CHOWDARY)

- (a) Yes, Madam.
- (b) CSIR has established one laboratory in Gujarat. CSIR-Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSMCRI) was set-up in Bhavnagar, Gujarat in April, 1954. No new lab has been established in last 3 years.
- (c) The significant work carried out by CSIR-CSMCRI is attached at Annexure-1.

## Significant Achievements of CSIR-CSMCRI

- a) Societal interventions:
2. (i)  The  commercial  cultivation  of Kappaphycus (seaweed)  in  Tamil  Nadu  has fueled  the  rural  economy  and  agricultural  productivity.  The  approximate number of beneficiaries (mostly women in coastal fishermen communities) is given below:
3. (ii) CSIR-CSMCRI deployed it's indigenously developed 'mobile water purification unit'  in  worst-ever  draught  affected  Latur  city  (Marathwada  region)  for providing safe and   clean  water  for  drinking  purposes.  Around  40,000-50,000 litres per day clean drinking water was distributed to the locals for 10 days. Approximately,  2500  people  per  day  were  benefitted  from  this  intervention. The RO bus was stationed at 'Gorakshan' well in the heart of city and potable water of 104-150 ppm was made available to the people.
4. (iii) CSIR-CSMCRI's scientific interventions in solar salt works in Rajasthan and Gujarat   have helped in quality and yield improvement of the solar salt. Regular trainings and capacity building programs have been conducted in these states and the approximate number of beneficiaries (year-wise) is given below:
- b) Others Achievements:
6.  Established a model salt farm at Markannam in Tamil Nadu;
7.  Designed  double  fortified  salt  containing  iron  and  iodine  to  fight  against anemia and goitre;
8.  Installation of water purification units during Chennai floods;
9.  Improvement  in  quality and yield of solar salt for small scale salt manufacturers  through  scientific  interventions  in  Didwana  and  Nawa  of Rajasthan;
10.  Development  of  high  performance  solar  distillation  units  for  producing potable water in solar salt works;
11.  CSIR-CSMCRI has installed 1000 LPH capacity brackish water RO plant in mental health hospital cum rehabilitation centre at Ervadi Village, Ramanathapuram (Tamil Nadu). The plant is based on indigenously developed  RO  membrane  technology  to  provide  safe  and  clean  drinking water; and
12.  More than 400 marginal salt producers were given trainings for high purity solar salt production in Rajasthan and Gujarat.
- c) Technologies/Know-how transferred:
- d) Patents (Filed): 41 Indian; 112 Foreign for 57 inventions; Patents (Granted): 17 Indian; 117 Foreign for 75 inventions
- e) Publications: 584 scientific papers with average impact factor of 3.47

| 2014-15   |   200 |
|-----------|-------|
| 2015-16   |   250 |
| 2016-17   |   325 |

| Year    |   Rajasthan |   Gujarat |
|---------|-------------|-----------|
| 2014-15 |          30 |        50 |
| 2015-16 |          30 |        50 |
| 2016-17 |          70 |        60 |

|   Sl. No. | Title of Technology/Process                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | Transferred to                                   |
|-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | Process of conversion and separation of sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate and potassium hydroxide from the spent water of isobutyl benzene plant as potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate and potassium perchlorate or potassium bitartrate as value added products | M/s. Viral Alkalis Ltd, Mahad                    |
|         2 | Flat sheet ultrafiltration and thin film composite (TFC) reverse osmosis membrane and spiral module making technology                                                                                                                                               | M/s. Rinzai Hydratech Pvt. Ltd., Ahmedabad       |
|         3 | Production of styrene oxide from styrene                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | M/s. Asian Azoles Ltd., Vapi                     |
|         4 | Process for liquid seaweed fertilizer from brown algae - Sargassum                                                                                                                                                                                                  | M/s. Seaferte Industries, Ramanathapuram         |
|         5 | Production of Styrene Oxide from Styrene                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | M/s. Bharti Rasayan Udyog, Raipur                |
|         6 | Hydrogenation of Styrene Oxide to 2-Phenyl Ethyl Alcohol                                                                                                                                                                                                            | M/s. Asian Azoles Ltd., Vapi                     |
|         7 | Improved household solar still with easy operation and maintenance and enhanced output                                                                                                                                                                              | M/s. Thermo SEP Engineering Pvt. Ltd., Ahmedabad |

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