Lok Sabha Question No. 163 (STARRED), answered on 2018-03-07
Subject: Operational Oceanography
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: GEETHA KOTHAPALLI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION No. *163

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 07, 2018

## OPERATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHY

- *163.        SHRIMATI KOTHAPALLI GEETHA:

Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the whether the upcoming International Training Centre for Operational Oceanography at the Indian  National Centre for Ocean Information  Services proposes to sign up with  UNESCO to cater to the worldwide need for building technical and management manpower capacity in marine, coastal  sustainability and response to marine  natural hazards;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the  progress made particularly to set up such  services in Andhra Pradesh in view of its  long coastline in the State especially for  areas like Visakhapatnam district and also  to face the situation like tsunami of 2004  as many districts in the State are vulnerable;
- (c) Government proposes  long-term courses for students and trainees  in operational oceanography which  involves systematic oceanographic studies  towards providing information services to  fishermen disaster management, shipping,  ports, coastal management, etc.; and (d) if so, the details worked out for

ANSWER MINISTER OF FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES (Dr. HARSH VARDHAN)

- (a)  to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (A) TO (D) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *163 REGARDING 'OPERATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHY' FOR ANSWER ON 7 TH  MARCH, 2018.

- (a) Yes.  Madam.    A  proposal  for  signing  agreement  with  UNESCO  has been approved towards setting up of International Training Centre for Operational Oceanography (ITCOocean) at the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), to build manpower capacity in  marine,  coastal  sustainability  and  response  to  marine  natural hazards,  particularly  for  the  countries  in  the  Indian  Ocean  rim  and islands region as well as Africa.
- (b) The centre is currently operational with facilities available at Indian Centre for  Ocean  Information  Services  (INCOIS),  Hyderabad.  So  far, over  771  scientists  including  655  from  India  and  116  from  36  other countries  have  been  trained  at  this  centre  in  various  aspects  of operational  oceanography.  A  wide  range  of  training  programs  are envisaged  by  ITCOocean  covering  different  areas  of  ocean  science and services which  include natural oceanic disasters such as
- Tsunami.

A state-of-the-art e-class room facility with capacity of 48 participants has been established at INCOIS, Hyderabad. In December 2012,  the  ITCOocean  project  was  approved  by  the  Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) for implementation at an estimated cost of Rs. 100 crores during 12th Plan. So far, expenditure to a tune of Rs. 23  crores  has  been  incurred.    At  present,  the  other  infrastructure facilities like building and training hostel are being established. The construction work is expected to be completed by December 2018.

A decision for upgrading ITCOocean centre as Category-2 Centre of UNESCO  was  adopted  during  the  29th  Assembly  of  IOC,  UNESCO, Paris on 27th June 2017. The proposal also was approved by the 39th Session of UNESCO General Conference held on 7th November 2017. of International  Training  Centre  for  Operational  Oceanography,  as  a Category-2 Centre (C2C) of UNESCO, in Hyderabad on 15 th  December

Accordingly, the Union Cabinet approved the establishment 2017.

- (c) Yes. Madam.
- (d) The  ITCOocean  will  target  the  following  trainees:  (i) university students  who  would  like  to  pursue  their  career  in  (operational) oceanography.  Priority  will  be  given  to  students  from  mainly  Indian Ocean rim countries; (ii)  staff  of  operational  oceanographic  centers and related facilities;  (iii)  staff  of  government  departments  involved with  oceanographic  services  and  marine  activities;  (iv)  decision makers who need familiarization with oceanographic data; (v) people involved  in  ocean  state  forecasts,  hazard  related  warnings,  and coastal planners; (vi) staff of other operational oceanographic centers; and (vii) who need familiarization with operational oceanographic products. The ITCOocean  will initially focus on offering short term courses spanning from 1 to 4 weeks. A 'certificate of participation' will be issued jointly by INCOIS and UNESCO/IOC to participants  who  have  completed  the  course,  meant  for  staff  of operational oceanographic centres.  In addition to the courses jointly planned and conducted with UNESCO/IOC,  INCOIS shall also conduct short term courses either its own or in collaboration with the relevant organizations that promote capacity building and education in ocean sciences.

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