Lok Sabha Question No. 664 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-06
Subject: Sea Exploration
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: Shardaben Anilbhai Patel, Mitesh Rameshbhai (Bakabhai) Patel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 664

TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, 6 TH  DECEMBER, 2023

## SEA EXPLORATION

664.   SHRIMATI SHARDABEN ANILBHAI PATEL: SHRI MITESH RAMESHBHAI PATEL (BAKABHAI):

Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Union Government has any plans for exploring the sea to find raw materials for medicines, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the  current  status  of  extraction  of  potential  drugs  from  the  ocean  particularly  life  saving drugs, anti-cancer, anti-tuberculosis, etc.; and
- (c) the details of research undertaken by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) in the last three years and its outcome?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

- (a) Yes  Sir.  CSIR-Central  Drug  Research  Institute,  Lucknow  implemented  a  project  on 'Biological  evaluations,  discovery  of  novel  bioactive  compounds  &  coordination  of  the program  -  Drug  from  Sea'  with  budgetary  support  from  Ministry  of  Earth  Sciences (MoES). The project was completed in 2020. A total of 2654 compounds were screened for anti-cancer,  anti-angiogenic,  antiinflammatory,  antibacterial  activities  and  profiled  for GPCR modulation.

CSIR-CDRI is currently implementing a project on 'Centre for Marine therapeutics' with budgetary  support  from  Department  of  Pharmaceuticals.  National  Institute  of  Ocean Technology  (NIOT),  Chennai  under  MoES  has  carried  out  research  on  growing  marine microalgae and  microorganisms isolated from different  regions  and depth  of  Indian  seas under  controlled  conditions  to  explore  the  possibility  of    producing  functional  health supplements like lutein, which prevents age related macular degeneration and phycocyanin with high antioxidant activity and capability to scavenge free radicals.

- (b) The compounds screened by CSIR-CDRI were evaluated on five different cancer-type cell lines (MDA-MB231, DLD-1, FaDu, HeLa, and A549) as per standard operating protocol (SOP)  and  a  potent  Anti-cancer  molecule  named  GS/IICT5/6  has  been  identified.  The molecule has  shown a better  tumor  inhibitory  profile  as  compared  to  Sunitinib.  A  novel compound SB/CDRI4/105 that can alleviate chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathic pain has been discovered and the molecule is in the advanced stages of lead optimization. A  very  potent  molecule  SP/NISER29,  having  anti-cancer  activity  has  been  identified. National  Institute  of  Ocean  Technology  (NIOT)  has  extracted  recombinant  anti-cancer compound, L-asparaginase from marine actinobacteria, Nocardiopsis alba and a patent has been filed.
- (c) The  major  aim  of  National  Institute  of  Ocean  technology  (NIOT)  is  to  develop  reliable indigenous technology to solve the various engineering problems associated with harvesting of non-living and living resources from the ocean. NIOT has carried out work in the  field  of  research  and  technology  development  related  to  energy  and freshwater,  deep sea  technology  &  ocean  mining,  coastal  protection,  ocean  acoustics,  marine  sensors  and ocean  electronics.  The  major  outcome  of  the  research  undertaken  by  NIOT  in  the  last  3 years is as follows:
- i. NIOT's Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) technology was used for the establishment of 1.5 lakh litres per day capacity desalination plants in Kalpeni, Kadamat and Amini  islands  of  UT  Lakshadweep.  Design  of  1  lakh  litres  per  day LTTD plant  powered  by  Ocean  Thermal  Energy  Conversion  (OTEC)  at  Kavaratti Island completed. The detailed design was completed towards setting up of 2 million litre per day LTTD plant at Tuticorin Thermal Power Station.
- ii. Locomotion  capability  of  the  Deep-Sea  Mining  machine  developed  by  NIOT  at  a depth  of  5270m  in  the  Central  Indian  Ocean  was  successfully  demonstrated.  The first  Indian manned ocean mission 'Samudrayaan' was launched on 30 th October 2021. A 500m depth-rated personnel sphere for manned submersible is certified for man-rated  operations.  Autonomous  Underwater  Vehicle  (AUV)  rated  for  6000  m depth was acquired and used for exploration at Polymetallic nodule site at CIOB.
- iii. Detailed  engineering  design  studies  for  coastal  protection  off  Poonthura  coast  in Kerala were carried out.
- iv. Shallow  water  (0-30  m  water  depth)  bathymetry  survey  along  West  Bengal  coast, Tamil Nadu coast and Andhra Pradesh was carried out successfully.
- v. Developed a passive acoustic monitoring system for polar regions and deployed in the Arctic Ocean. An autonomous deep water noise measurement system (DANMS) developed,  deployed,  and  operated  in  Arabian  sea  and  Bay  of  Bengal.  Deep  Sea Autonomous Underwater Profiling Drifter (D-AUPD) and C-Profiler operable up to 500 m depth is developed and demonstrated in the field.
- vi. NIOT  maintained  the  Indian  moored  buoy  network  in  Arabian  Sea  and  Bay  of Bengal for supporting IMD forecast activities by providing real time observations of meteorological & oceanographic parameters. NIOT operated and maintained 10 HF Radar installed along Indian coast.
- vii. NIOT  maintained  and  operated  4  research  vessels  (Sagar  Nidhi,  Sagar  Manjusha, Sagar  Tara  &  Sagar  Anveshika)  and  cruises  are  carried out for  technology demonstration, survey, field trials and operations in coastal waters.
- viii. Lab-scale  ballast  water  test  facility  was  established  and  got  NABL  (National Accreditation  Board  for  Testing  and  Calibration  Laboratories)  accreditation  for testing  of  chemical  parameters  in  seawater.  An  automatic  fish  feed  system  is developed using rigid sphere type cages and proto unit was deployed off Andaman Islands.
- ix. A  number  of  patents,  peer  reviewed  publications  and  technology  transfer  of  few indigenously developed products were carried out based on the research activities.

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