Lok Sabha Question No. 658 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-02
Subject: Research Projects
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: MANOJ RAJORIA

## MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 658

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 02, 2015

## RESEARCH PROJECTS

## 658.    DR. MANOJ RAJORIA:

Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of research projects being undertaken under earth sciences and its likely benefit to common man;
- (b) the  steps  taken/being  taken  to  encourage  research  and  innovation  in  earth sciences; and
- (c) the  details  of  innovation  and  research  projects  which  have  got  international acclaim during the last three years and the current year?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES

(SHRI Y. S. CHOWDARY)

- (a)-(b) To improve the understanding of the earth system (the atmosphere, ocean, solid earth, biosphere) and their response to the natural and human induced changes, research  projects  in  academic  and  research  institutes  in  the  various  areas  of Earth  System  Sciences  namely,  (i)  Atmospheric  Science  including  Climate Science; (ii) Geoscience; (iii) Ocean Science and Resources; (iv) Hydrology and Cryosphere; (v) Earth System Technology, are supported. Activity areas include,
- (i) Focused research projects of national importance;
- (ii) Building indigenous capability through joint collaborative programs;
- (iii) Human resource development through opening of Centers of  Excellence, initiation of academic programmes, establishment of Chairs;
- (iv) Setting up of specialized labs as national facilities;
- (v) National and international collaboration in the field of Earth System Sciences;
- (vi) National coordinated projects.

Four  Project  Appraisal  and  Monitoring  Committees  (PAMCs)  and  a  Technology Research Board have been constituted for appraisal, review and monitoring of the various projects for consideration for funding. An Apex committee chaired by Secretary has also been constituted to consider specific proposals recommended by these committees. As of now, 27 projects are funded under the theme  of  Atmospheric  Science  including  Climate  Change;  33  projects  under Geosciences; 10 projects under Hydrology & Cryosphere etc. All these initiatives are  expected  to  enhance  the  skill  of  the  operational  weather,  climate,  ocean state and multi-hazard services incrementally for accruing the societal benefits in terms of minimizing the loss of life and property.

Ocean Technology program aims at developing reliable indigenous technology to address the issues associated with harvesting of non-living and living resources from Ocean, as well as protection of coast, construction of offshore structures etc. The major activities undertaken include; Renewable Energy and Fresh water from the sea, Deep Sea Technology and Ocean Mining, Ocean Acoustics, Marine Sensor  Systems  &  Ocean  Electronics,  Ocean  Science  and  Technology  for Islands, Coastal and Environment Engineering, Ocean Observation Systems.

Polar  Science  and  Cryosphere  programme  comprises  of  Antarctic    and  Arctic research, Himalayan Cryosphere research, and Southern Ocean biogeochemistry. Initiatives under Ocean Survey and Mineral Resources are addressing Delineation  of  Outer  Limits  of  Continental  Shelf,  Mapping  of  the  Exclusive Economic Zone of India, Exploration for Polymetallic Nodules and Hydrothermal Sulphide Mineralisation in the Indian Ocean, and Gas Hydrate Studies.

Setting up of a facility for Geochronology at Inter-University Accelerator Centre (IUAC), New Delhi is to develop a community centre for Geochronology, that will permit  generating  high  quality  Geochronological  data  and  its  characterization. Facility would be capable of dating geologically youngest and old formations/rocks/sediments  in  the  earth  history  and  provide  improved  and quantitative understanding of the evolution of the Indian lithosphere.

Scientific  deep  drilling  in  Koyna  Intra-plate  Seismic  Zone  of  Maharashtra  is aimed at setting up of borehole observatories at depth for directly measuring the in-situ physical properties of the rocks, pore-fluid pressure, hydrological parameters,  temperature  and  other  parameters  of  an  intra-plate,  active  fault zone in the near field of earthquakes - before, during and after their occurrence, leading  to  a  better  understanding  of  the  mechanics  of  faulting,  physics  of reservoir triggered earthquakes and preparing a predictive model.

## (c)       Major benefits of R & D Earth Sciences accrued to the nation include

- i) Commissioning  of  Low  Temperature  Thermal  Desalination  (LTTD)  Plants  in Lakshadweep Islands for the supply of fresh water from the sea
2. ii) Open sea cage farming to the fisherman community
3. iii) Weather  based  Agro-meteorological Advisory Services are guiding the farming community to plan their agricultural operations
4. iv) Potential Fishing Zone Services are guiding the fisherman community to plan for maximizing the fish catch capture
- v) International Sea Bed Authority has provided exclusive rights of exploration of  polymetallic  Sulphide  over  Central  Indian  Ridge  and  south  West  Indian Ridge  and  for  exploration  of  polymetallic  nodules  in  Central  Indian  Ocean Basin.
6. vi) Facility for Geochronology will support contemporary cutting-edge research in isotope geochemistry and geochronology pertaining to earth, atmospheric, oceanic and planetary sciences at international level

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