1 MAY 2016

Ø  Scientists of the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) have to wait for some more time for their dream to have a world-class research lab and associated facilities in the City of Destiny. The reason for the delay is attributed to procedures involved in getting clearance for revised estimates for the project from the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, and approval of building plan from the Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority and the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation. The complex will have smart buildings with water recycling, underground cabling and drainage, solar power and other facilities. It will be dedicated to undertake research on various aspects of the Bay of Bengal, including the characteristics of tidal waves, genesis of cyclones, biochemistry of ecosystem, rip current and beach profiling and monsoon prediction. The foundation stone for the project was laid by Union Minister for Science and Technology Y.S. Chowdary in May last year, and the work should have commenced in last fiscal itself.

Ø  In a bid to balance India’s relations in West Asia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to make a visit to Iran later this month. According to sources, the dates are yet to be finalised, but Mr. Modi is likely to travel to Iran on May 21-23. In the run-up to the visit, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Oil and Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan have made trips to Iran where they held extensive discussions on the agenda for the PM’s visit, where he will possibly travel to Teheran, Chabahar and visit gas fields of India’s interest. According to officials involved in the planning of the visit, Mr. Modi will have a three-pronged agenda: of connectivity, energy and balance in the region. Mr. Modi’s visit to Chahbahar follows India’s approval for the Ashgabat Agreement in March, which is aimed at creating International North South Transport Corridor connecting India, Russia, Iran with Europe and Central Asia. The visit to Chahbahar is also likely to boost plans for a 1400-km undersea gas pipeline from Chahbahar to the Gujarat coast. Indian investment is aimed at integrating the port into the Indian Ocean Region. Coinciding with Mr. Modi’s visit, the Indian Ocean Region Association will host a major international summit in Chahbahar. During the visit, India and Iran are likely to seal an MoU on the pending energy project at Farzad –B gas field. Last week, Iran Ambassador Gholamreza Ansari had reiterated that the Farzad B gas field project would be exclusively meant for India. The gas field was discovered by a consortium headed by ONGC Videsh in 2008 but had failed to take off immediately due to the western sanctions. Farzad B gas field has 12.5 trillion cubic feet of gas which can last for 3 decades. India and Iran who have been security partners in the region are also likely to seal an anti-terrorism deal during the visit.

Ø  President Pranab Mukherjee rubbed his nose with the Maori chief and his wife as part of the traditional welcome accorded to him on his arrival here on a three-day isit to New Zealand. As the President arrived on the lawns of the residence of Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae, he was “stopped” by Maori warriors as part of the tradition, originally conceived to ascertain whether the guest was an “enemy or a friend”. The President was briefed by an official about the significance of the tradition as the Maori fighters yelled their battle cries. The warriors placed a fern in front of the President. By tradition, if a visitor picks up the fern, the warriors withdraw and accept him as a friend. Mr. Mukherjee’s ADC picked up the fern and handed it over to the President after which the ‘aggressive’ warriors welcomed him with a song and dance performance. Then came the most unusual part of the ceremonial welcome: rubbing the nose. An official of the Governor-General escorted the President to the chief of the warriors who stood along with his wife. Mr. Mukherjee had to rub his nose with both before proceeding to inspect the guard of honour. The rubbing of nose is a traditional Maori greeting known as “hongi”. The belief is that in Hongi, ha (breath) is exchanged, in a sign of sharing of souls. Mr. Mukherjee later had a meeting with the Governor-General. He spoke about air connectivity between New Zealand and India and also invited New Zealand companies to be part of the “Make in India” programme. Sir Jerry hosted a banquet in his honour where, in a speech dominated by sports, especially cricket, he said his country wanted to be part of India’s growth story. Highlighting the importance of India in New Zealand, he said people-to-people links underpinned bilateral relations. “New Zealand is home to people from all over India... As a testament to this Hindi is the fourth most spoken language in New Zealand... We also have shared heroes. Mahatma Gandhi is an admired figure in New Zealand; and Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s legacy as Everest pioneers is also well known in India.”

Ø  In a major breakthrough, the central ammunition depot of the Army in Maharashtra has devised a method of utilising solar energy for disposing ammunition which have completed their shelf life. The depot won the ‘CST and solar cooker excellence awards 2016’ of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) which was presented to Brig Sanjay Sethi, Commandant of the depot on April 29. Under the command of Brig Sanjay Sethi, the depot designed an innovative method which uses steam generated by concentrated solar technology (CST) to melt explosive material inside shells of munitions with calibres ranging from 40 mm to 130 mm. In CST, mirrors are used to concentrate solar energy to convert water to steam which is directed on the shells, he explained and added that this is the first of its kind development in the world in field of demilitarisation of ammunition. Medium and high calibre ammunition is filled with Tri-Nitro-Toulene (TNT), which has a melting point of 80 degree Celsius which can be melted with steam. Central Ammunition Depot, Pulgaon, is the largest ammunition depot of the Indian Army, and also one of the largest ammunition depots in the World. Apart from storage of ammunition reserves, the depot is required to demilitarise/dispose of large quantity of ammunition, which becomes unserviceable on expiry of usable shelf life.

Ø  The Centre’s ambitious National LED programme — Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) — will be implemented across the country by 2019, Minister for Power and Coal.

Ø  As Uttarakhand continued to fight the inferno across 2,269 hectares of forests on Sunday, two IAF helicopters joined the operations, ferrying water through the Garhwal and the Kumaon hills and dumping it in areas inaccessible to forest personnel. Villages in many districts kept awake at night to try and protect their houses and cattle from the creeping blaze. Wild animals, including snakes, leopards, monkeys and barking deer, moved closer to human habitations, as they were pushed out of the forests by fire and smoke. Hoping to cut off the spread of fire, the IAF helicopters stationed near Nainital and Srinagar drew water from the Bhimtal lake and a river in Srinagar using 3,500-litre ‘Bambi Buckets’. However, smoke and fog delayed the air operation. Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Shatrughna Singh said: “There were delays, but the choppers will continue to work on Monday.” A third Mi-17 helicopter will reach Nainital on Monday. “Two will function in areas near Nainital and one near Srinagar,” Mr. Singh said.