Month: February 2022

** Two more Ramsar sites announced on world wetlands day

The Union Environment Ministry had notified the Sultanpur National Park and Bhindawas wildlife sanctuary in Jhajjar as Ramsar sites — the first two such sites in Haryana — in August 2021

Two new Ramsar sites — Khijadiya wildlife sanctuary in Gujarat and Bakhira wildlife sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh — were announced on the occasion of World Wetlands Day at Sultanpur national park in Gurgaon Wednesday. Forest and Wildlife Department officials said India has a network of 49 such sites, the highest in South Asia, covering 10,93,636 hectares.

The Union Environment Ministry had notified the Sultanpur National Park and Bhindawas wildlife sanctuary in Jhajjar as Ramsar sites — the first two such sites in Haryana — in August 2021. Ramsar sites are wetlands of international importance as per UNESCO’s 1971 Convention on Wetlands held in Ramsar, Iran. Officials said the certification brings visibility to ecologically sensitive wetlands and helps in conservation.

** Hyderabad-based trade body to develop defence robots

The All India Robotics Association (AIRA), a Hyderabad-based trade body of the Robotics industry in India on Wednesday announced the commencement of making India’s indigenously built defence robots. DefenCe robots are professional service robots that are deployed by the military in combat scenarios. They are often intended to enhance a soldier’s existence. 

We will strive hard and will not leave any option which will make India the global leader in Robotics, said Srinivas Madhavam, Board of Director, AIRA and Founder, Exprs.

** IIIT-H app for early oral cancer screening

AI algorithm to help detect malignancy through images taken on phone

The International Institute of Information Technology-Hyderabad (IIIT-H) is working withGrace Cancer FoundationandBioCon Foundationto identify early stages of cancer with thehelp of a cellphone.

With the help of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm,thecellphone can take oral cavity images and indicate whether they are malignant or benign.

“A project like this needed funding, so iHub-Data stepped in to help us develop a solution for oral cancer screening,” said Vinod. P.K, who is leading the cancer initiative at iHub-Data. It is a technology innovation hub established under theNational Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems (NM-ICPS)in the area of data-driven technologies at the institute.

** Students on satellite-making mission

Anurag University signs agreement with ITCA for developing satellite

Anurag University has signed an agreement with the Indian Technology Congress Association (ITCA) for jointly developing Anurag Satellite (ANURAGsat).

This is part of the government of India’s prestigious initiative ‘75 Students’ Satellites Mission 2022;, celebrating 75 years of Independence this year.

L.V. Muralikrishna Reddy and K. Gopalakrishnan of ITCA, TSC Technologies CEO Nikhil Riyaz, Anurag University Chancellor U.B. Desai, University Vice-Chancellor S. Ramachandram, and AU CEO S. Neelima were among those present on the occasion.

Innovation culture

The ambitious Mission 2022 aims to launch 75 student-built satellites into orbit, with the larger emphasis on academia laying a foundation for science-based education and experience-based learning. Such initiatives help build an innovation culture in the country and prepare the future workforce in the emerging spaceTech and related sectors.

** More power to Indian systems

Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani practitioners can now issue certificates

Registered practitioners of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Sowa-Rigpa are now authorised to issue medical fitness certificates, the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) has said.

Order issued

An order in this regard was issued to the commissioners of the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Corporation, New Delhi, and Kerala on January 20 by Rakesh Sharma, president, Board of Ethics and Registration, NCISM.

The Transport department recently started allowing registered Ayurveda doctors to issue medical fitness certificates for driving licence. Earlier, only MBBS graduates or postgraduates in Ayurveda were allowed to do so. It is pointed out that those who have cleared BAMS are equal to graduates in modern medicine.

** Lt. Gen. Manoj Pande is Vice Chief of Army Staff

Army’s Northern and Eastern Commands get new Chiefs

In a series of changes in the top hierarchy of the Army, Lt. Gen. Manoj Pande took over as the Vice Chief of Army Staff on Tuesday from Lt. Gen. C.P. Mohanty who superannuated on January 31.

Prior to this, Lt. Gen. Pande was serving as the Eastern Army Commander. He was commissioned in December 1982 into the Corps of Engineers (The Bombay Sappers). Lt. Gen. Pande will be the senior most officer in the Army when current chief Gen. Manoj Naravane completes his tenure in April.

In other key appointments, Lt. Gen. Upendra Dwivedi assumed the appointment of General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of Udhampur based Northern Command while Lt. Gen. R.P. Kalita assumed charge as GOC-in-Command, Eastern Command at Fort William in Kolkata.

Lt. Gen. G.A.V. Reddy took charge as the new head of the Defence Intelligence Agency following the retirement of the incumbent Lt. Gen. K.J.S. Dhillon. Lt. Gen. Dwivedi was Deputy Chief of the Army Staff prior to assuming the present appointment. He was commissioned into the Jammu And Kashmir Rifles Regiment.

** India flight tests Rafale-Marine for INS Vikrant

India’s new aircraft carrier has been designed as a ski-jump launch ship, different from many other such carriers, which use a catapult launch for their jets

The marine version of the French-made Rafale fighter jet has been successfully flight-tested at a shore-based facility in Goa where conditions similar to that on the indigenously-developed aircraft carrier INS Vikrant were simulated, a top diplomat said.

The Rafale-M is pitted against the U.S.-made Super Hornet — both of which are being evaluated for a possible purchase by the Indian Navy for deployment on the 44,000-tonne INS Vikrant that is undergoing trials in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal for likely commissioning in August.

** Amaravati is Andhra Pradesh Capital: MoS Home

Centre can only act as a coordinating agency, says Minister

Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that Amaravati remains the capital city of Andhra Pradesh and the government has learnt from media reports that the State government has withdrawn a law to create three capital cities.

The Minister, during the Question Hour in the Upper House, also said the division of assets between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, as per the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, can be speedily undertaken with mutual agreement and the Centre can only act as a coordinating agency. Responding to BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) leader G.V.L. Narasimha Rao’s query on “confusion” over the capital city of Andhra Pradesh, the Minister said the State government has the right to take a decision on creating a capital city.

** IIT professor’s research shows ways of reducing waste in factories

Frugal manufacturing can cut cost

A faculty member at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras has suggested ways of using minimal resources and reducing cost without compromising on functionality.

Balkrishna C. Rao, associate professor in the Department of Engineering Design, has developed the concept of ‘frugal manufacturing’ for sustainable development in factories. By adopting frugal manufacturing practises, Indian manufacturers can lead the race of next-generation manufacturing processes and machine tool systems, according to the researcher.

* Hoysala temples are India’s nomination for World Heritage tag

The Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala — the famed Hoysala temples of Belur, Halebid and Somananthpura in the State — has been finalised as India’s nomination for consideration as World Heritage for 2022-23. These protected monuments are on UNESCO’s tentative list since April 15, 2014, a PIB release on Monday said.

As part of the first step, the dossier to the World Heritage Centre, which will take up technical scrutiny, was submitted by Vishal V. Sharma, Permanent Representative of India to UNESCO, to UNESCO Director of World Heritage Lazare Eloundou on Monday. “India is proud to nominate the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas for UNESCO’s World Heritage List! Art Historians recognise the exceptional sculptural artistry of the ensembles to be among the masterpieces of Asian art,” Mr. Sharma tweeted.