Post here Updates from Lakshadweep Islands

Agatti Airport

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/8160/agattiairportaniruddha1jm2.jpg

Copyrights : aniruddha

Lakshwadweep is definitely South India.

South West India is the location

I searched for updates for Lakshadweep and all I could find is articles regarding pirates :storm:

^^ did you read about a massive Naval Command that is being set up there?

^^ Was just kidding :D

Lakshadweep needs more attention, says VC

Source (http://www.hindu.com/edu/2011/02/15/stories/2011021550040100.htm)
Calicut University Vice-Chancellor Anwar Jahan Zuberi is relinquishing her office on February 25. The four-year tenure apparently gave her a gratifying experience.

“We could make many initiatives… and all people concerned provided cooperation and support. We got the support of the government, and decision making bodies like the Syndicate, the Senate and the Academic Council,” Prof. Zuberi said in an interview with The Hindu-EducationPlus.

She was the first woman Vice-Chancellor of Calicut University.

A change was evident in the style of functioning of the VC's office when she took charge from Syed Iqbal Hasnain four years ago. Prof. Zuberi bridled the university in a quiet and low-key fashion. “It was smooth sailing for me,” Prof. Zuberi said in her inimitable low voice. She will return to academics at Aligarh Muslim University, where she will continue for two more years.

According to her, the university campus should expand in the coming years. “As an affiliating university, we have great potential for expansion. We can emulate some good models like Pune University and Panjab University,” she said.

Calicut University saw some drastic reforms in academics in the last four years. According to her, it is not easy to restructure the entire curriculum.

Introduction of choice-based credit and semester system was, in fact, one of the biggest challenges she faced.

“But we could make it with the help of all people concerned. It involved total overhauling of the academics at all levels,” she said.

The results of the new system, according to Prof. Zuberi, will be visible only after some time. “You should keep up the good work. New proposals should be made and new projects should be brought in,” she advises the academia.

According to her, the university has got a lot more to do to ensure that quality higher education is doled out to wider sections of the society.

‘Widen the reach'

“We should do something tangible to raise the low gross enrolment ratio (GER) of Lakshadweep,” she said. Lakshadweep's GER, according to the UGC, has been way down below the national average of 12.5. Lakshadweep, where Calicut University has three colleges, needs some more institutions.

When the university proposed three new distance education centres, the Lakshadweep Administration has asked for three new colleges. Prof. Zuberi's successor will have to take a decision on it.

Immense opportunities seen for heli operators

Source (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/logistics/article1462356.ece)
Kerala offers immense opportunities for Heli-Tourism and helicopter operators can chalk out their plans in various areas related to tourism, ambulance services, casualty evacuation, VVIP movement, extending assistance during natural calamities etc, according to Dr C.G. Krishnadas Nair, Managing Director, Cochin International Airport Ltd.

Speaking at a day long seminar on Heli-Tourism held for the first time in Kerala, he said CIAL as an international airport is willing to provide facilities for helicopter operations. CIAL is all set to construct a heliport and this will be a boon for Heli operators for their future plans. In his inaugural address Mr J. K. Dadoo, Administrator, Lakshadweep, explained the possibilities and new avenues waiting for such operators at Lakshadweep.

A string of islands lying not far away from the Kerala has every chance for such service, and in fact, Lakshadweep is really craving for such big chance and opportunity.

He offered all assistance possible to Heli operators in performing their operation. Even Kerala Tourism could be connected with Lakshadweep and by this both of them get good fortunes, he added.
Medical field

Dr Philip Augustine, Managing Director, Lakeshore Hospital, narrated the requirements of Heli lift to patients who needs immediate medical attention.

Later, at the technical session, Mr Rohit Kumar, India Representative- Eurocopter, spoke on the aspects of boosting the economic development of Kerala through Eurocopter's aircraft.

With plans to promote Kochi as the heli-hub for travel between cities in the State, Eurocopter has introduced the AS 350 B 3 Ecureuil and EC 130 B 4 helicopters that will best meet the needs in the areas of heli tourism and emergency medical services.

Probably 70% of the news about Lakshadweep is about Somali pirates :doh:

Anyway something else -

Navy to set up base in Lakshadweep (http://www.livemint.com/2011/01/23185437/Navy-to-set-up-base-in-Lakshad.html?h=B)

New Delhi: Navy has started working towards setting up a base in the Lakshadweep Islands which is likely to get operational in the next two years to beef up coastal security.

“As part of our efforts to strengthen coastal security after 26/11, we have decided to set up a base in Lakshadweep Islands and work has already started there,” senior Navy officials said here.

Amid heightened threat perception and increased pirate activity in the region, the base would not only help in increasing the presence of the Navy there, it would also act as a detterent against pirates also, they added.

Officials said the base would be expanded in a phased manner and would help in enhancing the reach of the Navy.

After the 26/11 attacks, the government had taken several measures to enhance coastal security by strengthening capabilities of the Navy and the Coast Guard.

As part of these efforts, defence minister A K Antony last month commissioned a Coast Guard district headquarters in Kavaratti and a station in Minicoy, both in the Lakshadweep Islands.

In the recent past, activities of pirates around Lakshadweep have increased and they were also successful in hijacking a Bangladeshi-flagged merchant vessel about 90 nautical miles off Kochi and 80 nautical miles off Minicoy.

Due to this spur in pirate activity, the Navy had deployed its warships along with Coast Guard vessels in the Central Arabian sea.

India has also been deploying its frigates and destroyers in the Gulf of Aden since November 2008 and maintains its presence in the troubled waters since then.

Probably 70% of the news about Lakshadweep is about Somali pirates :doh:

Anyway something else -

Navy to set up base in Lakshadweep (http://www.livemint.com/2011/01/23185437/Navy-to-set-up-base-in-Lakshad.html?h=B)

Don't want to sound racists - but Somalis are one of the least contributers to anything in the United States - its a given : they're mostly into drugs, crime and doing the same strange thing black youths think is "progressive"!! Standing around in corners in gangs or loitering!!!
The country has become a big headache for the international community. I won't be surprised that the pirates cross a limit one day - and the international community reacts by doing the SAME thing they'd been harping against post colonialism - INVASION!!

I see no other way of fixing that country!!

^^ same way Pakistan should be fixed...except India can do it alone.

I think this thread should be moved to South India, and also the Andaman thread

I think this thread should be moved to South India, and also the Andaman thread

+1 .

I maybe we should avoid that discussion, just so no one ends up getting banned :)




Anyway, I asked this some time back -

If we needed a Andaman & Nicobar or Lakshadweep Islands projects thread where would they go?

IU responded -


right in the southern forum:
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1241

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/boost-to-airport-facilities-in-lakshadweep/160254-60-122.html

KOCHI: The air operations in Lakshadweep islands may soon get a boost as the Centre has decided to take major steps to develop the airport facilities in the islands.
A decision was taken by the Islands Development Authority (IDA), which met under the Prime Minister on Wednesday to expand the existing airport in Agatti and carry out an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) for the proposed airport on Androth island.
The IDA standing committee under Planning Commission vice-chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia was also present at Wednesday’s meeting.
A decision has been taken to further develop the existing airport on Agatti island. “The IDA meeting took some crucial decisions regarding the Lakshadweep islands. It was decided to look into the possibility of expanding the runway in Agatti by increasing its length by connecting it with another island - Kalpethi, an uninhabited island. Here an EIA is needed,” said Lakshadweep MP Hamdulla Sayeed.�� Similarly, a decision was taken regarding the proposed airport on Androth island. It was in 1996 that the foundation stone was laid for the Androth airport.� After this, there were no major developments in this regard. The IDA meeting has decided to carry out the EIA, based on which a final decision would be taken, he said.

Please Move This thread to south india. As Mangalore and Kochin are the 2 nearest cities to lakshadweepa.

Androth gets a new Coast Guard Station

A new Coast Guard station was commissioned at Androth in Lakshadweep Islands on Thursday. The station, named Indian Coast Guard Station (ICGS) Androth, was commissioned by Vice-Admiral K N Sushil, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Naval Command.
The Coast Guard already operates two stations in the Lakshadweep Islands - one in Kavaratti where district headquarters No 12 has been established and another in Minicoy. Both these stations were commissioned by Defence Minister A K Antony in December 2010. ICGS Androth will function under Coast Guard district headquarters No 12.
Addressing the gathering after the commissioning ceremony, Admiral Sushil dwelt upon the necessity for continued coordination and synergy between various stakeholders in maritime and coastal security.Indian Coast Guard director-general Vice-Admiral M P Muralidharan highlighted the initiatives taken by the Coast Guard to augment manpower and force levels to meet existing and future challenges. Setting up of stations at strategically important locations, such as this, would provide requisite fillip to coastal security efforts, Admiral Muralidharan said.
“The Coast Guard is also in the process of setting up a chain of static sensors with automatic identification system along the entire coastline of the country to enable effective monitoring of shipping and fishing traffic. An air station of the Indian Coast Guard is also on the anvil at Minicoy,” defence authorities said in a statement.http://ibnlive.in.com/news/androth-gets-a-new-coast-guard-station/248373-60-122.html

Lakshadweep gifts its corals to Gujarat

In a pioneering species reintroduction initiative for the restoration of coral reefs - also known as rainforests-of-the-seas, the Gujarat Forest Department and the Wildlife Trust of India transplanted fragments of locally-extinct corals in the coastal waters of Gujarat.

This is for the first time in the country that such fragments of locally-extinct corals have been successfully moved over large distance and transplanted.

Fragments of Acropora sp. were collected from Agatti Island, in Lakshadweep, where they are common, and moved about 1,500 kms for reintroduction in Mithapur Reef in Arabian Sea and Poshitra Reef of Marine National Park in the Gulf of Kutch.

The initiative was also supported by the Lakshadweep Forest Department including the Wildlife Warden - Agatti, Abdul Rahim, who have earlier worked with such coral conservation initiatives.

“There is an overall decline in the distribution of Acropora in Gujarat, and live Acropora has not been sighted here for several decades now,” said Pradeep Khanna, principal chief conservator of forests, Gujarat.

“Success of this effort will give rise to a new era in conservation of marine biodiversity,” he said.

Coral reefs are marine ecosystems that support a rich and colourful array of aquatic flora and fauna. “Coral reefs are called the ‘rainforests-of-the-seas’ because like terrestrial rainforests, they are among the richest ecosystems supporting unimaginably extensive food webs. However, human activities are causing undue damage to this ecosystem too and if we ignore them we risk losing this unique natural heritage,” said Satish K Goyal, chief wildlife warden, Gujarat, stressing that the reefs play a crucial role in protecting coastlines from harsh ocean currents.http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_lakshadweep-gifts-its-corals-to-gujarat_1666898

Agatti, Lakshadweep Islands

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7036/6901743445_8748edf748_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/woolyman/6901743445/)
Paradise (http://www.flickr.com/photos/woolyman/6901743445/) by woolyboy (http://www.flickr.com/people/woolyman/), on Flickr

6 radar stations for Lakshadweep (http://www.laserfocusworld.com/news/2012/09/20/6-radar-stations-for-lakshadweep.html)

KOCHI, Sept. 20 -- Giving a boost to the coastal security initiatives surrounding Lakshadweep, the island chain will soon have six radar stations coming up at various parts. To be established as part of the static sensors project of the Defence Ministry, the project aims at preventing undetected intrusion of vessels along the coastal line.
In the Lakshadweep islands, the radar stations will be coming up at Kiltan, Androth, Agatti, Kalpeni, Minicoy and Suhielipar. Launching the remote-operating centre in Kochi the other day, Coast Guard Director-General Vice-Admiral M P Muralidharan said that the radar stations on the islands will be completed by March 2013. The radars will help monitor the movement of vessels, the Vice-Admiral said.
"The movement of vessels can be tracked, however small it may be. A vessel can be identified. The control room can also speak to the ship. The data collected will be shared with other maritime agencies and networks to generate a comprehensive Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA)," he said. The radar stations will further help in enhancing the efficiency of Search and Rescue (SAR) operations by the Coast Guard.
The project envisages the fitment of high-end surveillance gadgets like frequency diversity radar, electro optic sensors (CCD day camera, LLTV and thermal imagers), VHF sets and MET equipment on lighthouses and masts erected at 36 locations in the mainland in addition to six locations in Lakshadweep islands and four in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. A total of 46 remote radar stations are envisaged in the first phase. A first of its kind project, it is being implemented by the Coast Guard through Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). The project, to be implemented at a cost of '601.75 crore, has an implementation schedule of 12 months and 18 months for the mainland and the inland sites, respectively. Published by HT Syndication with permission from New Indian Express. For any query with respect to this article or any other content requirement, please contact Editor at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com

Eco-friendly toilets gain popularity (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/pollution/Eco-friendly-toilets-gain-popularity/articleshow/16704203.cms)

HYDERABAD: The bio-digester, developed mainly for the Indian army as an eco-friendly toilet by the Defence Research and Development Authority (DRDO) has just got more popular. The technology has been transferred to as many as 40 firms across the country. The eco-friendly toilet, which can be set up anywhere for use where there is no provision of sewer lines, will be available for the general public to buy.

While the DRDO manufactured bio-digesters, which are being supplied by government agencies, reportedly cost around Rs 12,000 apiece, those manufactured by private firms may cost slightly higher. This is because the firms have to pay not only for the technology transfer but also for the royalty for each bio-digester sold.

"The transfer of technology to various firms is happening through FICCI. There is a huge demand for bio-digesters all over the country for the advantages it has," Dr Lokendra Singh, director, Directorate of Life Sciences, DRDO told TOI. It would be up to the firms to decide on their pricing, he added.

A bio-digester is a device connected to one toilet or a series of toilets to treat human waste under anoxic conditions. In a bio-digester, the bio-degradation of human waste takes place in a wide range of temperatures and in the presence of toxic chemicals. The actual vessel in which the fermentation is carried out is carried out with the help of bacteria is called bio-digester. The DRDO developed the bio-digester mainly to cater to the needs of the Indian Army personnel deployed in high altitude regions. of the Himalayas in the north, east and north-east.

The temperature in most of these places is in sub-zero range permanently like in the Siachen glacier or seasonally like in Leh and Drass and the ambient temperature goes down to as low as -50 degrees centigrade.

According to defence scientists, the ambient temperature does not allow the natural microbes to decompose the human waste. Such un-decomposed human waste which gets accumulated leads to health problems apart from contaminating the places.

What was developed mainly for the use of soldiers has caught the fascination of various government departments too. The railways has started using them. The ministry of drinking water and sanitation plan to install a bio-digester in every gram panchayat in the country with as many as 80,000 planned in the first phase itself. There is also a plan to install 10,000 bio-digesters in the Lakshadweep islands.

DRDO sources said a firm in Hyderabad has also got the transfer of technology for the manufacture of bio-digesters.