The Union Minister for Science and
Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh
Vardhan laid the foundation stone for the ocean research facility of
ESSO- NIOT near ocean front at Thupilipallam village in Vakadu Mandal near
Nellore in Andhra Pradesh last evening. This new research facility for NIOT, to
be established at a cost of over Rs. 250 crores will allow testing of various
equipment and operations to be undertaken in actual sea conditions and would
enable demonstration of its various technologies. Speaking on the occasion he
said that setting of this facility in this new State of Andhra Pradesh is
expected to definitely and greatly contribute to its progress.
The foundation
laying ceremony took place in the august presence Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Shri Nara
Chandra Babu Naidu, Union Minister for Urban
Development; Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation & Parliamentary
Affairs Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, Union
Minister of State for Ministry of Science & Technology & Earth Sciences
Shri. Y. S. Chowdary, people’s representatives of the region, various
Ministers of the State Government and senior officials.
This Earth System Science
Organization - National Institute of Ocean Technology facility at Nellore in Andhra
Pradesh is expected to be the future hub of Ocean technology in India.
The Government of Andhra Pradesh
through the district administration of Nellore has transferred 211 acres of
land in two different places - one located at near Thupilipallam village in
Vakadu Mandal abetting the sea and another one at Chittedu for Computational and
Training facility.
The training facility near the
Chittedu village is for software development for ocean data analysis
and to provide training to the students in the ocean related R&D areas. A
data centre is also proposed for analysis, data computation and interpretation
of ocean data.
The
research facility itself would have several laboratories for carrying out
prototype tests in a test pond to qualify the method and procedures of deep sea
mining concept where a crawler based mining machine collects, crushes and pumps
nodules to the mother ship using a positive displacement pump through a
flexible riser system. Minerals like copper, cobalt, nickel and manganese can
be extracted from such deep sea mining. This facility also caters the sustained
development of technology towards harnessing the energy from Gas Hydrates in
deep seas.
This facility
spread across over 150 acres is proposed to
cater the needs of the nation in the design and installation activities
considering growing needs of offshore applications. This facility will comprise
of physical wave basin for scaled model experimental studies, deep water
installations, visualization, dynamic simulator, high performance computing
etc.
It will have
a Testing facility for Marine Biotechnology wherein there will be facilities
for Marine
finfish hatchery cum nursery complex, Algal culture process lab, Fish feed
formulation and testing facility, intake facilities for sea water and brackish
water for laboratory testing to study the natural marine resources etc,.
Among
several other research facilities there are testing facilities for
Marine Sensor System, for Ocean Electronics, Ocean Acoustics and also Modeling Laboratories. A berthing facility
with control room located at this center is also proposed to manage the
running, operation and maintenance of the fleet of for various Ministry of
Earth Sciences research Vessels.
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KSP