ISLANDS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

The Department of Ocean Development is carrying out following projects in A & N Islands :

Andaman & Nicobar Centre for Ocean Development

In order to promote Ocean related S&T activities in A & N Islands, a small unit named Andaman and Nicobar Centre for Ocean Development (ANCOD) has been established at Port Blair. The centre is carrying out following activities : provide working and instrumental facilities for island based oceanographic studies to the scientists. conduct seawater quality studies through the Coastal Ocean Monitoring and Prediction System (COMAPS) Programme of the DOD. Facilities required for the programme have been created through Central Electro-chemical Research Institute, Karaikudi (TN). demonstration of mixed culture of fish species in floating cages in the sea. rejuvenation of coral reefs in Andaman & Nicober islands. The centre is also involved in setting up of two state-of-the-art tide gauge stations, t Port Blair and the other in Southern Group of Islands, for continuous monitoring of sea level rise.

Establishment of R&D cum Demonstration centre for prawn culture in A&N islands.

A project on demonstration of scientific method of prawn culture of being undertaken at 10 ha of land in Port Blair. This project will help in bringing in a vast area of brackishwater to the tune of 5,000 hectares in Andaman Islands into productive prawn farming zones and will also generate self-employment among the islanders. The soil in the brackishwater area of Andaman islands is acidic in nature and special techniques for treatment of soil had to be employed to make them suitable for prawn culture. After completion of the project, the demonstration farm will be handed over to A & N Administration for popularisation of techniques to the users.

OCEAN SATELLITE

With the popularisation of Marine Satellite Information System (MARSIS), increasingly there is a need felt to further improve upon the performance and reliability of the activities. At present the services of the satellites of other countries, like NIMBUS etc, are being used to retrieve ocean data. With an Indian satellite in the sky, a constant surveillance of the ocean, in respect to host of other parameters in real time basis will be possible. Retrieval of additional parameter like chlorophyll etc will increase the reliability to the PFZ information manifold. The real time data will also make it possible to implement the models developed by Space Application Centre for forecasting of winds, wave etc. The data will also cater to the needs of fisheries, ports, meteorology, oceanographic research etc. A joint study team (JST) has been constituted to make indepth study and suggest payload options, space craft configuration, capabilities of launching it through indegenously developed launching it through indegenously developed launch vehicle. The stellite is likely to include following payloads:

i) Ocean Color Monitor (OCM)

ii) Scatterometer

iii) Altimeter

The satellite is expected to be launched in the year 1998, which happen to be the year of the oceans.