CESS NEWSISSN 0972-3633 CESS NEWS

Newsletter of the Centre for Earth Science Studies

Vol. 16 March 2006 No. 1

The Eighteenth Kerala ScienceCongress was held at the Centre forEarth Science Studies between 29th to31st January 2006. In the inaugurationfunction held on 29th January, Dr. A.E.Muthunayagam, Executive VicePresident, Kerala State Council forScience, Technology and Environment(KSCSTE), presided. In the absence ofthe Hon’ble Chief Minister Sri.Oommen Chandy, Dr. J.K. Sharma,

CESS ORGANISES XVIII KERALA SCIENCE CONGRESS - 2006

Director, Kerala Forest ResearchInstitute, read out his inaugural speech.In his speech, the Chief Ministerreminded the scientists of the PrimeMinister’s speech at the 93

rd session of

the Indian Science Congress in whichhe stressed the need to evolve aknowledge based system for farmersto make full use of the newertechnologies. He highlighted theformation of the Kerala State Council

for Science, Technology &Environment and the creditableendeavours such as “Sastraposhini” –a scheme for science education,SPYTiS – scheme for financial andtechnical assistance to talented younghigh school students, BiotechnologyIncubator Facility in support of newbiotechnology products and aprogramme to enhance the livelihoodof traditional bamboo dependants.The CM talked about the state’sproneness to natural hazards ofdifferent kinds and the pioneeringefforts made by CESS to suggestmitigative measures. He alsoannounced the government’s plan tobring out a new policy and an act fordisaster management.

In his presidential address, Dr. A.E.Muthunayagam, Executive VicePresident, Kerala State Council forScience, Technology and Environmentspoke about the importance of scienceand technology in modern life. Hehighlighted the efforts the Council hastaken to stimulate scientific research

Dr. A.E. Muthunayagam, Executive Vice President, Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment delivering the presidential address. Seenon the dias from left to right are Dr. K.R.S. Krishnan, Member Secretary, KSCSTE, Prof. C.G. Ramachandran Nair, Chairman, KSC Committee, Dr.V.N. Rajashekharan Pillai, Acting Chairman, University Grants Commission, Dr. Harsh K. Gupta, former Secretary, Department of Ocean Development,Government of India, Dr. P.K. Iyengar, Former Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission, Dr. M. Baba, Director, CESS, Dr. J.K. Sharma, Director,Kerala Forest Research Institute, Dr. Prakash Kumar, PSO, KSCSTE.

Dr. V.N. Rajashekharan Pillai, Acting Chairman, University Grants Commission releasing theproceedings of the 18th Kerala Science Congress.

3Committed to Our Earth, Our Future

December 2004 event and thecontributions made by CESS inunderstanding the phenomena behindthis event. India has gone ahead withthe development of an integratedmonitoring system for the oceanogenicdisasters that include tsunami andstorm surges. This system is expected

to be operational by 2007.

The following speakers deliveredlectures on various topics of theCongress focal theme “NaturalHazards and Management Strategies”:

Dr. C.V.R. Murty, former Director,Central Buildings Research Institute,

Roorkee; Dr. R.N. Iyengar, IIT,Kanpur; Dr. P.K. Thampi, Advisor(Retd), CESS; Dr. C.P. Rajendran, Dr.N.P. Kurian and Dr. S. Murali Das(Scientists of CESS).

Topical lectures on science weredelivered by Dr. K.G. Nair, formerDirector, Sophisticated Test andInstrumentation Centre, Prof. M.K.Prasad, former Pro-Vice Chacellor,Calicut University and Dr. K.R.S.Krishnan, Director, Kerala StateCouncil for Science, Technology andEnvironment.On the second day more than 200papers were presented in five parallelsessions and a poster session. Thepapers belonged to nine subjectcategories, namely, physical sciences,chemical sciences, life sciences, forestry,wildlife and environment, earth systemscience, health science, agriculture,fisheries and veterinary science,engineering and technology andbiotechnology. There were about fiftypapers in the competition section forthe Young Scientist Award in eachsubject category.

The third and final day of the KeralaScience Congress 2006 had threesessions followed by the valedictorysession. The first session showcasedfour science and technologyinstitutions of the State.• Departments of Biosciences of

Kerala University

• National Transportation Planningand Research Centre.

• Sri Chitra Tirunal Institute ofMedical Sciences and Technology

• Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd.

The second session had presentationsby sixteen school students whoparticipated in the National Children’sScience Congress. The children wereawarded a cash incentive of Rs. 2000by the Kerala State Council forScience, Technology and Environment.In the third session, Prof. C.G.Ramachandran Nair, former Chairman

Clockwise from top left (1) Dr. P.K. Iyengar, Former Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission deliveringthe P.K. Gopalakrishnan Memorial Lecture. (2) Dr. V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai, Acting Chairman,University Grants Commission delivering the P.R. Pisharoty Memorial lecture. (3) Prof. C.G.Ramachandran Nair, former Chairman of the erstwhile State Committee for Science Technology andEnvironment delivering the first P.T. Bhaskara Panikkar Memorial Lecture. (4) Dr. Harsh K. Gupta,former Secretary, Department of Ocean Development, Government of India delivering the KeynoteAddress in the theme session.

A scene from the poster presentation hall.

5Committed to Our Earth, Our Future

Subhash, N., Shiny Sara Thomas.,Rupananda J Mallia and Mini Jose. (2005)Tooth Caries Detection by Curve Fittingof Laser-Induced FluorescenceEmission: A Comparative Evaluationwith Reflectance Spectroscopy, Lasers inSurgery and Medicine, Vol. 37, pp 320-328.

Radhakrishna, T. and Chetty, T.R.K.(2006) “ Symposium on supercontinentsand evolution of earth in the contextof Indian shield” Jour. Geol. Soc. India,2006,Vol. 67, 255-259.

Battacharyya, P., Bhattacharyya, K.K.,Kumar, V., Nayak, B., Mohandas, P.N.,Vidyadhar, A., Narayanaswamy,Chattoraj, U.S. and Maulik, S.C. (2006)Studies on medium grade ilmenite-depleted beach placer deposit ofChavakkad ponnani coast, Kerala. In:Proceedings of the InternationalSeminar on Mineral Processing

Technology, Chennai, Eds. G. BhakarRaju, et al, Allied Publishers Pvt. Ltd,pp.544-552.

Chattopadhyay, S. (2005) “Ecologicalsecurity as a base for social security:Context Kerala. Geog. Rev of India,Vol.67. No.2, pp. 109-125.

Soman, K. (2006) “Biogeochemicalindicators of landuse changes in theprovenance of south Kerala rivers”, In:Sustainable Natural ResourceDevelopment, Compendium ofResearch Papers, Western GhatsCell, Planning & Economic AffairsDept., pp.1-5.

Narayanaswamy and Terry Machado(2006) “Significance of water harvestingstructures in lateritic terrain: A case studyfrom Amachal watershed region,Trivandrum”. In: Sustainable NaturalResource Development, Compendium

of Research Papers, Western Ghat Cell,Planning and Economic Affairs Dept.,pp.34-38.

Mahamaya Chattopadhyay. (2006)“Catchment characteristics and waterquality: A case study from a forestedwatershed in upper Kall Ar Region,Trivandrum”, In: Sustainable NaturalResource Development, Compendiumof Research Papers, Western Ghats Cell,Planning & Economic Affairs Dept., pp.19-23.

Chattopadhyay, S., Asarani, L. andSangeetha, P.V. (2006) “Water qualityvariations as linked to landuse pattern:A case study in Chalakudy river basin,Kerala”. Current Science, Vol.89, No.2,2163-2169.

Rajendran, C.P., Kusala Rajendran,Duarah, B.P., Baruah, S. and AnilEarnest. (2006) Reply to comment by

A National Workshop on CloudPhysics was conducted by CESS duringMarch 24-25, 2006. Organised as a partof the project on Cloud Physics beingtaken up by CESS, the workshopbrought together several scientistsworking in areas related to cloudphysics and research students fromdifferent Universities and institutions.The Workshop was inaugurated by Dr.A.E. Muthunayagam, Executive VicePresident, Kerala State Council forScience, Technology and Environment,in a function chaired by Prof. R.R.Kelkar, former Director General, IndiaMeteorological Department.

The speakers at the Workshop includedProf. R.R. Kelkar, Dr. P.V. Joseph,Emeritus Scientist, AtmosphericScience Department, CUSAT, Prof. J.Srinivasan, Chairman, MechanicalSciences Division, and Professor,Centre for Atmospheric and OceanSciences (CAOS), Indian Institute of

Science, Bangalore, Dr. R. Vijayakumar,Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology,Pune, Dr. Someshwar Das, NationalCentre for Medium Range WeatherPrediction, NOIDA, Dr. K.Parameswaran, VSSC and others. TheWorkshop concluded with a PanelDiscussion which recommended, amongother things, that:

• A national facility for conductingcloud microphysical parameters with

at least one instrumented aircrafthas to be established.

• Suitable co-ordinated programmesin cloud physics, includingairborne measurements andmodelling, should be evolved byCESS, SPL, IMD and CUSAT, and

• CESS should take the initiativeto conduct SERC schools inc l oud phy s i c s and r e l a t edthemes

Prof. J. Srinivasan, Chairman, Mechanical Sciences Division and Professor, Centre for Atmosphericand Ocean Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore speaking during the panel discussion at theNational Workshop on Cloud Physics held at CESS during March 24-25, 2006.

NATIONAL WORKSHOP ON CLOUD PHYSICS

7Committed to Our Earth, Our Future

Trivandrum on 20 February 2006.

• “Environmental sustainability andinstitutions” at the Department ofArchitecture, College of Engineering,Trivandrum as part of a short termcourse on ‘Role of technicalinstitutions and experts in local leveldevelopment’ on 17 March 2006.

• “Environmental protection and localself government institutions” as partof the Regional Seminar on HumanRights awareness for electedrepresentatives of local selfgovernment organized by ‘HumanRights Commission’ at Kottayam on18 March 2006.

Dr. K. Soman delivered lectures“Landuse landscape changes in theWestern Ghats and implications: needfor resource conservation” and“Biogeochemical indicators of landusechanges in the provenance of southKerala rivers” for participants of theState Level Awareness Training – cumworkshop organised by the WesternGhats Cell, Planning Board during 16 -19 January 2006.

Dr. A.S.K. Nair delivered a lecture on“Watershed Based Development andManagement Practices in India withspecial emphasis to the Western GhatDevelopment Programmes in Kerala” tothe participants of the ‘ManagementDevelopment Programme for Officersof Agriculture Department at IMG on1 February 2006

PARTICIPATION IN TRAININGPROGRAMMES

C.K. Sasidharan attended the TrainingProgramme on “Data warehousing andData Mining - transforming informationinto insight” sponsored by Dept. ofScience & Technology, Govt. of India,conducted by Administrative StaffCollege of India, Hyderabad during 27February to 3 March 2006.

CONFERENCE / SEMINAR/WORKSHOP

Dr. Srikumar Chattopadhyay delivered alecture on “Disaster management lessonsfrom Tsunami” in the UGC sponsorednational seminar held at LekshmipuramCollege of Arts and Science, Neyyoor,Kanyakumari on 17 March 2006.

Dr. M. Baba gave a talk on“Geoinformatics for EnvironmentalManagement” in the National Workshopon ‘Space Application for Mankind’organised jointly by Systems Society ofIndia and VSSC on 2 January 2006.

Dr. N.P. Kurian delivered a talk on“Geomorphological Impacts ofDecember 2004 tsunami” in the seminaron post - tsunami changes organized bySIFFS & MPEDA on 14 March 2006.

Dr. R Ajaykumar Varma delivered a talkon “Solid Waste Management - issuesand initiatives in Kerala” as part of theNational Seminar on ‘EnvironmentalManagement and Waste Disposal’ at NSS

College, Pandalam on 27 March 2006.

Dr. Srikumar Chattopadhyay attendedthe International Conference on “Anagenda for Kerala’s development, 2006-2016” as a convener of the panel andpanelist of “Urban development”,organised by the AKG Centre forResearch and Studies during 9 - 11December 2005.

Dr. R. Ajayakumar Varma functioned asone of the Session Conveners in theInternational Congress on KeralaStudies, organised by the AKG Centrefor research & Studies, during 9 - 11December 2005 at Trivandrum.

Following papers were presented in theseminar on “Sustainable NaturalResource Development” organised byWestern Ghat Cell, Planning andEconomic Affairs Department on 19January 2006.

• Narayanaswamy, “Significance ofwater harvesting structures in lateriticterrain: A case study from Amachalwatershed region”.

CESS ESTABLISHES PERMANENT GPSSTATIONS IN ANDAMANS

GPS station at Hut Bay, Little Andaman

CESS has established 3 permanent GPS stations in the Andaman and NicobarIslands, to monitor the crustal deformation in this active plate boundary that hasgenerated a great earthquake in 2004. These stations are in Diglipur, Car Nicobarand Hut Bay. These research efforts are part of the Centre’s research initiatives.

9Committed to Our Earth, Our Future

through Coastal Regulation Zone forCoastal Hazard Management”.

• Jeena, V.S., Mohan Kumar, G. andSampath, S., “Diurnal patternsobserved in Ambient CarbonMonoxide (Co) during weekdays andweekends at three differentenvironments”.

• Sachith Mohan, Anuroop, R.L.,Sankar, G. and John Mathai. ,“Human interaction and its effect onthe stability of slopes. A case studyof the recent debris flows in thePashukkadavu area in theMaruthonkara Panchayat,Kozhikode.

• Sreebha, S. and Padmalal, D., “Sandmining and its Environmental Impacton the river catchments ofVembanad lake, Southwest India”.

• Unnikrishnan, P., Sobha, V. andArun, P.R., “Nitrogen, Phosphorus,Silica and Iron loading in the surfacewaters of Parvathyputhenar (Kerala),Southwest India.

• Ouseph, P.P., Abhilash, P.P. andSajithkumar, A., “Interpretation ofCochin esturine water quality datausing SPSS”.

• Mahesh Mohan and Omana, P.K.,“Distribution of mercury and thethreat to Vembanadu ecosystem,Ramsar site, Kerala”.

• Johny, C.J. and Zachariah, E.J.,“Methane emission from AshtamudiEstuary”.

• Majula Unnikrishnan, Rajendran,R.K. and Ajaykumar Varma, R.,“Geoenvrionmental appraisal of aHeavy Mineral Prospect of Kerala”.

• Rupananda Mallia , J., Shiny Sara , T.,Rajanish Kumar, R., Anitha Mathews,Paul Sebastian, JayaprakashMadhavan and Subhash , N.,“Diagnosis of Oral CavityNeoplasms with FluorescenceSpectroscopy”.

Dr. Mahamaya Chattopadhyay & Ms.Nitha Bhuvanen presented a paper on“Application of RS and GIS in thegeneration and synthesis ofenvironmental statistics: A case studyfrom Man Ar basin, south Kerala” in theNational Seminar on Geoinformatics inOsmania University, during 10 - 11February 2006 at Hyderabad.

Dr. N.P. Kurian presented a paper ‘Beachand innershelf sedimentary dynamics inan open coast’ in the InternationalConference of Mesoscale Processes inAtmosphere, Ocean and EnvironmentalSystems (IMPA) 2006 Conference heldat IIT Delhi during 14 - 17 February2006.

Dr. N.P. Kurian made a presentation onthe Coastal Hazards Project in a meetingof the National Disaster ManagementAuthority at New Delhi on 8 March2006.

Dr. Terry Machado delivered a talk on“Post Tsunami Changes On MarineSystem, Environment And SocioEconomic Status Of Coastal People” inthe UGC sponsored National Seminar,held on 17 March 2006 at LekshmipuramCollege of Arts and Sciences,Kanyakumari.

MEETINGS CONDUCTED

A meeting of the Advisory Committeeof the Kerala Coastal Protection Projectwas organized at CESS on 10 March2006.

NOMINATIONS

Dr. Kusala Rajendran was nominated asa member of the Thematic Group 4 onEarthquakes, for the Indian DisasterManagement Congress, November 2007.

P. Sudeep, Registrar, CESS has beenelected as the Chairman, NationalInstitute of Personnel Management(NIPM), Trivandrum Chapter for theperiod 2006-08.

Dr. M. Baba was nominated to followingcommittees

• Member of the Kerala Dam SafetyAuthority’ constituted by theGovernment of Kerala.

• ‘Consultative Group for ForestryResearch and Management of KFRIconstituted by KSCSTE,Government of Kerala.

Dr. R. Ajayakumar Varma wasnominated to the following committees

• Member in the State LevelCommittee of Experts onManagement of Chemical Accidentsconstituted vide G.O.(RT)No.1796/2005/LBR dated 01/07/2005.

• Member in the Board of Studies inEnvironmental Science of the KeralaUniversity vide NotificationNo.Ac.AIII/1/624/05/ dated 28/10/2005.

Dr. A.S.K. Nair is nominated tofollowing committees

• Member, District LevelTechnical Advisory Committee,Thiruvananthapuram District in theSubject committees of (i) agriculture,soil conservation, rain water

Ms. Nandini Ray Chaudhury, ProjectAssistant, DST sponsored Tsunamiproject got the best presentationaward for her paperentitled “Nearshore-BackshoreMorphological Congruence and itsrelevance to Tsunami Inundation onthe Coastal Zone between Colachaland Tuttur of Kanyakumari District,Tamil Nadu”, presented in theNational Seminar on QuaternaryClimatic Changes and Landformorganised by the Indian Institute ofGeomorphologists (IIG) at MSUniversity, Thirunelveli, during 26-28December 2005.

Nandini gets best paperaward