Month: July 2024

India's vast coal reserves, estimated at 378 billion tonnes of which about 199 billion tonnes are classified as 'proven', present significant opportunities for energy generation. Currently, about 80% of India's coal is used in thermal power plants. As the country adopts clean energy solutions and renewable sources are promoted, the Ministry of Coal is actively ensuring sustainable use of coal. In 2020, the Coal Gasification Mission was launched, which aims to gasify 100 million tonnes of coal by 2030, thereby maximizing the value and utility of this vital resource. Coal…

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The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) rescued 14 Indian crew members of the bulk carrier JSW Raigad stranded off the coast of Alibaug, Maharashtra at around 0930 hrs on 26 July 2024. The ICG Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Mumbai received the distress call from the ship at 1327 hrs on 25 July 2024. The 122-metre long ship, with 14 Indian crew members on board, ran aground on rocks about 01 nautical mile off Alibaug. It reported dragging anchor, flooding in the engine room and loss of control. In the backdrop…

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Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test fired the Phase-II Ballistic Missile Defence System on July 24, 2024. The target missile was launched from LC-IV Dhamra at 1620 hrs mimicking an opponent ballistic missile, which was detected by the weapon system radars deployed on land and sea and activated the AD interceptor system. The Stage-II AD Endo-Atmospheric Missile was launched from LC-III at ITR, Chandipur at 1624 hrs. The flight test fully met all the test objectives validating the complete network centric warfare weapon system consisting of long range…

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The first of the two advanced ships under construction by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) for the Indian Navy was launched on 23 July 2024 at GSL, Goa. In keeping with maritime tradition, the ship was launched by Smt. Rita Sreedharan with an invocation from the Atharvaveda in the presence of Shri P S Sreedharan Pillai, Hon’ble Governor of Goa. The ship has been named Triput after the mighty arrow, which represents the indomitable spirit and ability to strike far and deep of the Indian Navy. Ministry of Defence and Goa…

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Smallholder farmers in 10 villages of Mokokchung district of Nagaland are setting an example by using compostable bioplastic bags made from cassava starch in place of plastic. Government efforts to ban single-use plastic have had limited impact mainly due to the lack of alternative lightweight materials that can replace the widely used plastic. To address this challenge, North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR) has supported an initiative to produce compostable bioplastic bags from cassava starch (Manihot esculenta). Ecostarch, a Nagaland-based MSME, has set up a facility to…

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Magnetofossils – fossilised remains of magnetic particles produced by magnetotactic bacteria – have been observed in rock varnish layers in Ladakh. Studies suggesting biological processes in the formation of rock varnish illustrate how life can exist in extreme environments, providing valuable insights for astrobiology as well as for planning future space missions with the goal of identifying habitable environments in space. Ladakh, known as the “cold desert of India”, experiences extreme climatic conditions such as high ultraviolet (UV) radiation, significant temperature variation and limited water availability, making it a suitable…

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