<p>Inaugurating the 33rd Annual Science Festival on ‘Space Applications in India - Touching Lives’ at National College, Basavanagude here, Dr Hegde said the Planning Commission has convened a meeting with ISRO on July 6 to discuss possibilities for further widening the scope of space enabled solutions. <br /><br />“We could in the future see space applications go beyond providing just satellite based imagery, telemedicine, videoconference and educational purposes. One such new application could result in Disaster Management, where warning on impending natural disasters such as flash floods, even a tsunami may be beamed via Doordarshan’s wide network to the people,” he said.<br /><br />Stating that the telemedicine network pioneered by ISRO in 2004, has the distinction of being the largest such network in the world, he added that space for societal development is increasingly being used by the premier space agency. <br /><br />Satellite mapping<br />“We have also successfully implemented satellite mapping for groundwater exploration and re-charge,” he added.<br />Another example is the Ocean Sat 2, used to collect and provide data on fishing zones. Mechanised fishing trawlers with GPS facility fitted on them have greatly benefited by way of this technology, he said.<br />“Fishermen have also used space based technology to send distress signals to the coast guard, when trawlers have been swept away into deep sea” added Dr Hegde. <br />DH News Service</p>
<p>Inaugurating the 33rd Annual Science Festival on ‘Space Applications in India - Touching Lives’ at National College, Basavanagude here, Dr Hegde said the Planning Commission has convened a meeting with ISRO on July 6 to discuss possibilities for further widening the scope of space enabled solutions. <br /><br />“We could in the future see space applications go beyond providing just satellite based imagery, telemedicine, videoconference and educational purposes. One such new application could result in Disaster Management, where warning on impending natural disasters such as flash floods, even a tsunami may be beamed via Doordarshan’s wide network to the people,” he said.<br /><br />Stating that the telemedicine network pioneered by ISRO in 2004, has the distinction of being the largest such network in the world, he added that space for societal development is increasingly being used by the premier space agency. <br /><br />Satellite mapping<br />“We have also successfully implemented satellite mapping for groundwater exploration and re-charge,” he added.<br />Another example is the Ocean Sat 2, used to collect and provide data on fishing zones. Mechanised fishing trawlers with GPS facility fitted on them have greatly benefited by way of this technology, he said.<br />“Fishermen have also used space based technology to send distress signals to the coast guard, when trawlers have been swept away into deep sea” added Dr Hegde. <br />DH News Service</p>
