Indian Navy – Sri Lanka Navy Maritime Exercise, BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile Successfully Tested, Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Processing Facility, Fostering Steel Usage in Rural and Agriculture Sector
Indian Navy – Sri Lanka Navy Maritime Exercise
- The Eighth Edition of annual Indian Navy (IN) – Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) bilateral maritime exercise SLINEX-20 is scheduled off Trincomalee, Sri Lanka from 19 to 21 October 2020.
- The Sri Lanka Navy will be represented by SLN Ships Sayura (Offshore Patrol Vessel) and Gajabahu(Training Ship) led by Rear Admiral Bandara Jayathilaka, the Flag Officer Commanding Naval Fleet, Sri Lanka Navy.
- Indigenously built ASW corvettesKamorta and Kiltanunder the command of Rear Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, will represent the Indian Navy.
- In addition, Indian Navy Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and Chetak helicopter embarked onboard IN ships, and Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft will also be participating.
- The previous edition of SLINEX was conducted off Visakhapatnam in September 2019.
- SLINEX-20 aims to enhance inter-operability, improve mutual understanding and exchange best practices and procedures for multi-faceted maritime operations between both navies.
- In addition, the exercise will also showcase capabilities of our indigenously constructed naval ships and aircraft.
- Surface and anti-air exercises including weapon firing, seamanship evolutions, manoeuvres and cross deck flying operations are planned during the exercise, which will further enhance the high degree of inter-operability already established between the two friendly navies.
- SLINEX series of exercise exemplifies the deep engagement between India and Sri Lanka which has strengthened mutual cooperation in the maritime domain.
- Interaction between the SLN and IN has also grown significantly in recent years, in consonance with India’s policy of ‘Neighbourhood First’ and Hon’ble PM’s vision of ‘Security and Growth for all in the Region (SAGAR)’.
- Synergy developed during SLINEX exercises resulted in seamless coordination of joint SLN – IN efforts in September 2020 to render assistance to MT New Diamond, a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), which had caught fire off the East Coast of Sri Lanka.
- The exercise is being conducted in a non-contact ‘at-sea-only’ format in the backdrop of COVID-19 pandemic.
BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile Successfully Tested
- BrahMos, the supersonic cruise missile was successfully test fired from Indian Navy’s indigenously-built stealth destroyer INS Chennai, hitting a target in the Arabian Sea.
- The missile hit the target successfully with pin-point accuracy after performing high-level and extremely complex manoeuvres.
- BrahMos as ‘prime strike weapon’ will ensure the warship’s invincibility by engaging naval surface targets at long ranges, thus making the destroyer another lethal platform of Indian Navy.
- The highly versatile BrahMos has been jointly designed, developed and produced by India and Russia.
- BrahMos missiles will add to the capabilities of Indian Armed Forces in many ways.
- In May last year, the Indian Air Force successfully test fired the aerial version of the BrahMos missile from a Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft.
- On September 30, India successfully test-fired a new version of the surface-to-surface version of the BrahMos.
- The range of the new land attack version of the missile has been extended to 400 km from the original 290 km.
- India has test fired a number of missiles including a new version of the surface-to-surface supersonic cruise missile BrahMos and anti-radiation missile Rudram-1.
- India also carried out successful test firing of a laser guided anti-tank guided missile and nuclear capable hypersonic missile ‘Shaurya’.
- The successful test firing of Rudram-1 was seen as a major milestone as it is India’s first indigenously developed anti-radiation weapon.
- India has already deployed a sizeable number of the original BrahMos missiles and other key assets in several strategic locations along the de-facto border with China in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh.
Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Processing Facility
- The changing ecological scenarios requires special attention to address the issue of ‘Sustainable Processing of Municipal Solid Waste’.
- This is not only a necessary component of converting waste into useful end products but also to maintain a cleaner environment and to safeguard contamination of soil, air and water.
- Ineffective processing of Wastes are the root of all diseases as the dumped Landfills become the Contamination Hubs for Pathogens, Bacteria and Viruses.
- Besides, they also become the cauldron for emission of Methane Gas, especially during the churning mechanisms deployed during Composting processes.
- Composting also does not yield impactful economic returns for the entrepreneurs.
- The mixed nature of wastes in the current scenario can easily lead to infiltration of heavy metals into agricultural produce, through the indiscriminate creation of Composts.
- The CSIR-CMERI developed Municipal Solid Waste Processing Facility has not only helped achieving Decentralised Decimation of Solid Wastes, but has also helped create value-added end-products from abundantly available redundant stuffs such as Dry Leaves, Dry Grass etc.
- The primary focus of CSIR-CMERI is to unburden the common households from the segregation responsibilities through Advanced Segregation techniques.
- The Bio-Digestion process adopted has minimum pollution factor.
- The MSW facility has been equipped with special capabilities to deal with a diverse range of waste including Masks, Sanitary Napkins, Diapers etc.
- The MSW facility has been with special disinfection capabilities to help Break the COVID Chain through UV-C Lights and Hot-Air Convection methods.
- We have also achieved optimum Energy Sufficiency in the MSW facility by adding the Solar energy technology, which can also feed the surplus Energy Supply onto a Mini-Grid.
- Decentralised Waste Management technology developed by CSIR-CMERI can result in drastic reduction of expenditure related to Transportation Logistics and can help reductions in CO2 emissions, by reducing fossil fuel usage.
- The Scientifically Decentralised Waste Processing Hubs will help multiply outreach for various locations and will also boost the manufacturing potential for the residents of the region.
- This CSIR-CMERI MSW Technology envisions a Zero-Landfill and a Zero Waste City in addition to developing Job-Creation opportunities.
- This technology will also help create a revived Green Energy reliant India.
- The Institute developed Solid Waste Disposal using Plasma Arc converting wastes into plasma state for proper disposal.
- The residues generated having good carbon content are used in agriculture as fertilizer and non-usable are utilized to make bricks for construction purposes.
- Thus, it is creating wealth out of wastes through use of science.
- The technology pertains to the period 2013-16 and has some cost constraints.
- Thus, another solution provided by CSIR-CMERI which is more cost effective is Mechanized Segregation Process.
- The existing Windrow Composting procedure has some drawback as it requires more land space, pasteurization is required for effective disinfection, it is labour intensive and has restricted utilization due to presence of heavy metals.
- During the rainy season its management is difficult due to presence of moisture.
- The alternative solution is Bio-methanation Plant. CSIR-CMERI has started an innovative technology of producing the Biogas from grass and weeds and Vermi-composting of Slurry of the plant process.
- A mechanized system has been developed to utilize saw dust, shredded leaves, biogas slurry and produces briquettes.
- The Smokeless Stove has also been developed to utilize these briquettes.
- Such stoves have the benefits of Reduction in import of LPG and reduction in pollution.
- Towards targeting a Zero landfill, the latest technology being used by Institute is Pyrolysis process wherein conversion of plastics into gas and fuel are done.
- This is an environment-friendly process and produces within permissible toxins as conversion happens in the anaerobic chamber.
- Heavy oil, gas being used in pyrolysis helps in obtaining self-sustainability.
- Through Plasma Gasification Process also eco-friendly disposal of solid wastes is processed without formation and reformation of toxic dioxins and furans.
- The Decentralized Solid Waste Management Plant developed by CSIR-CMERI has all the potentials to managing any contaminants available in the wastes.
Fostering Steel Usage in Rural and Agriculture Sector
- Steel will play a pivotal role in India’s ascent to a $5 trillion economy due to its critical role in growth driving sectors such as construction, infrastructure, manufacturing, railways, oil & gas, defence and rural & agriculture etc.
- However, despite being the world’s second largest producer of steel, India’s annual per capita steel consumption is 74.1 kg and is one-third the global average (224.5kg).
- Steel use in the rural areas has been much lower compared to the use of steel in urban areas.
- The rural per capita steel consumption in the country has been around 19.1 kg in the year 2019 against the all India average of 74.1 kg.
- It is estimated that that around 54% of rural steel consumption goes for House construction, 10% for Community construction, 20% for Professional usages (primarily agricultural implements), furniture, vehicles and household items (balance 16%).
- Hence, apart from facilitating capacity expansion, the Ministry of Steel has taken measures to enhance steel demand usage in the country and is actively working with concerned ministries.
- The objective of the webinar is to identify present and future requirements of steel and steel products in Rural Development Sector and increase awareness on usage & benefits of using steel goods such as: Steel intensive structures in community / common facility area, Water Storage facilities, Grain Storage Silos, Common Grain Storage facilities and household water storage drums etc.
- The webinar will also deliberate on challenges faced in procuring steel products and capabilities of Indian iron and steel industry in meeting the present demand, future expansion plans, manufacturing and R&D capabilities for developing new products.
- The webinar will also feature Secretaries Panel and States Panel consisting of Secretaries from key Rural Development Ministries from the Centre and States apart from presentations by key Rural Development agencies.
