Vice-President of India Visited ESSO-INCOIS Today

Honorable Vice President of India , Shri Venkaiah M. Naidu visited Indian National Centre of Ocean Information Services, Hyderabad and interacted with the scientists and staff. Shri Md. Mahmood Ali, Deputy Chief Minister, Revenue, Relief & Rehabilitation, ULC, Stamps & Registration accompanied him on the occasion. They were also joined by Joint Secretary of Ministry of Earth Sciences, Dr. Vipin Chandra INCOIS under Ministry of Earth sciences is  India's premier and unique institute in the area of Operational Oceanography. The Centre provides a suite of ocean information services such as potential fishing zone (PFZ) advisories for fishermen, ocean state forecasts (OSF) useful to marine-based industry , fishermen, defence forces and the coastal population. All these services support India's extensive blue economy and safety of coastal population and mariners.  INCOIS also hosts the 24*7 Tsunami Warning Centre which , serves 25 countries as a Tsunami warning Service Provider (TSP) recognised by UNESCO.

During the visit, Honourable Vice-President addressed the staff of INCOIS, delegates from 18 Indian Ocean countries, who are attending the ongoing 2nd ICG/IOTWMS Integrated Inter sessional Meetings at INCOIS, Dr. M. V. Reddy, IAS, Collector (Medchal)  and other guests from NGRI, Hyderabad Central University, etc.

As part of the visit, Honourable Vice-President toured INCOIS laboratories and interacted with INCOIS scientists who provided demonstrations of various oceanographic instruments as well as information services and also addressed staff of INCOIS, delegates from 18 Indian Ocean countries (who are attending the ongoing 2^nd ICG/IOTWMS Integrated Inter-sessional Meetings at INCOIS) and other guests from NGRI, Hyderabad Central University etc. His address  was preceded by an introduction and welcome by Dr. Vipin Chandra Joint Secretary of Ministry of Earth Sciences) on INCOIS's remarkable progress in 19 years achieving a position of leadership and acknowledging government support that has encouraged such development.  Dr. Satheesh Shenoi, Director , INCOIS then provided a detailed presentation on INCOIS activities that highlighted the growth of subscribers to the INCOIS PFZ and OSF service that now  includes 5.76 lakh fishermen, no-false alert record for both ocean state forecast service and tsunami warning service, extensive observation network modelling , growing popularity of the INCOIS PhD programme etc.

Honourable Vice-President Naidu in his address clarified that the visit was motivated by his own personal interest in furthering the countries progress in 3 areas viz. 1. Education 2. Scientific Development and 3. Assistance to the agricultural sector that includes 54-60 % of India's population. He emphasised that Science's main role should be to better lives and benefit society and provides solutions to critical problems. He complimented INCOIS' role in making its services accessible for benefit of society and mitigation of natural calamities and was satisfied that the principle of information with confirmation is followed dedicatedly. He especially lauded INCOIS' single window Sagar Vaani that provides all INCOIS services in all 8 coastal languages as well as in  English and Hindi and encouraged scientists to continue interacting with users like fishermen to further fine-tune the services. He also expressed his satisfaction that INCOIS services help save resources, especially in not issuing false alarms that can lead to unnecessary evacuations. He stressed that what is required now is synergistic cooperation between international bodies like NASA, and all national bodies like ISRO, CSIR, MoES , NDMA and research institutes such as INCOIS. He congratulated INCOIS on the UNESCO Category-2 International Training Centre for Operational Oceanography being set up. He noted the usefulness of all services including the multi-hazard 3D mapping. He  emphasised that the correct route to progress and a good future is keeping close to nature and nurturing talent. He supported the Prime Minister's  directive to reform and transform as a correct path to perform.

-Press note