The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : ISRO working on disaster warning system

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 10, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

ISRO working on disaster warning system

Staff reporter

Warnings will directly reach homes through television channels, says scientist

CHENNAI: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is working towards developing a system under which warnings about natural disasters will directly reach homes through television channels.

ISRO senior scientist B. Manikiam said here on Thursday that satellites were particularly suited to delivering specific disaster warnings.

"Through satellite technology, these warnings can automatically and immediately appear, perhaps as a scroll, on television channels," he said at a seminar on `Public Weather Services and Disaster Management.'

The direct transmission of the warnings works on the principle that a satellite transponder sends the signals to the earth. The satellite receiver then sends the information to television and radio channels.

Mr. Manikiam said such systems were in place in developed countries. Some countries also had an automated telephone warning system.

Special Commissioner for Relief R. Santhanam stressed the importance of effective delivery of warnings for disaster mitigation. Sri Lanka was trying out a system of sending disaster warnings through SMS on mobile phones.

R. C. Bhatia, Additional Director General of Meteorology, Indian Meteorological Department, said that "reducing risk is very vital" as disasters could cripple the economy of an area.

Mr. Santhanam released a glossary of meteorological terms in Tamil. It was published with financial support from The Hindu .

S. Sridharan, Deputy Director General, Regional Meteorological Centre, said the booklet would be of immense help to the local language press and the media.

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