17 Oct 2014

Kalam stresses need for carbon-free cities


A file picture of former President A P J Abdul Kalam at a function in Chandigarh. Photo: Akhilesh Kumar.

           Former President APJ Abdul Kalam on Tuesday stressed the need to have carbon-free cities across the globe for happy and healthy living of citizens.
Delivering the keynote address at the plenary session of the XI World Metropolis Congress that is currently underway in Hyderabad, Dr Kalam suggested that the delegates should deliberate on building carbon-neutral and fossil-free urban conglomerations.
“To have carbon-neutral cities is my dream. Whether smart cities or over-smart cities, the urban areas should be places for healthy living,” Dr Kalam said adding that “healthy living is possible only if we adopt methods of generating solar power and create non-carbonised environment.”
The growing migration to urban areas poses challenge in creation of clean environment, he said.
Recalling his recent visit to Chandigarh, the former President said the city was built by a Swiss architect and an expert urban planner and there are several points that can be learnt from it.
Carlo Ratti, Professor at MIT, Boston, gave a power point presentation on sensible city while Johannesburg Mayor Parks Tau focused on initiatives taken up by his city’s municipality. 

Curtsey with: THE HINDU

ISRO notches another success with PSLV-C26


PSLV-C26 lifts off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota early Thursday. Photo: V. Ganesan

20 years after first mission, the space agency recorded its 27th successful flight.

On October 15, 1994, India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-D2) for the first time successfully placed an Indian Remote-sensing Satellite into orbit.
Twenty years later, on October 16, 2014, the PSLV-C26 lobbed the 1,425 kg Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS-1C) satellite into its precise orbit.
Thursday’s mission was ISRO’s twenty-seventh consecutively successful PSLV flight. ISRO Chairman K. Radhakrishnan said, “The PSLV has done it again. IRNNSS-1C is up in orbit. ”
After a flight of 20 minutes and 18 seconds, the satellite was injected into an elliptical orbit. The IRNSS-1C is the third among seven navigation satellites, with a wide range of applications from helping truck drivers to submarines, missiles and battle tanks locate their positions. 

Curtsey with: THE HINDU