Category Archives: Science & Technology

India’s Anantapur District to Install 40,000 Solar Panels and Save $1 Million per Year

Business & Economy, Science & Technology

Southern India’s Anantapur District will be the first municipality in the country to use solar energy for street lighting and water pumping operations. The solar project, consisting of nearly 40,000 solar panels , will be connected to the existing power grid and will save $1 million every year, according to the municipal authorities.

The solar project will be constructed under India’s Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM). Located in Kadiri area of Anantapur District spread over 10,000 acres of barren land, the 5-megawatt solar installation is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 180,000 tons during its 25-year life span. The Anantapur solar project will also be the first project in the state to use Abound Solar Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) thin-film modules which are among the lowest-cost types of solar cells.

Energy generated from nearly 40,000 solar panels  will result in over $1 million in savings. The project will cost about $11 million, and those costs are expected to be recovered in 11 years. The district authorities are hoping to get financial support from the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy and use the savings to repay the loan.

Via CleanTechnica

Photos from Wikimedia Commons

source: http://www.inhabitat.com / Home> News> Renewable Energy> Solar power / by Lidija Grozdanic / January 26th, 2013

LV Prasad Institute bags health award

Business & Economy, Science & Technology

L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), a city-based eye care institution has been awarded the Best Single Specialty Hospital – Opthalmology at the ICICI Lombard and CNBC TV18 India Healthcare Awards 2012.

A World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Prevention of Blindness, the Institute offers comprehensive patient care, sight enhancement and rehabilitation services, offers professional ophthalmic training at all levels, conducts cutting-edge eye care research and high-impact rural eye health programs.

The India Healthcare Awards 2012 will be presided over by the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia and the award will be presented on March 9, 2013 in Delhi.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / Express News Service – Hyderabad / February 21st, 2013

S.D. Eye Hospital gets new equipment

Business & Economy, Science & Technology

State-run Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital has installed a mechanised laundry system worth Rs. 16.4 lakh to ensure supply of clean linen throughout the year for its surgeons. The hospital is also set to receive medical equipment worth Rs. 6 crore so as to enable high-end services.

The shortage of clean linen to take up surgeries and other infrastructure frailties at the hospital were highlighted in these columns recently.

Hospital Superintendent P.V. Nanda Kumar said infrastructure weaknesses were being addressed in a big way.

“With the addition of the new equipment and mechanised laundry, things will start looking up at the hospital,” he said.

Relief for patients

Till recently, hospital doctors were forced to send patients to outside facilities for diagnostic and surgical services. The hospital would also be able to offer medical services to diabetic patients.

“Diabetic retinopathy is a common condition. Now, we will not have to send such patients outside. We are acquiring Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), which is required to take high-resolution images of retina to detect such ailments,” Dr. Nanda Kumar said.

Already, the hospital has received medial equipment worth Rs. 1 crore including a viterctomy machine for surgeries, slit lamps for eye inspection, microscopes, special lenses and green laser for surgeries.

“These are high-end equipment, needed for complicated surgeries. We used to refer patients to private hospitals to avail such services,” the Superintendent pointed out.

Additional equipment like three phaco-machines for cataract surgeries, special scanning machines, high-end powerful microscopes including an OCT are being procured. The new equipment is likely to be made operational in another month, he said.

The hospital surgeons are capable of performing high-end surgeries to treat near and far sightedness.

“For such surgeries, we are waiting for a Lasik machine,” Dr. Kumar said, hopeful of obtaining it at the earliest.

 

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home>  National> Andhra Pradesh / by M. Sai Gopal / February 15th, 2013

APCOST to organise contests for teachers and students

Education, Science & Technology

The Andhra Pradesh Council of Science and Technology (APCOST), Government of Andhra Pradesh, will organise competitions for students and teachers on February 26 and 27, in connection with the National Science Day. Students of classes 8, 9, and 10 are eligible to participate in the contest.

In the first category, one student can display the project along with a teacher on February 26, and in second category, one teacher can exhibit his/her project the next day.

There is no fee. Interested students and teachers can register their names by February 20, by calling 0866-2414161 during working hours, or by sending e-mail toapcost_vijayawada@yahoo.comorapcost_regionalsciencecentre_vja@ yahoo.com, said APCOST in-charge officer J. Dilleswara Rao.

Only three projects will be allowed from one institution. Three prizes would be awarded for each category (for students and teachers separately).

Prizes would be distributed at a function on February 27, Mr. Rao said.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Staff Reporter / Vijayawada, February 16th, 2013

Biggest cancer registry in Hyderabad soon

Records, All, Science & Technology

Hyderabad :

In a significant move that could open doors to effective cancer control strategies, the city is all set to have its own population-based cancer registry by the end of this year, which will help authorities find out more about the lifestyle disease.

While oncologists say that cancer of the head and neck, stomach, cervical and breasts are the most common, there is no centralized data available for evaluation by researchers. Andhra Pradesh  accounts for an estimated 1.2 lakh new cancer cases out of 12 lakh cases every year in India.

So far, all metros including Delhi and Mumbai, and even Thiruvananthapuram and almost all northeastern states have population-based cancer registries. “The cancer registry of Greater Hyderabad will be one of the biggest area-wise as it will cover adjacent municipalities as well unlike other registries,” said Dr D Raghunadha Rao, professor of medical oncology, Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences  (Nims). Dr Rao said that Nims will maintain the population-based cancer registry for Greater Hyderabad.

The decision follows the Indian Council of Medical Research’s nod to start a population-based cancer registry. Authorities plan to start operations after funds are released. “It is a Government of India project and will begin this year,” Dr Rao maintained.

As per the proposed estimates, the teaching hospital will require Rs 30-35 lakh annually to maintain the registry of demographic information, medical history, diagnostic findings, cancer therapy and follow-up details of cancer patients from Hyderabad. The data will be used to evaluate quality of life, calculate survival rates, analyze referral pattern, and evaluate efficacy of treatment modalities.

Experts said that knowing patterns of cancer across the country would provide important leads in undertaking research to know the cause of the disease, in targeting cancer control measures and in examining clinical outcomes.

Currently, there are 27 population-based cancer registries in India. While all metros are covered except Hyderabad, other registries are in Bhopal, Thiruvananthapuram and in almost all northerneastern states among others.

The cancer incidence in Hyderabad is so far not known and experts said that this is where the registry’s role comes into play. The registries in other metros have revealed some interesting details in the recent past such as the drop in cervical cancer  incidence in urban areas in Mumbai, Chennai as well as Thiruvananthapuram. Also, Bangalore-based National Cancer Registry found that 90% of the cancer hospitals do not follow up on patients.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> City> Hyderabad / by Bushra Baseerat, TNN / February 18th, 2013

Nizamabad girl student bags two gold medals

Education, Records, All, Science & Technology

Miss Ateeba Shazi who completed her M.Sc in Physics from the Giriraj Government College bagged two gold medals at the 79th convocation of the Osmania University in Hyderabad .

A distinction student from the beginning, she stood first securing more than 85 percentage in SSC, Intermediate and B.Sc. In M.Sc, she scored 87 per cent and bagged the Prof.N. Rajeswar Rao Memorial Gold Medal and also B. Hayagreena and Revathi Gold Medal.

Daughter of Abid Ali, a lecturer in Commerce at the GGC, she was given the Abid Ali Khan merit award by Siasat Urdu daily.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Staff Reporter / Nizamabad, February 09th, 2013

3-day cancer conference starts today

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Science & Technology

Hyderabad :

Over 2,300 delegates from India and abroad will brainstorm newer ways of tackling cancer  at the three-day Fifth Biennial Conference Cancer CI – 2013, which starts here on Friday. Workshops on radiation oncology, new cancer protocols and interactive sessions with patients and a host of other issues are lined up for discussion, doctors said.

With the  World Health Organisation  (WHO) stating that the number of global cancer deaths will jump to 11.5 million by 2030 from 7.9 million deaths in 2007, city oncologists said that the conference will give them an opportunity to discuss rising cancer cases in the state and rest of the country.

In India, cancer is the second largest cause of death after cardiovascular disease, with at least 14 lakh new cases being added every year.

“The conference will focus on a broad spectrum of topics in management of gynaecology, breast, head and neck and gastro intestinal cancer,” said Dr P Vijay Anand Reddy, director, Apollo Cancer Hospital and chairman of the Scientific Committee. The conference is being organised by Apollo along with CURE Foundation.Apollo Hospitals receives 500 cases a month, out of which around 20% are minors.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> City> Hyderabad / by TNN / February 08th, 2013

Better facilities for air exports sought

Business & Economy, Science & Technology

Air Travellers’ Association of India organises round-table

There is a tremendous potential for air exports from the city and urgent measures are required to facilitate handling of export and import cargo, said the speakers at a round-table on air exports organised by Air Travellers’ Association of India — ATA (I) — in association with the Vizagapatam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here on Monday.

Lack of handling facilities for outbound export cargo at the airport has deprived Air India Visakhapatnam – Dubai flight (via Hyderabad) of utilising its cargo hold of four tons for nearly a year. They sought that all the agencies involved like the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Navy, Customs and AP Trade Promotion Corporation (APTPC) should ensure that cargo handling facilities were improved at the airport.

Rajya Sabha Member T. Subbarami Reddy recalled his efforts in getting various amenities at the airport over the years. He said that was made possible through constant follow-up with the authorities concerned, persuasion and personal rapport with the officials. He felt that such efforts were required even now to keep things moving.

He said that though the Government of India had sanctioned manpower, the Navy was saying it would take a long time for operating the airport round the clock in view of recruitment and specialised training.

Mr. Subbarami Reddy said that he had not bothered about this issue for the past few months as other political leaders were trying to do something. “Since they had failed, I promise to take up the issue of 24-hour operations and posting of an Additional Drugs Controller in Visakhapatnam besides trying to promote tourism in Visakhapatnam,” he said.

Airport Director K. Srinivasa Rao said that temporary arrangements were made for cargo exports within certain limitations of size and weight. He was optimistic that the cargo terminal would be completed by August this year.

Cold storage

AP Trade Promotion Corporation (APTPC) Manager Srimannarayana Rao sought provision of space and screening facilities for cargo handling at the airport. A cold storage was also required for perishable goods.

ATA (I) president D. Varada Reddy said that the objective of the round-table was to expedite air exports and infrastructure development at the airport. He said that Air Arabia was planning to operate flights to Sharjah, IndiGo to Singapore and Colombo and felt that 24-hour operation of the airport was a must for more international carriers to come to Vizag.

Station Manager of Air India, V.T. Jairaj, Director of GSEC Limited Samir Mankad, Executive Director of Hospira India K.V. Raju, Capt. Sriram Ravi Chander of Visakha Container Terminal Private Limited (VCTPL) and VCCI president K. Ramabrahmam were among those who participated.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> Cities / by Staff Reporter / Visakhapatnam, February 05th, 2013

Kidloo opens store in Hyderabad

Business & Economy, Science & Technology

Hyderabad, February 03rd :

Online toy store, Kidloo, has opened its toy store here.

Christened as ‘Experience’ toy store, it would offer an option to try and experience the toys, play with them, test their performance, and loiter around the store before deciding to purchase, the company said in a release.

source: http://www.TheHinduBusinessLine.com / Home> Industry> Marketing / by The Hindu’s Bureau / Hyderabad, February 03rd, 2013

TEDx GITAM University on Feb. 23

Education, Science & Technology, World Opinion

TEDx is a series of talks by eminent personalities from all over the country and abroad

GITAM University has recently acquired the license to organise an independent TED event. TEDx GITAMUniversity, the first ever Visakhapatnam based TEDx event, is scheduled to be held on February 23 with the motto “Imagine. Ideate. Inspire” .

A globally renowned event on the lines of the famous TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Talks , TEDx is a series of talks by eminent personalities from all over the country and abroad on diverse topics covering vital fields like media, technology, science, arts, Entrepreneurship, medical etc.

The speakers include Joseph Radhik (famous wedding photographer) , a speaker from Dialogue in the Dark- India (social franchising company), Harrish Iyer (victim of child sexual abuse, survivor, animal rights activist and an environmentalist), Ojas Suniti Vinay (young theatre artist who spreads awareness about plight of North-East India), Vijay Bhaskar Reddy (Agricultural entrepreneur) , Prasanna Kumar (famous Vizag luminary; Director, Centre for Policy Studies; former Rector and retired Professor of Politics, Andhra University), Anupama Hoskere (Puppetry theatre innovator) , Mitchell B. London (President and CEO at Headroom Learning, a leading educational software company) and Vivek Francis (Owner of MobME, one of the most successful telecom start-ups in India).

Only limited numbers of entry passes are available, and will be issued after the applicant finishes the application process at www.register.tedxgitam

university.com and is intimated of his or her selection by the organizers, following which payment of entry fee has to be done.

Selection will be done on the basis of information/essay provided in the application form and the resume of applicant.

Contact Jai Kanth at 9032547193 for more details.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> Features> Education Plus / February 04th, 2013