I was watching a show called "Moon Dreamers" on NDTV a few days back. It was right after ISRO succesfully launched the Chandrayaan - I and put it in the moon's orbit. ISRO Chairman Madhavan Nair and Project director M. Annadurai were in the panel. The talk was interesting until the audience started asking questions.
I think people in my generation have a few things in common. Jumping to conclusions, making instant judgements, criticising everything and Pessimism about anything to do with the Government. One guy as myself asked the following question: (I try to put the question as I remember it)
"Sir, I appreciate you have done a great feat by building a cost-effective Launch vehicle and putting up Chandrayaan in moon's orbit. I congratulate you for it. But still, the moon is already explored. Why should you spend so many thousands of crores on Space technologies when in the country Poverty and Hunger is still prevalent. Dont you think we should rather invest that money somewhere else to help the poor in the country?"
If you consider the stature of the panelists and what they had achieved in their whole career, the question was like a slap to their face. Almost claiming that their endeavours are worthless. What was most encouraging was the way the answer was responded. It threw up a whole new side of the Space Technology that is hidden away from the mainstream media.
The panelists said that Indian Space Research has been dedicated to the poor of the country since the time of its inception by the late Vikram Sarabhai. And then they pointed out the following uses of Space Technology already being used to aid the poor in the country.
1. Development of Fisheries
The fishermen on the huge coastline of the country apparently spent hours looking for areas with schools of fishes. Now, remote-sensing satellites provide live data to fishermen before they leave for fishing. They no longer have to go wasting time hunting for appropriate regions, hence saving time and fuel for their boats.
2. Agriculture
What land is suitable for what type of agriculture? Where can you grow your crops for good yields? How good is the yield in a certain region this season? Where are fertile unutilised lands available? All of these are already being answered by the multitude of satellites ISRO has launched in Earth's orbit.
3. Groundwater
Remote-sensing satellites are used for finding out the groundwater levels / Water tables in various regions. People can be warned in advance of impending droughts with the aid of satellites.
4. Disaster Relief operations
Search & Rescue operations, disaster relief operations are other areas that are affectively being used to aid the people in the country.
There certainly are more applications of the technology with the other satellites that are launched for the sake of "cartography". I'm sure they are also used for boosting the security on the borders. Like the guy who asked the question, even I was humbled by the answer of the panelists.
The best part to hear was the closing statement.
"... I am certain that India leads the world in using Space Technology to aid the poor. And I think we are ready to teach other countries how they can achieve the same."
3 comments:
As I pointed out in my post (http://satwikhebbar.blogspot.com/2008/10/destination-moon.html) earlier, people who ask that question really are too short-sighted. The points you list here are essentially direct applications of the technology. There are a lot more indirect implications that space technology has on a grander scale that clearly are not appreciated. These fall under the broader spectra of Defence, Aeronautics, Embedded and Real-Time Computing, Education, and more.
In fact, that question really is so naive, I would have shot down the questioner with my own questions back to them. About the money burnt on cricket. About any entrepreneur spending money on his own business. About people spending on big cars, cigarettes, alcohol. All that is money better used to alleviate poverty, nay?
brilliant!
@Satwik: Yes, there are other uses of Space technology. But since the question posed was related to how the poor can benefit, the answers were restricted to them.
Any normal person would've started a verbal duel hearing the manner in which the question was posed, true. But that is where the great are separated from the normal :). And that is why I hate Karan Thapar!
@Mihir: Thank you for dropping by :)
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