PSLV-C16 launch successful, satellites injected into orbit

SRIHARIKOTA: In a precision launch, India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle- C16 placed on a 822-km sunsynchronous orbit three satellites – ResourceSat – 2, an Indo-Russian YouthSat and Singapore's first satellite X Sat, on Wednesday.

The launch went off as per schedule and the satellites were placed in orbit 18 minutes after blast off from the launch pad at the Sriharikota spaceport.

Wednesday's successful launch, which was the 17th consecutive one for India's space warhorse PSLV, has pushed up India'a remote sensing capabilities.

Indian Space Research Organisation chairman K Radhakrishnan said the launch was a grand success. "We wanted to put the satellites into a 820-km orbit, but we got an 822 km orbit," he said. The mission cost Rs 250 crore.

The launch was keenly watched across the world as data from ResourceSat – 2 will be used by 15 countries. The satellite, which weighs 1206 kg will collect data including those on ground water and mineral resources on land and fish density in the sea. The satellite is equipped with three cameras that can cover 740 km wide, 141 km wide and 17 km wide at resolutions ranging from 22 metres to 5 metres.

"The satellite will replace ResourceSat I which is in orbit since 2003. ResourceSat- 2 is a global mission and has many improvements. It has three cameras that can monitor natural resources at different resolutions. It can be used to monitor snow cover, glacier changes, urban landscape and others," said Radhakrishnan.

PSLV-C16 mission director Kunhikrishnan said all the stages of the rocket performed well. "The solid stage propulsion and liquid stage propulsion worked well and we were able to achieve the orbit in 18 minutes after the launch. The solar panel of ResourceSat- 2 has been deployed and the satellite was pushed to the second orbit soon. If all goes well with the satellite, the ground centre in Bangalore will start receiving images from April 18," he said.

The other payloads are 92-kg YouthSat, an Indo-Russian stellar and atmospheric satellite built with the participation of students from Universities. It is the second in A mini satellite series. The YouthSat mission intends to investigate the relationship between solar variability and upper layers of atmosphere.

The third one, X Sat, is Singapore's first satellite and weighs 106 kg. The mini satellite has a multispectral camera IRIS as its main load. The satellite intends to demonstrate technologies related to satellite-based remote sensing and onboard image processing.

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Centre firm on Jaitapur plant

NEW DELHI: A rethink of UPA's nuclear push is ruled out. The riotous protests and death at Jaitapur or the disaster at Fukushimi might slow the rollout of nuclear power plants but it won't derail UPA's plans of a nuclear thrust to the Indian economy, sources in the government told TOI.

The Fukushima impact on Indian shores has been to force the nuclear establishment to do a bit of closed door review but it's not opened the establishment to open scrutiny. At best, it got environment minister Jairam Ramesh to ask for an independent authority to administer the civilian nuclear power business in the country.

The protests leading to death of a person at Jaitapur, one of the four plants Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited has got environmental clearance for, hasn't had much of an impact on the UPA's will to push ahead. At the Centre, it has been dismissed as mishandling of local protests about livelihoods, about the need to negotiate – implying it's about providing the right amount of compensation and perhaps a bit more.

The increasing flare up in the area has been described as 'politicisation' of local discontent by the Left and the right.

But the fact that the environmental clearance, itself full of holes, is not even required to assess questions of nuclear safety is not up for review – a clear indication that not much is expected to change. In a conscious attempt, questions of nuclear safety were kept out of the purview of environmental norms when the laws were framed. That is going to remain so, sources indicated.

Unlike other environmental issues, nuclear safety does not form part of the issues reviewed by either the ministry or third party experts. Nuclear safety is not part of the mandatory public hearings on environmental clearances. It was not at Jaitapur. UPA has no plans of altering that either.

The government is handicapped by the fact that in the case of nuclear power plants, like in other projects, it doesn't have a separation between environmental concerns and land acquisition issues. With land acquisition and R&R bill pending infinitely, that is not going to change soon. But Congress is sure, for now, that it will not hinder its plans to sprout nuclear power plants around the countryside.

toi

DDA draw of lots today, results to come day later

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is going to hold the draw of lots for its latest housing scheme on Monday. But applicants will get to know about the results of the draw only a day later. The draw will take place at the Noida-based office of the Centre for Development of Advance Computing (C-DAC).

DDA roped in the company as the number of flats involved—nearly 16,000—is three times its previous housing scheme. Moreover, the agency believes that C-DAC has the requisite equipment to carry out the computerised draw.

“The draw can take up to four hours and it might not be possible for us to put up the list of successful candidates on our website the same day,” said a senior DDA official. The list will be put on DDA’s website www.dda.org.in and will also be published in major newspapers.

Though no one would be allowed to enter the C-DAC office during the draw, a television would be installed outside for those who want to witness the exercise live.

Noida administration has made tight security arrangements for the draw at C-DAC’s sector-62 office. Keeping in mind a huge gathering, traffic police personnel, and women police officers have also been deployed. “The draw is likely to continue till 4pm . Two companies of the provincial armed constabulary, four SHOs, 15 sub-inspectors, and 40 constables have been deployed,” said a senior police officer. If needed, traffic on some routes could be diverted, he said.

About 7.53 lakh people have applied for the 16,000 flats on offer. “This time, the exercise is more stringent than ever. Applicants have to make payments from their own accounts and details will be sent to the IT department for verification. This will rule out the involvement of speculators and property dealers,” the official said.

Draw of lots tomorrow for DDA housing scheme 2010

NEW DELHI: The wait to know whether you will be able to own a flat in Delhi ends in a couple of days as the DDA holds a draw of lots tomorrow for 16,000 flats offered under its latest housing scheme.

Some 7.53 lakh applicants are vying for the flats, located in areas like Vasant Kunj, Mukherjee Nagar , Motia Khan , Jasola , Dwarka, Rohini, Narela, Jaffarabad, Kondli and Gharoli. There are one, two and three bedroom flats with the prices ranging from Rs 9 lakh to Rs Rs 1.12 crore.

The results of the draw, the biggest ever in the history of DDA, will be uploaded on DDA website and published in newspapers by April 19. The allotment might be given by the end of the year.

The housing scheme was launched on November 25, 2010. Asked about the allegations of irregularities that had cropped up during the last draw of lots for its housing scheme, Delhi Development Authority officials said all necessary checks and balances are in place.

"The draw is being held in a transparent manner in the presence of independent senior observers from diverse fields," an official of the housing agency said.

For the first time, the draw will not be held in DDA headquarters but at the office of the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) in Noida.

"The draw is being held in Noida only due to the fact that the number of applicants and the number of flats being allotted under the scheme is high as compared to earlier schemes. CDAC has better wherewithal and expertise to conduct the draw of such a magnitude and it is not possible to transport the equipments from there," the official said.

The DDA said that as there is limited space at the CDAC premises, it will be difficult to accommodate everyone wishing to witness the draw.