Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07NEWDELHI3676
2007-08-14 08:02:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy New Delhi
Cable title:
NEW DELHI ESTH OFFICE HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK OF August 6
how-toVZCZCXRO9425 RR RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD DE RUEHNE #3676/01 2260802 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 140802Z AUG 07 FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7502 INFO RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 0639 RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 1159 RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 0318 RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 8051 RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE 4087 RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC RUEHC/DEPT OF INTERIOR WASHDC RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC RUCPDC/NOAA WASHINGTON DC//NMFS// RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC RUEAEPA/EPA WASHDC RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 003676
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR OES/PCI, OES/STC, OES/SAT, OES/EGC, AND SCA/INS
STATE FOR STAS
DOE FOR INTERNATIONAL
HHS FOR OGHA STEIGER, HICKEY AND VALDEZ
NIH FOR GLASS AND MAMPILLY
FDA FOR LUMPKIN AND WELSCH
CDC FOR BLOUNT AND FARRELL
INTERIOR FOR FWS RILEY
STATE PASS TO NSF FOR INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV TSPL TBIO ECON SOCI KSCA IN
SUBJECT: NEW DELHI ESTH OFFICE HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK OF August 6
- 11, 2007
REF A: New Delhi 3603
REF B: New Delhi 3668
REF C: New Delhi 3594
NEW DELHI 00003676 001.2 OF 002
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 003676
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR OES/PCI, OES/STC, OES/SAT, OES/EGC, AND SCA/INS
STATE FOR STAS
DOE FOR INTERNATIONAL
HHS FOR OGHA STEIGER, HICKEY AND VALDEZ
NIH FOR GLASS AND MAMPILLY
FDA FOR LUMPKIN AND WELSCH
CDC FOR BLOUNT AND FARRELL
INTERIOR FOR FWS RILEY
STATE PASS TO NSF FOR INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV TSPL TBIO ECON SOCI KSCA IN
SUBJECT: NEW DELHI ESTH OFFICE HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK OF August 6
- 11, 2007
REF A: New Delhi 3603
REF B: New Delhi 3668
REF C: New Delhi 3594
NEW DELHI 00003676 001.2 OF 002
1. (U) Summary: This week the ESTH office coordinated a climate
change event for CODEL Lieberman, hosted STAFFDEL Killion, also in
New Delhi on climate change, attended a workshop on creating a
Global Environmental Entity, attended the IIT New Delhi Convocation,
noted Battelle's intention to enter the Indian R&D scene and a
Chikungunya outbreak in Kolkata, and also reported on methods to
improve clean technology transfer. End Summary.
--------------
ENVIRONMENT
--------------
2. (U) India: Removing Clean Technology Barriers. The ESTH Office
reported in Ref A on methods that could be used in India to raise
awareness of climate change in order to create incentives for clean
technology.
3. (U) SciOff served on a panel at a workshop on creating a Global
Environmental Entity hosted by the Jawaharlal Nehru University,
Centre for International Legal Studies. The discussion centered on
whether the UN Environmental Program (UNEP) should be elevated to
the status of a special organization pursuant to the French proposal
to create a UN Environmental Organization (UNEO) with regulatory
control over world environmental issues. France, China, Canada,
India, and the EU were represented on the panel. SciOff delivered
the U.S. position in favor of strengthening the UNEP but against the
creation of a UNEO and despite an impassioned speech by the French
Science Counselor in favor of a UNEO, Indian participants including
professors, government officials, and students sided with the U.S.
position.
4. (U) SciCouns and SciFSN coordinated and attended a meeting on
global climate change between Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) and
the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI),an international energy
and environment research organization. The details of the meeting
can be found in Ref B.
--------------
SCIENCE
--------------
5. (U) SciCouns attended the IIT Delhi Annual Convocation on August
11 where Mr. Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission,
delivered the convocation address. The ceremony was presided over
by Professor Ramamurthy, Chairperson, Board of Governors and former
Secretary, Department of S&T. Mr. Ahluwalia challenged the
SIPDIS
graduating class to develop innovative and affordable solutions to
the problems of water supply, environment, and clean energy and
looked forward to a larger presence of IIT alumni in the parliament.
Ramamurthy emphasized the role of interdisciplinary research and
lamented the fact that India is facing a critical shortage of
qualified faculty, stating that it is a "disaster in the making" and
that something needs to be done on "a war footing." This shortage
has a direct bearing on teaching as well as research at the
technical institutions in India and echoes the concerns expressed by
Professor Balaram of the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore
(Ref C).
6. (U) At the IIT Delhi Convocation, SciCouns also learned there is
more news regarding the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) as
well as the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM). In addition to
NEW DELHI 00003676 002.2 OF 002
the three new campuses approved in the states of Bihar, Andhra
Pradesh and Rajasthan, the Planning Commission has proposed a
seven-year (2007-2014) special plan which includes setting up five
additional IITs and seven new IIMs. The annual Times (UK) Higher
Education rankings placed IITs at 57 and IIMs at 68 among the
world's top 200 universities. IITs placed third (after MIT and UC
Berkeley) in the list of top technical universities. Apart from the
IITs, there is also a plan to break ground for five new Indian
Institutes of Science, Education and Research (IISER),bringing the
total number of IISERs to eight counting the three already
established in Kolkata, Pune and Chandigarh.
--------------
TECHNOLOGY
--------------
7. (SBU) The Battelle Board of Directors approved the formation of
Battelle-India on August 9, 2007. Battelle is a global S&T
enterprise that develops and commercializes technologies and manages
national laboratories. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Battelle is
organized along 3 business lines: S&T International (focus on
energy and environment, health and life sciences, national security,
and transportation and space),Laboratory Operations (management of
5 DOE national Labs),and Commercial Ventures. Battelle has a staff
of 20,000 and an annual budget of $3.7B. The R&D Center in India
will complement its activities in the U.S., Europe (which is slated
to be closed) and Asia. The company has identified Chennai,
Hyderabad, Pune, Cochin and Trivandrum as potential locations.
SciCouns has been working closely with Battelle representatives in
this regar and has hosted 2 visits in December, 2006 and June,
2007. Contrary to earlier reports, establishment of Battelle-India
will be strictly a venture of its S&T International Division and is
not/not related to its Laboratory Operations.
--------------
HEALTH
--------------
8. (U) After taking a toll in Kerala, Chikungunya infection has now
struck Kolkata in West Bengal. The mosquito-borne disease has
resurfaced in the city after a period of more than four decades.
According to local media reports, over 750 people in Habra have
reported to government health centers with high fever, skin rashes
and severe joint pains. Researchers at InQ Council of Medical
Research (ICMR) have confirmed that blood samples obtained from
different parts of the city (central Kolkata and Beliaghata area)
have tested positive for Chikungunya infection.
WHITE
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR OES/PCI, OES/STC, OES/SAT, OES/EGC, AND SCA/INS
STATE FOR STAS
DOE FOR INTERNATIONAL
HHS FOR OGHA STEIGER, HICKEY AND VALDEZ
NIH FOR GLASS AND MAMPILLY
FDA FOR LUMPKIN AND WELSCH
CDC FOR BLOUNT AND FARRELL
INTERIOR FOR FWS RILEY
STATE PASS TO NSF FOR INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV TSPL TBIO ECON SOCI KSCA IN
SUBJECT: NEW DELHI ESTH OFFICE HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK OF August 6
- 11, 2007
REF A: New Delhi 3603
REF B: New Delhi 3668
REF C: New Delhi 3594
NEW DELHI 00003676 001.2 OF 002
1. (U) Summary: This week the ESTH office coordinated a climate
change event for CODEL Lieberman, hosted STAFFDEL Killion, also in
New Delhi on climate change, attended a workshop on creating a
Global Environmental Entity, attended the IIT New Delhi Convocation,
noted Battelle's intention to enter the Indian R&D scene and a
Chikungunya outbreak in Kolkata, and also reported on methods to
improve clean technology transfer. End Summary.
--------------
ENVIRONMENT
--------------
2. (U) India: Removing Clean Technology Barriers. The ESTH Office
reported in Ref A on methods that could be used in India to raise
awareness of climate change in order to create incentives for clean
technology.
3. (U) SciOff served on a panel at a workshop on creating a Global
Environmental Entity hosted by the Jawaharlal Nehru University,
Centre for International Legal Studies. The discussion centered on
whether the UN Environmental Program (UNEP) should be elevated to
the status of a special organization pursuant to the French proposal
to create a UN Environmental Organization (UNEO) with regulatory
control over world environmental issues. France, China, Canada,
India, and the EU were represented on the panel. SciOff delivered
the U.S. position in favor of strengthening the UNEP but against the
creation of a UNEO and despite an impassioned speech by the French
Science Counselor in favor of a UNEO, Indian participants including
professors, government officials, and students sided with the U.S.
position.
4. (U) SciCouns and SciFSN coordinated and attended a meeting on
global climate change between Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) and
the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI),an international energy
and environment research organization. The details of the meeting
can be found in Ref B.
--------------
SCIENCE
--------------
5. (U) SciCouns attended the IIT Delhi Annual Convocation on August
11 where Mr. Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission,
delivered the convocation address. The ceremony was presided over
by Professor Ramamurthy, Chairperson, Board of Governors and former
Secretary, Department of S&T. Mr. Ahluwalia challenged the
SIPDIS
graduating class to develop innovative and affordable solutions to
the problems of water supply, environment, and clean energy and
looked forward to a larger presence of IIT alumni in the parliament.
Ramamurthy emphasized the role of interdisciplinary research and
lamented the fact that India is facing a critical shortage of
qualified faculty, stating that it is a "disaster in the making" and
that something needs to be done on "a war footing." This shortage
has a direct bearing on teaching as well as research at the
technical institutions in India and echoes the concerns expressed by
Professor Balaram of the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore
(Ref C).
6. (U) At the IIT Delhi Convocation, SciCouns also learned there is
more news regarding the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) as
well as the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM). In addition to
NEW DELHI 00003676 002.2 OF 002
the three new campuses approved in the states of Bihar, Andhra
Pradesh and Rajasthan, the Planning Commission has proposed a
seven-year (2007-2014) special plan which includes setting up five
additional IITs and seven new IIMs. The annual Times (UK) Higher
Education rankings placed IITs at 57 and IIMs at 68 among the
world's top 200 universities. IITs placed third (after MIT and UC
Berkeley) in the list of top technical universities. Apart from the
IITs, there is also a plan to break ground for five new Indian
Institutes of Science, Education and Research (IISER),bringing the
total number of IISERs to eight counting the three already
established in Kolkata, Pune and Chandigarh.
--------------
TECHNOLOGY
--------------
7. (SBU) The Battelle Board of Directors approved the formation of
Battelle-India on August 9, 2007. Battelle is a global S&T
enterprise that develops and commercializes technologies and manages
national laboratories. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Battelle is
organized along 3 business lines: S&T International (focus on
energy and environment, health and life sciences, national security,
and transportation and space),Laboratory Operations (management of
5 DOE national Labs),and Commercial Ventures. Battelle has a staff
of 20,000 and an annual budget of $3.7B. The R&D Center in India
will complement its activities in the U.S., Europe (which is slated
to be closed) and Asia. The company has identified Chennai,
Hyderabad, Pune, Cochin and Trivandrum as potential locations.
SciCouns has been working closely with Battelle representatives in
this regar and has hosted 2 visits in December, 2006 and June,
2007. Contrary to earlier reports, establishment of Battelle-India
will be strictly a venture of its S&T International Division and is
not/not related to its Laboratory Operations.
--------------
HEALTH
--------------
8. (U) After taking a toll in Kerala, Chikungunya infection has now
struck Kolkata in West Bengal. The mosquito-borne disease has
resurfaced in the city after a period of more than four decades.
According to local media reports, over 750 people in Habra have
reported to government health centers with high fever, skin rashes
and severe joint pains. Researchers at InQ Council of Medical
Research (ICMR) have confirmed that blood samples obtained from
different parts of the city (central Kolkata and Beliaghata area)
have tested positive for Chikungunya infection.
WHITE