totalled 58 billion tonnes in 2006 of which 50 million
tonnes was from cement.
According to the report, the European Union, was in
third place on the ranking ahead of Russia, India and
Japan.
China Launches Communications Satel-
lite for Nigeria
China successfully launched a domestically produced
communications satellite for Nigeria on May 14, 2007.
The Long March-3B rocket carrying the Nigerian
Communication Satellite, or NIGCOMSAT-1 blasted off
from the Xiching Satellite Launch Centre in the South-
Western province of Sichuan. The geo-stationary satellite
entered into its orbit accurately. It would offer telecom-
munications, broadcasting and broadband multimedia
services for Africa for the next 15 years. It would create
more than 1,50,000 jobs in Nigeria, save broadband users
and phone users hundreds of millions dollars a year and
provide internet access to remote rural villages in the
country.
The satellite would change positions in orbit before
being finally fixed at a longitude of 42 degrees East to
operate in Africa, parts of the Middle East and Southern
Europe.
China was awarded the $ 311-million deal in 2004
outbidding 21 international rivals. It was the first time a
foreign buyer had purchased both a Chinese-made
satellite and its launching service.
Vitamin-D May Keep Away TB
A single vitamin-D pill every six weeks may help
ward off tuberculosis.
Researchers via studying 131 people have found that
vitamin-D helps boost the ability of the body to inhibit
the growth of bacteria that causes TB. In a first of its
kind, the study evaluates how vitamin-D affects the
bodys immunity to mycobacteria that causes the
disease. The study appeared in the American Journal of
Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
During the study, blood was taken from 131 subjects
and infected with mycobacteria. The subjects were then
split into two groups with 64 given a dummy pill and the
rest a 25 mg dose of vitamin-D. After six weeks, the blood
was taken once again and infected with the same
mycobacteria. It was found that the growth of the bacteria
in the subjects who were given vitamin-D was 20% less
than the placebo group.
This study is highly significant for India where both
vitamin-D deficiency and TB is rampant. Inadequate
exposure to sunlight and poor nutrition are factors con-
tributing to the vitamin-D deficiency. TB has become the
single largest killer of AIDS patients in India.
Over 60% of AIDS patients die of TB. Every year, 18
million new cases occur in India while over 1,000 people
die of the disease everyday.
Russia Launches Sixteen Foreign Satel-
lites into Orbit
Russia successfully launched, a Dnepr carrier rocket,
the first since the failure in late July 2006, putting 16
PD/August/2007/221 Prudent, cautious self-control, is wisdoms root.
foreign satellites successfully into orbit, as announced by
Federal Space Agency on April 17, 2007.
The rocket launched an Egyption Egyptsat Space-
craft, six Saudi Satellites (Saudi Sat-3 and five Saudi
Comsat), and additional P-Pod and Cubesat Micro-satel-
lites into orbit.
Control over all satellites has been given to the
customers.
Launch of Dnepr rocket from Baikanour were sus-
pended after a crash shortly after lift off on July 26, 2006,
due to a first stage engine shutdown.
Indian Institute of Space Science and
Technology Gets Approval
The Union Cabinet approved the setting up of Indian
Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) on
April 26, 2007.
It also approved initial investment of Rs. 270 crore
and annual recurring cost of Rs. 40 crore into the IIST.
There was need of this institute since Indian Space
Research Organization (ISRO) had been experiencing
severe shortage of highly talented graduate and post
graduate scientists and engineers for the last few years to
meet the challenges of research and development in the
areas of space science and technology.
The IIST is being set up on the lines of Indian
Institutes of Technology (IITs) and will provide high
quality undergraduate and post graduate education and
research programmes in space science and technology. It
will also offer integrated Masters in Space Science with
customised curriculum to meet the high technology
requirements of the ISRO.
The courses are proposed to commence from the
academic year 2007-08, at an alternate campus in Vikram
Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram. The
campus and other infrastructure facilities will be made
available within 24 months.
The Institute will offer 150-200 seats annually. The
entire expenses of the course will be supported by ISRO
as scholarships and assistantships and the brighter lot will
be directly absorbed by it.
P.Darpan
Continued from Page 202
It included an additional Central assistance com-
ponent of Rs. 275 crore of which Rs. 175 crore are for the
states priority projects and Rs. 50 crore each for
developing infrastructure related to Kumbh Mela at
Haridwar and the South Asian Winter Games.
The Planning Commission complemented the state
on its Tenth Plan performance as its economic growth was
higher than the all India average. Against an approved
outlay of Rs. 7,630 crore, expenditure during the plan
period was Rs. 978435 crore.
Employment generation is to be the thrust of
planning. The state also aims to work towards the
problem of regional imbalance, give infrastructure the
highest priority with special emphasis on improving
connectivity of remote and inaccessible areas.
P.Darpan