ISRO to draw water maps for Karnataka

22 February, Bengalauru

After nearly completing its constellation ofthe Earth Observation satellite system IRNSS, ISRO here today saidit would map villages in Karnataka to identify availability of waterresources to tide over water problems in drought prone areas of the State.

ISRO Chairman A S Kiran Kumar today said the space agency wouldmap villages to find out availability of water resources to solvethe water problems faced by the southern State which had highestarea of dry land, after Rajasthan, in the country.

He said a systematic database of villages generated by ISRO usingspace technology that would help government take appropriate stepsto conserve and augment water resources in villages.

He said, Dr Kalam Centre for Innovation hosted by private sectorBharat Fritz Werner (BFW), a leading manufacturer of machine tools,here, was a good step under indigenous research and Development,which is vital for India’s manufacturing capabilities, when thecountry is looking to get to next level in its manufacturing capabilities.

He expressed happiness over this Center being a tribute to AbdulKalam who was the guiding force for many scientific innovations inthe country and always wanted academic institutions to take lead inresearch and development.

Karnataka Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj H KPatil said the government had been following the thoughts of Dr Kalam and the focus of his department was to mitigate drinkingwater shortage in water scarcity areas in the city throught theyear, and the government had earmarked funds to ensure such aprogramme across the State.

A K Kothari, Chairman BFW said the company had transitionedfrom being a traditional machine tool manufacturer to becoming aNextGen solutions provider.