Drawings are under preparation and senior architect of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) is taking action for obtaining approval of local bodies. The construction work is likely to begin in December 1999 after completing the formalities of clearances of local bodies and awarding of contract.

    The land for Samaj Sadan building was occupied by jhuggi dwellers numbering about 250. This matter has been taken up with the Slum and Jhuggi-Jhopri Department of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). Compensation amounting to Rs.90 lakhs has been paid. Action is underway by MCD to relocate the jhuggi dwellers.
 
 
 

    Another major amendment suggested concerns the intellectual property rights, i.e. IPR concept should include traditional technologies and knowledge particularly in the areas of health and food security. For this purpose the provisions relating to trade related intellectual property rights (TRIPS) should be modified so as to include the principles contained in two of the articles of convention on bio-diversity.

    Amendments proposed by India to the draft "science agenda; framework for action" include development of operational systems and appropriate policy framework to promote universal access to information and knowledge; seeking innovative approaches including development of national policies and revision of international legislation on protection of IPR so as to include protection of local/indigenous knowledge; and each country taking steps to promote understanding, tolerance and love of diversity and pluralism in terms of race, religion, language, gender, ethnicity and political belief. Initiating a major thrust to disseminate scientific culture of experimentation, critical analysis of tradition, acceptance of change to enable poor countries shift from obsolete to efficient systems of production is also suggested for amendment in the draft science agenda of UNESCO.

    The UNESCO draft declaration on "Science and use of scientific knowledge" is to be taken up for discussion and adoption at the forthcoming World Science Congress in Budapest, Hungary. The Indian delegation for the Conference will be led by the Minister for Human Resource Development and Science and Technology, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi.
 
 

    Production levels of important minerals in April, 1999 are : coal 210 lakh tonnes, petroleum (crude) 27 lakh tonnes, natural gas ( utilised) 13160 lakh cu.m., iron ore 62 lakh tonnes, lignite 2454 thousand tonnes, manganese ore 124 thousand tonnes, chromite 172 thousand tonnes, bauxite 565 thousand tonnes, copper ore 297 thousand tonnes, gold 128 kg., lead(conc.) 5375 tonnes, zinc(conc.) 29409 tonnes, limestone 107 lakh tonnes, apatite and phosphorite 98 thousand tonnes, dolomite 215 thousand tonnes and magnesite 27 thousand tonnes.

    During April 1999 production of important minerals has decreased in comparison to the previous month. The output of chromite increased by 15% and Zinc(conc.) by 6 per cent. The output of gold decreased by 51%, coal by 36%, bauxite by 24%, copper ore by 22%, manganese ore by 20%, iron ore by 14%, apatite & phosphorite by 6%, magnesite by 5%, petroleum (crude), natural gas (utilised) and dolomite by 4% each and lead (conc.) by 3 %. The output of lignite and limestone has remained at the same level as in previous month.

    The index number of mineral production (Base 1993-94=100) in April, 1999 works out to 113 as compared to 135 in March, 1999 showing that the mineral production as a whole in April, 1999 decreased by 16% compared to March, 1999.
 
 

    RITES has bagged another World Bank funded contract against stiff international competition for reveiw of asset condition of Zambia Railways involving locomotives, wagons, coaches and signalling systems. Since 1981, it has been providing technical and managerial support to various disciplines of Zambian Railways.
 
 
 

    It was also decided that if the two ministries approved this package of granting interim relief, the Government would also appoint a Committee to look into the salaries of the staff and sub-staff of the NTC mills. While giving its recommendations, the Committee would keep in view certain factors such as, the capacity of NTC mills to pay wages and salaries; the pay structure of other employees in the mills; the pay structure of NTC subsidiary headquarters; the pay structure in similarly placed private mills; and observations of NIT and of the Supreme Court on the subject.

    In 1989, the Supreme Court, in response to writ petitions filed by the union leaders of the agitating employees, directed the Union of India to refer all the disputes raised in the writ petitions to the National Industrial Tribunal(NIT). The N.I.T., while rejecting the contention of the petitioners, held that there is no equality of work i.e. the quality of work done by the clerical staff in the subsidiary headquarters is different to that of the quality of work done by the clerical staff in the mills, and submitted its findings to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court, however, after a number of hearings, in 1997 ruled that since the disputes were pending for several years, it would be appropriate for the parties to explore the possibilities of an agreed solution.

    Consequently, the NTC management held several rounds of meetings with the union leaders involved in the disputes but no amicable solution could be arrived at. The Minister of Textiles, Shri Kashiram Rana, taking initiative in the matter held a meeting of the NTC management and the workmen in July 1998. Both the sides had than agreed to workout an amicable settlement to the issue. This meeting was the second taken by Shri Kashiram Rana, which was aimed at finding out a solution to the problem, on the lines of the suggestions made by the Supreme Court.
 
 

• Shri B.P. Singh, IAS (AM:64), Health Secretary, for the post of Executive Director, World Bank for a period of three years vice Shri Surendra Singh, completing his term on 31.7.99; and
• Dr. Vijay L. Kelkar, Finance Secretary, for the post of Executive Director, International Monetary Fund for a period of three years vice Shri M.r. Sivaraman, completing his term on 31.7.1999.

    The Committee of Inquiry has made 49 findings and 7 recommendations which are aimed at enhancing the safety of aircraft operations. The Government have accepted the report alongwith findings, cause and recommendations.

    The other members of the Committee included Shri Babu Peter, General Manager (Engineering), Air India , Capt. I.D. Singh, Air India as Member and Shri Subhash Chander, Director, Air Safety, Mumbai as Member Secretary.
 
 

    Synchrotron radiation is a light which is emitted when electrons travelling at almost the speed of light follows a curved path under the influence of magnetic field. The radiation is emitted in a narrow cone typically much less than a tenth of a degree. This radiation is extremely bright and is continuous in wavelength extending from infrared through visible, ultra violet, soft x-rays to hard x-rays. The radiation comes in short pulses lasting less than a nanosecond (a billionth of a second) which permits study of very fast processes. In the hard x-ray region, synchrotron radiation is by far the brightest source available to scientists today. The intensity of the radiation source in the x-ray region is typically millions of times more than what one gets from a medical x-ray unit. These unique characteristics of synchrotron radiation have made it a powerful tool for research in wide ranging areas, such as surface physics, solid state physics, spectroscopy, chemical kinetics, protein crystallography, x-ray lithography, cell biological behavioural studies and even medical sciences.

    The studies on materials and their atomic and molecular structure as well as molecular changes in substances ranging from food to plastics with the help of the SRS have enabled a better understanding of their properties. It has also enabled the CAT to develop several other accelerators for medical and industrial applications as well as develop a number of advanced technologies. With the experience gained in constructing Indus-1 the Centre for Advanced Technology has now taken up the construction of a larger synchrotron radiation source, Indus-2, with electron energy of 2,500 million electron volts and current of 300 milliamperes with provision of 27 beam lines for experiments. The Indus-2 is expected to be ready for commissioning in the year 2002. The CAT will also be participating in the construction of world’s largest particle accelerator LHC (Large Hadron Collider), at the European Centre for Nuclear Research, Geneva.