Lockheed Martin to invest USD 300,000 in IIT Delhi

New Delhi: Recognising the excellence of the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D) combat aircraft manufacturing giant Lockheed Martin has chosen it for a $300,000 project of collaborative research in bio and nano-technology.

"We have already signed an agreement with the IIT Delhi. We are investing $300,000 for a collaborative project over a period of one year," Ray O. Johnson, senior vice president and chief technology officer of Lockheed Martin, said here on Wednesday.

"This is the first such collaboration with any institute beyond the US and Europe. The IIT is an institute of recognised excellence across the globe in this field of bio- and nano-technology and after the successful completion of the project, we may have some follow up projects," Johnson told sources.

He said Lockheed had been engaged in discussions with the IIT Delhi for nearly a year to "identify mutual areas of interest in technology collaboration and research".

With the broad spectrum of bio- and nano-technology, research will be carried out in the fields like nano-technology-enabled biological sensors, biodegradable nonmaterial for medical treatment and bio-filters for pollution detection.

"The partnership is an exciting prospect for advancing technology and establishing a long-term relationship with Lockheed Martin. We are surprised but happy about the collaboration," IIT Delhi director Surendra Prasad said in a select press meet.

When asked about the choice of of the IIT Delhi for the collaboration, Prasad said: "we are doing quite well in the field and they know the IIT Delhi is the best in India."

Eight professors from four departments of the institute and up to five experts from Lockheed will work together here to achieve success in the project and work out future collaboration.

Asked who will have the patent for the new products, molecules, Prasad said: "The intellectual property rights issues are yet to be finalised but no one can stop the IIT Delhi from publishing the research results."

Johnson said the objectives of the research partnership include "developing domain expertise in the nano-biological technologies for application to Lockheed Martin products, services, and adjacent market pursuits".

"It will also strive to achieve capabilities in modelling and simulation, virtual experimentation and conceptual designing of nano-biological systems," he added.

Tamil Nadu rejects IIT-Delhi study on Mullaperiyar Dam

New Delhi: The Tamil Nadu Government has refused to accept the study report on the Mullaperiyar Dam prepared by a team of professors from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D).

Professors from IIT Delhi had said that the dam would be 'Hydrologically Unsafe' in the event of heavy rainfall and subsequent floods.

The team of experts from IIT Delhi comprised of Prof. A.K. Gosain and Prof. Subhash Chander.

Durai Murugan, Tamil Nadu Public Works Minister said, "How can we accept a report that has been prepared by two retired professors of IIT Delhi and who were appointed by Kerala Government? The report advocates the Kerala Government."

The Minister further added that a committee appointed by the Supreme Court had already conducted a study on the structure and safety aspects of the Dam and found that the water level could be increased upto 142 feet after carrying out minor repairs. This report was also accepted by the Central Water Commission.

The study by IIT Delhi said that, "The maximum probable rainfall in two days in the catchment area of the dam is about 65 cms, while the PMF recorded is 2,91,275 cusecs. If the catchment area receives heavy rainfall, the PMF level of water in the dam could go up to 158 feet which is more than the maximum level allowed. This would result into collapsing of its walls and consequent flooding."

Kerala Minister for Water Resources, N.K. Premachandaran earlier said that the state had also asked the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee (IIT-R) to conduct a study on the 'structural stability' of the Mullaperiyar Dam in the event of possible earthquakes.

Mullaperiyar Dam unsafe - IIT Delhi

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala's Mullaperiyar Dam dispute with Tamil Nadu has taken a new turn with the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D) saying that the dam would be 'Hydrologically Unsafe' in the event of heavy rainfall.

The Government of Kerala had asked a team of experts from the apex institute to study the dam's Probable Maximum Flood (PMF) water level.

The study said that, "The maximum probable rainfall in two days in the catchment area of the dam is about 65 cms, while the PMF recorded is 2,91,275 cusecs. If the catchment area receives heavy rainfall, the PMF level of water in the dam could go up to 158 feet which is more than the maximum level allowed. This would result into collapsing of its walls and consequent flooding."

The 111-year old Mullaperiyar Dam, located in Kerala's Idukki district, is operated by Tamil Nadu. The dispute between the two states arose after Tamil Nadu demanded the increasing of storage level of the dam to 152 feet. Kerala, however, opposed that an increase in the storage level would risk the thickly-populated districts downstream. It then proposed the setting up a new dam on the site.

Kerala Water Resources Minister, N.K. Premachandaran said, "We needed an expert opinion from a recognized institution. The findings of the study justify our demands of construction of a new dam on the site".

The team of experts from IIT-Delhi comprised of Prof. A.K. Gosain, Prof. Subhash Chander and Prof. George Paul.