NEW DELHI, Jan 13: The union cabinet at its meeting held on Wednesday under the chairmanship of the prime minister Narendra Modi approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on scientific and technical cooperation between the Ministry of Earth Sciences and the National Centre of Meteorology of the United Arab Emirates.
According to a statement by the central government, the MoU provides for sharing of knowledge, data and operational products for meteorological, seismological and oceanic services such as radar, satellite, tide gauges, seismic and meteorological stations.
The pact will pave the way for deployment of meteorological observation networks on mutual agreement over ocean waters, cooperation in the development of special capacities of tsunami models researches for their faster and more reliable forecasts propagating through the Oman Sea and the Arabian Sea which affect the coastal areas of India and the UAE.
The MoU will also enable cooperation to support the Tsunami Early Warning Centre (TEWC) in the form of forecast modelling software, specifically designed to support tsunami forecasting operations.
It further specifies sharing the real-time seismic data of some of the seismic stations situated in south and west of India and north of the UAE for monitoring the seismic activities which may generate tsunami in the Arabian Sea and the Sea of Oman.
Cooperation in early warnings of sand and dust storms through the exchange of knowledge is also envisaged under the MoU, according to the statement.
This will also enable exchange of visits in terms of scientists, research scholars and specialists for the purpose of research, training, consultation, focused on climatic information services, satellite data utilisation for now casting and tropical cyclones forecasting.
The MoU will facilitate exchange of scientific and technical information related to common interest activities and organise bilateral seminars, workshops, conferences and training courses on problems related to the fields of cooperation mentioned in the MoU and of interest to both the countries.
(Manas Dasgupta)
