Central
Water Resources Development and Management
Kerala
Forest Research Institute (KFRI) Peechi
Centre
for Earth Sciences Studies (CESS) Thiruvananthapuram
Tropical
Botanic Garden and Research Institute (TBGRI)
Agency
for Non-conventional Energy and Rural Technology (ANERT)
Rajiv
Gandhi Centre for Development of Education, Science
and Technology
The
Centre originally established at Thiruvananthapuram
was shifted to the present 35 ha-campus at Calicut
in 1979. The main building at the headquarters, completed
in 1988, has 7000 sq m plinth area. In addition to
this, there are separate buildings to house the isotope
hydrology lab, hostels for trainees, guest house and
canteen. Today, around 50 families of the staff are
residing in the quarters constructed in the campus.
Dr C M Jacob, the former Vice-Chancellor of the Kerala
Agricultural University, was the founder Director
of the Centre. The Centre initially had six scientific
divisions, dealing with surface water, ground water,
water management-agriculture, water quality and environment,
education and extension, and library and documentation.
After a decade, scientific divisions to deal with
computer applications and isotope hydrology have been
added to the earlier list. In order to cater to the
requirements of main areas of research, certain central
facilities like water analysis laboratory, cartography,
reprography, manned observation stations, remote sensing
cell and a museum have also been established. To take
care of the special R&D needs of different hydro-ecologic
regions of Kerala, five regional centres are also
in operation since 1990.
The
Centre has substantially contributed to the scientific
hydrologic studies and water management in the region.
The projects of CWRDM were funded by different departments
and agencies of the Central and State Governments
in addition to the international agencies like UNDP,
UNEP, World Bank, USAID, NAS (US), JBIC, ICEF, etc.
Starting with the establishment of a data management
system for the region, the Centre tackled different
problems pertaining to forest and urban hydrology,
estuarine management, groundwater development, water
quality management, water-related environmental issues,
wetland management, watershed development, agriculture
water management, irrigation and drainage issues,
etc. Several tools like mathematical modeling, systems
approach, isotope hydrology and remote sensing techniques
were made use of in the studies during the 1990s.
More than 2000 scientific papers and 500 research
reports were brought out based on these studies. The
hydrologic data generated by CWRDM are expected to
be of immense use to the water managers of Kerala.
CWRDM has played a key role in supporting the Kerala
Government in sorting out several water management
issues. The draft water policy of Kerala, adopted
in 1992, was prepared by CWRDM. The government sought
the advice of the Centre on several inter-State water
issues. The basic proposal leading to the Dutch-funded
KCIP project and EC-funded KMIP project were drawn
up by CWRDM. A few of the water resources projects
of the State were made environment-friendly by CWRDM.
The Centre initiated the JBIC-funded eco-restoration
project of Attappady and ICEF-funded drinking water
project in Lakshadweep, and carried out consultancy
works for the Kerala Forestry Project and Kerala Rural
Water Supply and Sanitation Project funded by the
World Bank, and the Dutch-funded water supply project
utilising the water of Bharathapuzha.
The CWRDM is one among the Water and Land Management
Institutes (WALMIs) started in 1990 by the Ministry
of Water Resources, Government of India under the
WRMTP, funded by USAID. Around 3000 government officials
and thousands of farmers were trained in the Centre.
Training on watershed management was also conducted
at CWRDM for the Panchayats of northern Kerala. Several
national level training programs on irrigation management,
watershed development, and wetland management were
conducted in CWRDM, in addition to providing training
and research opportunities for students and research
scholars. The Centre had academic and research linkages
with Universities of Srathyclyde, Birmingham, Koyota,
Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UK), Hydraulic Research
Station (UK), Danish Institute, etc; in addition,
it had common programmes with IITs, NITs and Universities
in India.
The Centre was amalgamated with the Kerala State Council
for Science, Technology and Environment in its Silver
Jubilee Year-2003. Dr E J James, present Executive
Director, took charge in February 2003.
More...
The
Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) is established
under the Science and Technology policy adopted by
the Government of Kerala as an autonomous institution
to undertake research in areas like forestry, biodiversity
etc., that are vital to the development of Kerala
State. The Institute was registered as a society on
3rd July 1975 under the Travancore-Cochin Literary,
Scientific and Charitable Societies Act, 1955. The
institution fulfills number of economic, social and
environmental objectives set by the Government
Location
KFRI
is strategically located in the midst of a tropical
forest at Peechi about 20km East of Trichur, in Central
Kerala, India. The main campus extends over an area
of 28 ha., part of the picturesque reserve forest
of the Peechi Forest Range. The Institute has two
sub-Centres- one at Nilambur in North Kerala and the
other at Velupadam, Palapilly in Trichur District.
a Forest Training School at Arippa, near Kulathupuzha.
CESS
implements a wide spectrum of projects in conformity
with the institutional objectives, the state's development
needs and in keeping with the expertise of the scientists.
In the present day situation of interactive and synergic
studies, this is perhaps the strength of the institution.
Address:
Centre for Earth Science Studies, Environment Department,
Government of Kerala, P.B.No. 7250. Akkulam. Thiruvananthapuram-
695 031.
Phone : 0471-2442280. Grams: ERTHSIENS
e-mail: cess@hub.nic.in
Tropical
Botanic Garden and Research Institute established
in 1979 is engaged in the conservation and sustainable
utilization of plant resources of the tropics. The
year 1995-96 has been an eventful year in the history
of the Institute. With the help of Government of Kerala,
National and International funding agencies have made
a quantum leap in the development of the State.
Agency
for Non-conventional Energy and Rural Technology (ANERT)
is an autonomous body established by the Government
of Kerala with its Head Quarters at Trivandrum. The
objective of the Agency is to gather and disseminate
useful knowledge in various fields of Non-conventional
energy, Energy conservation and Rural Technology;
conduct studies, demonstrate, implement and support
implementation of schemes and projects in these fields,
thereby deal with the problems arising out of the
rapid depletion of Non-conventional Energy Sources;
update the technologies used in rural areas as well
as introduce appropriate new technologies with an
aim to reduce drudgery, increase production and improve
the quality of life. The Agency is better known by
its acronym "ANERT" and has become a synonym
for Renewable Sources of Energy and Energy conservation
in the state. Field of activities include.
1. Solar Thermal, 2. Solar Photovoltaic, 3. Wind Energy,
4. Biomass Energy, 5. Energy Conservation, 6. Energy
Audit, 7. Electronic R & D.
IREP (Integrated Rural Energy Program) and NPIC (National
Program for Improved Chulha) also comes under this
Agency. ANERT is also the Nodal agency for the Ministry
of Non-conventional Energy Sources (MINES).
In
tune with the policy decision of developing RGC-DEST
as a Centre of Excellence with Biotechnology as the
focus, several things have been achieved during the
year under report (1995-96).
In terms of priority, the most important task was
the establishment of a modern laboratory with all
the essential facilities to carry out advanced research
in molecular biology and biotechnology. All the basic
equipments such as ultracentrifuges, liquid scintillation
counter, table tap centrifuges, peptide synthesiser,
PCR machine, gel documentation system, nucleic aid
sequencing already installed and research work has
also commenced. The laboratory has also clean room
facilities with laminar flow hood for tissue culture
work and also cold room facilities.
A research library with selected journals has also
been established
