India and ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) have signed a joint declaration for cooperation in Science & Technology. Mr. Kapil Sibal, Minister fo S&T and Earth Sciences and Dato' Dr. Jamaluddin Mohd. Jarjis, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Malaysia and Leader of ASEAN delegation said that the declaration will not only strengthen the Science & Technology ties between the countries in the region but will also make ways for new horizons.

India has offered ASEAN countries training in space technologies, including remote sensing applications and satellite design, as a part of measures to step up co-operation in the field. India, through the Indian Space Research Organisation, has offered ASEAN countries short-term training programmes in satellite design to help them fulfill their aspirations in the niche field. Besides, satellite design India has also offered access to remote sensing data, including satellite imagery of the region for weather forecasting.

The Heads of Science and Technology Agencies of the State/ Governments of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam and India gathered and met in New Delhi, India on 6th November, 2006 for the 12th Technology Summit and Technology Platform, organized jointly by the Department of Science & Technology, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and ASEAN Committee on Science & Technology (COST).
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The European Commission has welcomed the agreement reached by the European Parliament and the Council in Conciliation on a directive creating INSPIRE - Infrastructure for spatial information in Europe. The INSPIRE Directive is now likely to be enforced from summer 2007. It has been designed to control various aspects of the spatial data in the possession of authorities around Europe, including: creation of metadata, technical developments promoting interoperability, use of data services, principles on access to data and the related charges, and national co-ordination. http://europa.eu.int

The Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation (MoFSC), Government of Nepal, is currently working on a proposal concerning satellite imaging of the country's forests, which will eventually culminate in the latest inventory of the endemic vegetation. The move follows keen interest demonstrated by Finland in this connection. Finland had financed the first ever inventory of vegetation in 1993. The Nordic nation had also helped in drawing up Forestry Master Plan around the same time. www.thehimalayantimes.com

The Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran has bagged the "BE Award of Excellence" in Geospatial Public Works category. Dr. S.V. Dahasahasra, Chief Engineer and his team prepared a hydraulic model entitled, "Disaster Management - Interlinking of Water Works in Mumbai Metropolitan Area", which will be useful for more than 10 cities in the region in combating risk management. It will suggest modus operandi of how a metropolitan city can get alternative water supply if its water supply fails in disastier.
http://mahajeevan.com

In a move to check the encroachment of sprawling cantonments and estates, the Defence Ministry has begun computerising defence land records across the country. The total defence land holdings located inside 62 cantonments are estimated to be about 17 lakh acres (6,87,990 hectares). Under the new plan, the computerisation will involve forming a GIS and all survey and revenue records would be digitized and integrated into a land records database at a cost of Rs 2.52 crore ($550,000). The software for this has been christened RakshaBhoomi. The defence estates department is undertaking the project as a joint venture with NIC. www.newkerala.com

The Vadodara-based Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Council, a network of medical emergency and city hospitals, in Gujarat, India, has initiated digital mapping of the city, and is constantly updating it, so as to give precise locations to ambulances which rush to pick up patients/victims in the shortest possible time.

The people manning the EMS Council control room would refer to the digital map as soon as they receive an emergency call, and convey directions to get to the address to ambulance drivers equipped with wireless sets. A year after the experiment, of the 67 calls received, 38 could be reached in record time due to the precise directions
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Australian Disaster Information Network (AusDIN), an internet website that allows the public to access emergency information across Australia was launched. It will provide links to emergency management organisations in every state and territory. The website will also tap into weather reports, spatial information, warnings and alerts, and provide information on preparing for disasters and what to do in times of evacuation. There will be links to recovery organisations, charity and support groups, and international links