‘It is success story of Modi’s New India’
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Nov 27: Union Minister in PMO with independent charge of Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that unlike Pakistan which used drone to drop arms, ammunition, spread terrorism and create a large scale destruction and devastation, the indigenously made drone by India is for spreading message of peace and transportation of medicines and vaccines for saving precious lives and protection of mankind.
The Union Minister was addressing a function here at IIIM during the launch of indigenously made drone to deliver COVID -19 vaccines to Marh village along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir.
The indigenously built medium class multicopter Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) took off from the CSIR -Indian Institute of Integrated Medicines (IIIM) complex here and successfully delivered 50 vials of COVID 19 vaccine along with syringes at Sub District Hospital Marh near the Indo-Pak border.
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Maintaining that it is totally indigenously made drone, Dr Jitendra Singh said “Earlier Pakistani drones were coming here with explosives and arms for destruction of mankind but ours drone launched today is for peaceful purposes, It is a messenger of peace and protector of mankind”, the Minister added.
The Union Minister said “the launch of the drone for delivering COVID vaccine was much significant from Jammu where earlier Pak drones used to come with arms and ammunition so that we can send a message of peace through this drone”. He said “As Pakistani drones were meant to harm mankind our drone will be carrying Sanjeevani (life saving medicines) for benefit of human beings”.
He said this drone can carry medicines, vaccines and other essential things in terrains of J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh etc where transportation facilities are not properly available. “In such areas we can use the modern technology on less expenses”, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh said in its journey to fight COVID a new chapter has been started and this drone based on modern technology which has been developed by National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) Bangalore -a constituent of Council of Science and Industrial Research (CSIR) will act as COVID warrior.
He said Prime Minister, Narendra Modi had kept target of 100 crore vaccination and after its achievement he gave slogan of launching “Har Ghar Dastak” campaign.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that in those far off places where health workers can’t reach in time this drone can carry medicines without any hurdle. “Where vaccines can’t reach in time this drone can carry them with much more speed”, he added.
Giving full credit to the IIIM Jammu for its research based programme, Dr Jitendra Singh, who is also vice president of CSIR, said, the former Jana Sangh president, Dr Shyama Prasad Mookherjee who laid down his life in J&K was the first Industries Minister in 1947 Interim Government formed by Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru and he was also the vice president of CSIR. He said the IIIM Jammu has a credit of being one of the prestigious CSIR laboratories in the country and at that time it was known as drug research laboratory. He gave credit to both Dr Mookherjee and Sir Ram Nath Chopra then Director of the laboratory for promoting research work in the laboratory.
Dr Jitendra Singh, while complimenting PM Modi in leading the country in its battle against COVID said that his announcement of lockdown much earlier last year showed his vision. He said PM had said that in case COVID spreads in a populous country like India, it will create many problems hence some pre -emptive steps are needed to defeat the pandemic.
He said when COVID started India had no PP kits and today the country not only has sufficient kits but it was re-using PP kits now. “Earlier the preventive medicines had no value in our socio- political milieu but we are now first to develop DNA vaccine in our laboratory”.
“The country which does not earlier know that for what vaccine is all about is today exporter of COVID vaccine”, he added.
He said that it was the visionary leadership of PM Modi that country provided free ration to the people during COVID pandemic and the same has been now extended up to March next year.
Dr Jitendra Singh, while quoting an economist said that India today stands where China stood 10 years back and it is rapidly marching towards progress and development under the leadership of Modi, he added.
He said COVID story is also India’s success story under the leadership of Modi’s New India and every countrymen is inspired by leadership of PM so every one became part of his mission.
The launch was made in presence of Jugal Kishore Sharma, MP, Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Advisor to the LG J&K UT, Dr. Shekhar C Mande, DG CSIR & Secretary to Government DSIR, Sukhnandan Choudhary, former MLA Marh, Prof. Bechan Lal, VC Cluster University Jammu, Prof. M. K Dhar, VC Jammu University, Dr. Manoj Gaur, Director IIT, Jammu Dr. Shashi Sudan Sharma, Principal Medical College Jammu, Dr. Suman Gupta, Assistant Director, Family Welfare & MCH, Jammu and Dr Ramesh Bhat, Physicist.
While giving the technical detail of Multicopter DRONE, Jitendra J Jadhav, Director, CSIR-NAL said that the Octacopter is made out of light weight carbon fibre foldable structure for ease of transportation and has unique features like autonomous guidance through dual redundant MEMS based digital Autopilot with advanced flight instrumentation systems.
NAL’s octacopter can carry a maximum payload of 20 kg with hovering endurance of 40 minutes. The range and endurance can be enhanced by adjusting pay load for specific mission. It can fly at an operational altitude of 500 m AGL and at maximum flying speed of 36 kmph. Its regulatory compliance includes DGCA-NPNT, Geo fencing and digital sky with 360 degree Collision avoidance making it one of the best UAV in its class.
CSIR-NAL has teamed with CSIR-IIIM, Jammu and Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of Jammu and Kashmir for aerial delivery of COVID-19 vaccine in remote border area.
Dr. Srinivasa Reddy, Director CSIR-IIIM and Jitendra J Jadhav Director CSIR-NAL while congratulating the entire team said that the Octacopter for delivery of vaccines is need of the hour of the country for much deeper penetration of vaccines in the remote inaccessible hilly areas.
Dr.Shekhar C Mande, Secretary DSIR & DG, CSIR complementing the scientists said, the successful demonstration earlier at Anekal, Bangalore on 13th November and today at Marh, Jammu shows the commitment of CSIR towards the national need of serving the masses in remote locations by bringing digital transformation in healthcare.
CSIR-NAL is also collaborating with private industries and startups like Bliss Aerospace, IoTech World, and Scientech for customer-specific demonstrations, production, marketing, and drone services to end customers so as to ensure a complete ecosystem for successful commercialization of CSIR technologies.
In his address MP Jugal Kishore Sharma termed it a historical event. He congratulated Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and Dr Jitendra Singh for the successful launch and choosing Jammu for the same. He said PM Modi took one after another historical decisions. He said the development done during last seven years in this region of the country was not seen in last 70 years.
Advisor to the LG, R R Batnagar termed the launch a proud moment for the country and J&K. He said for this “we are really indebted to Dr Jitendra Singh and CSIR”. He said “It is our resolve that we will not allow third wave to spread with the help of this vaccine”.
Bhagnagar said through this drone medicines and other essentials can be taken to far off places during the Winter which remain mostly cut off.
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