January 4,2005 

Today, none of the space based system, either Indian or foreign, has the capability to detect and predict natural calamities like earthquake, its after effects or Tsunami. The remote sensing and communication satellites provide the means of assessing the extent of damage and enabling the relief operators to use this data for planning the mitigation measures as well as establishing emergency communication system. ISRO has put into operation all its resources towards this and is in touch with relief operators.

Communication Facilities: A fly-away VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal), 10 INMARSAT telephones and four Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) Phones have been airlifted to Port Blair, for augmenting the telecommunications links. VSAT based video conferencing facilities have been set-up to connect seven Taluk HQs to Secretariat. The A&N Administration is using the VSATs at Diglipur, Mayabandar, Rangat, Port Blair, Hut Bay, Car Nicobar, Camorta and Cambel Bay for relief and rehabilitation. Regular video-conferencing facility has been established between these locations and the main land via INSAT-3E. Satellite based telephone connectivity, as well as ISDN connectivity for video-conferencing purposes have been enabled at the above locations through the Telephone Exchange at ISRO's Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad.

Required transponder capacity on INSAT-3E satellite has been earmarked for supporting large capacity telephone links from A & N Islands to Kolkata which is connected to Delhi. Telephone links from one place in A&N Islands to any other place through transportable VSATs are being arranged.

Telemedicine facilities: Telemedicine facilities are in operation at two Hospitals at Port Blair (GB Pant Hospital and INS Dhanvantari Hospital), and Indira Gandhi Hospital at Car Nicobar to enable the local Doctors to communicate with specialty hospitals like Appollo Hospital at Chennai and Amruta Institute of Medical Sciences at Cochin, which are in the ISRO Telemedicine network.

Damage Assessment through Satellite Remote Sensing: Data from Indian Remote Sensing satellites (IRS-1C, 1D, OCEANSAT-1 and RESOURCESAT) over affected areas are being used for analysis and damage assessment and the information is being provided to Crisis Management Group of the Ministry of Home Affairs and State agencies. Satellite data for Car Nicobar, Chennai and Kakinada; Tamil Nadu coast (especially Nagapattinam), Andhra Pradesh and Kerala have been acquired.

Aerial Photography Survey for damage assessment: To obtain high resolution data, under cloud/haze conditions, aerial survey, using the aircraft of National Remote Sensing Agency, has been undertaken for assessment of extent of inundation, affected agriculture areas, damaged coastal vegetation, damage to coastal landforms, breaches, beach erosions, and damage to the clusters of habitations. Chennai-Nagapattinam, Andhra Pradesh coast and Port Blair have already been covered and other islands are also being covered. The satellite imageries clearly indicate large-scale damage to the southern tip of Great Nicobar Island and the Indira Point. The Trinkat Island of the Nancowri Group has been separated into two parts due to the water impoundment in the central part.

As a member of the International Charter on Disaster, ISRO activated the Charter on Dec 26, 2004 and the satellite data from foreign satellites such as SPOT, RADARSAT and ENVISAT over Port Blair, Car Nicobar, Cudallore and Nagapattinam are being received.