Indian fishermen and tourists can better plan their activities in the sea and keep off perilous conditions with the newly inaugurated Ocean State Forecast System 14 Kilometre off Puthiyappa harbour in Kozhikode, Kerala, on Friday.
Minister M K Muneer inaugurated the system at a function held at Puthiyappa Harbour auction hall. Mayor A K Premajam, V K Mohandas, Corporation Councillor, Captain Abraham Kuriakose, Port Officer, C Vishwanthan, Chairman, Puthiyappa Harbour, K K Safia, Dr N P Kurian, CESS, and Dr K V Thomas, Scientist and Head, MSD, CESS, were also present at the function.
Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) in association with Centre for Economic and Social Studies launched the venture on a daily operational basis. It has three parts: observatory, forecast and dissemination. The first unit known as wave rider buoy, which has been installed 14 km off the coast, assesses the state of waves, swells, winds, ocean currents and sea surface temperature. The data collected through this mechanism will be used for forecasting the climate. It will later be disseminated using different media such as radio, TV and mobile phone. For dissemination, the Ministry of Earth Sciences had already signed an agreement with Reliance and M S Swaminathan Foundation. People could be forewarned about the impending high winds and high waves with this system.
2012 The New Indian Express