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India's research labs: The Great Leap Forward

M S Shanker in Hyderabad

Whether you call it Manmohanomics or Chidambaramnomics, it has started working wonders for various public research institutions in India which are dependent upon funds from the Centre.

"Pull up your socks" or "Tighten your belts" were the warnings issued by Dr Manmohan Singh, finance minister in the P V Narasimha Rao's Congress regime, more than half a decade ago. Palaniappan Chidambaram, his successor in the present United Front government, a Harvard graduate, religiously pursued the same goal asking the institutions to show results.

One success stories is a leading scientific laboratory, the National Geophysical Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. Ironically, NGRI -- which was considered a "white elephant" till recently, occupying the 23rd spot among CSIR's 40-odd laboratories -- is today ranked at no 4.

Undeniably, it is a proud moment for the battery of scientists working in the laboratory. Their enviable achievements include ensuring Rs 110 million in extra cash inflow for 1996-97 from a mere Rs 15 million in 1994-95 and Rs 49.8 million in 1995-96, and also publishing a record 77 scientific citation index papers this year as compared to 55 in 1995-96 and 44 in 1994-95.

Says Dr Harsh K Gupta, NGRI director and renowned seismologist, "The effort of all the scientists made the impossible task possible. The day is not far off when we will occupy the numero uno position."

Some of the major projects NGRI has taken up since the 52-year-old Dr Gupta took charge in 1992 are:

1.microearthquake investigation at the Kundakulam nuclear power plant site, sponsored by the National Power Corporation for Rs 1.092 billion;

2. controlled source seismology studies in Saurashtra (sponsored by the K D Malaviya Institute of Petroleum Exploration and the Oil and Natural Gas Commission for Rs 36.9 million;

3. magnetotelluric studies in Saurashtra for Rs 10.1 million and in the Nagpur-Belgaum Deccan synclaire area for Rs 10.5 million;

4. gravity studies in Saurashtra for Rs 16.8 million; and,

5. integrated geohydrological studies in the Kongal basin for Rs 13.3 million.

NGRI's research work covers 1,235 villages and it has achieved an amazing success ratio of 94 per cent! Beginning with a modest budget and staff complement, the institute has grown over the last three decades into a research giant located on a panoramic and expansive campus with about 210 scientists and an equally large highly skilled technical staff for taking up field intensive activities.

The institute has done a commendable job in finding oil formations. Globally, more than 50 per cent of the oil is recovered from Mesozoic formations. The Saurashtra region was suspected to have Mesozoic sediments, but is covered with a thick layer of basalt. Conventional seismic methods are not very suitable because of the high velocity of basalts compared to the possible underlying sediments.

"The institute developed number of geophysical techniques to penetrate the overlying basalt cover and to estimate the thickness of sediments below," says Dr Gupta. NGRI's estimate of thickness of basalt and underlying sediments were found to be true by the field drilling and resulted in a Rs 70 million project from the Oil Industry Development Board covering Saurashtra in three years, beginning October 1994.

About 75 per cent of the work has been completed and the results of the project would provide suitable targets for drilling to the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation. "Should some of them be petroliferous, the NGRI's efforts would make a dent on the annual oil import bill of Rs 250 billion," says Dr Gupta. This also happens to be an excellent example of interaction between a CSIR laboratory and a premier industrial organisation, the ONGC.

Another area where NGRI is making inroads is tapping of gold reserves in various parts of the country.

"Gold is being mined from banded iron formation in Canada, Africa, Brazil and Australia. However, till today, not a single gold mine has been found on extensively developed BIFs in India. In view of this, a collaborative project between NGRI and Hatti Gold Miners Ltd was taken up with partial support from the department of science and technology in January 1995, for regional reconnaissance. The mapping, sampling, and analysis, have indicated certain zones of enrichment on which detailed sampling, analysis and processing is being done," says Dr Gupta.

NGRI has applied seismic reflection method as a potential tool for identifying gas hydrate deposits. Reprocessing of existing seismic data across the western continental margin off Mangalore coast indicate the possible occurrence of gas hydrates. An evaluation study of this aspect under a project sponsored by the Gas Authority of India Limited has already begun if things move in the right direction. NGRI would provide a suitable target for drilling to the Gas Authority of India Limited in the near future. Incidentally, this could be one of the areas where India could take the lead.

The major thrust of the institute continues to be on earthquakes. North India, which is bound by the Himalayan part of the Alpine belt, is one of the most active intra-continental regions in the world. During the last century, this area was hit by four major earthquakes in addition to hundreds of smaller damaging shake-ups.

"The Uttar Kashi earthquake of 1991, which claimed an estimated 3,000 lives, was classified as one of the biggest quakes. But the Koyna calamity on December 11, 1967, measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale, is the best known example of a reservoir-induced earthquake. The site is still active seismically," he warned.

NGRI's work also helps the poor while filling its coffers. It earns Rs 6 million from the Karnataka SC&ST Development Corporation for a project of locating 2,000 tubewell sites. It has also demonstrated the use of in-site water harvesting in high rainfall hilly areas and artificial recharge and retrieval technique in the hard rock medium rainfall areas.

"We are currently engaged in experiments on enhancement of the run-off to the traditional drinking water storage structures (Kunds) in the Thar desert," says Dr Gupta.

He is troubled by the fact that the average age of scientists is touching 48-49. "Unless, we have scientists in the 25 to 35 age group, it will be difficult to motivate them," he says.

He has worked out a scheme to attract youngsters from universities to join geophysical research. Already 20 youth from various universities are being trained in various fields, adding another feather to his well-decorated cap.