VZCZCXRO5316
RR RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD
DE RUEHNE #4469/01 2761159
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031159Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8624
INFO RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 0935
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 1601
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 0687
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 8167
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE 4147
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC
RUCPDC/NOAA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RUEAEPA/EPA WASHDC
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 004469 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR OES/PCI, OES/STC, OES/SAT, OES/EGC, AND SCA/INS 
STATE FOR STAS 
DOE FOR INTERNATIONAL 
HHS FOR OGHA STEIGER, HICKEY AND VALDEZ 
NIH FOR GLASS AND MAMPILLY 
FDA FOR LUMPKIN AND WELSCH 
CDC FOR BLOUNT AND FARRELL 
INTERIOR FOR FWS RILEY 
STATE PASS TO NSF FOR INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV TSPL TBIO ECON SOCI KSCA IN
SUBJECT:  NEW DELHI ESTH OFFICE HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 
24 - 28, 2007 
 
NEW DELHI 00004469  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
------------ 
ENVIRONMENT 
------------ 
 
¶1.  Scioffs attended a National Mercury Workshop September 27 - 28 
hosted by the Indian NGO, Toxics Link.  The workshop focused on 
mercury usage, processes, and impacts in India.  SciOffs met with 
representatives from numerous environmental NGOs, academics, medical 
professionals, the World Bank, the European Commission, the 
Government of Delhi, and the Ministry of Environment and Forests 
(MOEF).  SciOffs learned that the GOI has recently constituted a 
task force to examine how to reduce mercury levels in the 
environment.  The main focus of the task force is to minimize 
mercury contamination stemming from the rapidly increasing use of 
compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs).  The group has also been tasked to 
establish standards for the maximum mercury content allowable in 
CFLs.  However, the GOI does not appear prepared to tackle mercury 
emissions from coal plants in the near future.  Dr. G.K. Pandey of 
the MOEF stated that emissions of mercury from burning coal are a 
secondary concern and will be addressed by the GOI in the 
unspecified future.  Reporting cable to follow. 
 
---------------------- 
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 
---------------------- 
 
¶2.  SciCouns attended the 58th International Astronautical Congress 
(IAC) in Hyderabad September 24 - 28, 2007.  ISRO Chairman Madhavan 
Nair announced India is planning 60 space missions in the next five 
years including the moon mission, Chandrayaan I, set for launch in 
April of 2008.  It will carry ten payloads, including two from the 
US.  On the sidelines of the IAC, NASA Administrator Griffin met 
with ISRO Chairman Nair to discuss bilateral issues.  Areas of 
concern included the lack of definitive collaborations beyond 
Chandrayaan I, ITAR, export controls, and the status of the various 
MOUs (ISRO-NASA, NOAA and USGS) which are presently going through 
interagency review.  Also attending the meeting was Mr. Deviprasad 
Karnik who will be replacing Space Counselor Virendar Kumar at the 
Indian Embassy in Washington DC by the end of 2007.  Reporting cable 
to follow. 
 
 
¶3.  Minister of Science and Technology Kapil Sibal met with Sunita 
Williams and described her as "a global citizen in a borderless 
world as seen from space."  Also in attendance were Department of 
S&T and Earth Sciences Secretaries, Dr. Ramasami and Dr. Goel, as 
well as Charge White and SciCouns.  The Minister further stated that 
Ms. Williams is an inspiration to all youngsters in India and the 
world who want to follow the career paths of S&T and space 
exploration.  Ms. Williams said she was enjoying her time in India, 
was touched by the warm welcome she has received, and was impressed 
by the enthusiasm of the young generation.  She also noted she hoped 
there would be more commercial space ventures in the future. 
 
------- 
HEALTH 
------- 
 
¶4.  The GOI has elevated the Indian Council of Medical Research and 
rechristened it as the Department of Health Research (DHR) effective 
September 17, 2007.  Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Dr. 
Anbumani Ramadoss, will make a formal announcement in this regard on 
October 5, 2007 at a meeting to be organized in honor of NIH 
Director Elias Zerhouni.  The DHR will have substantially more 
funding and independence, as well as policy making responsibility 
and will be headed by a technical person, not an administrative 
person.  The DHR will be better funded and will have policy making 
authority.  Mission's close working relationship with ICMR will 
allow us to engage DHR on technical and policy matters of interest 
 
NEW DELHI 00004469  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
to USG agencies. 
 
¶5.  The Department of Science & Technology has proposed new 
legislation to enforce uniform and effective standards for medical 
devices throughout the country.  The GOI has also proposed to create 
a regulatory authority that will seek to establish and maintain a 
national system of certification relating to quality, safety, 
efficacy and availability of medical devices. 
 
¶6.  According to media, the GOI plans to establish a nationwide 
network of state-level culture and drug-sensitivity facilities, 
called Intermediate Reference Laboratories (IRLs), to increase the 
detection of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).  It also 
plans to provide people living with MDR-TB access to no-cost 
treatment through DOTS-Plus centers.  About 25 DOTS-Plus centers 
will be established in phases and linked with the IRLs. 
 
¶7.  WHO/India has reported 23 new polio cases:  10 from Bihar (7 are 
P3 variant), 1 from Maharashtra, and 12 from Uttar Pradesh (11 are 
P3).  The 18 new P3 cases were expected as the P3 strain was not 
targeted in the recent routinely administered polio vaccine.  The 
Bihar cases are spread over multiple districts and CDC staff 
detailed to WHO/India is in Bihar investigating the outbreak.  They 
are planning response immunization activities for early October, 
including use of injectable vaccines in pilot studies.  The total 
polio case count in 2007 to date is 223. 
 
WHITE