VZCZCXRO8228
RR RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD
DE RUEHNE #1257/01 1290805
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 080805Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1646
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 2156
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 2860
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 1969
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RUCPDC/NOAA NMFS WASHINGTON DC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 NEW DELHI 001257 
 
STATE FOR OES/PCI, OES/STC, OES/SAT, OES/EGC, AND SCA/INS 
STATE FOR STAS 
STATE PASS TO NSF FOR INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS 
HHS PASS TO NIH 
STATE PASS TO USAID 
STATE FOR SCA, OES (STAS FEDOROFF), OES/PCI STEWART; OES/IHA SINGER 
PASS TO HHS/OGHA (STEIGER/HICKEY), CDC (BLOUNT/FARRELL), NIH/FIC 
(GLASS/MAMPILLY), FDA (LUMPKIN/WELSCH, GENEVA FOR HOFMAN) 
PASS TO MAS/DAS/JESTRADA 
PASS TO MAC/DAS/HVINEYARD 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO SENV AMED CASC KSCA ECON ETRD BEXP EINV PGOV
TSPL, TRGY, TNGD, EIND, ENRG, KGHG, IN 
 
SUBJECT: NEW DELHI ESTH REPORT: MAY 2008 FIRST WEEK 
 
REF: NEW DELHI 0976 
 
NEW DELHI 00001257  001.2 OF 005 
 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary: This cable is the continuation of the Biweekly 
Reporting Cables from Mission India ESTH Office to be sent out the 
first and third week of every month.  Inputs in this biweekly 
include the Indian Space Research Organization's launch of 10 
satellites, the GOI's initiative to develop new instrumentation for 
detection and mitigation of water pollution, and the ESTH office 
plans to start a blog.  The environment section notes the launch of 
the Indian State of Environment Atlas and discusses the Delhi State 
government's environment friendly initiatives.  The health section 
presents an overview of the recent Avian Influenza outbreak in 
Tripura, HIV/AIDS related activities, new generic drug price 
control, tougher law against female feticide, and update on Measles 
vaccine related deaths. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UPDATE - ESTH OFFICE TO LAUNCH BLOG 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶2.  (U) US - India engagement in science and technology has grown by 
leaps and bounds and the current atmosphere provides immense scope 
for both private and public sector engagement.  In this backdrop, 
there is need for an information source on ESTH in India.  The State 
Department's Advisory Committee on Transformational Diplomacy in its 
final Report "The State Department in 2025" suggests that the USG 
more effectively use its expertise in Science, Engineering, and 
Technology (SET) as a tool for diplomacy.  The Report notes there is 
an urgent need to more effectively leverage the advancements in 
Information Technology to communicate and disseminate information 
and ensure baseline SET literacy among all appropriate personnel. 
In pursuance of these USG goals, SciCouns recognized the need to set 
up a blog in collaboration with Mission's Open Source Center (OSC). 
The blog entitled "U.S. and India: A Common S&T Genetic Code", is 
expected to serve as a single platform for information on U.S. - 
India S&T engagement and a broad spectrum of related activities. 
The blog is up and running.  The next issue of the biweekly will 
provide details of the webpage access. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
INDIA'S SPACE AGENCY PUTS IN ORBIT 10 SATELLITES IN A SINGLE LAUNCH 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶3.  (U) The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) launched 10 
satellites weighing a total of 820 Kgs using its Polar Satellite 
launch Vehicle (PSLV) on 28 April 2008.  The payload included two 
Indian satellites and 8 nano satellites weighing 5 Kgs each from 
Canada, Japan, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands.  The two Indian 
satellites consisted of a remote sensing satellite CARTOSAT 2-A 
weighing 695 Kgs, the thirteenth such satellite launched by India as 
well as an experimental satellite known as the IMS-1 (Indian Mini 
Satellite) weighing 87 Kgs.  The IMS-1 is designed to test India's 
capability to manufacture mini satellites as well as new 
instrumentation to be used during the Indian moon missions.  This is 
the fiftieth satellite launch by ISRO to date.  The Chairman of ISRO 
has said in the media that all satellites are functioning well and 
India hopes to undertake 70 additional launches by 2012.  SciFSN has 
learned from ISRO that it is currently working on nano and micro 
satellites, and has given a grant to Anna University in Chennai to 
develop a nano satellite.  This will be a first from an Indian 
university. 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
GOI INITIATIVE FOR WATER POLLUTION DETECTION 
 
NEW DELHI 00001257  002.2 OF 005 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
¶4.  (U) The Department of Science and Technology (DST) under the 
Ministry of Science and Technology has taken the initiative to 
develop novel sensors and instrumentation for water pollution 
detection and mitigation including removal of physical, chemical and 
biological contaminates.  In order to ensure that new technology 
developed under the initiative actually reaches the market, DST has 
invited academic and R&D institutes to present proposals in 
collaboration with industry.  A meeting to assess the project 
proposals was held at the National Environmental Engineering 
Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur from April 23-25, 2008.  About 40 
proposals were presented by researchers from academic and R&D 
institutes from all over India.  The proposals covered a wide range 
of topics including development of simple electrochemical techniques 
and advanced micro arrays for detection and removal of a wide range 
of contaminates including arsenic, lead, organic and inorganic 
industrial effluents.  Topics also included new legislation and 
regulation to control water pollution (Septel). 
 
¶5.  (U) At the meeting, SciFSN delivered a talk on novel nano carbon 
based sensors and systems for water pollution detection and 
mitigation.  At the meeting, DST acknowledged the support received 
from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on rules, 
regulations, and technologies pertaining to water pollution 
management and expressed keen interest in further collaboration with 
USG agencies on water pollution. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
ENVIRONMENT UPDATE- DELHI OFFICIALS DISCUSS NEW INITIATIVES 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶6.  (U) With Delhi's population expected to rise to 24 million by 
2020, its environmental challenges will be equally daunting.  The 
Delhi Government's dynamic Environment Secretary, Mr. J.K. Dadoo, 
outlined to EmbOffs plans to reduce the environmental impact of the 
burgeoning population.  Among them included the already implemented 
thirty percent subsidy on purchase of the "Reva," a battery operated 
car manufactured in India.  He also stated water harvesting 
structures will be made mandatory in all large establishments such 
as schools, hospitals, and hotels and commercial complexes.  The 
Delhi government is also testing the efficacy of a composting 
machine that will convert kitchen waste into raw compost in fifteen 
minutes.  Once tested, large establishments will be encouraged to 
use the machine to reduce their waste.  The Delhi Government also 
intends to target air pollution caused by trucks in Delhi be 
developing a "diesel pill" that will help burn heavier elements in 
diesel fuel and thereby reduce emissions.  Delhi also plans to build 
capacity in the area of green buildings by holding workshops for 
architects to encourage the use of environment-friendly technologies 
in new construction. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
EARTH DAY LAUNCH OF THE STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT ATLAS 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶7.  (U) On the occasion of Earth Day 2008, the Ministry of 
Environment and Forests, in partnership with Development 
Alternatives, an NGO, launched the first digital environment atlas 
of India.  It is available at http://www.soeatlas.org  The atlas is 
an excellent interactive website of the current state of India's 
environment in terms of land, air, water and biodiversity. (Reftel) 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
NEW DELHI 00001257  003.2 OF 005 
 
 
HEALTH UPDATE - FRESH OUTBREAK OF AVIAN INFLUENZA 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶8.  (U) Tripura, a north eastern state of India, reported a fresh 
outbreak of Avian Influenza (AI) in poultry about 20 kilometers from 
the capital of Agartala.  State authorities have decided to cull at 
least 10,000 birds in the eight gram panchayats (village zones) of 
the district Mohanpur.  Tripura shares 856 kilometers of 
international border with neighboring Bangladesh.  In view of recent 
AI outbreaks in West Bengal and Tripura, a senior official level 
meeting was convened by the Ministry of Health (MOH) in mid-April. 
The Government of India (GOI) has requested the World Health 
Organization (WHO) to organize an urgent technical consultation 
meeting to review and identify gaps in its AI surveillance and 
control related activities.  The meeting took place April 30 in New 
Delhi and was attended by a team of experts from the Centers for 
Disease Control (CDC) Influenza Division and USAID's Regional Avian 
Influenza Advisor. CDC team members will also be providing technical 
guidance on expanded surveillance and disease burden protocol 
development from 1-16 May 2008.  In view of the recent incidences in 
India in West Bengal and Tripura, The Government of Nepal issued a 
bird flu alert and is testing poultry along the border with India as 
a precautionary measure.  Newspapers have reported that the tests 
were negative. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
INDIA PARTICIPATES IN BANGKOK AIDS PREPAREDNESS MEETING 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶9.  (U) India was one of five countries which participated in the 
President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Preparedness II (PEPFAR-II) 
Consultation for Asian programs, held on April 22 and 23 in Bangkok 
with Ambassador Mark Dybul and leadership from CDC and USAID. 
China, Russia, Thailand, and Indonesia also attended.  Participants 
shared current and future strategies for moving from a "Direct 
Implementation" to a "Technical Assistance (TA)" model over the 
second five year phase of PEPFAR.  India and Thailand appeared to be 
already engaged significantly in the TA model.  The India PEPFAR 
team hopes to work with GOI and strengthen the existing program and 
develop indicators to evaluate this model.  The National AIDS 
Control Organization (NACO) has requested a CDC team to carry out a 
review of the current status and also to be the lead agency for Lab 
TA and coordinate with other lab partners in India including WHO and 
provide long-term technical assistance.  A CDC team of laboratory 
experts on temporary duty has completed the assessment and will 
debrief the Director General of NACO before departing from India. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION AND REPORTING 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶10.  (U) The Indian Pharma industry is growing rapidly and 
increasingly U.S. and other multinational companies are investing in 
R&D and clinical research outsourcing to India.  The clinical 
research industry, valued at USD 100 million in 2007, is expected to 
grow to approximately USD 300 million by 2010 according to agencies 
such as CenterWatch and Frost and Sullivan.  In an effort to obtain 
a database covering all clinical research, the Indian Clinical 
Registry (ICR) was launched in July 2007 although registration of 
clinical trials in the ICR was not made mandatory.  However, editors 
of 11 Indian biomedical journals have decided to consider only 
registered clinical trials data for publication in their journals. 
This requires all trials begun after June 2008 to be registered 
prospectively and those prior to this date be registered 
 
NEW DELHI 00001257  004.2 OF 005 
 
 
retrospectively.  This is in accordance with a three year-old 
decision of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors 
(ICMJE). 
 
--------------------------------------- 
UPDATE ON PHARMACEUTICAL PRICING POLICY 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶11.  (U) The Pharmaceutical Advisory Forum comprising 
representatives from the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers 
(MoCF), the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), 
consumer organizations and State drug controllers, has concluded 
that margins on non-branded generic drugs be fixed at 400 percent of 
the maximum allowed post manufacturing expenses and requested the 
Ministry to work on framing guidelines.  A study conducted by the 
NPPA has revealed that some branded generic drugs are sold at very 
high prices making them unaffordable for poor people.  Non-branded 
generic drugs constitute 5-7 percent of the USD 6 billion market and 
are sold by pharmacists at margins of nearly 1,000 percent. 
 
¶12.  (SBU) A group of ministers (GoM) headed by Agriculture Minister 
Sharad Pawar met on April 30 to finalize recommendations for a new 
pharma policy.  The draft policy has called for increasing the span 
of price controls on the USD 13.75 billion domestic drug market from 
the current 20 to over 35 percent.  This will mean an addition of 
354 drugs to the list of price-controlled medicines.  The GoM is 
also expected to give recommendations on the regulation of trade 
margins on all medicines, public procurement of drugs, price 
negotiation of patented drugs and medical devices, in addition to 
legislation of new Acts to compound all drug-related offences. 
Indian industry is hoping that the GoM will recognize the role of 
market forces and competition in deciding the prices of medicines. 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
INDIA TO PRODUCE AND PROVIDE BLOOD CLOTTING PROTEINS 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶13.  (U) India will soon produce and provide blood clotting proteins 
F8 and F9 to hemophiliacs.  The Ministry of Health is finalizing 
plans to set up India's first Plasma Fractionation Unit (PFU) 
through the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) to manufacture 
the proteins and is expected to start production in two years. NACO 
Director General K. Sujatha Rao said "in full capacity, the PFU will 
process 150,000 liters of plasma per year.  F8 and F9 proteins will 
then be supplied free of cost." 
 
------------------------------------ 
TOUGHER LAW AGAINST FEMALE FETICIDE 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶14.  (U) India has lost 50 million girls to female feticide and the 
GOI has decided to make the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) 
Act more stringent.  This will strip licenses from non-complying 
health practitioners, raise fines, and add a provision for 
imprisonment up to 3 years.  Only two people have been convicted 
since the PNDT Act was implemented in 1994.  The Indian Prime 
Minister addressed representatives of all 35 State governments on 
Monday, April 28 to ask them to clamp down on sex determination. 
The Census in 2001 had registered a drop to 927 girls per 1,000 boys 
compared to 976 girls to 1,000 boys in 1991.  Since 2001, India is 
losing about 900,000 girls a year.  Dr. Francisco Songane, Director 
of the WHO partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health said 
"India, along with Bangladesh, Pakistan and Indonesia contribute to 
 
NEW DELHI 00001257  005.2 OF 005 
 
 
over 50 percent of all maternal and child deaths globally." 
 
---------------------- 
MEASLES VACCINE DEATHS 
---------------------- 
 
¶15.  (U) Four ten month old infants, three girls and a boy, died 
after they were administered an anti-measles vaccine during two 
routine immunization camps in Tamil Nadu's Thiruvallur district. 
The infants died soon after the vaccine was administered.  The cause 
of death is believed to be anaphylaxis which occurs in 1 out of 
100,000 cases.  Five other children were also hospitalized.  The 
Ministry of Health (MOH) has rushed a two member team lead by Mr. 
Pawan Murti of the National Polio Surveillance Program (NPSP) to the 
affected district.  Dr. R.K. Srivastava of the Directorate General 
of Health Services (DGHS) informed media the DGHS has no information 
about the incident as the vaccination program is State-run. 
 
¶16.  (U) The deaths occurred in only two of the 450 immunization 
centers set up in the district.  Dr. Sanjeev Bagai said that death 
can occur if the cold chain is not maintained or if unsterilized 
needles are used.  Samples from various batches of the vaccine 
allocated for Tamil Nadu have been sent to the Central Research 
Institute (CRI) in Kasauli for tests.  Presently, the Serum 
Institute in Pune is the major supplier of measles vaccines to the 
GOI.  However, in February 2008, the MOH allowed the Human 
Biologicals Institute (HBI), a public sector vaccine producer, to 
supply the vaccine as this was priced one Rupee less than the Serum 
Institute vaccines.  A Tamil Nadu public health department official 
reported in the press that the cold chain protocol was not broken. 
A detailed investigation is underway to ascertain the reasons for 
the deaths. 
 
MULFORD