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DE RUEHNE #2074/01 2820502
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R 090502Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8208
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 002074 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR OES/PCI, OES/STC, OES/SAT, OES/EGC, AND SCA/INS 
STATE FOR STAS 
DOE FOR INTERNATIONAL 
INTERIOR FOR FWS RILEY 
STATE PASS TO NSF FOR INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KSCA KGHG SENV TSPL TBIO ECON SOCI IN
SUBJECT: NEW DELHI EST OFFICE HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 05 
TO OCTOBER 09, 2009. 
 
¶1. Below is a compilation of environment, science, and technology 
highlights from Embassy New Delhi for the week of October 05-October 
09, 2009, including the following: 
 
-- Cleaning the Ganga by 2020 
-- Phasing out HCFCs by 2030 
-- Dramatic rise in Indian Scientific Output 
 
-- US-India Joint Research Reveals Indian Genetic Ancestry 
-- PM appoints new Infrastructure, Innovation and Information 
Advisor 
 
------------ 
ENVIRONMENT 
------------ 
 
Cleaning the Ganga by 2020 
 
¶2.  (U) At the first meeting of the National Ganga River Basin 
Authority (NGRBA), chaired by Prime Minister Singh on Oct 5, the 
Chief Ministers of Bihar and Uttarakhand, the Union ministers of 
Urban Development, Water Resources, and Environment and Forests, and 
the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission declared that by 2020 
no untreated municipal sewage or industrial effluents would enter 
the river Ganga.  Reaching the goal of a clean Ganga will require an 
estimated $3 billion (including a $1 billion requested loan from the 
World Bank), ten years, and specific action plans from the state 
governments.  Center, state and local municipal bodies expect to 
assign responsibilities and sign agreements in February 2010, and 
share expenses for the project as well. 
 
Phasing out HCFCs by 2030 
 
¶3.  (U) Minister of Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh announced 
that India will freeze the use of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) 
at 2009 levels by 2013, institute a ten percent reduction from 2009 
levels by 2015, and bring HCFCs use to zero by 2030.  Seeking global 
funds and technology, Ramesh said this effort is a giant leap in the 
dark as it is unclear what will replace the HCFCs.  HCFCs use in 
India has grown at an average annual rate of eleven percent for the 
last fifteen years, boosted by the sustained growth in demand for 
consumer, commercial and industrial products. 
 
-------------------- 
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 
-------------------- 
 
Dramatic rise in Indian Scientific Output 
 
¶4.  (U) India's increased S&T spending over the past several years 
is starting to show some results.  A Thomson Reuters report titled 
"Global Research Report - India" released this week highlights an 80 
percent increase between 2000-2007 in indexed scientific 
publications - publications recognized by experts as the most 
significant in their fields - by Indian authors and co-authors. 
Publications were spread across both life and physical sciences and, 
while remaining strong in chemistry and agricultural sciences, 
showed particular increases in computer science, microbiology, and 
pharmacology and toxicology.  Despite the positive movement in 
overall publications, India's connection with international networks 
- an important marker of the significance of research activity to 
partners and of those other countries' ability to engage with the 
domestic research base - is remains very low, with less that a 
quarter of its publications indicating international collaboration. 
The USA stands apart in terms of its frequency of co-authorship with 
India-based institutions, followed by Germany, the UK and Japan. 
Continued Indian investment in S&T (reported separately in REFTELS) 
 
NEW DELHI 00002074  002 OF 002 
 
 
is likely to encourage additional advances in S&T that will create 
opportunities for truly collaborative research by premier U.S. 
institutions.  The full report text can be found at http://science. 
thomsonreuters. com/m/pdfs/grr-India-oct09_ag0908174. pdf. 
 
US-India Joint Research Reveals Indian Genetic Ancestry 
 
¶5.  (U) A joint Indo-US study reviewed over 500,000 genetic markers 
across the genomes of 132 individuals from 13 states that 
represented 25 diverse groups, the six main language families, 
"upper" and "lower" castes, and tribal groups.  Their analysis 
showed that all Indians in the study could be traced to just two 
pre-historic populations, or genomic groups, referred to as the 
Ancestral North Indians (ANI) and Ancestral South Indians (ASI.) 
The study, titled "Reconstructing Indian population history", 
Nature, volume 461, 489-494, was published by researchers from the 
India's Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology in conjunction 
with several Harvard institutes. 
 
PM appoints new Infrastructure, Innovation and Information Advisor 
 
¶6.  (U) The GOI this week appointed Mr. Sam Pitroda, chairman of the 
National Knowledge commission and a key enabler of the Indian 
telecom revolution two decades ago, as Advisor to the Prime Minister 
for Infrastructure, Innovation and Information (at par with cabinet 
minister.)  Mr. Pitroda is expected to prepare and enable an action 
plan for an integrated approach to innovation for the next decade. 
He will work with the Ministry of Human Resources and Development, 
Ministry of Science and Technology, and Ministry of Communication 
and Information and Technology (MCIT)to establish the national 
knowledge network, spread broad band connectivity to rural areas, 
enable delivery of e-governance based initiatives, establish better 
citizen and government interface, leverage Information and 
Communication Technology (ICT) for delivery of services including 
transport, telemedicine and justice. 
 
Roemer