DISANET launched in Hyderabad

DISANET-Information Network for Natural Disaster Mitigation and Recovery, a joint research project between the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT-H) and Japanese universities, was launched here on Sunday.

As part of the Indo-Japanese collaboration, the Japanese Science and Technology Agency (JST) awarded the five-year project to IIT-H with a total funding of Rs 20 crore.

The key aspects include addressing a robust sensor network for pre-disaster monitoring, rapidly deployable communications and database system for post-disaster relief and key deliverables in the form of a deployed emerging communications system.

The project will bring together researchers from IIT-Madras, IIT-Kanpur and other research institutions in India and Japan, with IIT-H and Keio University as nodal agencies. Hyderabad-based National Geographical Research Institute and Earthquake Research Institute of the University of Tokyo will also be part of the project.

Governor ESL Narasimhan underscored the need for researchers to develop technology (sensors) to cover infrastructure project areas in the event of disasters.

“If we can develop some sort of sensors to cover up such important projects, it can help in speedy relief. You (researchers) must understand that natural disasters may come once in a while, but at infrastructure projects people are working round the clock,” he said.