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Since the ICMAM related activities are long term in nature, DOD has established a National Facility on ICMAM to undertake R & D and training activities. The National facility for ICMAM has three components: i) A Computer network based Audio visual interactive (Multimedia class room system) training centre for the conduct of training. The state-of-the-art Multimedia Training Facility at ICMAM PD was inaugurated on 13th August 2001. It is having a capacity to train 25 students at a time on Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM). PCs of both students and master’s are centrally connected with a control panel, which is used to control broadcasting from one PC to other PCs; one to one, one to many and one to a group of PC stations. This control panel is used to control remotely the student PCs. There is a call-box at the student end which is used to draw the attention of the teacher to clear any doubts during the training.
During the last two years, over hundred trainees from the Coastal States, State Pollution Control Boards, Academic Institutions, Research Institutions and other organisations were trained on application of GIS for integrated coastal and marine area management, utilising these facilities. The training programmes on GIS based information system for critical habitats are being conducted in the training centre and the same facility will also be used for training programmes for preparation of ICMAM plans in future. The training centre will also function as a Regional training centre for other developing countries and implement Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) programmes relevant to India. The Directorate has core faculty specialised in Remote Sensing, GIS, Database Management, Marine Biology and Fisheries. (ii) Marine Ecotoxicology Laboratory: The Marine ecotoxicology laboratory is being equipped with various instruments for measurement of water quality parameters and conduct of toxicity studies using continuous flow through systems. This facility is supported with a field station at Mandapam (near Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, India) to conduct field studies in the coral reef ecosystem for which a Glass bottom boat has been stationed and a diesel generator (for supplying electricity to run the air compressor) was installed for operation of SCUBA diving equipment in the survey. (iii) Trace metal Laboratory with clean room facility: This modern laboratory contains Atomic Absorption Spectrometer.
A view of Trace Metal Laboratory The laboratory is covered under "Clean Room facility of Class 10,000 / 100" comprising a Garment Locker, Air Shower and Chemical Work Benches to minimise the contamination during processing of the samples. The laboratory is equipped with the following sophisticated instruments for analysing metals at trace levels.
The FAAS detects the heavy metals up to ppm level while the ZGFAAS can detect at ppb level. Both the instruments are fully automatic w.r.t auto-calibration, auto-dilution and matrix modifier addition, controlled through individual computers. With the existing facilities and lamps, a total of 11 metals viz., Lead, Cadmium, Iron, Cobalt, Copper, Zinc, Chromium, Aluminium, Arsenic, Selenium and Mercury in water, sediment and biological samples could be analysed. (iv) Other Facilities: ICMAM Project Directorate is a technical unit of Department of Ocean Development. It has acquired adequate facilities to serve as a Research & Development facility for Marine Environment and Coastal Zone related activities. It has a Silicon Graphics Workstation (Octane), DELL server, Internet & E-mail Servers, 62 numbers of Pentium PCs and peripherals like Scanners, Digitizers, Plotters, Printers, etc.. The software and Field equipment currently available in the Directorate are: |
