PRSC joins hands with PU

Manav Mander
Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, August 8

The Punjab Remote Sensing Centre (PRSC), Government of Punjab Enterprise, Ludhiana, and Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh, have joined hands to enhance research and academic collaboration for application of Remote Sensing and Geospatial Technology (RSGT). This may help to provide support for various government mission initiatives which are playing key roles to implement and monitor the schemes through satellites data and other sensors uses.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) in this regard was signed between PU and PRSC, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) campus. Prof Raj Kumar, Vice-Chancellor of PU, and Brijendra Pateriya, director at PRSC, Ludhiana, signed the MoU in the presence of senior faculty members of PU, including Prof Shankarji Jha, dean of University Instruction; Prof RK Singla, dean research; and Prof D Mehta, dean faculty of sciences, among others.

The spokesman said: “Both the participants of MoU feel there was an urgent need to collaborate in research and development in the areas of geospatial technologies (remote sensing, GIS, GPS, GPRS and ICT), utilities surveys, water and land resource management, urban and rural development, including Landslide Hazard Zonation (LHZ) and allied aspects based on expertise and resource availability in the respective institution. Under the MoU, both the organizations, by using geospatial technology in natural resource management, would help society in better utilisation of resources.” This also includes collaboration in setting-up and upkeep of the relevant Infrastructure in both the institutions, the spokesman added.

Pateriya added that it might go beyond conventional ways and adopt latest techniques of artificial intelligence, big data analytics, also joint research on environment and geological aspects of Moon once Chandryan-2 images will be available from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Following the signing of MoU, both organsations discussed the need to develop techniques to mitigate natural disaster in the Himalayan zone. This includes undertaking joint research, participation in seminars, colloquia and other types of discussions, conduct joint consultancy and research projects. There will be exchange of staff from PRSC to PU to pursue PhDs from PU and internship for students from PU to PRSC.

Giving details of the MoU, an official spokesman said that the main objective of this MoU was the development and validation of sensors for management of soil, water and environment resources.