 CHAPTER V
SCIENTIFIC SURVEYS AND 
DEVELOPMENT

5.01. The Ministry looks after the Survey of India and three other Scientific Surveys-Botanical, Zoological and Anthropological-and also provides financial assistance to research institutions, laboratories, scientific societies and individuals.

A. SURVEY OF INDIA

5.02. Topographical and Development Project Surveys :

During 1968-69, about 75 to 80 per cent of the Department's potential was engaged on topographical surveys and mapping (including surveys for the Ministries of Defence and External Affairs) and the remaining personnel was employed on development project surveys. Mapping was undertaken in Nepal under the Colombo Plan. Field and photogrammetric surveys covering an area of 2,81,400 sq. km. on 1:50,000 scale, 6,500 sq. km. on 1:25,000 scale and 4,38,900 sq. km. on 1:2,50,000 scale were completed during the current year. Surveys/mapping on large scales for 54 development projects were also carried out during the period. Some of the main items of work carried out include topographical surveys; surveys for landing and approach charts of different air fields; surveys for town and guide maps and forest surveys in different parts of India; boundary demarcation surveys between Bhutan-Assam, Tripura East Pakistan, Kutch-Sind and India- Burma; geodetic triangulation, astronomical control, geodetic levelling, magnetic observations, gravity observations, and first order gravity control in various States of India (including Andamans) and Nepal and tidal observations in coastal areas of various States of India including Laccadive, Minicoy and Amindive Islands; development project surveys/mapping in connection with Nagarjuna-

sagar project in Andhra Pradesh; Kopili and Diyung Reservoir project and Brahamputra Flood Control project in Assam; North Koel, Farakka Barrage projects and Bhawanathpur lime stone deposits in Bihar, Narmada, Kotar reclamation; Vatrak and Kadana projects in Gujarat; Siul Hydel project; Sutluj Valley Levelling; Ravi Valley Levelling; Upper Sutluj New Dam site; forest surveys; Parbati Valley Levelling; D.T. Levellings from Pradesh; Bhakra Pattern Survey in Haryana; Micro Hydel Bhuntar to Manali and Beas-Satluj Link project in Himachal Scheme, Sawelkot project; Vishow Irrigation project and Bursar Tunnel Alignment in Jammu and Kashmir; forest surveys in Madras; Kutru, Maji Mendri, Dalli Rajhara Iron Ore Extension Area; Vehicle Project Factory and Bhopalpatnam project in Madhya Pradesh; Hirayakeshi, Vedganga, Jayakwadi, Penganga and Pench (Kanhan) projects and forest surveys in Maharashtra; Mahadayi Hydel project, Chakranadi project, forest surveys and coffee estate surveys in Mysore; Upper Baitarani, Lodani projects and Mahanadi Right Bank Resettlement project in Orissa; Rajasthan Canal and Sei Diversion Scheme in Rajasthan; Vishnuprayag Hydel Scheme, Ganga Valley, Bowala Nand Tunnel, Lakhwar Dam, Biyasi Dam, Nandprayag Langasu Tunnel, Maneri Bhali Extension, Bhagirathi Valley and Keshau Dam in Uttar Pradesh; and Farakka Barrage and Ramman River projects in West Bengal.

5.03. Geodetic and Research Branch is engaged in the inter- national Upper Mantle Project work in the discipline of gravimetry, geomagnetism and continental drift.

5.04. Important Conferences:

The officials of the Survey participated in several meetings/conferences held during the year. The more important of these include: (i) the first meeting of the Indo-Burma Joint Commission held in Delhi in April, 1968; (ii) the meeting of Commission I of the International Cartographic Association in Paris (France) between 22nd and 26th April, 1968; (iii) a conference with the Director,

Land Records and Surveys, East Pakistan, held at Dacca on July 24-27, 1968; (iv) a meeting with the officers of the Survey of Pakistan in connection with the demarcation of boundary between Gujarat-West Pakistan, held at Ghanda Singhwala Joint checkpost on August 20-21, 1968; (v) the second meeting of the representatives of the Government of India and Pakistan in connection with the demarcation of boundary between India and Pakistan in the Gujarat-West Pakistan sector, held at Islamabad on September 16-19, 1968; (vi) a meeting with the Government of Burma Survey officials in connection with the surveys for Indo-Burma boundary demarcation at Rangoon on September 21-27, 1968; and (vii) the talks with the Government of Burma in connection with the demarcation of Indo-Burma boundary, at Rangoon on October 19- 26, 1968, along with other Government of India officials.

5.05. Publications :

Various topographical and geogra- phical maps, project maps, weather charts; landing and approach charts, cantonment maps, tide tables, departmental and extra- departmental books and pamphlets were published during the period. Translation of departmental books in Hindi and the preparation of a provisional list of Hindi equivalents of surveying terminology were continued during the year.

5.06. Pre-investment Surveying, Mapping and Training Project:

Precision instruments and equipment which bud been ordered for the project are being received in stages. The development of land and construction of buildings at Hyderabad for the Institute's buildings is in hand. This project, when functioning in full swing, will train about 400 surveyors every year and will also impart advanced survey training to about 100 survey officers every year.

5.07. Indian Photo-Interpretation Institute:

The Institute continued imparting training according to the time table. At present 15 geologists, 1 soil survey officers, 1 foresters and 2 irrigation engineers are under training.

B. NATIONAL ATLAS ORGANISATION

5.08. During the year, one plate of the main English edition of the National Atlas, viz., Western Media Plate 3 on 1:2 M scale of the 'General Maps' series was printed and released for sale. A large number of other maps are at various stages of compilation, fair drawing, proving and printing.

C.ANTHROPOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA

5.09. Physical Anthropology:

Population genetical survey was carried out among the Shia and Sunni communities in Lucknow district (U.P.), castes groups in a village in West Bengal and Dudh Kharia in Ranchi district (Bihar).

5.10. Work is being continued on (i) the codification of anthropometric data collected from different districts of India, (ii) analysis of craneometric data of Cretan skulls and Rupkund skeletal remains, and (iii) other studies such as the reproductive performance of the Tharu women, sickle cell trait in India, dermatoglyphic variation among different caste groups in Jalpaiguri and Pod of 24 Parganas in West Bengal, and haemoglobin variants among the Oriya population of Calcutta and Cuttack.

5.11. Skeletal study of human remains collected from Pondu Rajar Dhibi (West Bengal), Khantoli (Bihar) and Kalibangan (Rajasthan) has been completed. During the year twelve reports/papers were completed.

5.12. Cultural Anthropology:

A few research projects taken up in 1967-68 were continued during the year. They include projects like (a) a study of complex religious institution, viz., (i) Kashi complex and (ii) temples of Mysore; (b) culture of a trading community, viz., the Gandha Banik of West Bengal: (c) comparative study of the nomads in Mysore city, Lambadi and Wader communities of South India; (d) comparative study of marine and inland fisherfolk in West Bengal, Gujarat and

Madhya Pradesh; and (e) tribal solidarity movement in Chotanagpur (Ho, Munda, Santal, Oraon) and among the Garos and Khasis of Assam.

5.13. While the volume on Tribal India is under completion, the reports on the Mullukrumbas of Kerala, study of the three captured Jarawas of Andaman Islands and the Hinduization among the Garos in Garo Hills (Assam) have been completed. Besides, twenty-seven other reports/papers were completed of which six papers were published.

5.14. Linguistics:

Study of tribal dialects, viz., Bhunya, Jarawa, Munda, Santal, and the tribal languages of Bastar have been undertaken. Five reports including a book on Bondo language have been published.

5.15. Human Ecology :

While ecological study of twenty- five villages in the Rann of Kutch has been completed, a project to study the demography and ecology of the Adi in Siang district of NEFA has been undertaken.

5.16. Auxiliary Section:

While a paper on diet survey among the Nicobarese has been completed, three cine films on Lahus, sacred institutions of Varanasi and Ardha Kumbha Mela of Hardwar have been taken in hand.

5.17. Of seven Memoirs and one Bulletin sent to the press, two Memoirs have been printed.

D. BOTANICAL SURVEY OF INDIA

5.18. Botanical Explorations:

In addition to continuing about 29 items of floristic and monographic studies, botanical explorations were conducted in the, areas of Birbhum, Purulia, Murshidabad, Hooghly, Jalpaiguri, 24-Parganas districts of West Bengal; Shillong, Khasia and Jaintia Hill districts of Assam including Eastern Himalayas and Sikkim; south-east Rajasthan and some regions of Gujarat; North Garhwal, Pithoraghar dis-

trict, East Kumaon of Himachal Pradesh; Varanasi district of U.P.; Hissar district of Haryana; Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh; Thana, Kutch, Dhulia, Junnar, Ratnagiri districts of Maharashtra; Sindhi district of Madhya Pradesh; Coimbatore and Madura districts of Tamil Nadu and Kottayam district of Kerala.

5.19. Research Papers :

More than 60 scientific papers were contributed by the officers and staff of this Survey during the period under review. While Fascile No. 2 of Roxburgh's Icones was brought out, two manuscripts, viz., Algal monograph and the Flora of Bhutan are ready for publication.

5.20. Training:

Under the Colombo Plan, two officers of the Survey were sent to UK for one-year training in systematic botany and taxonomy in the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, and an officer of the Government of Nepal was given facilities for and guidance in her training in taxonomy. Under the Indo USSR Cultural Exchange Programme three officers of the Survey were deputed for six-month training in taxonomy in the USSR.

5.21. Indian Botanic Garden:

The Indian Botanic Garden celebrated its 181st anniversary on 6th July, 1968. About 203 plants and 2,248 seedlings were either sold or distributed, and about 403 gms. of seeds were despatched to, different parties in India and abroad. About 10.370 kgs. of seeds were sown inside the Garden, and 34 species of plants were sown for raising seedlings. Germination tests were carried out in seeds of about 51 species of plants. 13,720 plants were distributed free of cost during Vanamahotsava week.

E. ZOOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA

5.22. Field Surveys :

Intensive field explorations were conducted with special reference to study and collection of (i) fishes and insects from Singhbhum and Hazaribagh districts in Chhotanagpur Division, Bihar; (ii) marine organisms from the coastal areas of Gujarat; (iii) marine interstilial fauna from the

Waltair coast; (iv) invertebrate fossils from the inter-trapean, beds in and around Nagpur and (v) bio-ecodata on marsh crocodiles and gharials in different areas in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. The Regional Stations of the Survey conducted, during the period, survey of Ganges and its tributaries in eastern Uttar Pradesh; Godavari River basin in Ahamadnagar and Aurangabad districts in Maharashtra; and study of ecology of the wild life in Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh.

5.23. Research Works:

The Survey carried out research work on systematics, ecology and zoogeography of different groups of animals on the zoological material collected by the field survey parties from Great Nicobar Island, NEFA, area, and Chhotanagpur (Bihar), Nagarjunasagar Dam site (A.P.), the Kashmir valley, Rajasthan and Goa, the coastal areas of Mysore, Kerala, Madras and Orissa, and other southern parts of India. As a result of these studies, over 107 research papers were contributed of which 41 were sent to press for publication and 66 published.

5.24. National Zoological Collections :

About 8,952 authentically identified specimens pertaining to 1,446 species were incorporated in the National Zoological Collections at the headquarters. These include 162 type-specimens belonging to 43 species new to science and 445 specimens belonging to 93 species new to the Zoological Survey collections. These additions have been made as a result of identification of zoological material and research work and to a certain extent by exchanges and donations of materials from outside.

5.25. Identification and Advisory Services:

The Survey rendered identification and advisory services to 211 parties of which 147 were supplied with identification of specimens. They included various zoological institutes, universities, verterinary and medical departments, the Defence Research Organisation and individual zoologists. Of the total scientific enquiries, 17 were received from abroad.

5.26. Unesco Central Card Index Unit :

The card indexing of Zoological type-specimens for South Asia was continued during the year and the work of finally checking index cards is nearing completion.

5.27. Key Zoological Collection Centre:

The work relating to Key Zoological Collection Centre for South Asia was continued, specially with reference to speedy identification of specimens and maintenance of lifts of species present in the collections in the South Asian countries, viz., India, Burma, Ceylon and Pakistan.

5.28. Development:

The High Altitude Zoology Field Station of the Survey was established on 18th September, 1968, at Solan to explore more intensively the high altitude fauna which was hitherto not covered.

F. SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

5.29. Encouragement to Scientific Societies/Associations/ Research Institutes:

To encourage scientific research, the Ministry continued to give grants to private scientific research institutions, associations, scientific academies and societies. Grants were paid for purposes like expanding and enlarging research activities, publishing scientific journals and literature, holding conferences, symposia and seminars, research fellowships, equipment, furniture, library books, and constructing laboratories

5.30. National Committees :

The work relating to the National Committee in India for International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) and its affiliated intenational scientific unions has been transferred to the Natioal Institute of Sciences of India, New Delhi. The Indian National Committee for Type Culture of Micro- organisms, however, continues to function under the Ministry of Education.

5.31. National Research Professors:

Dr. C. V. Raman, Proof. S. N. Bose. Dr. D. N. Wadia, Dr. V. R. Khanolkar, Dr. Suniti Kumar Chatterjee and Dr. S. R. Ranganathan continued to hold the National Research Professorships.

5.32. Encouragement to Research Scholars :

Scholarships for training research scholars were continued and allotted to the following institutions : (i) Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science. Jadavpur, Calcutta-22; (ii) Bose Institute, Calcutta-13; (iii) Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow-6; and (iv) Maharashtra Association for the Cultivation of Science, Poona-4.

5.33. Assistance to Eminent Scientists Going Abroad :

Fin- ancial assistance varying from Rs. 2.500 to Rs. 5,000 in each case is given to Indian scientists for their participation in international conferences, etc. During 1968-69, 5 persons were granted such assistance.

5.34. National Research Development Corporation of India:

The objects and functions of the Corporation are to develop and exploit in the public interest, for profit or otherwise, (1) all inventions of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, whether patentable or not; (2) all patents and inventions of other departments of the Government of India including those of commodity research committees and other statutory research organisations including technical and engineering 'knowhow' of processes; (3) such other, patents as may be voluntarily assigned, by general or special agreements by universities, research instrutions or individuals; and for (4) such other processes and patents the development of which may be entrusted to the Corporation.

5.35. The annual production from commercial exploitation of researches is increasing and the total value of production based on processes licensed by the Corporation up to 31st March, 1968 is Rs. 20.60 crore which has resulted in savings in foreign exchange to the tune of Rs. 16.30 crore.

5.36. During the period between 1st April, and 31st December. 1968, 40 licence agreements for the commercial utilisation of various processes developed at different laboratories/institutes, Indian Council of Agricultural Research and the. Ministry of Railways were negotiated.

5.37. As regards the development projects instituted by the, Corporation, mention may be made of the fact that the production of syntans and fatliquors has been continued with the equipment of CLRI. During 1967-68 the production of fatliquor and syntans was 29.317 tons and 0.860 tons respectively.

CHAPTER V SCIENTIFIC SURVEYS AND DEVELOPMENT