 COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC  AND
 INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH

6.01. Prof. V. K. R. V. Rao, Union Minister of Education and Youth Services, took over as Vice-President, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research on February 14, 1969.

6.02. Research and Industry:

The fifty-fifth meeting of the Governing Body of CSIR, held on May 14, 1969 under the chairmanship of Shrimati Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister and President, CSIR, discussed the problem of utilisation of research results emanating from the laboratories and decided that the programme of the laboratories must be related to the needs of the industry.

6.03. Public Interest in Science:

An association of science editors in Indian languages (Bharatiya Vigyana Patrika Samiti) under the aegis of CSIR was inaugurated by Prof. V. K. R. V. Rao on March 19, 1969. The association's main objective is to foster in the lay public interest in science.

6.04. International Collaboration :

A delegation of the USSR Committee of Science and Technology, which visited research institutions and industrial establishments in India at the invitation of CSIR, identified in consultation with the Indian delegation ten tentative areas of technology for collaboration between USSR and India.

6.05. The Council entered into an agreement with Mejduna- rodnaia Kniga (International Publishing House), Moscow, for translation of Russian scientific periodicals by the Indian National Scientific Documentation Centre, New Delhi.

6.06. An agreement for scientific and technological coopera- tion between India and the Socialist Republic of Romania was signed in New Delhi in October, 1969.

6.07. The World Health Organisation designated the Central Public Health Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur, as its, regional reference centre on air pollution from 1969 for 5 years.

6.08. Research Grants:

Seventeen emeritus scientists and 58 retired scientists were provided grants for continuing their research. Six hundred and twenty-seven research schemes with a provision for 751 research fellows were in progress in universities and research institutions with grants-in-aid from the CSIR. Ad hoc research fellows numbering 1,543 pursued research in universities, research institutions and CSIR laboratories.

6.09. Research Utilization:

Eighty-four patents were filed in India. Accepted and sealed patents were 105 and 46 respectively. Patents accepted and sealed in foreign countries were 5 and 4 respectively. Seventy-seven processes were released during the year to industry bringing the total number of processes/products released for commercial utilization to 371. Revenue accruing to CSIR from premia, royalties, consultation, testing and analysis and supply of project reports and other services amounted to Rs. 30 lakh.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

6.10. Research programmes of CSIR laboratories are project- orientated and directed towards (i) effective utilization of India's natural resources for the economic development of the country; (ii) development of new processes and products and techniques to suit indigenous raw materials; and (iii) finding substitutes for scarce materials to reduce imports and thus save foreign exchange. A brief account of selected items of work of the national laboratories is given below to illustrate their impact. on industry.

6.11. Drugs and Pharmaceuticals.-

- A process for the pro- duction of sorbide nitrate, a drug used in the treatment of angina

pectoris, was worked out by the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Poona. The Indian Schering Ltd., Bombay has utilised the NCL process for the manufacture of the drug.

A process for the manufacture of paracetamol, an analgesic, from indigenous phenol instead of imported p-aminophenol, worked out by the Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, was handed over to industry.

Investigations carried out at the Indian Institute of Experi- mental Medicine, Calcutta, showed that the antifungal antibiotic, versicolin, effectively inhibits the growth of thioderma rubrum, the casual agent of 90 per cent of skin infections in Eastern India.

Investigations by the National Botanic Gardens, Lucknow, have shown that reserpine and allied alkaloids can be obtained from the roots of vauvolfia serpentina propagated in the laboratory by tissue culture techniques.

6.12. Essential Oils and Perfumery Chemicals :

The Regional Research Laboratory (RRL), Jammu, developed an economic method for the production of pure citronellol and high-grade citronellol, which are at present imported from the essential oil of eucalyptus citriodora.

Optimum conditions for the cultivation of Java and citronella grasses and processes for the extraction of essential oils from citronella grasses and cinnamomum tamala leaves were established by RRL, Jorhat.

A project on the commercial production of B-phenylethyl alcohol, a perfumery chemical, was completed by NCL. A plant with a capacity of 150 tons per annum is being set up by Sunanda Aromatics Industries, Mysore, who sponsored the project.

6.13. Fuels, Metallurgy and Mineral Prospecting:

A vapour phase catalytic hydrogenation pilot plant (output 500 litres per day) was commissioned at the Central Fuel Research

Institute (CFRI), Dhanbad, as an integral part of the Institute's project on the production of liquid fuels from coal.,

At the instance of the Uranium Corporation of India, Jadu-guda (Bihar), the National Metallurgical Laboratory (NML), Jamshedpur, worked out process details for the recovery of copper, nickel and molybdenum from run-of-mine uranium ore prior to uranium extraction.

Naptha, a byproduct of petroleum refineries, was employed successfully for producing different grades of iron powder from iron ores and iron oxides. Iron powders are at present imported.

An alkali roast leaching process for removing phosphorus (80 per cent or more) from high-phosphorus manganese ores was developed by RRL, Bhubaneswar. The resulting manganese ore is suitable for ferro- manganese production.

The National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, carried out its first sea-borne magnetic survey off the Bombay coast using indigenous know-how and instrumentation to study the continent ocean boundaries, topography and geologic structures on sea-floor.

6.14. Glass, Ceramics, Leather and Other Technologies :

At the instance of the Solid State Physics Laboratory, Ministry of Defence, New Delhi, the Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CGCRI), Calcutta, developed a process for manufacturing high-alumina seals and spacers required for the development of electron tubes diodes and triodes used in electronic equipment operating at ultra- high frequencies.

A process for manufacturing ultra-low density mica thermal insulation bricks utilizing waste mica was developed by CGCRI The bricks are excellent substitutes for diatomite bricks presently imported to the extent of Rs. 15.20 lakh per annum.

The fire retardant paint developed by CGCRI using mica powder is suitable for application on wood, canvas, metals and hardboard.

The Regional Research Laboratory, Hyderabad,, developed a process for preparing stable colloidal graphite formulations used as lubricants in glass and machine tools industries. Lubricants based on colloidal graphite (valued at Rs. 15 lakh) are imported.

The Central Leather Research Institute, Madras, worked out and standardized processes for the manufacture of leather boards from chrome tanned shavings and trimmings, and leathers used for the manufacture of hockey and cricket balls.

A pilot plant for defluoridation of drinking water was set up at Nalagonda (AP) to treat 20,000 gallons of water per day employing defluoran-2, a synthetic carbonaceous sulphonated product, developed by the Central Public Health Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur.

Protein concentrates rich in lysine will be produced from petroleum fractions in a pilot plant (50 kg. per day) set up at the Gujarat Refinery, Baroda, by the Indian Institute of Petroleum, Debra Dun, in collaboration with the French Institute of Petroleum.

The Central Electrochemical Research Institute, Karaikudi, set up a pilot plant for the production of electrolytic manganese dioxide (capacity, 25 kg. per day); the product used as a depolarizer in high drain batteries is imported.

6.15. Food and Fruit Technology:

An antifungal paste, which prevents fungus infection on the cut surfaces of bananas during transportation and storage, was developed by the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore, Applied to the cut ends of bananas the paste controls decay for 18-21 days during storage at low temperatures. The development of this paste will boost banana exports.

Three types of Rourkela tinplates with 0.02, 0.025 and 0.03 per cent phosphorus contents were evaluated and found suitable for canning mildly corrosive products like green peas, cabbage, potato and tomato and orange juices. This development is

important to the canning industry which imports over 50,000 tons of tinplate.

6.16. Civil and Structural Engineering:

The Central Build- ing Research Institute (CBRI) Roorkee, completed the foundation of a 15-storeyed electronics and telecommunication tower at the University of Roorkee with multi-under-reamed pile. This mode of construction reduces construction costs considerably.

The utility of open web structures for covering large areas economically was revealed by field investigations carried out by the Structural Engineering Research Centre, Roorkee. Adoption of such structures will result in considerable savings in steel.

6.17. Equipment, Devices, Instruments and Appliances:

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL), New Delhi, fabricated helium-neon gas lassers, including the gas-filling system, using entirely indigenous materials. Laser mirrors with reflectance of over 99 per cent were also made.

An electrographic machine, similar to 'Xerox' for copying documents on ordinary paper by a dry process employing a re-usable photosensitive plate was developed by NPL. New Delhi. Fabricated with indigenous components, the machine is estimated to cost Rs. 15,000; imported machines cost about Rs. 1 lakh.

A prototype of transistorized excitation control system for diesel electric locomotives was designed and fabricated by the Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute, Pilani. The prototype, successfully commissioned on a locomotive, is under service trials.

The National Aeronautical Laboratory, Bangalore, designed and developed a 10-ton electrohydraulic programme load fatigue testing machine using largely indigenous components. The machine is 50 per cent cheaper than the imported counterpart.

The prototype of the waste-heat cooler (capacity, 0.5. ton) developed by the Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute, Durgapur, using indigenous materials, employs a modified vapour- absorption cycle to suit the temperature of Rue gases in industrial furnaces or other heat sources such as solar energy or waste, steam.

The Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute, Bhavnagar, perfected designs of humidification-dehumidification plants of varying capacity for desalinating sea water.

The NCL, Poona, fabricated a potentiometric strip chart recorder using mostly indigenous components. The unit can be used for monitoring and control of temperature, flow rates, levels, pressure, humidity, pH, etc. The design details were released to a firm.

Cadmium sulphide photoconductive cells based on photosensitive cadmium sulphide crystals, developed by NCL, Poona, are superior to evaporated US devices.

Scientific instruments designed and developed by the Central Scientific Instruments Organization, Chandigarh, include (i) E.C.G. simulator for the electro-cardiograph machine, (ii) single-channel analyser with pulse amplifier, and (iii) digital voltmeter.

6.18. Industrial Research Associations:

A fibre length tester, which gives complete analysis of a cotton sample in 15 minutes was developed by the Ahmedabad Textile Industry's Research Association (ATIRA), Ahmedabad. A semi-automatic sampler was also designed to prepare aligned fibre tufts from the cotton sample. The tester and the Sampler are cheaper and better than the imported instruments.

Based on chemical modification of cotton, the Bombay Textile Research Association, Bombay, developed a durable press process for polyester-cotton fabrics. The treated fabrics show good performance up to 20 wear and laundering cycles.

The Indian Jute Industries Research Association, Calcutta, developed a chemical-cum-mechanical technique for upgrading poor quality jute fibres for utilization in better quality products.

GENERAL

6.19. Dissemination of Scientific Information :

Important publications brought out by CSIR includes (1) Wealth of India; Raw Materials, Vol. VIII, PhQ-Re; (2) Evolution of Life; (3) Indian Thysanoptera (Publications & Information Directorate);. (4) The Directory of Scientific Research Institutions in India 1959 (Insdoc); and (5) A Directory of Scientific Instruments an& Components Manufactured in India (CSIO, Chandigarh).

6.20. The Sarkar Committee:

The President, CSIR, under Rule 57 of the Rules & Regulations of the CSIR appointed a Committee of Inquiry to look into the personnel policies being followed at various levels, distribution of royalties and over-all functioning of the CSIR. The Committee was set up on June 1, 1968 under the chairmanship of Shri Justice A. K. Sarkar. The Committee submitted Part I of its Report to the President, CSIR, on February 27, 1970 dealing largely with matters relating to personnel policy.

6.21. Finance:

The financial provisions for CSIR for 1969- 70 (revised) were Rs. 2012.171 lakh: recurring- Rs. 1395.446 lakh. capital-Rs. 614.155 lakh and Colombo Plan funds-Rs. 2.570 lakh. The budget estimates for 1970-71 are Rs. 2223.250 lakh: recurring-Rs. 1510.142 lakh, capital-Rs. 703.108 lakh and Colombo Plan Funds--Rs. 10 lakh.

COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH