KOCHI: Corona pandemic is high on everyone’s thoughts, with everyone, both academicians and researchers, pitching in doing their bit in the battle against the virus. While colleges are making and distributing hand sanitisers, the Department of Geography, Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, has gone one step ahead and developed a system that gives an idea of the distribution of Covid-19 infection in the state.
“We are using QGIS (Quantum GIS), an open-source package, to arrive at the spatial projection of Covid-19 cases,” said T S Saju, Head, Department of Geography. According to him, the endeavour was taken up by the department to provide not only the general public but also the authorities with an idea of the spread of infection.
“Once such an understanding is arrived at, it will be very easy to work towards containing the spread,” he said. According to him, the data for the spatial maps is being sourced from the Health Department. “We per se don’t have any person on the ground. What we do is use the data published by the Health Department and run it through the software to generate the maps,” he said.
The SSUS researchers began their work as soon as the data began pouring in. “We update the map based on the latest data everyday. For this, three researchers have been deputed. Once the directive to close the educational institutions came, we began working on the map from our homes. Since the software is an open-source one unlike Geographic Information System, we can do the updating from anywhere,” said Saju.
According to him, the researchers had approached the authorities of Kerala State Disaster Management Authority to hand over the data management system and the details. “However, KSDMA is not involved in the operations. The entire situation is being managed by the Health Ministry. We have no idea why KSDMA is not involved. They have a state-of-the-art GIS facility with them. Actually, many government institutions have this facility, but why are they not using them?” asked Saju.
Rhe department had tried approaching the health ministry. “However, all the authorities are very busy with handling the crisis. But if they want our help, we are ready to do everything in our capacity,” said Saju.
by Ganesh Sahathevan NSW AG Mark Speakman defending his Cronulla seat In 2013 the then NSW Minister for Finance Greg Pearce was sacked by the then NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell for not disclosing a conflict of interest when he appointed the former Sydney University General Counsel Richard Fisher to the board of Sydney Water. Fairfax Media reported the details: Fairfax Media has been told the lawyer Richard Fisher ''picked up the tab'' for the party to celebrate Mr Pearce's marriage to Shauna Jarrett, which was held a year before the Coalition took power in NSW and Mr Pearce became minister for finance and services. It has emerged that Ms Jarrett reports to Mr Fisher at the University of Sydney, where he is the general counsel. This was not disclosed to cabinet before it endorsed Mr Fisher's appointment in what Mr O'Farrell described as a ''clear breach'' of the ministerial code of conduct. Mr O'Farrell said he dismissed Mr Pe...
by Ganesh Sahathevan NSW LPAB's 23-24 Annual Report has additonal defeciencies The NSW LPAB's PLT scandal is not cost free, and so far included the expemse of the URBIS survey, and the internal PLT working group review. It is likely that other costs have and will be incurred, in the course of unravelling a scandal that the NSW LPAB would have been aware of since at least 2006. There is also a paper trail to show that the NSW LPAB Executive Officer at the time, Louise Pritchard, had personal knowledge of governance matters which concerned the PLT, but were however excluded from the NSW LPAB Annual Report 2018 (see story below). Gi...
by Ganesh Sahathevani Mark Speakman Verified account @MarkSpeakman Follow Follow @ MarkSpeakman More Commemorating the opening of the 2019 Law Term at the #GallipoliMosque Auburn this evening with judges, lawyers (including @LSNSW_President ) and Islamic communities. 1:08 AM - 7 Feb 2019 from Auburn Gallipoli Mosque The Australian Muslim Civil Rights Advocacy Network was co-founded by a UNSW researcher named Dr Waleed Kadous,who went on to work for Google,and then Uber. The other founder was his wife,Agnes Chong AMCRAN is best known for its "Anti-terrorism laws: ASIO, the Police and You" booklet, first published in 2006. In 2017 the following announcement appeared on the AMCRAN website. Passing the Torch and Fourth Edition TUESDAY, 30 MAY 2017 As you can see from the fact that our last update was in 2009, AMCRAN has not been publicly active for some time. The laws, however, have continued to evolve and affect people in unintended ways. So over t...
Comments
Post a Comment