New Delhi [India], February 12 (ANI): The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and the Puducherry Department of Science, Technology and Environment on Thursday entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance marine research, infrastructure development, and blue economy initiatives within the Union Territory of Puducherry.

The agreement was signed in New Delhi by M. Ravichandran, Secretary, MoES, and Sharat Chauhan, Chief Secretary, Government of Puducherry. This collaboration stems from high-level engagements between the Hon'ble Union Minister of State for Earth Sciences, Jitendra Singh, and the Lieutenant-Governor of Puducherry, K Kailashnathan, to address regional maritime priorities, according to a release.

The MoU outlines a comprehensive framework for cooperation across six strategic areas designed to promote sustainable development and climate adaptation:

1, Sustainable Marine Fisheries: Enhancing livelihoods through deep-sea fishing promotion, seaweed cultivation, and the identification of migratory routes and fishing grounds.

2. Offshore Wind Energy: Executing feasibility studies and providing end-to-end technical support to diversify Puducherry's energy portfolio into renewables.

3. Desalination Technologies: Deploying seawater desalination plants with MoES technical support to provide long-term solutions for freshwater scarcity in coastal areas.

4. Ocean Climate Advisory & Real-Time Monitoring: Establishing a dedicated observation infrastructure in Puducherry for reliable forecasting and climate-resilient planning.

5. Permanent Coastal Management: Implementing science-driven shoreline monitoring and erosion control measures to protect the coastline.

6. Marine Spatial Planning (MSP): Upgrading the current MSP pilot framework into a fully functional model that integrates offshore wind, resource mapping, and marine sectors.

According to the release, M. Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, stated, 'This partnership marks a significant step in our commitment to harnessing science for the benefit of coastal communities. By integrating MoES's technical expertise with Puducherry's strategic maritime location, we are not only addressing immediate challenges like coastal erosion and expanding ocean services but also laying the foundation for a robust, sustainable Blue Economy. Our focus remains on delivering end-to-end support--from real-time climate monitoring to the operationalisation of advanced desalination and renewable energy technologies.'

To ensure the success of these initiatives, both parties will designate Nodal Officers and establish Joint Working Groups to oversee specific projects. The MoU is set for an initial duration of five years, with progress reviews conducted at least annually to ensure timely implementation.

During this event, MV Ramana Murthy (Mission Director, Deep Ocean Mission), D Senthil Pandian (Joint Secretary, MoES), Dr Vijay Kumar, Scientist G & Adviser, MoES, Balaji Ramakrishnan (Director, National Institute of Ocean Technology), and officers of the Government of Puducherry and the Ministry of Earth Sciences were also present, the release added. (ANI)