BHEL develops device to check transmission losses

NEW DELHI, Nov 19: Public sector Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) has developed a device, called controlled shunt reactor (CSR), for improving power transfer capability and reducing transmission losses in the country’s highest rating (400 kv) transmission lines

Recently, the first such device has been successfully commissioned at powergrid’s 400 kv Itarsi substation in Madhya Pradesh, the company said in a press release issued here today.

BHEL has displayed the device along with other products/systems developed and commercialised by the company at the ‘technology trade pavilion’, set up by the department of science and industrial research as part of the ‘India international trade fair 2002’ here.

Having spent about Rs 80 crore during last financial year, BHEL emerged as the highest spender on R D efforts among comparable industries in India.

In just three decades, BHEL has taken the country from a position of total dependence on imports to complete self-reliance in the manufacture of power plant equipment. BHEL’s power generation sets contribute 74 per cent of the total power generated in the country. (UNI)

Polymers enable ultrafast data transport

MURRAY HILL, NJ, Nov 19: When it comes to increasing the speed limit on the information superhighway’s main lines, chains of organic molecules called polymers will take the place of semiconductor chips that currently send data on its way, researchers said.

An experiment published in the current issue of the journal science, performed by scientists at bell laboratories’ lucent technologies in Murray hill, demonstrates the polymer’s potential role as an optical modulator, which encodes data onto a laser beam for transport across fiber-optic cables.

Led by staff member Mark Lee, the bell labs team optimized the polymer to reduce the amount of energy lost during transmission, while maintaining the molecules’ ability to refract light at the same pace as the electric input signal.

We achieved a practical, useful bandwidth of between 150 gigahertz and 200 gigahertz, lee told united press international last Friday. Even in the worst-case scenario, we were at about 110 gigahertz, which is about three times better than (cutting-edge semiconductor modulators).

Commercial modulators run today at about 10 gigahertz, or billion oscillations per second, enough to transmit all the data stored in a common personal computer in about 20 seconds.

Earlier polymer research had demonstrated the materials could operate at the 110 gigahertz frequency only, and ran into problems with instabilities caused by heat and the intensity of the laser itself, said Thomas Mino, chief operating officer of Lumera, of Bothell, Wash, a maker of optical communications components.

(Lucent’s) device actually modulates the light (to transmit data) ... And has detectable signals in the (trillions of hertz) kind of range, Mino told UPI. They’re verifying the work that’s gone on, and that polymers have the kind of performance capabilities that people have projected for them. Lee stressed the terahertz signals, which would translate to data transmission speeds 100 times faster than today’s networks, are only at the most basic laboratory stage. Much more work is needed, including improving the performance of the modulator’s electrical contacts, to reduce power losses to the point where such signals could be effectively modulated, he said.

Another benefit of the polymer modulator is its low power requirement, Mino said. Today’s systems rely on a semiconductor material called Lithium Niobate, and require a 10-volt current to operate.

An equivalent polymer component, one of the devices lumera is readying for the market, provides a slightly stronger signal at only 2.5 volts, low enough to work with existing computer chips without the power-boosting components needed today.

This low-power, simplified arrangement could lead to reducing the number of signal repeaters a network requires to send data through thousands of miles of cable, mino said.

Lucent’s polymer modulators are not quite ready for prime-time, however, Lee told UPI. Component suppliers such as lumera are concerned about the material’s stability over months and even years, he said, and engineers must devise packaging methods to preserve the polymer.

Another challenge involves the fact that light spreads out as it travels, especially if a wide range of frequencies are used, Lee said. Data from the polymer modulator could be lost over extended distances unless engineers are sure anti-dispersion coatings on the optic fiber will handle the device’s output, he said.

Developers have plenty of time to solve these issues, Mino said, since data and telephone providers are still at the 10 gigahertz level. Even the 40 gigahertz devices using existing technology will be integrated slowly. (UPI)

South Korea business group sees ’03 growth at 5.3 pc

SEOUL, Nov 19: A powerful South Korean business lobby group said on Tuesday weakening domestic demand would slow growth in Asia’s fourth largest economy to 5.3 percent next year with the auto, steel and construction businesses hit hard.

The Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) expected economic growth to taper off next year from an estimated 6.2 percent this year, mainly because a rise in private consumption would slow to 4.8 percent in 2003 from a 6.8 percent climb this year.

FKI’s growth forecast is lower than the Central Bank of Korea’s estimate of 5.5 percent for next year.

"Domestically, there is a risk of weakening consumption growth in the wake of a real estate bubble," the FKI said in a statement after its economic outlook seminar.

"Also, there are lingering concerns overseas, including the US economy, financial instability in Latin America and delayed reforms in Japan."

The FKI said auto makers are expected to feel the negative impact of a stronger won, while the steel industry could suffer tougher trade barriers and a glut in the global market.

Construction firms would also experience slow housing demand next year, it said.

The group of the country’s top 30 conglomerates forecast the won would strengthen further to an annual average of 1,150 against the dollar next year, versus 1,238 this year.

But growth in overall exports would accelerate to 7.0 percent next year from a 6.2 percent estimate for 2002, aided by a recovery in the information and technology sector in the second half, the FKI said.

The report followed on the heels of an FKI survey earlier this month, which showed South Korean firms were expecting for the first time in a year business conditions to worsen due to growing concern about the US economy and a possible war in Iraq.

Another survey by the Government also showed consumers had turned pessimistic about the economic outlook for the first time in 11 months in October.

Financial markets were lukewarm to the latest of a series of gloomy reports. The main stock index .Ks11 was up 0.20 percent at 668.47 points at 0303 GMT. (AGENCIES)

HUDCO sanctions Rs 90.85 crfor civil projects

CHANDIGARH, Nov 19: The Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) has sanctioned a loan of Rs 90.85 crore for the implementation of municipal sold waste managerment projects, said Haryana Minister of State for Urban Development Subhash Goyal here today.

Mr Goyal revealed this while inaugurating the investors conference on ‘Private sector participation in municipal solid waste management in Haryana’ organised by Haryana Slum Clearance Board.

He said the objective of this conference was to provide insight into the state wide municipal solid waste management project and various incentives available in the state for private investors to participate in the development process.

The minister reiterated government commitment to provide better environment, adequate civic amenities and effective solid waste management in urban areas of the state. Mr Goyal said national capital region planning board had sanctioned Rs 56 crore towards this task.

Referring to the ongoing road repairs process, the minister claimed that so far 66.550 kms roads within municipal limits has been repaired and so far. (UNI)

Himalaya draws growth strategy, launches Chyavanaprasha

NEW DELHI, Nov 19: The Bangalore-based Himalaya Drug Company, better known for its Ayurvedic concepts personal healthcare products, today said it is planning to double its annual sales in the next three years from the current level of Rs 250 crore.

Starting off operations in Dehradun way back in 1930s, the company later spread its wings to Mumbai and across the country. In 1975, it set up an advanced manufacturing facility at Makali in Bangalore, which now houses the corporate headquarters.

The manufacturing facility at Makali has the largest tablet-coating unit in the country and over one crore tablets are punched in every day. Prominent among the Himalaya brands is Liv 52, a liver formulation, which is also the flagship brand of the company. Every second, one unit of Liv 52 is bought somewhere in the world. It ranks among the top five pharma brands in the country.

"We synergise between Ayurveda and modern science and hope to clock a turnover of Rs 500 crore by year 2005," said Himalaya’s president and CEO Ravi Prasad. "We will consider the world our market and make international quality standards our obsession." (UNI)

SEBI stalls Grasims’ open offer following SAT directive

NEW DELHI, Nov 19: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) today said it has stalled the open offer made by the Aditya Birla group-owned Grasim Industries for acquiring 20 per cent stake in Larsen and Toubro following Securities Appellate Tribunal’s (SAT) directive to the market regulator in case of Gujarat Ambuja cement’s acquisition of over 14 per cent stake in ACC.

SAT had asked SEBI last month to examine whether the Gujarat Ambuja group had gained management control over ACC after acquiring 14.45 per cent of the company’s shares from the Tata Group.

SEBI had earlier stated that it is only investigating the insider trading charge against RIL in the L and T deal and Grasim could go ahead with its open offer at Rs 190 per share since it did not attract the takeover code’s provision on pricing.

Grasim had purchased the Reliance stake of 10.5 per cent in L and T at Rs 306 per share on November 18, 2001. The new offer was scheduled to open on December 9. As per the takeover code, the pricing of an open offer has to be an average of the past 26 weeks.

However, that provision is not attracted by Grasim’s offer since the period of 26 weeks is over, the SEBI had stated.

"We have to now stall the offer because of SAT directive to us to examine the aspect of control in Gujarat Ambuja’s deal with ACC," SEBI executive director told UNI here.

Following that, SEBI will now also have to investigate whether Grasim Industries had control over L and T, he said. (UNI)

SAARC nations agree to share energy resources

DHAKA, Nov 19: India and other SAARC members have agreed to share their energy resources but failed to reach a consensus on immediate creation of a regional power grid.

Energy experts from SAARC countries, during the first ever meeting of the seven-member grouping’s technical committee on energy here, agreed to exchange energy related information by next month.

While agreeing to jointly develop the energy sector, they decided to speed up cooperation in developing renewable sources of energy and environment friendly fuels.

However, it is uderstood that New Delhi thinks in absence of any transmission linkages between India and Bangladesh, the proposal of a regional power grid connecting India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan is "pre-mature".

India already has power transmission arrangements with Nepal and Bhutan.

India, during the meeting which concluded yesterday, offered to share with the regional countries its latest expertise in the field of environment friendly and renewable energy sources.

Bangladesh State Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources A K M Mosharraf Hossain underlined the need to minimise cost of power for the consumers through extended cooperation among the SAARC countries, ‘The Daily Star’ said.

The SAARC energy meet came at a time when the Khaleda Zia Government is poised to take a decision on export of surplus gas to India. Bangladesh Parliament is likely to discuss the issue on Thursday amid protests from opposition Awami League and lobbies against gas sale. (PTI)

Tokyo stocks dip, banks hit lifetime lows

TOKYO, Nov 19: Tokyo shares hovered near 19-year lows on Tuesday morning as investors continued to dump megabanks on jitters over their fragile capital bases, hammering three of the four big lenders to lifetime lows.

"Speculators are playing money games with bank stocks," said Noboru Saruya, General Manager at Shinko Securities’ Equity Information Department.

"On top of that you have fears of nationalisation, and a sense of despair that their bad-loan problem will never be solved until the Government gets serious about ending deflation."

At midsession, the Nikkei 225-stock average was down 0.53 percent at 8,301.45, a touch below a 19-year closing low of 8,303.39 hit last week. The broader topix index slipped 1.29 percent to 813.25.

Investors pounded megabanks — which are saddled with more than 52 trillion yen ( 429.7 billion) of soured loans — amid concerns that Government efforts to speed up bad-loan disposal would deplete their capital.

UFJ holdings Inc, the smallest megabank, tumbled 8.69 percent to a record low of 90,400 yen as foreign and domestic institutional investors dumped the stock after it fell below the important 100,000 mark.

The 100,000 level is equivalent to 100 yen for stocks with a minimum trading lot of 1,000 shares, and many institutional investors are not allowed to hold stocks below 100 yen.

Mizuho holdings Inc, the world’s biggest bank by assets, dived 8.4 percent to 109,000 yen.

"Mizuho is in clear danger of breaching 100,000 yen as well, which would knock the index another step back," said Ken Masuda, senior dealer at Shinko securities.

The banking sector subindex has tumbled 30 percent since reformist Heizo Rakenaka was appointed chief financial regulator seven weeks ago. His appointment rattled investors with the fear that share value could be partially wiped out if banks are nationalised.

Traders also said that a perceived lack of urgency from policymakers was also draining sentiment.

Market focus remains on the size and content of a supplementary budget — expected to be compiled on Friday — to shore up the economy and ease the pain of the bad-loan cleanup.

Finance Minister Masajuro Shiokawa said on Monday that no decision had been made on the amount of extra spending and dismissed reports that it would be five trillion yen ( 41.32 billion).

"Five trillion is the bare minimum needed to shore up the economy and stocks will likely take a hit if we are disappointed," said Shinko’s Saruya.

Blue Chips also came under pressure after a dour showing by their Wall Street peers.

Nissan Motor Co Ltd, due to confirm first-half earnings later in the day, saw its morning gains evaporate, dipping 0.21 percent to 943 yen after rising as high as 973.

With Japan’s earnings season at its peak, investors continue to sift out the winners and losers.

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp fell 2.6 percent to 449,000 yen after it said on Monday that sales slipped 1.7 percent in the first half to September from a year earlier.

In contrast, Mitsui Chemicals Inc shot up 4.95 percent to 445 yen, extending the previous session’s 3.41 percent rise after Japan’s fourth-largest chemicals firm said during afternoon trade on Monday that its group recurring profit jumped 70 percent in the first half.

"What we’re seeing is a flight to quality," said Hiroshi Sato, general manager at Cosmo Securities’ Equity Department, adding that investors were becoming increasingly sensitive to bad news but still had an appetite for the star performers in sectors such as tech and autos.

Consumer electronics giant Sony Corp showed resilience, edging up 0.8 percent to 5,040 yen.

Trading activity picked up with 416.29 million shares changing hands on the first section, compared with 345 million on Monday morning and last week’s morning average of 313 million.

Decliners outnumbered advancers 1,166 to 234. (AGENCIES)

Punjab draws Rs 25-cr plan to strenghen tech institutes

JALANDHAR, Nov 19: The Punjab Government has chalked out a Rs-25 crore plan to strengthen various institutes providing technical expertise in the State.

State Industries Minister Avtar Henry said this yesterday while addressing the participants from English speaking African countries, who arrived here as part of United Nations Industry Development Organisation (UNIDO) programme.

The UNIDO, under its technical co-operation among developing countries (TCDC) programme, will train engineers from the English speaking African countries namely Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, Kenya and Zambia.

So far, 12 participants from these countries have arrived here to get training at institute for machine tools technology, Batala.

"The State Government will provide all the necessary support to the institutes providing technical expertise," Mr Henry said.

The participants also visited the industries located in Batala and here.

The minister also informed the delegates that institute for machine tolls technology and other undp projects have great potential to provide training and expert services for machine tools, manufacturing technology and other support for allied engineering industry for the African countries.

He also mentioned that about 300 candidates would be trained with the help of UNIDO in the Punjab projects.

It was also informed that efforts are being made to train the candidates from countries including Syria, Jordan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

The Secretary and Director of Industries and Commerce T R Sarangal, was also present at the meeting. He informed that these institutes have state-of-the-art facility and faculty, trained abroad. So best possible training can be provided in these institutes for the industry. (UNI)

Internet, e-commerce boom despite economic woes

GENEVA, Nov 19: Use of the internet is booming all around the world, bucking the global economic downturn and the crisis in the information technology industry, according to United Nations figures issued.

An annual report by the UNCTAD trade and development agency released yesterday forecast that registered internet users could total 655 million by the end of 2002, a year-on-year increase of 30 per cent.

At the same time, the value of electronic commerce — goods and services bought and sold over the internet — could reach as high as 2.3 billion dollars this year, a 50 percent rise from last year, climbing to around 3.9 billion dollars at the end of 2003.

The UNCTAD report, which quotes figures from another UN agency — the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) — are watched closely given the absence of any reliable statistics on global e-commerce, which analysts say are still difficult to compile.

UNCTAD said in its "e-commerce and development report" report that at present growth rates around 18 per cent of all purchasing by firms and individuals could be done in cyberspace by 2006.

The forecast figure for the total of internet users by the end of this year would take the number of people using the system —whether for seeking information, messaging or purchases — to one tenth of the world’s population.

But while connections were increasing in developing countries and accounted for one third of all new users in 2001, the overall percentage of the population using the internet was still far higher in rich nations, UNCTAD said. The United States had more users in absolute terms than any other single country last year with a total of nearly 143 million, the report said. It was followed by china with some 56.6 million.

In Japan some 45 per cent of the population had access — a year-on-year increase of 55 per cent. In South Korea 51 percent were using the internet, 27 percent more than in 2000, and in britain nearly 40 percent had access, 33 percent up.

Although from a low base, use of the internet was also growing rapidly in India, where 25 percent more people had access last year — or one in 147 of the population. Growth was strong also in Latin America — especially in Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Colombia and Venezuela.

In Africa as a whole the number of dial-up internet subscribers increased 30 per cent last year and now totalled 1.3 million.

Including North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, 6.7 million people used the internet last year — 46 percent up on 2000 but still only one in every 118 people living on the continent.

Outside the five countries with the most users — South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Morocco and Tunisia — only one African in 440 had access to the system, UNCTAD said.

And with the exception of South Africa, direct business-to-business e-commerce — when firms place orders with each other over the internet making major savings in cost and efficiency — was almost non-existent on the continent, it added. (AGENCIES)

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