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Tapping technology

The Union ministry of water resources has recommended that a satellite be used for mapping all possible information on water sources. The Indian Space Research Organisation (isro) is likely to start work on the satellite, which will provide information about glaciers, aquifers, rivers and other ground and surface water bodies in South Asia. All this data will be of immense help to various organisations and policymakers formulating strategies to cope with droughts.

The recommendation also assumes importance in the wake of us space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration (nasa) launching a satellite, Aqua, in May this year. Aqua is capable of studying the cycle of all waterbodies in the South Asian subcontinent, information that could be vital to India's security interests. If this proposal is approved, isro is most likely to cooperate with the Russian Space Agency in developing the satellite.

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