(a) whether India has developed world`s first mobile sea-bed mining system for exploitation of ocean bottom resources;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether commercial exploitation of ocean bottom mineral resources has already been commenced; and
(d) if so, the details thereof including the type and number of ocean bed resources exploited as on December 31, 2004?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE DEPARTMENT OF OCEAN DEVELOPMENT ( KAPIL SIBAL)
(a) Yes, Sir.
(b) A crawler based shallow bed sand mining system has been developed and demonstrated for sand mining at a water depth of 410 meters off Tuticorin coast.
(c) No, Sir.
(d) Does not arise.