Search

The design and tuning of controllers for the industrial process is an art, which plays a vital role in many of the process control industries. The industries such as sugar, chemical, paper and other process control-based industries hold the nature of non-linearity due to their uneven distribution of load influence with disturbances. This paper highlights the study and investigation of different controlling parameters associated with the sugar industry which is located in the southern region of Tamil Nadu, India. After the analysis of various processes, the impact of controlling strategy needs to be implemented in an advanced way to minimize the resource utilization with high productivity. The behaviour of various process parameters, such as flow, temperature, level, pressure, is studied and one of these has been discussed in detail along with the controller design. The controller, such as proportional, integral, derivative, has been modified with advanced control phenomena and applied to process model with the presence of delay time provides the excellent tracking of operating point to bring the stability of a certain process in a tremendous manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we have considered a mathematical model that deals with the effectiveness of the measures that may be helpful for reducing the spread of the COVID-19 virus in the society. Here we have illustrated the importance of lock down in controlling and maintaining the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The impact of the virus on the susceptible population has been considered in the model. Also, we have taken into account the susceptible population, which by taking preventive measures viz., by having strong immunity, maintaining social distancing, wearing PPE kits and masks etc., is able to reduce the possibility of getting infected from the virus. Local as well as global stability of the equilibrium points of the model have been studied using Lyapunov function and the geometrical approach techniques. Basic reproduction number has also been obtained by using the next generation matrix. To show the effectiveness of the model, different cases obtained by varying the parameters involved in the model have been considered. A comparison between the actual number of infected cases in India and that obtained by the proposed model, showing the effectiveness of the proposed model, has also been carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public health projects carried out by non-government organisations (NGOs) are considered a critical contributor in the provision of health services to rural population in India. But there is clear lack of documented evidence that describes the capacity and competency of the NGO project managers to successfully design and implement a new project. This article presents findings of an exploratory case study using outreach model of family planning service delivery as an example to understand the steps and actions taken by senior managers throughout the project's life cycle and competencies required by them to execute the project. Focus group discussion followed by paper-based survey using sections of Management Competency Assessment Tool was conducted with senior managers of the chosen NGO. The results indicate that the strategies developed by the NGO managers are consistent with the existing literature on project management. However, not all managers have the same level of confidence in demonstrating the competencies of (a) knowledge of healthcare environment; (b) evidence informed decision making; and (c) interpersonal, communication qualities and relationship management. The organisation needs to invest in human resource development using mixed approach of providing training, team building activities, mentoring, and support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supplier selection is the process by which firms identify, evaluate and contract with suppliers. The supplier selection process deploys a tremendous amount of a firm's operational and financial resources and is considered as an important determinant of the success of its supply chain. In spite of being strategically important to organizations, the decision for supplier selection is often complex and unstructured. Furthermore, it is inherently a multi-criterion decision-making (MCDM) problem, which pertains to structuring and solving decision problems involving multiple criteria. The paper provides a framework to analyze and evaluate supplier selection in Indian pharmaceutical sector (IPS) using MCDM technique of fuzzy analytic hierarchy process. It intends to improve managerial decision-making in the IPS in developing a supplier selection strategy based on multi-criteria evaluation technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The advances in robotics, in the last ten years, have enabled robot technology to solve many practical problems that humans encounter in day-to-day activities. But, even today manual scavenging of the sewage is practiced in urban areas of India, wherein man enter the manholes and clean the scales and clogs in the sewage pipelines manually with virtually no technical equipment. This practice might jeopardize the lives of humans; therefore, a sewage cleaning robot is essential to replace the human intervention. The conventional sewage cleaning robots available are not capable and effective in cleaning a variable diameter pipelines. In order to overcome this issue, an attempt has been is made to design and develop a reconfigurable type sewage cleaning mobile manipulator, which can efficiently clean the scales and clogs formed in the variable diameter sewage pipeline. A conceptual model of the manipulator has been created in solid model using solid works. It will give a clear understanding of the manipulator and its subsystem interactions. A prototype model of the manipulator has been developed based on the design concept and its working environment i. e, various goals that robot has to do after entering the sewage pipe and hence the functional requirements are finalized. It consists of various links and joints. The joints are drive through the various motors which are discussed in the paper. Preliminary investigations are carried out on the developed prototype model and some of the results are discussed in the paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Joint Forest Management (JFM), embracing the philosophy of forest conservation and livelihood improvement through cooperation between state and civil society, has emerged over the past decades both as a specific paradigm of forest governance in India and as India''s largest community forestry program. The JFM program, evolved during early 1970s covering a few forest villages as a model for reversing the trend of degraded forest ecosystem through the active protection by local villagers. The JFM program is implemented currently by 106,482 Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMC) and it covers 22 million ha of forests spread across 28 constituent states of India and union territories. JFM emerged against a backdrop of two centuries of centralised bureaucratic control over forest management in India. Centralized control during the 19th and 20th centuries failed either to conserve resources or to contribute substantially to the well-being of local populations. However, inconsistent persuasions from decentralization policies in India under present forest policy (1988) have prompted people to analyse the theoretical basis for accepting that decentralization would bring improvements in forest ecosystem management. Still others have contested the de facto rationale for decentralization (i.e., improved forest management) and have suggested that decentralization may be a manipulation by elites to serve their own interests or to shift power, for example from national to international agencies that have funded decentralization. Thirty years from its inception, there are now concerns for the recent effectiveness of JFM (over the past 20 years) because it is a group action that is getting old and is perhaps losing some of its pioneering drive and innovativeness. Although JFM has been administered nationally, decisions on implementation detail have been left to the individual states, resulting in different strategies. The long history of JFM has also provided scope for experiences with it to change over time as well as between places. Given the range of experiences with and perceptions of JFM, as well as the importance of the objectives JFM ostensibly serves, the time is ripe therefore for a retrospective evaluation to take stock of its actual achievements, its status and ways forward. The current paper seeks to provide such a review and analysis. The paper highlights design and implementation issues related to government resolutions, benefits-sharing and forest offences. It also assesses the critical design factors and key drivers responsible for institutional reforms. The paper evaluates impacts of protection on forest productivity and on the livelihoods of local communities. It highlights that the JFM program, by virtue of the diversity of its implementation, provides an ideal laboratory for exploring why similar reforms can lead to different outcomes. The paper argued that though there are supporting government policy and guideline and massive fund support, why there has been a low down of enthusiasm for JFM in the last two decades. From experiences, it suggests strategies for its revival and JFM can further contribute effective toward forest conservation and enhanced livelihood opportunities in the future. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper explores the emergence of biotechnology centers in Shanghai and Bangalore by comparing their development to best practices in the literature for biotechnology cluster growth and development. Interviews with over fifty biotech companies and related institutions in China and India indicate that these regions are developing alternate models of low cost manufacturing and services that build on the current local base of knowledge and expertise. The ability to convert research into successful commercial activity was identified in both regions. The strong research capacity, private sector funding, and entrepreneurial environment deemed critical best practices were limited. New growth theory is used to explain these alternate approaches to technological and social change. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The paper deals with the probabilistic estimates of extreme maximum rainfall (Annual basis) in the Ranchi, Jharkhand (India). Extreme Value Distribution family models are tried to capture the uncertainty of data and finally Generalized Extreme Value (GEV) distribution model is found as the best fitted distribution model. The GEV model satisfied the selection criteria [Anderson-Darling test (A-D test or Goodness of fit test) and Normality test (Q-Q plot)], which are adopted under the present study. The return levels are estimated for 5, 10, 50, 100 and 200 years which are consistently increasing for long run in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents a participatory approach to investigate vulnerability and adaptive capacity to climate variability and water stress in the Lakhwar watershed in Uttarakhand State, India. Highly water stressed microwatersheds were identified by modelling surface runoff, soil moisture development, lateral runoff, and groundwater recharge. The modelling results were shared with communities in two villages, and timeline exercises were carried out to allow them to trace past developments that have impacted their lives and livelihoods, and stimulate discussion about future changes and possible adaptation interventions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]