PANAJI: The Governor, Dr S S Sidhu said coastal areas like Goa exposed to the influence of sea and therefore face a peculiar problem of corrosion. He appealed to experts to find acceptable solutions to this problem so that the construction industry and in turn people of Goa along with those living in coastal areas in the world, could benefit from such knowledge.
He said coastal areas face this problem because of presence of salinity in the air besides chlorides in the waters around the coastline. It is a common knowledge that the process of corrosion in such areas is much faster than in the hinterland. Even steel used in the construction activity including bridges spanning rivers accumulates rust rather fast. Such chemical reactions cause immense damage to the structures.
The Governor said, it is important that the anti-corrosion movement becomes a global initiative and that the message of corrosion prevention reaches every household and place of work so that the people could protect their health as also preserve their assets. This would call for sustained campaign to educate people to take timely preventive and curative measures against the processes of corrosion. Similarly, it should be special obligation of manufacturing industry not only to guarantee quality and durability of their products but also indicate measures to prevent damage due to corrosion.
He said, he was confident that the global experts, who have converged at Goa for a chain of brainstorming sessions on the critical issue of corrosion, would find satisfactory answers to attack the menace as also to popularise the methodologies evolved in this regard.
Dr Sidhu was speaking as a chief guest at International Conference on Corrosion - CORCON 2010 (East Asian Pacific Area Conference and Expo), organised by NACE International Gateway India section at Canacona on Friday.
Earlier, 16th Nigis awards 2010 were presented at the hands of the Governor to the individuals and the institutions who contributed immensely in the field of control of corrosion. They were Dr Rani George from Kalpakkam, Mr Jitendra Sinha, Noida; Mr Sandeep Vyas, Navi Mumbai; Dr N Rajendran, Chennai; Dr S Sathiganarayanan, Karaikudi; Dr R Saxena, Dehradun; Ms D Bhuvaneshwari, Chennai; Mr K Rajesh Kumar, Nashik; Dr I Gurappa, Hyderabad; Mr Emeritus S Sheshudri, Chennai and Bharat Corporation Ltd, Noida (best laboratory in public sector). The distinguished service award was presented to the chairman of ONGC, Mr R Sharma.
NACE International (East Asia and Pacific Rim Area) has estimated that corrosion was posing a 300-million dollar threat to our nation. "I am told that the direct cost of corrosion in the United States of America has been estimated at 279 billion dollars per year, which is 3.2 per cent of the GDP in 1998. Similarly, in India the annual cost of corrosion was estimated to be as high as Rs 1,570 billion for Rs 50,000 billion GDP for 2008- 09 or 3.14 per cent of GDP," the Governor sad.
Mr Rajan Bahri welcomed the chief guest and the delegates. Mr Bob Phang, chairman, NACE International also spoke. Mr K Batra, vice-chairman introduced the Governor. Mr R P Nagar, chairman proposed a vote of thanks.
