LG Sinha Urges Soil Sensors for Himalayan Landslide Warnings

SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday said that developing soil sensors tailored for the Himalayan region should be prioritised as part of an Advanced Early Warning System to help predict landslides by monitoring soil saturation.

Addressing the inaugural session of the five-day International Conference on Nanotechnology for Better Living (NBL-2025) at the University of Kashmir, Sinha said nanotechnology-based sensors could also play a critical role in creating more accurate flood alerts. “We must also explore the new possibilities to develop soil sensors specifically for the Himalayan regions. These sensors would be part of an Advanced Early Warning System that can warn about the dangers of landslides in advance,” he said.

The Lieutenant Governor stressed that such projects could prove to be “game changers” in preventing disaster-related losses in the Himalayan belt, and urged scientists and experts to form a group to advance work on nanotechnology-driven disaster management tools.

Sinha said nanoscience was transforming sectors ranging from industry and defence to healthcare and the environment, and called on researchers to devise ways to reduce pollution in chemical manufacturing through nanomaterials. He also urged experts to contribute to the defence sector by producing lightweight components for military equipment and emphasised incentivising young talent in academic institutions to strengthen research in the field.

“Our focus should be on developing and using nanotechnology for the benefit of humanity. We simply cannot ignore the daunting challenges of climate change that confront us,” he said, adding that innovations in nanoscale transistors, nanomaterials, and nanoparticles will be vital for energy, food, agriculture, and electronics in the years ahead.

The event, organised jointly by the University of Kashmir and IIT Hyderabad, brings together leading scientists and researchers to showcase advancements in nanotechnology and its applications for sustainable living.

On the occasion, the LG also released an abstract book of the conference. Vice Chancellor Prof Nilofer Khan, senior academics, scientists, officials, and students were present at the inaugural ceremony.