The Task Group Meeting of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), that deals with Radio Communications (ITU-R), opened in Bangalore this morning (January 6, 2000). Inaugurating the task group meeting (1/5), Dr K Kasturirangan, Secretary, Department of Space and Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation, recounted the growth in telecommunications converting the world into a global village. He said that, with the increased demand for communication services, it is imperative to judiciously use the spectrum resource which is limited. "There is no scope for wasting this precious natural resource and the allocation of frequency band and its use must become even more efficient" he said. While recognising the pressure for more spectrum allocation for commercial services, Dr Kasturirangan said that such allocations are equally important for scientific missions.

Presiding over the inaugural function Mr R N Agarwal, Wireless Adviser to the Government of India said that scientific features and physical laws of nature predominantly govern the management and regulation of frequency management. He also said that while spectrum can neither be created, nor destroyed, it is the use of spectrum which can be regulated so as to multiply its usage by technological means. "The new millennium is going to witness more new technologies at a much faster rate and there is going to be convergence of technologies wherein public telecommunication, broadcasting and IT are going to merge together. Spectrum sharing and co-existence are the key themes for the futuristic utilisation of space spectrum" he said. Keeping in view the harmful interference from unwanted emissions to safety services, radio astronomy and space services, he stressed the need for stringent regulations to be adopted to curtail spurious and out-of- band emissions.

The present task group, which will have its deliberations till January 14, 2000, is mandated to study issues related to unwanted emission from radio transmitters and protection to sensitive services. The recommendations of this task group will be further reviewed at high levels of ITU before integration in the international radio regulations.

ITU is an inter-governmental organisation within which the public and private sectors cooperate for the development of telecommunication worldwide. ITU establishes international regulations and treaties governing all terrestrial and space uses of the frequency spectrum as well as the use of geostationary satellite orbit within which countries adopt their national legislation. It also develops standards to facilitate the interconnection of telecommunication systems on a worldwide scale.

Dr P S Goel, Director, ISRO Satellite Centre, Shri Mohan Singh Dhamrait, Chairman of the Task Group 1/5th of ITU and the ITU councellor also spoke on the occasion. Dr S Rangarajan, Director, INSAT Prgramme and Frequency Management of ISRO welcomed the delegates. About 50 foreign delegates and 30 Indian delegates are participating in the meeting.