IGBP
Workshop on Global Change
3
March 2006
&
21st
SC-IGBP Meeting
4 - 7
March 2006
Organized at
Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology
Pune-411008, INDIA
INFORMATION TO PARTICIPANTS
WELCOME
TO PUNE !
We are
thankful to all of you as most of you responded to our mails and provided
the required information for the smooth functioning of the meeting. We have
received the arrival /departure details for most of you. If you are still
to give these details, please do so immediately. To serve you in the best
possible way, we encourage you to kindly note the following:
Mumbai pick up
·
We will be sending specially hired taxis to Mumbai to pick you up from the
airport and bring you to Pune.
·
Upon arrival at Mumbai Airport (Domestic or International terminal ) please
look for a placard displaying “IGBP-WCRP/IITM”
held by our representative near the arrival gate.
·
The driver has been given clear instructions to bring you to Pune and help
you check into YASHADA.
·
The road journey takes about 3 hours.
·
The taxi costs around
US$80,
which can be shared if more than one person (up to 3 comfortably) is
traveling. The payment can be made to us during the workshop; please do not
make any payment to the driver.
·
Depending on the times of arrival, we may combine delegates to provide
shared taxis. Please let us know in advance if you would prefer an
individual taxi.
·
Those who requested special pickup arrangements will be advised
individually.
Pune pick up
·
If you are arriving directly at the Pune Airport, please look for our
representatives holding the placard displaying “IGBP-WCRP/IITM”. It takes
about 30 minutes to reach the guest house. Our representative /driver will
accompany you and help you check in.
Accommodation
We have
arranged your accommodation in YASHADA guest house during the meeting. One
person will always be present at the reception counter in YASHADA on 24hour
basis.
The contact
detail of the accommodation is:
YASHADA (YASHwantrao
chavan Academy of Development Administration) is a premier government
institution where top bureaucrats undergo their administrative training.
The rooms have 3-star facilities, including a TV and Internet connectivity
in each room. The location of this place is excellent, with very nice
academic surroundings. This is also very close (~3 km) to IITM campus.
As I
understand your hotel bill for accommodation charges will be settled by IGBP
secretariat. All other bills for your room service (food, laundry, Internet,
etc.) at the hotel have to be settled by yourselves during your stay.
YASHADA also accepts international credit cards. Breakfast is included in
the room charges at YASHADA.
Lunches, Ice breaker, reception, Banquet
(1) Working
lunch will be provided on all the meeting days, at the venues of the
meetings.
(2) A welcome
dinner to all the IGBP workshop delegates are hosted by IITM on 3rd
March 2006 along with beer.
(3) A banquet
(dinner with drinks) in honour of the IGBP and WCRP delegates is hosted by
the Director, IITM on March 6, 2006 around 2000 hrs (immediately after the
cultural entertainment programme).
(4) An Ice
Breaker is arranged for SC-IGBP delegates on 5th
March 2006 by IGBP.
(5) The
delegates may explore the city restaurants (there are several close by) on
the remaining days for dinner.
Commuting between theYASHADA and IITM
Please
assemble in the reception lounge well before (30 minutes) the scheduled
start of the meeting everyday. We will provide transport to bring you to the
venue of the meeting.
Conference Facilities
The venue of
the workshop on Climate-Change, March 03, 2006 is
Varahamihira
conference hall at Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology
(IITM), Dr. Homi Bhabha Road (locally referred to as Pashan Road), Pune
-411008. The SC IGBP session during March 4 – 6 will be in the newly built
conference hall at the IITM premises. The IGBP-WCRP joint sessions on March
6-7 will be in YASHADA campus itself (same campus where accommodation is
arranged). Modern conference facilities, with a round-table configuration,
are being arranged for the sessions. Facilities for PowerPoint projectors
are also available. All standard media (floppy diskettes, cdroms, dvdroms,
usb sticks) will be accepted. Please let us know in advance if you need
overhead projector or visualizer.
Internet
YASHADA have
access to the Internet from the rooms. During meeting at IITM, you can
connect your laptops to IITM network for Internet access. We will also
provide access to some computers at IITM to the delegates for Internet
access throughout the duration of the meeting. The conference hall at IITM,
where the SC-IGBP session is to take place, is equipped with wi-fi.
Money
There are
several visa and maestro ATMs all around the city, and also close to YASHADA,
and IITM, which accept global credit/debit cards. Please note that credit
cards are accepted only at large business firms; most shops do business in
cash. For changing travellers’ cheques or foreign currency, you need to
visit authorized money exchanging firms (e.g., Thomas Cook) for which we
will provide the necessary assistance. You may consider changing a little
money at the time of arrival, at the bank in the airport near the arrival
gate.
Social Events
An Indian
classical dance performance (Niratya-Rang) by renowned artiste Ms. Yogini
Gandhi and her troupe has been arranged by IITM in the evening of March 6,
2006 (1830 Hrs) at Chandrashekhar Auditorium, IUCAA (about 5 km from IITM).
This is expected to be a memorable event to remember. The details about the
dance group can be obtained at-
http://www.yoginigandhi.com/yog1.htm. Delegates are requested to be
ready to depart (transport is arranged) directly and immediately after the
session. It may be little tiring but I am sure that dance entertainment
program would wash off all tiredness.
Key Contacts
If you have
any questions or doubts, please feel free to write to us.
Throughout the duration of your visit to India, DO NOT HESITATE TO CALL US
ON OUR MOBILES OR HOME NUMBERS, IF THE SITUATION DEMANDS IT.
We would
appreciate if you can confirm to us that you have received this information.
If you have any questions, doubts or concerns, please feel free to write to
us.
Keep exploring
website for updated information.
Have a good
flight, and we look forward to welcome you soon in Pune
!
