Use science for society’s betterment: CM

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 26

Chief Minister Harish Rawat today said science must be used for the betterment of society by bringing about improvement in lives of people.

Inaugurating the 9th Uttarakhand State Science Congress at the Vigyan Dham in Dehradun today, Rawat said top priority must be given to making science a tool for facilitating the life of the common man and making it easier. He said the knowledge gained on the basis of experiences attained over the last thousands of years by humanity must be linked with the latest technical knowledge to make it more relevant.

Harish Rawat said the biodiversity of India was well-known and was nation’s heritage. He said the spiritual knowledge of our saints and sages must be channelised and linked with the latest science and technological developments. He said those with a scientific outlook must come forward to enhance the traditional agricultural produce of Uttarakhand.

He appreciated the works and achievements of Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology (UCOST) and said it could coordinate with various scientific and educational institutions of the state by working as a representative of the scientific agencies. Congratulating UCOST, he expressed happiness over the fact that it had prepared a scientific analytical report on Nandadevi Rajjat 2014. This report would be useful for organising the future trade fairs and different religious yatras.

The Chief Minister applauded the work undertaken by UCOST and declared increase in its budget from Rs 3.3 crore to Rs 10 crore for the current financial year. He said one science centre should be opened in each district of the state so that young scientists working in remote and far-flung areas are able to enhance their knowledge.

The Chief Minister honoured noted scientist Dr SS Negi for achievements in the field of Engineering Sciences, Diksha Bist in the field of Science Communication and Dr LMS Palni in the field of Biotechnology. He awarded them the Science and Technology Excellence Award 2014-15. Prof AN Purohit, former Vice Chancellor, HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar, Garhwal, was awarded the Prof RN Tandon NASI Memorial Lecture Award 2014 and Neeraj Kumar Joshi from Government Inter College, Munsiyari, Pithoragarh, was awarded the NASI Best Science Teacher Award 2014-15.

Uttarakhand Science and Technology Minister Surendra Singh Negi said UCOST has organised eight state-level Science Congresses since 2006. Researchers of various universities and other higher educational institutions work very hard and prepare for the success of the Congress, he stated. The minister added that the CM had appreciated the developmental works and achievements of the Science and Technology Department at various review meetings.

Earlier, welcoming the participants, Director General UCOST, Dr Rajendra Dobhal said as many as 478 researchers from various universities and higher education institutions of the state are participating in the Congress. He said it was a positive sign that female participants had outnumbered their male counterparts in the Congress this year.

Of the total 18 technical sessions, 280 are oral presentations and 198 poster presentations will be made in the Congress. He added that 6 young scientists will be bestowed with Innovator of the Year Award this year. He said the awardees of the past years’ Congresses are serving in the country as well as abroad in various capacities.

An exhibition was inaugurated. It had models and posters put up by the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), Industries Association of Uttarakhand (IAU), Graphic Era University (GEU), University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), Instrumentation Research and Development Establishment (IRDE), Centre of Aromatic Plants (CAP), Society of Pollution and Environmental Conservational Scientists (SPECS), Dehradun Institute of Technology (DIT) and UCOST.

Dr RS Tolia, Vibha Puri Das, Prof AN Purohit, Prof RC Joshi, Padmashree Vaidya Balendu Prakash, Dr BP Purohit, Dr DP Uniyal, Amit Pokhriyal were among those present on the first day of the Science Congress.