Date:28/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/12/28/stories/2007122850261900.htm

Back Children Science Congress gets under way at Baramati

Bengal tops projects list followed by Karnataka

The main theme this year is ‘Bio Diversity – Nurture Nature for Our Future’.

Our Bureau

Baramati, Dec. 27 The 15th National Children Science Congress, a five-day programme, has begun today at Baramati.

The Congress was inaugurated by the former President, Mr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. The Congress would showcase 650 projects from India and 28 projects from the Asean countries.

The Congress has been organised by the Jidnyasa Trust, Thane, in association with Vidya Pratishthan, Baramati, and is a joint initiative of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. The Congress has a total participation from 31 States and Union Territories. Bengal tops the list with 41 projects followed by Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh with 40 projects each, Bihar (39), Assam and Arunachal (35), Kerala (22), Jharkhand 20.

The Asean countries include Malaysia, the Phillipines, Cambodia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Myanmar. The main theme of NCSC 2007 is ‘Bio Diversity – Nurture Nature for Our Future’, whereas the sub-themes are terrestrial biodiversity, aquatic biodiversity, biodiversity in the man-made ecosystems, conservation practices, value-addition to biodiversity and sustainable utilisation of biodiversity.

The events include technical presentation of selected science projects, poster presentation by child scientists, activity corner, face-to-face with scientists, videoconferencing with national and international scientists and noble laureates along with a teacher’s science workshop.

A special exhibition and science interactive sessions by educational, scientific research institutes, Government and semi-Government corporations and corporate houses would also be a part of it. Addressing the gathering, Mr Kalam said the challenges that the young scientists would have to look into included increasing agriculture production from the existing 200 million tonnes (mt) to 340 mt with reduced land availability from 170 to 100 hectares, reduced water availability and reduced number of people working in farming.

He noted that of utmost importance was also the accurate weather prediction and earth quake prediction, evolution of a convergence system for the multi-media application for meeting the needs of communication in office, home and on the moon using high bandwidth mobile wireless.