Executive Summary 2008-09

Executive Summary

Punjab State Council for Science & Technology functions under the aegis of the Department of Science, Technology & Environment, Punjab. Its purpose is to promote socio-economic changes and environmental awareness through the application of science & technology and to bring science & technology out of the laboratories and into the life of the common man.          

                The focus of Council is on the improvement of the rural environments, prevention and control of industrial pollution, socio-economic development, conservation of natural resources and sustainable development. The Council undertook the following activities during the year 2008-09: 

1.             Rural Environment Improvement 

(i)           Audit of Drinking Water Quality & Rural Water Supply Schemes:

            The Department of Science, Technology & Environment, Govt. of Punjab constituted a committee with Prof. J.S. Bajaj, Vice-Chairman, Punjab State Planning Board as its Chairman  to look into the audit of drinking water quality and O&M of rural water supply schemes for providing safe drinking water in the rural areas. The Committee looked at various media reports, as well as, reports of research studies conducted in the state with respect to contamination of water and brought out a report with a series of recommendations to be implemented by the concerned departments. 

2.            Pollution Control

                The Council has provided consultancy services to Cupola furnaces, rice shellers, rolling mills and coordinated the projects of rgularly Cleaning of Budha Nallah & Holy Bein and has earned a revenue of Rs.90.00 lacs.   

3.            Conservation of Natural Resources                

(i)           Wetlands:  

                The Council is coordinating the scheme “National Wetland Conservation Programme” sponsored by Ministry of Environment & Forests, GOI. Under the scheme conservation activities for three Ramsar sites (Harike, Kanjli and Ropar wetlands) and one National wetland (Nangal wetland) are undertaken through various executing departments which include afforestation of native tree species for habitat improvement, soil conservation to prevent siltation, conservation of wildlife and fisheries, weed control, water quality monitoring and public awareness, etc . Conservation of another National wetland (Ranjit Sagar), which is an interstate wetland (H.P., Punjab and J&K) is being taken by Ranjit Sagar Dam Design Organisation under Deptt. of Irrigation. 

(ii)          Conservation of Bio-diversity:

                 The Council has taken up Biodiversity Conservation programs in the state.  It has notified the Punjab Biodiversity Board (PBB) as a statutory body to conserve biodiversity in the state. PBB is facilitating the setting up of Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) at village and town levels and train them for implementation of the Biological Diversity Act at field level, record local biological diversity within their respective village/town, take up initiatives for its conservation, understand the concept of collection fee for commercial utilization and prepare Peoples’ Biodiversity Registers (PBRs).  Massive awareness programs have been taken up to sensitize the masses about biological resources and its conservation.  

4.            Socio-economic Developement

(i)                 Mega Projects for Punjab in  Biotechnology & Nanotechnology 

Biotechnology and Nanotechnology are two rapidly developing sectors having tremendous growth potential.  In an effort to bring in state-of-the-art infrastructure, scientific manpower and industry in these sectors, PSCST had been pursuing the setting up of world-class institutions in these areas.  The first state-of-the-art institutional cluster is being set up in  Knowledge City, Sector 81, Mohali with an investment to the tune of Rs. 2000 crore.  The institutes/facilities coming up in the Knowledge City include an Agri-Food Biotechnology Cluster, Institute of Nano Science & Technology, Indian Institute of Science Education & Research and Indian School of Business.  PSCST has facilitated the setting up of Agri-Food Biotechnology Cluster and Institute of Nano Science & Technology. 

(ii)              Participation of Punjab Govt. as Partner State in 6th Global Knowledge Millennium Summit organized by ASSOCHAM. 

The State of Punjab participated as Partner State in the 6th Global Knowledge Millennium Summit on “Biotech Nanotech for Sustainable Agriculture” organized by ASSOCHAM from 13-14 February 2009 at New Delhi.  PSCST coordinated State’s participation in the Summit in which the strengths of Punjab in the areas of Biotechnology and Nanotechnology were showcased.

(iii)     Support to colleges under Star Life Science College Programme of Department of Biotechnology and Funds for Improvement of S&T Infrastructure (FIST) programme of Department of Science & Technology. 

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt. of India has launched a scheme titled ‘Star Life Science College Programme‘ for strengthening of life science and biotechnology education & training at undergraduate level.  PSCST coordinated the preparation of projects by five colleges of Punjab based on which the DBT has given financial support to following colleges: 

1.         Khalsa College, Amritsar

2.         Govt. Mahindra College, Patiala

3.         Sanmati Govt. College of Science Education & Research, Jagraon

4.         DAV College, Amritsar

5.         Kamla Nehru College, Kapurthala 

               Further, Department of Science & Technology (DST), Govt. of India provides support (FIST) to individual science departments of colleges including engineering and medical colleges and universities offering postgraduate programmes for infrastructure facilities for teaching and research, such as renovation of laboratory space, equipment, networking & computational facilities including software & databases, scientific books, etc. for 5 years.  The Council sent information about the FIST programme and DST, GOI has released grant under to two departments of Khalsa College, Amritsar viz. Department of Physics and PG Department of Chemistry as well as to the Department of Biotechnology, Lyallpur Khalsa College, Jalandhar.  Besides, some departments of Punjabi University, Patiala and Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar have also been approved for support in the current financial year. 

(iv)        Production and Promotion of Neem based Biopesticide as Environment Friendly Biodegradable Alternative to Chemical Pesticides. 

The Council is implementing Neem Project with the support of Ministry of Chemical & Fertilizers (MoCF), GOI and Regional Network of Pesticides for Asia & Pacific (RENPAP) of UNIDO to promote simple low cost technology for preparation and application of neem kernel powder, an effective biopesticide.  The highlights of activities undertaken during the past one year were:  Laboratory & field evaluation of neem biopesticide, Neem fruit collection and processing and organization of trainings and workshops. 

(v)          Biotechnology based Programmes for Women & Rural Development. 

                PSCST has been making consistent efforts to promote grass root biotechnological innovations relevant to socio-economic developmental needs of the rural areas of Punjab.  A number of projects have been undertaken over the years to empower masses especially rural women & youth.  As a further endeavour in this direction, following programmes / activities were taken up in financial year 2008-09:

Ø     Mobilization of projects from Punjab under S&T for Women Programme of DST, GOI.     

Ø       Hands-on trainings on grass root biotechnology applications

Ø    Promotion of Cultivation & Value Addition through Post Harvest Processing of Bioresources in Shivalik belt. 

Ø       Solid Waste Management through Vermicomposting 

Ø       Genetic Literacy Programme

Ø   Multicountry Observational Study Mission on Waste Management in the Food Marketing and Processing Sectors in Japan.  

(vi)         Protection of IPRs

In order to promote awareness about protection of Intellectual Property Rights of researchers, innovators & entrepreneurs of the state, a Patent Information Centre is functional since 1999 with support of TIFAC, DST-GOI.  The major objective of the centre is to provide patent search and filing facilities at the doorstep of innovators, researchers, R & D establishments and entrepreneurs. During the year 2008-09, the centre was upgraded to Category-1 by TIFAC and it has set up four IPR Cells in the universities of Punjab. It is creating awareness on IPR issues by organizing workshops, seminars and lectures. Further, since IPRs have been introduced as a compulsory subject in the curriculum of Technical and Vocational Education in the state, the centre is also training the faculty of ITIs, Polytechnics and Engineering Colleges by organizing faculty-training camps.  The Centre has conductd 23 patent seminars in 2008-09, which has led to filing of 2 patents in Punjab.  

5.            Scientific Temper:  

Council has taken up programs for developing scientific attitude in a big way through organization of short-term workshops and long term programs for students, teachers, voluntary organizations and general public. Some of the activities undertaken to popularize science and create environment awareness are as follows: 

(i)               Celebration of National Technology Day & National Science Day and organization of Children’s Science Congress in Punjab.

(ii)               Organization of Workshop on Astronomy for VIPNET clubs

(iii)             Uploading and maintenance of  Website on Planet Earth

(iv)      Master Resource Persons training wokshop on ‘Outreach Campaign for Understanding Planet Earth

(v)               Incventives to Young Scientists for travel and short term student projects

(vi)             Short Term Workshops on – Science behind Miracles and Micro-oganisms-let us observe & learn

(vii)           Motivational Contact Programs for Talented School Students.

(viii)         Regular publications- Nirantar Soach and Future Frontiers

(ix)            Initiation of Eco-Water Leteracy Campaign and Science for Sanitation Month Programme 

6.            Outreach Programmes

(i)          International conference on “Climate Change, Biodiversity & Food Security in South Asian Region” in association with UNESCO and  seminar on “Sustainable Development and Climate Change”                

             To highlighted climate change issues relevant to the South Asian region, an International conference on “Climate Change, Biodiversity & Food Security in South Asian Region” was organized in association with UNESCO and  a seminar on “Sustainable Development and Climate Change” in association with British Scholars. 

(ii)          National Green Corps Program and National Environment Awareness  Campaign and Celebration of Environment Days 

The Council is implementing National Green Corps Program of the Ministry of Environment & Forests, Govt. of India involving 4250 schools.  Since 2006, the number of schools has increased to 250 per district.   In all 56 district level programmes were organized including teacher training programmes, celebration of different environment related days and competitions. At school level, 12,984 different activities were conducted involving 8,46,689 students during the year 2008-09. 

The council has also been regularly participating in NEAC since 1988 as Regional Resource Agency for the state of Punjab. Currently, 194 organizations are involved in the campaign for betterment of environment and promotion of sustainable development.   

The Council also celebrated the World Wetlands Day and other Environment days in addition to the NASA Cloudsat Program.  

(iii)         ENVIS Centre on ‘State Environment Issues’

The ENVIS centre set up in the Council is maintaining a bilingual website on State Environment Issues (www.punenivs.nic.in/ www.punenvironment.com) which provides information on status, various programs and projects related to environment in the state for use by general public.  The website has a dynamic query response system. During the year 2008-09, the ENVIS centre brought out publications and organized workshops.  

 (iv)      Biotechnology Awareness Programmes  

                In order to ensure effective percolation of the benefits of biotechnology, the Council continues to take up outreach programmes for varied target groups.  The programmes organized in 2008-09 included: Training Programmes on Production of Natural Vinegar From Sugarcane & other Fruits, Biofertilizer Production Technology, Spirulina Production Technology, Ornamental Fish Culture & Seed Production and Processing of medicinal & aromatic plants.  Popular Biotechnology Lecture Series, and Training & Awareness Programmes on Neem Biopesticide were also organized.  

(v)          The F&A division organized a seminar on “Monitoring implementation and evaluation of Govt. sponsored projects and accounting thereof” 

7.                  Publications:

Regular publications of PSCST- ‘Nirantar Soach’; ENVIS Newsletter and ‘Future Frontiers’ were brought out. Other publications and resource material brought out during the year was:  

Ø       Book of summaries containing the projects presented at State Level Children’s Science Congress-2008

Ø       Four issues of the ENVIS Newsletter published with following lead topics:

·         Vol. 6, No. 1 on ‘’ Municipal Solid Waste.

·         Vol. 6, No. 2 & 3 on ‘Renewable Energy’.

·         Vol.6, no. 4 on ‘Micro Irrigation’

Ø       A Field guide on ‘Birds of Keshopur Maini Wetland’, the first Community Reserve of the country

Ø       One booklet on “Agriculture & Environment” (under print).

Ø       An abstract book jointly with UNESCO on “Climate Change , Biodiversity & Food Security in the South Asian Region”.

Ø      Brochure titled ‘Punjab – a leading destination for Biotechnology & Nanotechnology’

8.            Retirements/Awards/ Study missions:

o       During the year, Dr. Narinder Singh Tiwana, renowned environmentalist and recipient of Punjab Sarkar Parman Patra, who served the Council for more than 15 years, relinquished the charge of Executive Director/ PSCST on 20.3.2009.

o      State Award ( Punjab Sarkar Parman Patra) for Er. M.S. Jaggi

o   Study missions were undertaken to Japan and Kuala Lumpur by Dr.  J.K.Arora and Dr. Neelima Jerath, respectively.