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.