Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 29: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah today underlined the need of catching students as young as possible to ignite desire of pursuing high goals of science and technology in them. He said this can be done at the school level by creating scientific temperament and providing ample opportunity to boys and girls at the elementary education level.
“You cannot make scientists of repute at the university level but these are born in schools”, he said and called for giving children free hand to experiment and discover by themselves the secrets of science at the early stage of their life. He said his proposal for science museums at Srinagar and Jammu is to provide an open field for the boys and girls to get in touch with various aspects of science at their young age and discover the ‘scientists’ within them.
Addressing the gathering before rededicating CSIR-IIIM Lab to Nation with Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Jaipal Reddy here, the Chief Minister said that the rich potential of Jammu and Kashmir in bio-technology and IT fields could not be harnessed owing to the long period of disturbance in the State.
Omar Abdullah said that IIIM Branch Srinagar was shattered during the period of disturbance. “Its functioning came to stand still, scientists and teachers left the institution and security forces stayed here”, he said, adding that with the rooting of normality, IIIM Srinagar started breathing again.
The Chief Minister said that he was keen to restore the Institution to its full functioning and developing as an Institute of repute and fame. He lauded the support provided by the Union Government and Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) in rejuvenating the Centre back to normal functioning and upgrading.
Highlighting the importance of CSIR-IIIM Centre in the holistic development of a State like Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah said that the potential of Valley as an aromatic and medicinal plants production area, besides the State’s vast bio-diversity, are the best resources for economic betterment and job generation for youth. He said leather industry has promising future in the Valley as this part of the country is on the top of the list of mutton consuming States and there is huge abundance of sheep and goat skin available to manufacture leather goods. He said this is the area which could provide substantial jobs to the locals.
The Chief Minister said that his Government has focused to utilize science to address socio-economic and unemployment issues. He said CSIR-IIIM can prove an important Centre of research for the State in this direction.
In his speech Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Jaipal Reddy made five announcements to upgrade and strengthen the CSIR-IIIM in the State. He announced Central support for two Bio-Technological Parks, World Class Value Addition Centre for Aroma, State-of-the-art Leather Centre, Science Museum and Academy of Scientific Research.
Jaipal Reddy lauded Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah for his keen interest in developing science temperament in the students of the State and utilizing intervention of Science and Technology to seek welfare and development of the State. He assured the support of his Ministry to the State in its this endeavour.
Minister of State for Science and Technology Feroz Ahmad Khan said that in recognition of the importance of science and research in the development process, the State Government led by Omar Abdullah has flagged this sector as a focused area.
He hoped that CSIR-IIIM will help the State to produce trained scientific manpower of a very high quality which could directly find placement across the country and also help the State in addressing various socio-economic issues through scientific research.
Director General CSIR, Prof. Samir K. Brahmachari announced upgradation of CSIR-IIIM Branch Srinagar as a full-fledged Centre and said that from today it should be recognized as CSIR-IIIM Centre Srinagar. He asked the Director CSIR-IIIM, Dr. Ram Vishwakarma to be In-Charge of both the Srinagar and Jammu Centres.
He said on the behest of Omar Abdullah CSIR is conducting research at its seven centres to utilize bio-mass of Dal Lake for producing diesel, energy and fertilizers.
He said that on the intervention of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah CSIR-IIIM was able to procure Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) equipment for the CSIR-IIIM Centre which would be installed here soon.
In his elaborative speech the Director CSIR-IIIM, Dr. Ram Vishwakarma presented resume of the new initiatives of CSIR-IIIM has initiated in the State and said that CSIR-IIIM is behind India attaining No. 1 position in mint production and its marketing.
The Union Minister and the Chief Minister also laid foundation of Hostel and rededicated Dr. Akhter Hussain Lab and Col. Sir. R. N. Chopra IIIM Centre to the Nation. They also inspected various research units, leather centre and laboratories in the Institute and interacted with research scholars, students and faculty members.
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