INDIA:Broad Overview of challenges of 21st century presented

3 Jan 2010
The after noon session of first day of 97th Indian science congress saw detailed deliberations on the focal theme “Science & Technology challenges of 21st century – national perspective”. Dr. T.Ramasami, Secretary Department of Sciences &technology highlighted the gaps in energy, food & water sectors being faced by the country. The advancement in Science & Technology has to address the problems being faced by rural India since a large chunk of population of the country is still deprived of the basic amenities like food water and electricity.

Dr. S. Banerjee, secretary, department of Atomic Energy presented a road map of Indian Nuclear programme 2020. He informed that by 2012 India will have installed capacity of 7280 MW of nuclear energy and there would be larger share of nuclear energy in total energy mix. Giving highlights of 3 stages Indian nuclear programme he said that India was on the threshold of jumping from second to third stage which was full of challenges. He informed that India had one third of total thorium reserve of the world and had great potential of converting thorium in to uranium. Today India has developed such technology which made possible setting up of nuclear power stations near by coal pits, he added.

Prof. M.S.SwamiNathan who chaired the session emphasized that ‘future belongs to nations with grains and not guns’. He stressed the need for eternal vigilance to ensure stable agriculture. He drew the attention of the participants towards the impact of rising sea level which could result in to submerging of many islands. Making a mention of UN climate change conference held at Copenhegan, he added that the developed countries would have to reduce their emission levels so that poor countries did not become victims of bad effects of climate changes.

GG/JA/MS