Though various sciences have their roots in India, at present there is a drop in the youngsters' interest in science, said the Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism, Dr Mahesh Sharma. He was speaking after formally inaugurating the Regional Science Centre here on Wednesday.
Addressing a gathering of schoolchildren, scientists and others, Sharma averred that the Central Government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is encouraging scientific activity. He said, "India is actually the birthplace of science which gave 'zero' to the world and Pythagoras theorem. More recently, our scientists have had major achievements like the Mangalaayan.
Indians are involved in varied scientific and allied activities as in london, where the Government's medical health system might collapse in about 48 hours if the Indian origin doctors there stop working.
However, our youngsters' interest is science is decreasing and is a cause for concern," said the Minister, while also adding that the RSC is not only for children but also for adults to visit. He also expressed concern over anomalies in utilisation of natural resources, stating that a considerable portion of the globe could be facing severe water crisis in the coming decades.
Referring to examples like drip irrigation and nuclear science, the Minister further said that science can be used to optimise the use of limited water resources through drip irrigation. Nuclear science was used for making nuclear bomb in the past while now it is being used to generate electricity, he added.
Sharma also assured all necessary assistance will be provided by the Union Government to Uttarakhand Government for the planned construction of sub-regional science centre at Almora.
Earlier, Chief Minister Harish Rawat thanked the Union Minister for providing necessary assistance for establishment of the RSC in Dehradun. He cited the importance of RSC in raising awareness and inculcating scientific attitude among youngsters. The Chief Minister apologised and left early stating that he did not want to be late for a planned meeting with ex-servicemen.
Speaking on the occasion, State Science and Technology Minister Surendra Singh Negi said that the RSC opened to the public in Dehradun is said to be the best among all RSCs across the nation so far. Pointing at the importance of science in developmental activities, Negi also expressed concern about rising trend of substance abuse among children and exhorted them to get involved in science.
The National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) director- general, GS Rautela said that the centre inaugurated in Dehradun is the 48th in India and also the largest so far. He said, "The first science centre was constructed in 1959 but considering the pace at which this was achieved in the past it will take us 200 years to construct an RSC in all the 635 districts of India as envisioned.
We also need to focus on our science heritage like the gharat (water mill) in Uttarakhand."
The Sahaspur MlA Sahadev Singh Pundeer and Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology (UCOST) director-general Rajendra Dobhal also expressed their views on the occasion.