Indian Science Congress Association Seminar
(From left) T. Madhan Mohan, Adviser, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, M. Aruchami, Secretary, Kongunadu Arts and Science College, and Ashok K. Saxena, General Secretary (outstation), Indian Science Congress Association, Kolkata, at a seminar in the city on Friday. At present there is a high demand for skilled scientists in the country. Pay and benefits for them should be extended on a par with Information Technology professionals to attract them towards research, T. Madhan Mohan, Adviser, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, said here on Friday.
Inaugurating a seminar on “Biodiversity – Status, Conservation and Management” at the Kongunadu Arts and Science College, he urged students to make use of the various awards and scholarships instituted by the Department of Biotechnology in enhancing their scientific pursuits. M. Aruchami, Secretary of the college and Executive Committee Member of the Coimbatore Chapter of the Indian Science Congress Association, drew the attention of the participants to the constantly reducing forest area.
“It has declined to 12 per cent from 14 per cent. Educating people about the significance of forests is very essential for its preservation”. He said the people were fortunate in having two biodiversity hotspots in the country – the Eastern Himalayas and the Western Ghats. People should be careful in preserving the endemic species and also the bio-diversity as 20 per cent of the forest wealth was being ruined by them every year, he lamented. T. Pullaiah, Principal, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur, spoke about the rich biodiversity of the country.
“There is no proper documentation of the various animal and plant species found in the country. India contributes to 8.24 per cent of the world’s animal species. Tamil Nadu has nearly 4,000 plant species. But, there is no account of the entire flora,” he said. Regarding the total biodiversity contribution, he said that India alone contributed 167 crop species to the world.
