MOBILE SCIENCE EXHIBITION FLAGGED OFF
Chandigarh, September 09, 2015
A Mobile Science Exhibition bus started by Pushpa Gujral Science City, Kapurthala with financial assistance from Department of Science & Technology Govt. of India and I.K Gujral Punjab Technical University was flagged off today by Shri Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, Punjab. An amount of Rs. 65 lac approximately has been spent on the Mobile Science Exhibition. The Ministry of Science & Technology, GoI New Delhi has sanctioned a grant of Rs. 52 lacs to develop exhibits as well as bear recurring expenditure for 2 years to Pushpa Gujral Science City for this Mobile Science Exhibition.
While flagging off the Mobile Exhibition, Shri Badal said that about 3.50 lacs people visit Science City every year whereas the total population of Punjab is 2 crore. The Science Express train initiated by Govt. of India halts only at major stations depriving large number of rural population from the benefits of Science and Technology. The idea of Mobile Science Exhibition was, therefore, conceived to reach the unreached so as to inculcate scientific temper in the society in general and rural population in particular. He lauded the initiative to create awareness to save the girl child by focusing on who is responsible for sex of the child in the Mobile Science Exhibition. He added that this effort will also support “Nanhi chhan” Programme started by the Govt. of Punjab for saving girl child.
On this occasion, Sh. G Vajralingam, Principal Secretary to Govt. of Punjab, Department of Science, Technology & Environment said “Mobile Science Exhibition will take science to the doorsteps of rural population and spread the message of science to work towards sustainable development and expose them to some of the emerging and challenging issues”.
The broad components of the exhibition are Health Education where the visitors will explore anatomical and physiological aspects of human body, functioning of human body and various systems, Health and hygiene, drug menace, alcoholism and lifestyle diseases, Genetic determination of sex of the offspring, Energy Education and awareness section will educate the public about the renewable energy sources with special focus on solar energy and energy conservation including demonstration of running of all the exhibits in the bus with the solar panels installed on the bus roof, Waste Management, Water Management section will include demonstrations using water testing kits, clean water properties and methods whereas Environment Education section will engage the individuals and develop a deeper understanding of environmental issues. The bus is also equipped with Mobile planetarium and high powered telescopes to hold night sky watching sessions where visitors under a starry night sky will enjoy telescopic views of beautiful objects, including planets, nebulae, star clusters and the Moon.
The Mobile Science Exhibition shall cover all the blocks in 22 districts of the state. To begin with, the programme intends to cover at least one school in each block which would further cater to cluster of schools in its neighboring areas.
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