"Around 125 scholars -- 100 from the State and 25 from other countries -- would participate in the mega event," Vasani said while speaking at the chartering ceremony of the student chapter of ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigertating, Air-conditioning Engineers) at NIT on Wednesday. The ceremony was inaugurated by Home Minister Haren Pandya and ASHRAE's US-based president Harley W Goodman Jr.

Vasani said the IT Fair was being organised to create awareness among the people about various IT applications.

Speaking on the occasion, Goodman said a South Indian chapter of ASHRAE would be inaugurated at Bangalore on Thursday. He said that ASHRAE was planning to open its chapters in every part of the world because the organisation wanted to reach out to the world. "The age when the economies of different countries used to function independent of one another has given way to economic interdependece. This has happened because the issues -- economic or environmental -- which affect one country, have their impact globally," he said.

Goodman said ASHRAE had the expertise by which polluted air got automatically filtered when it passed through airconditioners.

He, however, said the best way to have fresh indoor air was to reduce environmental pollution.

"In the US, a lot of people have started using electric cars or cars which run on natural gas. The problem of pollution can only be resolved by tackling it at the source," he said.

He said ASHRAE had done lot of research to help resolve the problem of preserving perishable commodities. In India, poor refrigerating infrastructre results in a lot of wastage. He said though ASHRAE has the technology to make eco-friendly refrigerators and were willing to provide the technology to others much would depend on how people world over apply it.

He said ASHRAE spent $ 3 million per year on its research and development activities. "Our research is published and can be accessed by anyone who wants to utilise it," Goodman said.

To a query he said although India was at present a small market, it held a very good potential. "If the Government allows it to grow, the Indian market has tremendous potential and the country will become a major player in future," he said.