On a visit to the North-East, Union Science and Technology minister Kapil Sibal’s message has been clear: “Science can usher in lasting peace and prosperity all over the troubled region, so embrace it with vigour.”

Towards this objective, Sibal has roped in all scientific departments to promote a slew of activities. On the platter are programmes related to using bamboo as a multi-faceted resource; mapping and harvesting biodiversity; enhancing seismic instrumentation to mitigate disasters; weather forecasting; and setting up of genetic counselling unit in Nagaland.

Effective utilisation of bamboo, a widespread resource all over the north-east, is central to Sibal’s scheme of things for the development of its people. The Ministry of Science and Technology had launched a ‘Bamboo Mission’ two years ago with an investment of Rs 100 crore for the holistic utilisation of what is called the ‘green gold’ here.

At Dimapur, Sibal inaugurated a Rs 4.8-crore Nagaland Bamboo Resource Centre, a one-stop shop where bamboo can be converted into value-added composite material. A high-tech bamboo gassifier project converts bamboo into electricity. The ministry is also helping make ‘sterile wound dressings’ out of bamboo. Even a hospital at Passighat has been constructed using bamboo as the construction material.

The minister also announced that three state-of-the-art Doppler Radars would be set up in the North-East. High- tech instruments, these help in short-term predictions of rain. To be installed by the India Meteorological Department, each instrument costs Rs 20 crore. Forecast of precipitation will in turn give early warnings for floods, a recurring problem in the Brahmaputra and Barak river basin. In addition, eight automatic weather observatories will also be installed within a year.

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