EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

THE HINDU DELHI SATURDAY, JANUARY 18, 2020 NATION 9 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

IN BRIEF INTERVIEW | VENKATRAMAN RAMAKRISHNAN ‘Science depends on being able to question authority’ Anything that excludes communities and creates an atmosphere of intolerance is probably not good for science, says Nobel Laureate

Divya Gandhi scripture to some major of intolerance, is probably and so they like these sort of Bengaluru DVK lodges complaint scientific discovery, whether not a good thing for science. prizes — to them that tells a against Rajinikanth Nobel Laureate Venkatraman ‘Venki’ Ramakrishnan, who it’s nuclear weapons or stem If you exclude a large frac­ more human story. COIMBATORE/SALEM switched academic tracks to take up biology after a doctorate cells, I don’t think scientists tion of the population, The Dravidar Viduthalai in physics, emphasises the need for an inclusive atmosphere in India take them at all se­ you’re missing out on the ta­ You have written in your Kazhagam petitioned the and questioning of authority if science is to thrive in the coun- riously. I don’t even know if lent in that population. book Gene Machine that you Coimbatore City try, citing the setback to German science during the Nazi the politicians who make were extremely fortunate Commissioner of Police years. He spoke in Bengaluru, where he will deliver a lecture these statements actually be­ You are not a big fan of that your wife Vera seeking action against actor as part of the TNQ Distinguished Lectures in the Life Sciences. lieve in it. But I think it’s just prizes because they apply a Rosenberry, the children's Rajinikanth for remarks he generally bad to have people 'sports metaphor' to science; book illustrator, could take made about social reformer Could an understanding of work. So, the patient pool is in authority make these you have described the on the responsibilities of Periyar E.V. Ramasamy. He the structure of the small, and also if it’s any pseudo­scientific statements chronic hankering for a childcare at home, allowing allegedly said Periyar ribosome help in good, the patient is cured. because it brings India into Nobel Prize, in your book, as you to focus on academia. undertook a rally in Salem in discovering new therapies It’s not like a cholesterol or ridicule. India then looks to ‘Nobelitis’... What can be done to help 1971 in which images of an that target antibiotic- blood pressure drug that you be a sort of backward­look­ women scientists stay with unclothed Lord Ram and resistant organisms? And have to keep taking the rest ing, superstitious country, ■ In sports, you can have a research and get past the consort Sita were displayed. K MURALI KUMAR

has research hit a roadblock of your life. * when, in fact, the majority of very clear set of rules, and a glass ceiling that often cuts in creating a new class of The result is that for the educated Indians and the clear set of measurement. So short careers around the SC lets Karti withdraw antibiotics against last several decades, there Act. What made it important History says that majority of Indian scientists if you have a 100 metre race, time of marriage and child ₹20 crore from registry <> superbugs? has been no new class of an­ for you, as a scientist, an when you start are very much like scientists there’s no question what the birth? NEW DELHI tibiotics developed. So I Indian-born scientist, to anywhere else. rules are, there’s no question The Supreme Court on Friday becoming less open, ■ ■ allowed Congress MP Karti There are many ways of question whether the busi­ speak out? and discriminatory, who came first, second and Unfortunately, this is a pro­ Chidambaram to withdraw targeting bacteria... In fact, ness model is correct for de­ you end up hurting Could laws that exclude third; you can measure it. In blem everywhere, not just ₹20 crore, which was about half of the natural anti­ veloping new antibiotics. ■ I don’t normally like to science communities eventually science, when there is a big India. I think there are a deposited with the court biotics target the ribosome And, one has to remember make statements about In­ undermine science? discovery, it is not always number of things that have to registry as a condition for or general translational ma­ that penicillin, the first of the dian politics; I like to stick to And I also think India has a clear who the big contribu­ be done. One is, people allowing him to travel abroad. chinery. And when the struc­ big natural antibiotics, was science. My concern about secular Constitution, and it’s ■ History says that when you tors were, because often dif­ should be allowed career The condition was imposed by tures came out, it was actually developed by the the CAA is — you know, tech­ not clear that having a reli­ start becoming less open, ferent people make contribu­ breaks. First of all, we call it the top court after the thought that they would be British government in res­ nically it is not targeted at In­ gious criteria for a particular and discriminatory, you end tions in different ways. So it’s ‘maternity leave’ but the Enforcement Directorate very useful to study how nat­ ponse to WW II with a mas­ dian Muslims — but it does law is going to hold up in up hurting science; and the not always clear which was more modern way is to think opposed his plea for travel ural antibiotics bound to the sive effort at Oxford. There’s send a message that some­ courts. classic example, of course, is the important idea and it can of it as ‘parental leave’. abroad. PTI ribosome and inhibited no reason why governments how one religion is excluded, Science and technology al­ Nazi Germany, which effec­ be very subjective. For exam­ There’s no reason why the them. But then, that would and non­profit organisations while others are okay. And ways flourish, I think, in an tively destroyed German ple, in the field of transcrip­ husband shouldn’t also be in­ Lt. Gen. S.K. Saini to be also allow you to design bet­ should not invest heavily in the rationale is that the coun­ atmosphere that is inclusive science for probably two or tion, the Lasker Award went volved in childcare. And so Vice­Chief of Army Staff ter antibiotics that might be antibiotic research, and I tries that people are coming and tolerant. three generations. It took to one very good scientist, the idea is to allow leave NEW DELHI more effective against resis­ think they should do it be­ from are Muslim countries, about 50 years to recover. I and the Nobel Prize went to a without penalty, so people Lt. Gen. S.K. Saini, currently tant bacteria, and possibly fore the problem becomes a so why should them being You have cautioned against think science flourishes best different, but also a very can get back their job at the the Southern Army have fewer side effects. huge crisis. We’re already Muslim actually be an issue? the rise of pseudo-science in when people are free to talk, good, scientist. How could it end of it. It is unfair to ask an Commander, will be the next I think the problem is that seeing superbugs. I think we Well, I think it could be an India. Do you see a rising free to question ideas, free to be that distinguished expert individual employer necessa­ Vice­Chief of Army Staff. He antibiotics are not a huge always have to stay one step issue because they are look­ correlation between a new question authority — be­ juries picked totally different rily to bear the costs of that. will assume charge on profit­maker necessarily be­ ahead of the bacteria, which ing at Muslims as a homoge­ culture of science, the polity cause that is how progress is people in the same field? So it’s better a government January 25, defence sources cause it costs about a billion will evolve to become neous group. And they are and the shift to made. And so I think that’s, in gen­ reimburses people for being said here on Friday. He is from dollars to develop a new resistant. not a homogeneous group. majoritarianism? Science really depends on eral, not a great thing. The on leave. Secondly, the ques­ the 7 Jat Regiment. The post has been vacant since Gen. medicine. And the problem And so I think, rather than being able to question auth­ argument for it is that it tion of childcare is very im­ ■ M.M. Naravane took over as is a new antibiotic is only gi­ You recently made a strong spelling it out that way. they Whenever these people ority. So, I think anything brings attention to science. portant. It’s very important the Chief of Army Staff on ven to people to whom old or statement against the could have decided everyth­ make some outlandish state­ that excludes communities And also, human beings like to have good childcare facili­ December 31. generic antibiotics don’t Citizenship (Amendment) ing on a case­by­case basis. ment, tying some ancient and creates an atmosphere to have heroes and villains ties, close to work. Azam Khan’s son gets GSAT-30 gives India a communication boost Govt. failed in e­mobility no reprieve from SC The 3,357-kg satellite, launched from Kourou, will replace the ageing INSAT-4A mission, says plea in SC Legal Correspondent the ground that he was un­ Special Correspondent tellite will also be used for Court seeks response from Centre NEW DELHI derage to fight the 2017 As­ Bengaluru bulk data transfer.” The Supreme Court on Fri­ sembly polls. The nation’s latest communi­ ISRO opted for a foreign Legal Correspondent tice Sharad A. Bobde direct­ day refused to stay an Alla­ However, a Bench head­ cation satellite, GSAT­30, launch as the GSAT­30 is NEW DELHI ed that the Union Ministry habad High Court decision ed by CJI Sharad A. Bobde is­ was launched into space much heavier than the The Supreme Court on Fri­ of Surface Transport and to annul the election of Sa­ sued notice to the Election from the Guiana Space 2,000­kg lifting capacity of day sought the response of Highways through its Minis­ majwadi Party leader Mo­ Commission and Nawaz Ali Centre in Kourou at 2.35 its geostationary launch veh­ the government on a peti­ ter Nitin Gadkari be im­ hammad Azam Khan’s son Khan, who was the petition­ a.m. IST on Friday. icle GSLV­MkII. tion that alleges non­imple­ pleaded in the case. to the Uttar Pradesh As­ er in the High Court, on an The 3,357­kg satellite will While the newer and mentation of the National E­ The petition was filed by sembly. The High Court had appeal filed by Mr. Abdul­ replace INSAT­4A, which was more powerful GSLV­MkIII Mobility Mission Plan, 2020. NGOs Centre for PIL, Com­ declared Abdullah Azam lah, represented by senior launched in 2005 and marks can lift up to 4,000 kg, the The plan, initiated in 2012, mon Cause and Sitaram Jin­ Khan’s election invalid on advocate Kapil Sibal. the first mission of the year space agency plans to save had made several recom­ dal Foundation, represent­ for Indian Space Research the two or three upcoming mendations for the adop­ ed by advocate Prashant Organisation (ISRO). MkIIIs for its first human tion of electric vehicles, in­ Bhushan. The petition con­ Weather Watch The high­power satellite is Flying high: An Ariane 5 rocket carrying satellites, Eutelsat space flight Gaganyaan of cluding electric­powered tended that the governmen­ Rainfall, temperature & air quality in select metros yesterday equipped with 12 normal C Konnect and GSAT­30, at Kourou in French Guiana. * AFP 2022 and two preceding government fleets and pu­ tal apathy has violated the band and 12 Ku band tran­ crew­less trials, Dr. Sivan re­ blic transportation and sub­ fundamental rights of citi­ sponders. home] television services, vision uplinking and teleport cently said. sidies for those who opt for zens to health and clean en­ ISRO quoted Chairman K. connectivity to VSATs [that services, digital satellite The first Indian crew­less electric and zero emission vironment guaranteed un­ Sivan as saying, “GSAT­30 support working of banks] news gathering and e­gover­ test flight is planned for later vehicles. der under Articles 14 and 21 will provide DTH [direct to ATMs, stock exchange, tele­ nance applications. The sa­ this year. A Bench led by Chief Jus­ of the Constitution. Merger plan of RSTV and LSTV in final stages

Sobhana K. Nair NEW DELHI The merger of Rajya Sabha Television (RSTV) and Lok Sabha Television (LSTV) is in the final stages, with a six­ Temperature Data: IMD, Pollution Data: CPCB, Map: INSAT/IMD (Taken at 18.00 Hrs) member committee expected to submit Forecast for Saturday: Thunderstorm accompanied with light­ a report by this month­end to Upper ning at isolated places over Jharkand. House Chairman Venkaiah Naidu and city rain max min city rain max min Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. The final Agartala...... —....26.5....11.5 Kozhikode...... —....32.2....23.4 Ahmedabad...... —....22.7....10.7 Kurnool ...... —....32.1....19.6 decision will be taken by them. There Aizawl...... —....19.6...... 8.7 Lucknow...... 35.2....15.8....13.6 has been an overwhelming demand Allahabad...... 0.8....21.4....14.8 Madurai...... —....32.6....21.0 that the live transmission of the pro­ Bengaluru ...... —....28.7....15.8 Mangaluru ...... —....32.4....21.0 Bhopal ...... —...... —...... — Mumbai ...... —....25.3....11.4 ceedings of the two Houses should not Bhubaneswar...... —....30.0....16.5 Mysuru ...... —....30.9....16.0 be disrupted. Chandigarh ...... 0.5....15.8...... 9.4 New Delhi ...... 16.8....16.4....11.3 The committee, constituted on No­ Chennai ...... —....30.8....20.2 Patna ...... —....24.4....15.3 Coimbatore ...... —....30.9....18.8 Port Blair...... —....30.4....25.5 vember 7, consists of Prasar Bharati Dehradun...... 8.6....19.2...... 9.3 Puducherry ...... —....31.9....19.6 Chairman Surya Prakash, Additional Gangtok...... —....13.7...... 6.8 Pune...... —....25.8...... 8.9 Secretary to the RS Secretariat A. Rao, Goa...... —....30.8....18.3 Raipur ...... —....30.5....16.3 Guwahati ...... —....27.2....11.1 Ranchi...... —....27.4....11.4 the Lok Sabha Secretariat’s Ganpati Hubballi...... —....31.0....18.0 Shillong...... —....17.2...... 7.1 Bhatt, Financial Adviser to RSTV Shik­ Hyderabad ...... —...... —....18.1 Shimla...... 3.6...... 9.0...... 0.6 Imphal ...... —....23.4...... 5.9 Srinagar...... —...... 4.4.... -1.2 ha Darbari, and CEOs of RSTV and Jaipur ...... —....18.4...... 9.1 Thiruvananthapuram...... —....32.1....22.1 LSTV Manoj Kumar Pandey and Aash­ Kochi ...... —....32.4....24.2 Tiruchi...... —....32.6....21.0 ish Joshi respectively. Its mandate was Kohima ...... —....24.2...... 5.4 Vijayawada ...... —....29.2....20.6 Kolkata ...... —....29.4....15.6 Visakhapatnam ...... —....29.2....21.9 “to work out the modalities and pre­ (Rainfall data in mm; temperature in Celsius) pare the guidelines for pooling resourc­ Pollutants in the air you are breathing Yesterday es, manpower and technology for the

CITIES SO2 NO2 CO PM2.5 PM10 CODE merger of the two channels”. * Ahmedabad..... 29 .18 .31 ..147 .....— .... In observation made at Bengaluru ...... 13 .69 .92 ..... — ...90 ....* 4.00 p.m., Muzaffarpur, Two options Chennai ...... 67 .23 .50 ..124 .....— ....* Bihar recorded an overall Delhi ...... 12 201 .85 ..339 .207 ....* air quality index (AQI) The committee, sources said, was * score of 323 indicating a Hyderabad ...... 2 .64 .30 ....88 ...85 .... hazardous level of weighing two options. The first was to Kolkata...... 30 115 .27 ..336 .348 ....* pollution. In contrast, have a single channel and, during the Lucknow...... 8 .42 119 ..116 .....— ....* Maihar, Madhya Pradesh Mumbai ...... 9 .49 .36 ....91 .130 ....* recorded a healthy AQI Parliament sessions, to have a “var­ Pune...... 93 .27 .89 ..120 .101 ....* score of 32 iant” to broadcast the live debate of Visakhapatnam ..— ...— .46 ..... — .....— ....* both the Houses. The second option, Air Quality Code: * Poor * Moderate * Good (Readings indicate average AQI) was to continue with the two channels SO2: Sulphur Dioxide. Short-term exposure can harm the respiratory system, making breathing difficult. It can affect visibility by reacting with other air but under an “integrated manage­ particles to form haze and stain culturally important objects such as statues ment” with a common pool of techni­ and monuments. cal and human resources. NO2: Nitrogen Dioxide. Aggravates respiratory illness, causes haze to form by reacting with other air particles, causes acid rain, pollutes coastal waters. An official said, “Parliament is in ses­ CO: Carbon monoxide. High concentration in air reduces oxygen supply to sion for close to 100 days in a year and critical organs like the heart and brain. At very high levels, it can cause for the remaining period, we don’t real­ dizziness, confusion, unconsciousness and even death. PM2.5 & PM10: Particulate matter pollution can cause irritation of the eyes, ly need two channels.” nose and throat, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath, reduced LSTV was launched in 2006 by lung function, irregular heartbeat, asthma attacks, heart attacks and premature Speaker Somnath Chatterjee. RSTV fol­ death in people with heart or lung disease lowed this launch.

CM A ND-NDE YK