Meghnad Saha for Biotechnology, Dr
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CMYK Job No. ISSN : 0972-169X Registered with the Registrar of Newspapers of India: R.N. 70269/98 Postal Registration No. : DL-11360/2002 Monthly Newsletter of Vigyan Prasar November 2002 Vol. 5 No. 2 VP News Inside Southern Regional VIPNET meeting he Southern regional VIPNET meeting was held at Thiruvananthapuram between EDITORIAL TOctober 9-11, 2002 at Mar Ivonis Renewal Centre. Renowned bio-technologist and former Director of Rajiv Gandhi Centre * Meghnad Saha for Biotechnology, Dr. M.R. Das, inaugurated the programme, and in his * Neutrinos and speech appreciated the Vigyan Prasar’s X-ray Sources efforts, in particular VIPNET initiative, and * The Problem of Junk recalled how he was inspired towards and Congestion in Space basic science, during his student days, * as a result of exposure to good popular Open Sesame! science literature. * Interview With About 65 participants representing Tamil Prof. M.S. Valiathan Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra * Pradesh, and Lakshadweep attended the Recent Developments in programme. Orientation towards the Science and Technology Participants at the meet VIPNET initiative was provided and deliberations on possible activities were conducted. Sh. K.K. Krishnakumar, Prof K. Pappootty, Sh. KMS Rao, Dr. C.P. Aravindakshan, Dr. A. Vallinayagam, Sh. Ganesan, Sh. Jacob George, and Dr. T.V. Venkateswaran from VP conducted various sessions. Amateur Radio demonstration by the Trivandrum Amateur Radio Society was well received by the participants, who could directly interact with Dr. V.B. Kamble, himself a ham, and Dirctor, VP at Delhi through Ham radio. The participants welcomed the idea of a massive nation- wide science popularization campaign built around the Venus transit in 2004. Ham Radio Activities n awareness programme on Ham Radio was organised by AVigyan Prasar in coordination with Colonel’s Central Academy Shri Chhagan School, Gurgaon as a part of the ‘Disaster Mitigation Training Bhujbal, Hon’ble Programme’ initiated by the Deputy Commissioner’s Office, Deputy Chief Gurgaon, on October 8, 2002. 115 youth volunteers from Gurgaon Minister of participated in the event. The purpose of the workshop was to Maharashtra at introduce the volunteers into various skills of disaster rescue Vigyan Prasar’s operations. Lt. Colonel Pratap Singh, Chairman, Colonel’s Central Stall at the Academy School and Captain Aman Yadav (Armed Forces) International Book emphasized the need of familiarising the volunteers with the skill Fair held at Mumbai of wireless communication. A live demonstration of ham radio during14-20 communication on HF & VHF was organised for the disaster October, 2002 rescue trainees by Shri Sandeep Baruah (VU2MUE) from Vigyan Prasar including a multimedia presentation. Shri Baruah was Contd. on page ...24 ...think scientifically, act scientifically ... think scientifically, act scientifically ... think scientifically, act... Published and Printed by Dr. Subodh Mahanti on behalf of Vigyan Prasar, C-24, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi-110 016 Printed at Rakmo Press Pvt. Ltd, C-59, Okhla Industrial Area Phase-I, New Delhi-110 020. Editor: Dr. V.B.Kamble CMYK CMYK Editorial ✍ 35 Retain Traditions Change Attitudes iwali – the festival of lights represents the return of the anger, impulsive behaviour, and even over reaction to many D legendary king Rama to his kingdom, Ayodhya. The festival situations. Most crackers used have more than 80 dB noise brings with it the spirit of joy and happiness. It also brings with level that can cause temporary hearing loss, according to it tonnes of pollution caused by fire-crackers and deafening medical practitioners. It could even cause high blood pressure, noise. Surely, the objective should be to have Diwali as a heart attack and sleep disturbances. Normal decibel level for glowing and lightened festival of the year – not a noisy, disturbing, humans is 60 dB. It would be worth noting that an increase of and a polluting event that may even cause serious accidents 10 dB signifies double the noise level. In particular, children, at times. In the Capital this year, pollution levels were marginally pregnant women, and those suffering from respiratory lower than those recorded last year. Apparently, oxides of problems suffer the most due to excessive noise. nitrogen levels showed a marginal decrease compared to the Even the trees and plants do not escape the fury of previous year, while levels of sulphur dioxide remained more pollutants during Diwali. Trees and plants are covered with a or less the same, but within permissible limits. A good sign layer of sulphur dust and suspended particulate matter. This indeed! However, the pollutants in the air, that is, the blocks the stomata, or the pores on the leaves, obstructing the suspended particulate matter, remained five to eight times process of photosynthesis. This implies that the trees are higher than the permissible limits (though somewhat less prevented from releasing oxygen and moisture into the air. than the previous year!). As regards the noise levels, the peak Even the birds’ nests are not spared. was about 90 decibels (dB) as compared to 100 dB last year. No doubt, school children have played an important role The noise continued well past midnight, despite the Supreme by organizing “say no to fire-crackers” campaigns and rallies Court order permitting bursting of crackers only between 6 pm to sensitize the people on the need and virtues of celebrating a and 10 pm. Surely, all this made Diwali a festival of noise and peaceful Diwali. According to newspaper reports, children pollution. might have said a loud “No” to crackers, but not the adults – The higher level of suspended particles due to bursting of especially the neo-rich and the compulsive rebels, who defied crackers during Diwali causes eye, throat and nose problems. the “say no to firecrackers” campaign. True, there was a slight Although many of us do not feel the immediate impact, these decline in the air pollution levels compared to last year in Delhi, problems could develop into serious health hazards. Exposure but the noise levels were higher at several places, in particular, to suspended particulate matter to the level of 100 parts per in the posh colonies of the Capital. Dileep Biswas, Chairman, million (ppm) results in headache and reduced mental acuity. Central Pollution Control Board, remarked that the children The effects are more pronounced in people with heart, lung or seemed to be reconciled to the idea of a Diwali without crackers, central nervous system diseases. Indeed, for millions of those but the adults are not! No doubt, it is imperative that our focus suffering from asthma, Diwali is not a festival of light and gaiety, should now shift to the compulsive adults, and not just children but that of smoke, coughing and wheezing. They need to hold alone. on to their inhalers which can help them breathe easier! A The darker side of the festival of lights also manifested typical fire-cracker may contain 75 per cent potassium nitrate, itself in its worst form this year. Eight teenagers died in an 15 per cent carbon and 10 per cent sulphur. Potassium nitrate explosion in a fire-cracker unit in Tamil Nadu’s Villupuram is a strong oxidizing agent, and when it burns along with carbon district on the eve of Diwali. There must have been dark in the and sulphur, it releases noxious gases such as carbon dioxide, homes of those children, who perished trying to bring joy and sulphur dioxide, and oxides of nitrogen. Oxides of sulphur, smiles to the faces of countless others. Are we not guilty of phosphorus and nitrogen are corrosive and highly acidic. abetting a crime as heinous as child labour when we purchase These irritate the delicate linings of the airways that carry oxygen firecrackers? No doubt, manufacturers of fire-crackers are to the lungs and lead to asthma attacks. Sulphur dioxide is even guiltier. Delhi’s school children have set an example by readily soluble and dissolves in the larger airways of the not buying firecrackers made with child labour. But this cannot respiratory system and at higher levels, can cause severe put an end to it. It may continue in silk factories or in factories contraction restricting the breathing process. Nitrogen dioxide producing beautiful glassware. There is no gainsaying the fact is less soluble and so penetrates to the smaller airways and that parents who earn reasonably well, may not be compelled into the lungs and hence can cause respiratory allergies like to send their children to a cracker factory, but would educate asthma. Bursting fire-crackers in small lanes and passages them. How shall we bring smiles to their faces? The day we creates what is known as the valley effect that creates big shall realize this dream, limiting health and environmental pockets of polluted air causing difficulty in breathing. Crackers hazards at the same time, that we shall be able to restore like anar, wire and rockets which burn for a longer time cause Diwali to its pristine glory. We may retain the traditions, but more pollution. Indeed, the number of asthma and bronchitis change attitudes in the larger interests. Let us resolve to cases shoots up significantly during Diwali days. celebrate Diwali by lighting lamps, not by bursting crackers. When the noise level increases, it results in restlessness, q V. B. Kamble Editor : V.B. Kamble Vigyan Prasar is not responsible for the statements and opinions expressed by the authors in their articles/write-ups published in Address for Vigyan Prasar “Dream 2047” correspondence : C-24, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi-110 016 : Tel: 6967532; Fax: 6965986 Articles, excerpts from articles published in “Dream 2047” may be e-mail : [email protected] freely reproduced with due acknowledgement/credit. website : http://www.vigyanprasar.com Dream 2047 CMYK CMYK History of Science 34 Meghnad Saha A Pioneer in Astrophysics Subodh Mahanti “The impetus given to astrophysics by Saha’s work can scarcely be overestimated, as nearly all later progress in this field has been influenced by it and much of the subsequent work has the character of refinements of Saha’s ideas.” S.