Nanotech-based solutions needed to combat environmental hazards: CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru (PTI): Robust international collaboration and a strong link between academia, industry and research are needed to advance nanotechnology in critical areas such as food and energy security, water purification, healthcare and waste management, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said.
Inaugurating the three-day, 13th edition of Bengaluru India Nano on Thursday. The event aims to create a congenial ecosystem for the growth of nanotechnology.
"Our state is always in the forefront with respect to technology-based innovations. I am quite confident that, with the support of premier research institutions like Indian Institute of Science, JNCASR, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences, etc, Bengaluru will be transformed into nanotech hub of India and will keep up its eminent position in this emerging technology in the years to come," the Chief Minister said.
He said international research collaboration is fundamental for harnessing the potential of this emerging technology.
Also, he urged scientists and engineers to make use of the opportunities and come up with innovative nanotechnology-based solutions for food security, energy security, water purification, infrastructure, medicine, healthcare and waste management as well as to combat environmental hazards, which are expected to increase many-folds in the near future due to urbanisation and population growth and change in lifestyle.
"I believe that, through exchange of information, technology transfer, sharing of costs, risks, access to know-how as well as to develop a talent pool towards the common good of humanity," he said.
"I consider that international events like this will provide enough opportunity for networking, interactions for knowledge sharing, exchange of technology, skill development and business collaboration," Siddaramaiah added.
At the inaugural event, Prof C N R Rao, honorary chairman of Vignan Institute of Technology and Science (VGNT) and Linus Pauling research professor as well as honorary president of Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru, was felicitated by Siddaramaiah, to mark his 90th birthday.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said he hoped researchers would soon find solutions through emerging technologies for all pressing problems of the country, especially waste management.
"Urbanisation will only further compound the problem of waste, we really need a solution for that," he added.
Rizwan Arshad, MLA of Shivaji Nagar Assembly constituency, where the event is being held, said the planet and the people are at loggerheads at present, due to the growing needs of the human beings.
"The planet is answering us with natural calamities like landslides and earthquakes, one after the other, with increasing frequency. Hopefully, nanotechnology will act as a peacemaker and bring scientific solutions to environmental hazards," said Arshad.
Executive chairperson of Biocon Ltd and chairperson of Vision Group in Biotechnology (VGBt), an advisory body for the state of Karnataka, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said one of the greatest critical technologies of today, nanotechnology has the potential to bring transformative solutions to the existing technologies, whether it is chips, or electronics or battery storage.
At the inaugural event, Prof Arindam Ghosh from IISc, Bengaluru, was awarded the Prof C N R Rao Bengaluru India Nano Science Award, for his contribution towards nanotechnology.
The event, which is on till August 3, is being organised by the Department of Science and Technology, government of Karnataka, Karnataka Science & Technology Promotion Society (KSTePS) and Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR).
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Supreme Court rejects plea for reverting to ballots in elections
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition seeking to revert to ballot paper voting in elections in the country.
"What happens is, when you win the election, EVMs (electronic voting machine) are not tampered. When you lose the election, EVMs are tampered (with)," remarked a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and P B Varale.
Apart from ballot paper voting, the plea sought several directions including a directive to the Election Commission to disqualify candidates for a minimum of five years if found guilty of distributing money, liquor or other material inducement to the voters during polls.
When petitioner-in-person K A Paul said he filed the PIL, the bench said, "You have interesting PILs. How do you get these brilliant ideas?".
The petitioner said he is the president of an organisation which has rescued over three lakh orphans and 40 lakh widows.
"Why are you getting into this political arena? Your area of work is very different," the bench retorted.
After Paul revealed he had been to over 150 countries, the bench asked him whether each of the nations had ballot paper voting or used electronic voting.
The petitioner said foreign countries had adopted ballot paper voting and India should follow suit.
"Why you don't want to be different from the rest of the world?" asked the bench.
There was corruption and this year (2024) in June, the Election Commission announced they had seized Rs 9,000 crore, Paul responded.
"But how does that make your relief which you are claiming here relevant?" asked the bench, adding "if you shift back to physical ballot, will there be no corruption?".
Paul claimed CEO and co-founder of Tesla, Elon Musk, stated that EVMs could be tampered with and added TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, the current chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, and former state chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had claimed EVMs could be tampered with.
"When Chandrababu Naidu lost, he said EVMs can be tampered with. Now this time, Jagan Mohan Reddy lost, he said EVMs can be tampered with," noted the bench.
When the petitioner said everybody knew money was distributed in elections, the bench remarked, "We never received any money for any elections."
The petitioner said another prayer in his plea was the formulation of a comprehensive framework to regulate the use of money and liquor during election campaigns and ensuring such practices were prohibited and punishable under the law.
The plea further sought a direction to mandate an extensive voter education campaign to raise awareness and importance of informed decision making.
"Today, 32 per cent educated people are not casting their votes. What a tragedy. If democracy will be dying like this and we will not be able to do anything then what will happen in the years to come in future," the petitioner said.
