BSIP could get a 'fresh look': Union science minister

Lucknow: Union minister for science & technology and earth sciences on Wednesday said that the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences could get a new building with a ‘fresh look’ in the same premises. “BSIP houses a huge number of treasures in terms of research and work done by it simply of world-level. Hence, efforts are underway to get a new building built within the same premises,” Harsh Vardhan said, and added that the worth of the project is almost Rs 100 crore, and it would be put on fast track once he reaches Delhi.
The minister also informed that the Centre is planning to bring books and other informative material on lives of great scientists, which would prove to be instrumental for the youngsters and the next generation of the scientists.
Harsh Vardhan also lauded the work of online herbarium done by the scientists of the National Botanical Research Institute, and said that the facility should be upgraded in terms of providing photos and videos of the facility to the common man, so that even the ordinary member of the public could also gain something substantial. He also appreciated the Herbichew developed by NBRI as an alternate to tobacco (without having any of its harmful effects), and said that it could be possibly used in the war against tobacco.
Interacting with the scientists at the Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, the Union minister asked them to indulge in out-of-box thinking, so that they could focus on cost-effective innovations and solutions. He also hinted at the Centre’s plan of starting de-salination plants at various points on India’s coastline, in order to meet the water huge scarcity. The minister also referred to a membrane technology developed by CSIR institute, which proved effective for residents of Chennai during the floods.
Replying to a question on JC Bose who first developed wireless, but the credit went to Marconi, Harsh Vardhan said, “In the Bose Vigyan Mandir, Kolkata there is a hand-written letter of Marconi’s grandson, which gives the credit to JC Bose of devising and developing wireless much before Marconi.”