TN-HARSHVARDHAN

Three DST Technology Mission Centres launched
Chennai, Jan 25 (PTI) Union Minister Harsh Vardhan
Friday launched three DST Technology Mission Centres, which
will undertake Research and Development in solar energy and
water management, among others.
Harsh Vardhan, Minister for Science, Technology and Earth
Sciences and Environment, Forests and Climate Change, lauded
Indian scientists for their contributions, even as he noted
that science had the potential to 'virtually' solving every
other problems faced by the country.
He launched the DST-IITM Solar Energy Harnessing Centre,
DST-IITM Centre for Sustainable Treatment, reuse and
Management for Efficient, Affordable and Synergistic Solutions
for Water and the DST-IITM-KGDS test bed on Solar Thermal
Desalinsation Solutions, set up in Ramanathapuram district.
Bhaskar Ramamurthi, Director, IIT, Madras, said the
centres were focussed on critical technologies for
sustainability like harnessing of solar energy in myriad ways,
and scientific recycling and conservation of water.
The solar thermal desalination solution is being set up
by IIT-M and Empereal KGDS in Ramanathapuram district to
deliver customised technological solutions to address
prevalent water challenges in the arid coastal village.
Speaking at the event, Harsh Vardhan lauded the Indian
scientific community and hailed the rapid strides made by
India in the field of Science and Technology, including
advanced early tsunami warning mechanisms.
"Science has the potential to virtually solve every other
problem," he said.
Harsh Vardhan referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's
focus on areas like clean energy, including solar power and
asserted that the country was on its way to achieve various
targets in these areas.
Later, speaking to reporters, he said the world was
lauding Modi for his contribution on issues like climate
change and pointed to the Prime Minister's ambitious Solar
Alliance and said 71 countries had joined the effort.
With LPG connections reaching 60 million women and fast
paced electrification efforts, among others, the country was
marching ahead in a progressive manner, he said.
He also recalled his Ministry's 'Green Good Deeds'
movement initiative, which aims at protecting the environment
and promote good living in the country.
To a question on a possible nation-wide plastic ban, as
being enforced in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra,he said the issue
of reducing or even eliminating single use plastic was not
only a plan of India, but even a goal of the United Nations.
The government had earlier 'revisited' all waste
management rules including that of plastic, he said.
It had regular interaction with relevant stakeholders to
do the required changes and improvements, he said.
"We have to make society aware of the fact that these
single use plastics, as soon as we eliminate them, it is going
to help is in a big way," he added. PTI SA APR
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