Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 24: Union Minister in PMO with independent Charge of Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh while stressing on documentation of scientific research for the benefit of posterity said “Kings, Monarchs and politicians may come and go but books will remain for ever”.
Dr Jitendra Singh while releasing two books on Integrated Pest Management along with Vice Chancellor Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Science & Technology (SKUAST) here, called upon the scientists to concentrate on quality research and its documentation for the benefit of posterity. He was the chief guest on the occasion.
Maintaining that “we belong to scientific era, he said, we are proud of books and many great writers have written great books which are really treasures.”
Dr Singh, while referring to good books written by great politicians said the good literature has utility to become immortal. However, he said there is a difference between good literature and scientific literature.
The two books on Integrated Pesticide problems Vol 3 and Integrated Pest Management: Experiences with Implementation, Global Overview Vol. 4, authored and edited by Dr David Pimentel, Professor Emeritus of Ecology and Agriculture Sciences at Cornell University, Ithaca New York, USA and Dr Rajinder Peshin, Associate Professor of Agriculture Extension Education at SKUAST, Jammu. The function was organized by SKUAST in which a galaxy of intellectuals, faculty members SKUAST- J and Jammu University, writers and prominent citizens participated.
Dr Singh while referring to functioning of Science & Technology Ministry, said it is all for encouragement of scientific research and advised the gathering of scientists in the function to prepare research based projects. He said his Ministry has taken new initiatives to promote quality scientific literature.
Maintaining that India has huge potential of research, he said foreigners come here for research work.
Earlier Prof B K Sharma, VC SKUAST-J lauded the two authors of the books and their research work which were written on the same subject.
He said agriculture is always under stress to increase production while the land and natural resources have shrunken and pressure is more and more because demand is increasing by three million tones every year.
Dr Peshin while speaking said approximately 40 percent of all the world’s food production is lost or destroyed by the insects, diseases and weeds. This loss occurs despite the application of three million tones pesticides to the crops annually, he added.
Besides, there are about three million human pesticides poisonings world-wide, with an estimated 220,000 deaths each year, he said.
Director Extension SKUAST, Jammu Dr K S Risam presented welcome address while vote of thanks was proposed by Dr Narinder Singh, Associate professor SKUAST, Jammu. The proceedings were conducted by Dr S B Bakshi.
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