The celebration of the 77th Foundation Day of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) by the North East Institute of Science and Technology (NEIST) in Jorhat on Wednesday was marked by an industry and academia interface, giving away of awards and prizes, certificates and mementos to retired employees, transfer of technology, reminiscences and an open day for students.
JK Borah, General Manager (Mining), North Eastern Coalfields, Coal India Limited, Margherita, Tinsukia in his foundation day lecture as chief guest appealed to the scientists to go in for collaborative research as this was the fastest way forward in today’s age.
In this regard, he also asked the gathering to come up with proposals in which Coal India could collaborate with NEIST. “We are already collaborating with NEIST on eco restoration of mined out areas and could also work on areas such as transforming coal into ethanol and decalcification of coal,” he said.
Borah said that CSIR and Coal India had common goals as without science and technology society could not develop nor could it develop without primary energy, 67 per cent of which came from coal.
He said that the newer challenges emerged every day and that at present the three great challenges were – healthcare, agricultural crops as cultivated areas were diminishing and population increasing, climate change and finding renewable energies as non-renewable energies such as coal and oil were fast depleting.
D Ramaiah, former Director, NEIST and guest of honor on the occasion gave a brief speech regarding the establishment of CSIR and the work having been achieved by the 38 constituent laboratories which made for the celebration of the apex research body.
“Today is a time for introspection and to see how the body of work done here has translated into development of society,” he said. Pinaki Sengupta, In-charge Director, NEIST, said that five Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) were signed for transfer of technologies. The making of modular bricks from Brahmaputra Valley sand was transferred to PS Enterprise, Jorhat, improved varieties of citronella and lemongrass to M/S Ashri Menthol, Barabanki, UP and to M/S Flower Valley, Agritech Private Limited, Hojai and liquid deodoriser cleaner to M/S MT Enterprise, Imphal. Another MoU was signed with North East Small Scale Industries Association for entrepreneurial development of 11 NEIST technologies.