Uttarakhand : CM Dhami inaugurated Frontier Mountain Children’s Science Festival in Champawat

Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the two-day Frontier Mountain District Children’s Science Festival 2022 on Saturday under the joint aegis of Uttarakhand State Council of Science and Technology (UCOST), Dehradun and District Administration Champawat at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya. On this occasion, 5 scientists and persons were honored by the Chief Minister for their remarkable work in the field of science. During this, he also observed the science exhibition. On this occasion, the Chief Minister said that this science festival is very important in itself, it is the first such science-based festival, which is being organized for students studying in remote areas. The Chief Minister welcomed and congratulated all the students, teachers and all the scientists and intellectuals who came from the 6 border districts of the state. He said that the main theme of this festival is traditional knowledge and modern science. Traditional knowledge and modern science are two such components of development. Which serve as a strong foundation for science-based development. The Chief Minister said that this first Frontier Hill District Children’s Science Festival will work to strengthen the scientific concept in the state. He said that it is our endeavor that scientific technology reaches every remote area of ​​the state. He said that science should reach the masses and scientific thinking should develop in every child, this is our aim and this is also the purpose of organizing this science festival. Through various competitions (poster making, drama, science quiz, poetry recitation etc.) organized in the festival, all the children will definitely be exposed to their interests. He said that in this era of science and technology, our children should move forward by shaking shoulders with the country and the world.

Chief Minister Dhami said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had told from the holy land of Baba Kedarnath that this decade will be the decade of Uttarakhand and we are continuously working towards realizing this. To make Uttarakhand the best state and to realize the vision of Adarsh ​​Uttarakhand and Adarsh ​​Champawat, programs like this science festival will serve as a strong foundation. He said that the geographical conditions of Champawat represent the entire state of Uttarakhand. There are plains, high and middle Himalayan region here, that is why the government has taken a pledge to develop Champawat district as a model district for ideal Uttarakhand. For which all the departments of the state government are working at their own level and UCOST is working as the nodal agency in this. It is the endeavor of the state government that the local people get maximum employment and self-employment opportunities in their area. The Chief Minister said that the government is giving special attention to research, research and innovation in the state. Science City is being built in the state to awaken scientific temper, to spread science education and to encourage innovative research. In order to take research and research activities to every region of the state, the concept of Labs on Wheels has been brought to every district of the state, so that research and research activities can reach even the remotest areas of the state.

For awareness in space technology, UCOST and ARIES are jointly building ‘Astro Park’ in Haldwani, which will be a mix of traditional and modern knowledge and science. A sub-regional science center is also being constructed in Almora, where science-based activities and programs will be conducted. It is proposed to set up a science center in Champawat so that there is communication of science-based education and awareness in the area.

Under the dialogue program organized at the festival, the Chief Minister interacted with the child scientists from the border districts and got to know their curiosity and assured them. In which child scientist Priya Mahar from Bageshwar opened Atal Tinkering Lab in Bageshwar in other districts as well, Nikita Chamoli from Chamoli and Ankita Rawat from Uttarkashi organized a similar science festival in their district, Rudraprayag district Madhu Rawat, who came from Bihar, told about the opening of tinkering lab in her district, the establishment of space club and lab by Lakshya Rautela, a child scientist from Pithoragarh, and Priyanka Upreti of Champawat, about organizing this type of science festival continuously in front of the Chief Minister. Meanwhile, on this occasion, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced construction of multipurpose hall, construction of gym room and expansion of sports ground in Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya.