Participants from Qatar with a model of a ship during the National Science Exhibition. Picture by Prashant Mitra

Ranchi, Nov. 17: The 31st Nehru National Science Exhibition was formally inaugurated today at the Zila School grounds by the chief minister, Arjun Munda.

School students from 32 states and Union territories besides six Gulf countries have put up their exhibits for the focal theme, Science and Technology in the Changing World. The exhibition is sponsored by the National Council for Education Research and Training ( NCERT).

The 212 models being exhibited, pointed out NCERT joint secretary, M.S. Khaparde, were selected out of the exhibitions held earlier at block, district and state levels throughout the country. This is the first time the national exhibition is being held in Jharkhand. Last year Dehra Dun had hosted the event.

While President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, had inaugurated the exhibition last year, regretted the official, the President could not spare the time this year. Out of 30 past exhibitions, he claimed, the President had done the honours on as many as 24 occasions.

While the absence of the President robbed the occasion of considerable glamour and of VIP presence, the confusion and mismanagement was apparent in the manner in which the hosts, the education department, scrambled at the last moment to shift the venue from Ranchi College grounds. Despite granting formal permission, the Ranchi University and Ranchi College, officials complained, did not cooperate and in fact drove away the workers who had been dispatched to pitch the tents.

University officials remained tight-lipped but acknowledged that the vice-chancellor had received a request and had granted permission for use of the ground.

The inaugural session was marked by usual pontification by leaders, with the CM describing it as a great opportunity to learn while HRD minister, P.N. Singh, felt the exhibition would put the state on the scientific map.

Despite the mismanagement by adults, school children appeared to be enjoying the outing.

Vinod from Qatar displayed an ?earthquake resistant building? while Astha Tiwari from Muscat displayed a device which is capable of alerting farmers of an impending attack by insects.

Mohammed Faique from Boregaon (Maharashtra) demonstrated a technique to turn toxic elements into useful articles.

Sriram Harkare from Chindwara ( Madhya Pradesh) has built a multipurpose machine. ?As you paddle the bicycle to keep fit, the energy activates a washing machine, a juicer and a mixer; moreover it can also generate electricity which can be stored in batteries for future use,? he explains. Krishna Rajendra from Wardha ( Maharashtra) has come up with a multipurpose oven. Fuel comprises farm weeds, dry twigs and cow-dung. The oven can heat water, cook food, get distilled water and light up small bulbs at the same time.

The confident schoolgirl points out that the oven can be constructed with as little as Rs 1,000 and claims that it would save a household several hundred rupees every day.

Participants are drawn heavily from 138 schools situated in urban areas in contrast to the 69 rural schools participating in the exhibition. Shraddha Likhmai from Chattisgarh claims to have developed a technique to prevent gladiolus flower from wilting. By keeping the flowers in a lactose solution, she explains, the flowers can retain freshness for as long as five to six months.