The Xavier School of Sustainability under the aegis of Xavier University, Bhubaneswar, hosted a two-day workshop on air quality management on the varsity campus. The workshop was conducted, so that the students have an understanding of fine particle measurement indoors and outdoors with a view to improving the scientific understanding of the particulate assessment. Students and faculty members from various institutes across the city such as the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Birla Institute of Management Technology and the Utkal University among others attended the workshop.
The students were also given hands-on experience on operating air-sampling equipment such as Airmetrics and
DustTrak. They interacted with lading experts on the field on various topics such as health effects of air pollution, the importance of air quality management in India and systematic approaches on the issue.
Fight against cancer
The Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) University on July 16 announced the launch of a pan-Odisha project involving experts and health care workers to address the scourge of oral cancer in the state. The project will be part of the varsity's corporate social responsibility involving identification of vulnerable groups, spread of awareness and advice on lifestyle modification.
It will also focus on implementation of early diagnostic techniques and comprehensive treatment plan. Special thrust will be given on development of molecular bio-markers and specialists, community medicine experts, nursing personnel, social workers, NGOs, scores of volunteers and a group of hardcore researchers and students would be involved in the project.
Foundation days
The Government Women’s College, Sambalpur, celebrated its 58th foundation day on July 17. A meeting was organised on the occasion that saw students and faculty members taking part in it. The Western Odisha Development Council chairman Kishore Mohanty was the chief guest, who stressed on the development of infrastructure for women’s education. The institution’s students also organised several cultural programmes. In another development, the Gangadhar Meher University also celebrated its foundation day on July 7. The toppers of undergraduate and postgraduate courses were felicitated on the occasion.
Paying tribute
Tributes were paid to Shailabala Pujari, the first woman legal practitioner and assistant public prosecutor of Odisha, at a function organised by the National Law University of Odisha in Cuttack last week.
Pujari not only devoted her life to her profession, but also was a dedicated social activist, a committed litterateur. He also worked for the empowerment of women. Former vice-chancellor of Delhi University Upendra Baxi delivered a memorial lecture titled “Spheres of Access to Justice and of Territoriality.” He spoke about the immense contributions of women in the field of law. Baxi said Pujari was a pioneer in bringing changes in the society and her role in working for the disadvantaged people and providing legal assistance to them would always be remembered.
Integration camp
The Union ministry of youth affairs and sports, along with regional directorate of the National Service Scheme, had organised a national integration camp at KIIT University from July 11 to 17. Kanyi Galley LOGOSU TEKO, minister of plenipotentiary, Charge d’ Affairs, embassy of the Republic of Togo inaugurated the camp in presence of state higher education minister Pradeep Panigrahy and food supplies and consumer welfare minister Sanjay Das Burma.
This is for the second time the camp was being held. Speaking at the event, Galley said national integration always has an extremely important role in the growth of a country. Participants from 11 states, including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bengal and Sikkim, along with 10 universities of Odisha, joined the integration camp. The camp aimed to provide opportunity for holistic development of youth and develop leadership qualities among them.
Promotion
A national training programme on portable fibre-reinforced plastic carp hatchery installation and operation was held on July 15 at the Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar. School and mass education minister Debi Prasad Mishra handed over three MoUs to incubatees of the agri-business incubation centre of the institute. These entrepreneurs were working on various aspects of aquaculture. He also appreciated the role played by the hatchery in popularisation of fish culture and development of quality seed production centre across the country.
Mishra congratulated the participants, who had come from various places across the country. This is third such training programme where the advanced farmers, trainers, state officials and students took part. The programme has the primary objective of providing advanced knowledge, skill and technique of fish seed production using portable hatchery technology.
