Nano science to be introduced in schools

by Ananda KANNANGARA

The Education Ministry has focused attention towards the introduction of Nano Science as a subject in the school curriculum, since educationalists are of the view that Nano technology -based industries will be set up in the country within the next 10 to 15 years.

It is said that Nano Science was to be introduced as a subject for the GCE (O/L) and the Advanced Level examinations several years ago, but due to lack of trained teachers the proposal was put off for the future.

According to a senior official of the Science and Technology Ministry, Nano technology is taught to children in many developed and developing countries, considering that the technology will be used in the field of science during the next few decades.

Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena told the Junior Observer that steps will be taken to introduce Nano Technology to the school curriculum and to fulfil this objective, instructors will be trained shortly.

Dr. Prabath Hewageegana of the Department of Physics, University of Kelaniya has proposed that Nano Science should be taught at school level , so that students could obtain a basic knowledge of it

He said strengthening Nano Science .education in schools from now onwards is crucial for sustainable development in the field and Sri Lanka could easily develop a pool of professionals and a work force to meet future challenges.

He said the State intervention is important in this regard and more research funds should be made available to research institutions, such as universities.

Saving an endangered Australian parrot

by Panduka SENANAYAKE

Three Australian states joined hands with the federal government recently to approve a five year recovery program for an endangered parrot. The states of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia combined with the federal government to save the Regent Parrot, which is reported to number about 1500 breeding pairs in the wild in the east of the country.

In Victoria, where there are about 500 breeding pairs, the parrot is listed as threatened while it is listed as endangered in New South Wales which is home to 600 breeding pairs.

The slim parrot, with its mostly yellow, with blue- black wings and tail is endemic to Australia with two separate populations inhabiting the east and the west. They are more numerous in Western Australia. A depleting species’ specific habitat was identified as one of the reasons for the birds’ decreasing numbers by Victor Hurley, a Department of Sustainability and Environment biodiversity officer who co-authored a five year national recovery plan.

The recovery plan while encouraging the states to share information and funding would also enable the department to visit councils with a nationally registered document, according to Hurley.

It would highlight the importance of roadside

habitat to the species since land clearing was identified as leading to a significant decline in the breeding range of the parrot.

According to Hurley, the parrots had to travel distances of up to 20 kilometres from its home to its feeding grounds, sometimes up to five times a day, during the spring breeding season.

The depletion of, vegetation corridors between habitats, large red river gums and mallee (type of vegetation)woodlands were identified in the report as the cause for the parrots’ declining numbers. River Red Gums are favoured by the eastern Regent Parrot which lays its eggs in hollow branches or holes in large old or dead trees near water.

The female incubates the eggs and the male feeds her by regurgitation during this period which requires a good food source near the nest.

Hurley identified the loss of the mallee feeding habitat as one of the biggest problems for the birds. 

News in Brief

by Rohana JAYALAL

Nuclear technology for agriculture

The Atomic Energy Authority has taken steps to enlighten the people on developing the agricultural sector using nuclear technology as it is done in many other countries.

The Peradeniya Gene Resources Centre will enlighten farmers on the advantages of using this technology in their agricultural activities.

A two day seminar was held recently jointly organised by the Atomic Energy Authority and the Agricultural Department.

The theme of the seminar was ‘The Road map of Nuclear Technology for Agriculture'.

 The Atomic Energy Authority said that radiation technology can be used to improve the growth of plants and to produce quality plant varieties. It said that nuclear technology can be used for eradicating harmful insects, to control them as well as to minimise diseases from food.

 In order to implement and promote these activities in Sri Lanka, the Atomic Energy Authority plans to establish a centre in coordination with the Agricultural Department and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

National Mosquito Eradication Week ends today

The National Mosquito Eradication Week which commenced last week ends today.

According to Health Ministry sources,the Minister of Health, Maithripala Sirisena last week appealed for the cooperation and assistance from the public to make this programme a success.

 There has been an increase in the number of dengue patients with the onset of the rainy season. The number of dengue patients has increased by 6342 in the first three months of this year when compared with the same period last year. Altogether 9,430 dengue patients have been identified during the first three months of this year. The number of patients reported in the first three months of last year stood at 3,088.

 The Minister requested the people to clean the premises of their houses, workplaces and uninhabited lands in the nearby areas considering it as a national task to minimise the number of people who are falling victim to this disease.

Even though the National Mosquito Eradication Week ends today the public are requested to clean their premiseson a regular basis to eradicate mosquito breeding grounds.

Keeping the environment clean is a must with or without the threat of dengu as unclean premises leads to many other diseases.

Soya bean as a cash crop

A special project to cultivate soya bean as a cash crop has been launched in the North Central Province. Under this project 25,000 acres will be cultivated with soya,orth Central Provincial Council sources said .

The aim of the project is to popularise soya cultivation in the region in addition to paddy cultivation.

 Sri Lanka needs 12,000 metric tonns of soya annually for the production of tri-posha and other food varieties. A large volume of this quantity is now being imported, at a cost of Rs.10,000 million annually. In addition to this, Sri Lanka also imports soya oil.

 The new project has been planned as a measure to curtail these imports and save the foreign exchange being spent since this is a product that can be cultivated locally. According to Provincial Council officials local seeds will be utilised for soya bean cultivation in the country.. They said the project will commence in the forthcoming Yala season and a kilo of soya harvest will be marketed at Rs.70.