'Scientists cannot remain mute witnesses to natural disasters'

Pre-disaster preparedness is crucial, says prime minister Manmohan Singh

Scientists cannot remain silent witnesses to disasters like tsunami, said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh while inaugurating the 92nd version of the Indian Science Congress in Ahmedabad on Monday.

He added that, while there is a need for a better understanding of phenomena like natural disasters, pre-disaster preparedness is as important as the ability to manage post disaster situations.

"Confronted by the human tragedies wrecked on thousands of people in our part of the world by the tsunami waves triggered by an earthquake in the Andaman sea, the question has been asked if we could have made better use of modern science and technology to alleviate, if not prevent, human suffering," Singh said.

The Prime Minister said that there was a need to use existing technologies to prevent or at least anticipate such disasters. "Where we need investment is in promoting better utilisation of existing knowledge and using this knowledge as widely as possible," he said.

Singh also expressed concern that some of the best minds of the country are not taking up science as a career option and those who do are, are not continuing in the field for long.

"None of the science olympiad medal winners have pursued science as a career option and a survey shows that less than three per cent of school children want a career in science," Singh said.

He added that there is also the need to make the syllabi of mathematics and science more interesting. "The maths and science syllabi at the school level should definitely be more interesting," he quipped.

On a more serious note, Singh said:- "I am concerned about the tyranny of bureaucracy in scientific research institutions. I wonder if we are creating an incentive mechanism for rewarding creativity among our scientists." He added that his government will work towards de-bureaucratisation of scientific research and education institutions.

Stating that "Indian Science needs a new push into the future," the Prime Minister added that the national rural healthcare mission is being formulated and that the government will put the most supportive environment in place and will even restructure the support system to suit public private sector partnerships in research institutions.

'From imitation to innovation'

With the product patent regime coming into force, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh advice Indian drugs and pharmaceutical companies to "move away from imitation to innovation."

Indian pharmaceutical companies, buoyed by a amendment in the Patents Act in 1970, made hay using the process patent norm.

However, with the product patent regime coming into force from January 1, 2005, companies will have to lay a major emphasis on research and development of new drug molecules.

"I believe the new regime will provide for a fine balance between awarding private innovation and also ensuring social responsibility. In the past four years, there has been a 400 per cent increase in R&D spending by Indian pharmaceutical companies, which is a very healthy sign. But there is a need to ensure that drugs are made available at cheap rates and there have been two such instances in the recent past," the PM said.