PTI
Guwahati, July 29
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC) has extended support to a programme, ‘Learning for Cogent Living’, conceptualised by an NGO of Assam to help people lead a rational way of life.
The NGO, Society for Socio-economic Awareness and Environment Protection’s approach to the programme is in tune with the principle of Science and Technology Literacy (STL) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), said SSEAEP’s office-bearers today.
The project aimed at helping the population lead a rational way of life with better understanding about science, technology and environment, besides coming out of the sphere of superstitious practices, said SSEAEP secretary Kishore Kumar Dev.
With the North-eastern region located in an ecological sensitive zone with rich biodiversity along with ethno- cultural diversity, Dev said its people faced different constraints due to its physical environmental situation from erosion, landslide, flood, thunderstorm and anomalies of weather and climate.Such a phenomenon along with other geo-ecological base pose constraints of drinking water, drainage, agricultural failure, health related problems, etc., he added.
In this context, developing ‘Science and Technology Literacy (STL)’ among the people is becoming an important need of the hour along with other interventions, Dev pointed out.
As per the mandate of the project, SSEAEP has initiated a study in the region adopting two approaches. One is content analysis of print media coverage of last five years (1999-2013) from the region on science and technology issues and superstition.
The other approach is field level location specific study and opinion assessment of the local people of the different states of NER with guidance and collaboration of the State Science and Technology Council and NGOs, he added.
From this field level study a background report will be prepared based on which a regional workshop will be organized to design and develop communication packages and modules, according to SSEAEP Programme Coordinator Jayanta Kumar Sarma.
Stating that field level study was being carried out across the region, Sarma said the observations from the ongoing study indicate that there are science and technology related location specific issues in the region where need specific approaches are required.
Pointing out many superstitious practices are found related to health issues, scarcity of quality drinking water, weather related phenomenon, he said capacity building among the people was needed for water purification, water resource management, indoor environment management, improvisation and reinterpretation of positive aspects of traditional practices related to natural resource management.
