Path-breaking initiative in science education

By J. Ajeth Kumar

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Sept. 29. In what is considered a path-breaking initiative in science education, the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) is launching an ambitious scheme in the State on October 2, Gandhi Jayanthi day.

The project, `Sastraposhini', seeks to further strengthen the base of science education in the schools in Kerala, informed K. R. S. Krishnan, the Director of KSCSTE.

The objectives of the scheme are to stimulate interest in science at the school level by enabling students to perform experiments in Physics, Chemistry and Biology, to provide hands-on experiments to students for observation, inference, interaction and self-designing of tests and to organise training programmes for teachers for demonstrating scientific experiments. To evolve low-cost laboratory kits based on readily available materials for conducting a range of experiments is another objective of the scheme.

It is to be implemented by setting up model laboratories for conducting science experiments in one school each in the 36 educational districts in the State. Already 10 schools have been selected to introduce the scheme in the first phase, said R. Prakashkumar, Principal Scientific Officer, KSCSTE, who is also the Nodal Officer for the Sastraposhini scheme.

During the pilot programme of two years, one model laboratory each in Physics, Chemistry and Biology will be set up in such schools. Teachers will be encouraged to carry out innovative projects in science education for children, Students from different schools will be able to come together and engage in problem solving experiments and critical discussions. Such an approach is expected to provide considerable excitement, enthusiasm and even fun to the students in learning science.

Training for teachers is an important component of this scheme. Eminent scholars will train science teachers in different disciplines at different stages of the programme. The first phase of the training programme was conducted for 60 teachers for three days at the Cochin University of Science and Technology. Around 20 resource persons handled both the theoretical and practical aspects of science education and evolved methodologies to make teaching interesting as well as interactive, Dr.Prakashkumar informed. The second phases is to be conducted at Thiruvananthapuram soon, he added.

Under the scheme, all the schools in the State will have well equipped laboratories in Physics, Chemistry and Biology within the next two academic years. A State level Apex Resource Group consisting of experts, nominees of the Council and the Department of Education will evaluate the project once in three months. There will also be district level committees comprising the school authorities and representatives of teachers and parents in the form of a review forum which will meet as often as is necessary. The inputs from the district level committees and site visits will form the basis for the assessment of the scheme by the apex group.

It is hoped that the scheme would open up a new path in science education in Kerala. The ultimate goal is to develop a genuine interest in learning science by imparting high quality science education to students, so as to provide a career orientation to back up the recent boom in careers in the areas of Information Technology and Biotechnology.

Doctors ask MCI to deregister Togadia

By Gargi Parsai

New Delhi Sept. 27. Several doctors have written to the Medical Council of India (MCI) here to deregister and take action against the Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader, Pravin Togadia, for violation of the code of ethics set by the Council. Dr. Togadia is an oncologist and used to run a nursing home in Gujarat.

The MCI has forwarded the complaint signed by over 100 doctors and social activists and spearheaded by the Pune-headquartered Medico Friend Circle to the Maharashtra Medical Council.

"It makes no sense. The MCI has typically passed the buck. There is no logic in sending the complaint to Maharashtra. If at all, the Gujarat Medical Council, where Togadia is registered, should have been asked to investigate,'' Sanjay Nagral, one of the signatories told The Hindu from Mumbai.

"The issue is not just about medical ethics but his behaviour in society. Many doctors have felt that medical doctors taking part in hate campaigns are just not on and we must protest it. Asking the MCI to look at the behaviour of doctors is the basis of our complaint,'' he said. (All efforts by The Hindu to talk to the acting president of the MCI, Kesavankutty Nair, proved futile.)

The complaint alleged that Dr. Togadia violated the code of ethics and of misconduct as defined under the Section 1.1.1 (a physician shall uphold the dignity and honour of the profession), 1.1.2 (the prime objective of the medical profession is to render service to humanity... conducting himself with propriety in his profession and in all the actions of his life), 5.1 (physicians as citizens shall play their part in enforcing the laws of the community and in sustaining the institutions that advance the interests of humanity) and 6.6 (the physician shall not aid or abet torture nor shall be party to either infliction of any mental or physical trauma or concealment of torture inflicted by some other person or agency in clear violation of human rights) of the MCI (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) deserves to be acted against and punished.

"Dr. Togadia has been one of the chief spokesperson of the VHP and the international president of the outfit. At no time has the VHP or Dr. Togadia condemned the violence against Muslims during the VHP call for a Gujarat bandh on February 28 and is thus liable for not only his personal actions but that also of the VHP.''

It quoted news reports to say that on February 28, 2002, at Naroda behind the State Transport workshop in Ahmedabad, Dr. Togadia was seen "instigating" a mob gathered at the main chowk on front of the Natraj hotel wearing saffron scarves and khaki shorts.

The complaint said that Justice A.P. Ravani, a retired High Court Judge from Gujarat, testified before the Citizens Tribunal about doctors being threatened against treating Muslim patients by the VHP. He knew of one doctor in Shahibag area who attended to 17-20 deliveries of Muslim women staying in relief camps.

This doctor and some others were said to have been threatened by Dr. Togadia himself "of facing the consequences.''

This is in stark opposition to the MCI Declaration signed by a doctor at the time of registration which says that even under threat a doctor would not use medical knowledge contrary to laws of humanity and that he/she would not permit the consideration of religion, nationality, race, party politics or social standing to intervene between his/her duty and the patient.

According to N.B. Sarojini of Sama, an NGO, that several social organisations, including the Jan Swasthaya Abhiyan, CEHAT, MASUM, CHC, the Forum for Women's Health, Saheli and the Voluntary Health Association of India have also written to the MCI to have the complaint lodged by the doctors against Dr. Togadia investigated by a national independent authority of doctors and eminent citizens.

AMD unveils Athlon 64 processors

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI SEPT. 26. Promising unmatched computing experience, the microprocessor manufacturing company — Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) — today unveiled AMD Athlon 64 processors for desktop and notebook computers in India that would change the future of the computing industry.

Claiming that the next generation processors would give users exciting experience of "cinematic computing,'' the company's director (marketing) for Asia Pacific, Samuel Rogan, said it would enhance performance of gaming applications and digital content creation.

The company's new offerings include — "world's first and only Windows-compatible 64-bit PC processor'' — AMD Athlon 64 FX processor, and the Athlon 64 processor for high performance computing on desktop and notebook. The company has already tied up with leading PC manufacturers who will be using these processors. The companies include HCL Infosystems, Wipro Infotech and Zenith.

Stating that video-editing companies, advertising professionals and film professionals would be the target users of the AMD 64 FX based systems, Mr. Rogan said they were also targeting "extreme PC enthusiasts and gamers''to use these processors that were at least 16 per cent better than other similar products available in the market.

Sushma announces medical aid for HIV-infected children

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Sushma Swaraj on Sunday announced a special medical treatment aid to Bensy and Benson, the HIV-infected children in the State, for the next five years.

She said the Hindustan Latex Ltd would meet the expenses as per her proposal.

Her meeting with Bensy and Benson took place at the Press Club here following her request to meet the children in person.

The Minister's gesture came in the background of the meeting of the children's grandparent, Geevarghese Johny, with President A.P.J.Abdul Kalam along with the children in Kochi on Friday.

He had apprised the President about the social ostracism faced by the children and the family.

Speaking to newspersons after spending some time with the children, Sushma Swaraj said that the case of Bency and Benson was not an isolated one.

"There are many such children in different parts of the country. The government would conduct a survey to find out the details of those children. In the second phase of the National Aids Control Programme, the government would give anti-viral drugs to these children through the national healthcare system," she said.

The government would take steps to provide the anti-viral drug to the HIV-infected mothers too on a regular basis. Since the drug was not given to the mothers after giving them a single doze of the drug during pregnancy, they succumbed to the disease leaving the siblings to fend for themselves, she said.

The Minister said the State Health and Education secretaries, whom she met on Sunday, had assured her that all efforts would be made to see that the children would be able to undergo regular schooling in an year.

Now, the children are being given coaching at a separate rented building adjacent to a government school following resistance from parents of other children.

Sushma Swaraj, who took photographs with the children, said, ``my picture along with them would be a good campaign material to create awareness among the people that AIDS would not spread by touching or hugging.''
She urged the corporate bodies to come forward to adopt such children.

The grandfather of the children, who brought them to the Press Club, said that people of the locality never mingled with them. ``Nobody comes to our house or invite us to any function. The children also get no companions to play,'' he said.

Referring to the treatment expenses, he said at least Rs 5,000 was needed in a month for their medicines alone.

Bid to block anti-India website affects users

By Sandeep Dikshit

NEW DELHI SEPT. 23. The Government's first attempt to block the website of an allegedly anti-India group has inconvenienced lakhs of Internet users who are questioning the utility, process and procedure relating to blocking.

While all Indian Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have agreed to comply with the Government's first-ever blocking directive taken under the Information Technology Act, the U.S.-based host of this website — Yahoo — has refused. As the ISPs lack the technical finesse to block one sub-group, they have blocked all Yahoo groups or URLs inconveniencing the users. This website, belonging to a militant group espousing the cause of Meghalaya's Khasi tribe, can still be accessed by ISPs outside India or those who have not yet complied with the directive.

Official sources today said that orders were issued by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) under the Department of Information Technology as the website "contained material against the Government of India and the State Government of Meghalaya". The absence of any explicit provision in the IT Act for blocking of websites was because this action was seen by civil society as amounting to censorship, they explained. In this case, the blocking was to ensure "balanced flow of information" and not censorship, they added.

The process of blocking is surrounded by several legal controversies, since the power to block itself does not exist under the IT Act. Through a notification in February this year, the Government designated CERT-In as the authority for blocking of websites. Another notification five months later listed the officials who can order blocking and the grounds under which this can be done. "The inherent sovereign power of the Government to block can hardly ever be denied. However, when the Government embarks upon the process of blocking, it is absolutely imperative that it must follow those procedures and norms that cause least discomfort or harm to the entire netizen community. This appears to be the first case where blocking of a particular website or sub-group has had the ramification of causing inconvenience to the netizens in the sense of depriving them of access to legal groups, other than the blocked URL," observes cyberlaw expert, Pawan Duggal.

"It is hoped that with the passage of time the Government does come up with appropriate norms and procedures that can create a smart balance between the requirements of the sovereign powers to block and the relative inconvenience, harm and anxiety caused to the netizen in terms of blocking of legitimate websites."

Mr. Duggal says that legally speaking; there are a couple of grey areas. The February notification setting up CERT-In has been issued under Section 67 and Section 88. Neither Section empowers the Government to create such an authority. Therefore, the constitution of CERT-In is of no legal significance and may not be upheld in a court of law. "I am not saying that the Government does not have the power at all to block or create CERT-In. However, surely the power does not lie in these provisions."

The Government may succeed in blocking some websites in some cases but "the problem is that this provision may be misused by political powers in the regime to silence political dissent, criticism and debate. The phenomenon of mirror sites and emerging technologies along with intelligent minds of netizens are likely to rensure that India's blocking adventure starts its march on a losing note."