Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

Projects on ecological concerns

Anasuya Menon

WHEN YOUNG MINDS GOT TOGETHER: Students displaying their projects at `KAPSTECH-2006,' an inter-school science and technology exhibition organised by Karpagam Ploytechnic College in the city on Wednesday. - Photo: M. Periasamy

COIMBATORE: What is acid rain and what are its harmful effects on the environment and human beings? How do hybrid cars work? What is the practical use of Datura Metal, a common roadside plant?

These questions have not been picked from a "Test Your Knowledge" section of an environment magazine. But, they have been researched, studied and discussed by scientifically aware school students in and around Coimbatore, who presented their projects at Kapstech-2006, the three-day State-level inter-school Science and Technology competition organised by the Karpagam Polytechnic College.

Most of their projects touched upon serious ecological concerns. Such as the one on "Acid Rain" presented by a group of students from National Model Higher Secondary School. Says Ashwin.S, one of the team members: "People should be made aware that it is not safe to burn fossil fuels, as they contain sulphur, which combines with oxygen in the air to produce sulphur dioxide. These pollutants cause acid rain. Hence, the use of renewable energy sources should be encouraged," he said.

Another project from Angappa Senior Secondary School was an earthquake detection system, which was based on the principle of converting mechanical energy into sound energy. The system consisted of an alarm, which would go off when there was even a slight seismic tremor. Jahnvi, Karthik and Varun from Perks Matriculation Higher Secondary School had designed a hybrid car that worked on the principle of using two or more sources of power for propulsion.

Did you know that the extracts from the leaves of Datura Metal, a common roadside plant if combined with juice from green chillies could be used as a cure for rheumatic pain? Class XII students from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, explained this in their project, citing the advantages of their "natural medicine." Around 25 schools from Coimbatore region participated in the competition and more than 6,000 students were expected to visit the exhibition, said P.T Rajan, Principal of Karpagam Polytechnic College. As the students of Karpagam Polytechnic College too would be exhibiting their works, it would be an opportunity for the schoolchildren too to share their ideas with older students, he observed.

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