Srinagar, Sep 7: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha urged scientists and experts on Sunday to develop an advanced early warning system for flash floods.
Addressing the inaugural session of the conference on ‘Nanotechnology for Better Living (NBL-2025)’ at the University of Kashmir (KU), LG Sinha exhorted the scientists and experts to establish a group that could help in developing an advanced early warning system for flash floods by making more sensitive and accurate sensors through nanotechnology.
“Keeping in mind the challenges of climate change, we should focus on creating nano-materials that can reduce pollution in chemical manufacturing,” he said in his keynote address.
“We must also explore the new possibilities to develop soil sensors specifically for the Himalayan regions,” the LG said. “These sensors will be part of an advanced early warning system that can warn about the dangers of landslides in advance based on changes in soil saturation.”
He said these projects would prove to be game changers in preventing loss due to natural disasters for the Himalayan region of India in the future.
The five-day mega event, organised by KU in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad, has brought together leading scientists and researchers to showcase recent advancements in nanotechnology and its applications for sustainable living.
LG Sinha spoke about the advancements and breakthroughs in nanotechnology that are reshaping lives and the work environment, ensuring an easier way of living.
“Today, evolution in nano-science and nanotechnology is having a transformative impact across various sectors,” he said. “The cutting-edge research in the future will address critical global challenges in industries, healthcare, and the environment.”
The LG said that there was not a single area of global socio-economic development that did not bear the signature of nanotechnology in some form or the other.
“In the years to come, this will become more prominent as we script the new advancements in technology,” he said.
LG Sinha called on the scientists and experts associated with nanotechnology to make their significant contributions in the defense sector, particularly in manufacturing the lighter components of defense equipment.
“Nanotechnology experts and scientists should join this effort and strengthen the self-reliance campaign in the defense sector,” he said.
The LG called for devising a plan to incentivise talents in nano-technology in academic institutions.
“Our focus should be on developing and using nanotechnology for the benefit of humanity,” he said. “We simply cannot ignore the daunting challenges of climate change that confront us.”
LG Sinha said, “Our inventions and initiatives show how quickly we are leading various areas of nanotechnology. In the future, new innovations in nano-scale transistors, nano-particles, nano materials, and nano-scale additives in energy, environment, food, agriculture, and electronics will be very important for the welfare of humanity. I hope that the benefits of these technologies will reach the common man.”
He also released an abstract book on the 5-day conference.
Vice Chancellor KU, Prof Nilofer Khan; Dean Academics, BRIC-InStem, Bangalore, Prof Praveen K Vemula; scientist from IIT Kanpur, Prof Ashok Kumar; Head, Department of Nanotechnology, KU, and organising chair of the conference, Prof Rabia Hamid were present on the occasion.
Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Anshul Garg; DIG Central Kashmir Range, Rajiv Pandey; Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar, Akshay Labroo; SSP Srinagar, G V Sundeep Chakravarthy; Registrar KU, Prof Naseer Iqbal, also attended the inaugural ceremony.
