CSIR head calls for interventions to step up rubber cultivation at 'One Week One Lab' NIIST inauguration

CSIR head calls for interventions to step up rubber cultivation at ‘One Week One Lab’ NIIST inauguration

Kalaiselvi noted that Kerala has a rich rubber heritage, and yet India is still dependent on other countries for rubber products like tyres.

ByPTI

Published Mar 14, 2023 | 12:35 AM ⚊UpdatedMar 14, 2023 | 12:35 AM

Dr Kalaiselvi, Director General - CSIR, Secretary - DSIR, inaugurate the 'One Week One Lab' initiative. (Twitter)

At a time when the global demand for rubber products is increasing, national scientific institutions should make interventions to popularise rubber cultivation across the country, said N Kalaiselvi, the director general of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday, 13 March.

Kalaiselvi was speaking during the inauguration of the “One Week One Lab (OWOL)” programme of the National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST) under the CSIR at its campus at Pappanamcode in the city.

“We have to try to popularise rubber cultivation across the country as a climate-resilient and all-region crop wherever it is possible. The NIIST should take it up as a challenge,” the top scientist said.

1/2 Dr. (Mrs) N. Kalaiselvi (Sec., DSIR & DG, CSIR) inaugurating the OWOL program at CSIR-NIIST, Tvm, in the presence of Prof. Javed Iqbal Chairman, RC, CSIR-NIIST, Dr. C.Anandharamakrishnan, Director, CSIR-NIIST#csir_oneweekonelab @CSIR_IND @DrJitendraSingh @DrNKalaiselvi pic.twitter.com/sQCQXZpzHF

— CSIR.NIIST (@csir_niist) March 13, 2023

Dr C Anandharamakrishnan, the director of CSIR-NIIST, presided over the function. Prof Javed Iqbal, the chairman of the CSIR-NIIST Research Council, was the guest of honour.

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The need for rubber

Since Kerala is known for its heritage in rubber, NIIST can work with farmers and make rubber cultivation an end-to-end support system, which will help create employment, rubber-based industries, and farmers could be given more than enough benefits and advantages, Kalaiselvi said.

“We are having dependence on a lot of countries for rubber-based products, whether it is tyres or value-added rubber products. When the country is talking about Atmanirbhar Bharat, self-reliance and Make in India initiatives, NIIST has to take up the new initiative by trying to promote more farmers into rubber cultivation and help them get a cherished income,” Kalaiselvi is quoted as saying in an NIIST press release.

She said that NIIST can also promote interventions in the coir and spices sectors of Kerala.

Dr. (Mrs) N. Kalaiselvi (Secretary, DSIR and Director General, CSIR) inaugurating the biodegradable processing unit opened at the CSIR-NIIST Thiruvananthapuram. #csir_oneweekonelab @CSIR_IND @DrJitendraSingh @DrNKalaiselvi pic.twitter.com/V8u4ACc2Fg

— CSIR.NIIST (@csir_niist) March 13, 2023

Improving across industries

Noting that the next 25 years of India are scientifically important, Kalaiselvi urged researchers to adopt one industry problem each, and take a maximum of three years to come up with a solution for it.

Later addressing a press meet, Kalaiselvi termed the achievements of NIIST — in solid waste management, generating eco-friendly manure from biomedical waste and leather products from agricultural waste — as “magic” and urged the prestigious institution to come up with more strategies.

Kalaiselvi also inaugurated the stalls of the Millet Exhibition as part of the OWOL programme.

1/2 Dr. N Kalaiselvi, Secretary, DSIR, Director General, CSIR inaugurated the Millet Festival as well as the exhibition stall organized as part of the One Week One Lab program by CSIR-NIIST. #csir_oneweekonelab @CSIR_IND @DrJitendraSingh @DrNKalaiselvi pic.twitter.com/GwMScA2GJF

— CSIR.NIIST (@csir_niist) March 13, 2023