IN THE MIDST OF GREEN HEDGE AND SILVER HAIR

I still hold on to a hope that Bhubaneswar would develop to a sprawling world-class knowledge city like Boston and would be known, far and wide, also as a city of green hedge and silver hair. Dehradun was sometimes described that way. The term would allude to an environment where contended elderly people with silver hair would live happily amidst greenery. Stretching the idea a bit further, I wondered whether this could not mean a meaningful and simultaneous enrichment of both the young and the old. When the Advisor of the Society of Geoscientists and Allied Technologists (SGAT), Mr. BK Mohanty, invited me to the quiz session on the 22nd of this month, I readily agreed; primarily because the occasion would provide an opportunity to be in the midst of the green hedge and silver hair. Meeting some of the best talent in the field that our State produced has always been a great pleasure. Among others, I met the renowned Professor Golak Bihari Misra who retired from the position of Professor in Mining in the IIT, Kharagpur in 1991. He is widely known as an expert in ventilation in underground mining. His expertise was availed of during the construction of the Kolkata underground railway system. He would be over eighty years old but in perfect state of health and mind. I met the evergreen Professor Satyananda Acharya, former Vice Chancellor of Utkal University.
“What are the three different things does the name NARGIS is known for?” This question was to be answered in a minute by either or both of the two students of a High School. I was waiting anxiously. Promptly came the answers, like bullets emanating from a machine gun. “(i) Name of a famous actress; (ii) a devastating cyclone and (iii) the name of the world’s seven billionth citizen, born recently in Lucknow.” The answer took most of us by surprise. Twelve High Schools, one each from a mining zone of Odisha, were represented in quiz competition as a part of the state level Environment cum Mineral Awareness Programme (EMAP) this year held in the impressive building of the Society of Geoscientists and Allied Technologists (SGAT). SGAT has been holding this programme every year for quite sometime. EMAP covered this year twelve zones, namely, Gorumahishani-Joshipur ( Iron ore and China Clay); Sukinda-Daitari (Chromite and Iron ore); Boula-Nuasahi-Bangur (Chromite); Matikhal-Berhampur ( Heavy minerals in beach sands and Granite); Panchpatmali-Damanjodi (Bauxite and Alumina); Barbil-Joda- Nuamundi (iron ore and manganese ore); Koira-Tensa (iron ore); Biramitrapur-Lanjiberna-Gomardihi (Limestone and Dolomite); Talcher Coalfields; Ib River valley Coalfields; Lanjigarh (Bauxite-Alumina) and Bhubaneswar (Sandstone and Fireclay). The programme was for the senior level students of Higher Secondary Schools located within the periphery of the mining areas mentioned above. About fifteen schools comprising two students from each school participate in the regional EMAP. From among them are the best teams chosen for the State level EMAP held at Bhubaneswar every year.
During the regional EMAP the students visit the mines; processing units; mineral-based industries; haulage; transportation and loading systems; they visit nurseries; plantations and environment protection measures as well. They are told about identification of rocks; ores and mineral specimen. They appear in a written test and oral quiz. The best teams out of them who come to Bhubaneswar for the State level programme visit the Meteorological Centre; the Regional Plant Resources Centre; the Regional Science and Pre-historic life park; the Regional Museum of Natural History and the State Museum. They get exposure to identification of rocks; ores and mineral specimen; plants specimen and related photographs. They appear in written test; elocution test and an oral quiz. SGAT has been making laudable efforts to encourage the mining community to adopt eco-friendly operations. It has also been drawing the attention of the central and the state governments to the need for framing pragmatic legislations. For sometime the SGAT has been involving the student community in the important area of global concern with the hope that the students, their teachers and the parents would be contributing towards a better environment through appropriate measures. SGAT also makes the younger generation aware of the importance of minerals in economic development.
The event involves a good deal of running around in distant parts of the state. It involves meticulous planning, hard work for activities like setting the questions; arranging accommodation for the participants and their teachers; arranging visits to various places. The efforts of SGAT have made it possible for a student living close to the Bauxite mine of Nalco visiting the mine for the first time. But for the efforts of SGAT, the mine close by would have remained a mystery to the students in the nearby schools. Such efforts sensitise the industries to their responsibilities towards the people living in the periphery. “What makes Mr. BK Mohanty, the Advisor of SGAT, so energetic to organize this event every year?” I asked while addressing the gathering that day. Mr. Mohanty would be eighty years old shortly. Mr Sarangi, the President of SGAT provided the answer to me in his address. “SGAT’, he said, “keeps Mr Mohanty agile and alive.”
Why do I attend this annual function of the SGAT many times? I asked myself. I feel I do so as the event makes me aware of my growing obsolescence. Maybe I get to know how committed our teaching community has been in educating our children, Perhaps I get a chance to talk to the children and tell them that they have to do much better to gain competitive advantage in life ahead of them. Every time I return a bit wiser. This year’s knowledge was unique. I realised that Mathematics could be lyrical as well. “Express thirty one (31) by using only one numeral 3”. A team was asked. The students could not answer; nor could I have. We were told the answer as (3x3x3)+3+3/3 = 31. I also learnt that 1729 is the only number that is the sum of two cubes in two different ways--- (10x10x10)+(9x9x9) =1729= (12x12x12)+(1x1x1). The students learnt who Al Gore is and what has been his contribution to the cause of an ideal environment. They were also told that over population; illiteracy; poverty; lack of safe drinking water; depletion of green cover and lack of basic sanitation are the major pollutants and not mining activity.
SGAT has been an ideal forum that demonstrates the commitment of elderly professionals to the need of giving back to the society. It is a case where the silver hair contributes to a luxuriant growth of the green hedge. I was happy about my silver hair and was happier to see the young, agile, efficient and suave civil servant, dear Manoj Ahuja,Principal Secretary to Government of Odisha in the Steel & Mines Department in the gathering also appreciating the efforts of SGAT while displaying his silver hair in gay abandon.
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