The Hindu Business Line : Prithvi 2005 to begin in Thiruvananthapuram

Announcing this at a press conference in the city today, Mr C.V. Ananda Bose, Working Chairman, Organising Committee, said the Chief Minister, Mr Oommen Chandy, would preside over the inaugural session.

An important aspect of the event is the focus on promoting indigenous eco-friendly technologies in various spheres of life, said Mr Bose.

For instance, promotion of cost-effective and energy-efficient construction methods will be one area that will be showcased during the meeting. Other focus areas include promotion of eco-friendly agricultural methods, development of environment-friendly transportation options and support for indigenous healing systems and food preservation techniques, he added.

In an attempt to create a larger market for eco-friendly products, Prithvi 2005 will also include a series of buyer-seller meetings. The idea behind this exercise is to bring together the producers and consumers of eco-friendly products, explained Mr Bose.

The event's organisers plan to create a database with details of all producers of eco-friendly products and also details of large buyers of such products, he said.

This record is likely to be posted on a Web site, he added.

According to Mr C. Sureshkumar, Organising Secretary, Prithvi 2005, an important feature of the meet will be its outreach programme that will cover a number of schools, colleges and research institutions in Thiruvananthapuram and its suburbs.

As part of this initiative, many of the experts who are participating in Prithvi 2005 will also deliver lectures at these institutions, he explained.

The Government of Kerala, which is supporting the event, is looking at various options to promote eco-friendly technologies and ideas, said Mr Bose. For instance, the Government is considering a proposal to establish an eco-friendly village in every district of the State, he added.

Besides the buyer-seller meet and an exhibition of eco-friendly products from across the country, the event will also include a series of seminars and workshops on nine themes.

Eco-friendly lifestyles, eco-friendly habitat, sustainable agriculture, sustainable land use and waste management and eco tourism are some of the subjects that will be covered during the seminars.

The event, which is being organised by the Swadeshi Science Movement, is being sponsored by the Government of Madhya Pradesh and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. Over 3,000 delegates from 21 countries are expected to participate in the meet.

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