Express News Service
PUDUCHERRY: Security was beefed up on main roads across Puducherry in view of the Science-20 (S-20) Inception Meeting at Suganya Convention Centre on January 30 and 31. Around 37 NDRF personnel were deployed on Airport Road in Lawspet, ECR from Karuvadikuppam to Rajiv Gandhi statue, 100-ft Road, Cuddalore Road, Kamaraj Salai, and Anna Salai.
Police, Indian Reserve Battalion, along with fire and rescue personnel are on standby. Section 144 had been implemented in these areas, and a mock security drill was performed on Saturday.
Elaborate arrangements are underway as delegates began arriving in the Union Territory on Sunday morning. Major buildings including the Assembly, Chief Secretariat, and Raj Nivas were decorated with lights and welcome banners. Two hotels in Puducherry town and a beach resort in Chinna Veerampattinam were booked for accommodation, said a senior government official.
Around 50 delegates from academic institutions across the nation are set to participate. Meanwhile, 15 foreign delegates from 10 other G-20 countries — Australia, Brazil, China, European Union, France, the Republic of Korea, Turkey, Russia, United Kingdom, and the USA — will take part in the summit, said a press release.
“India, as the president of G-20, aspires to make the meet ‘inclusive, ambitious, decisive, and action-oriented as exhorted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The S-20 agenda reflects this principle in the use of science for inclusive and sustainable development,” the statement said.
The summit, based on the theme of ‘Disruptive Science for Innovative and Sustainable Development’, will focus on three areas — clean energy for a greener future, universal holistic health, and connecting science to society and culture. “The S-20 will catalyse fruitful scientific dialogue between the G20 member states and provide constructive solutions for global problems,” said the statement.
Subsequent meetings would be held in Agartala in Sikkim, Bangaram Island in Lakshadweep, and Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. The final summit is set to take place in Coimbatore. Dr Ashutosh Sharma, president of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) and co-chair of the summit explained the S-20 will focus on science and technology that would aid the growth of nations.“The participants will share and listen to inputs. This would be useful for the government in governance and planning.
The meeting will start with comments from three countries: former G-20 president Indonesia, India, and the next president Brazil.” Citing the need for global cooperation to solve problems, Sharma mentioned that the G-20 provides a platform to aid collaboration. “Solution for major issues is a global matter and is not for one community or nation. Science and technology are going to be the main ingredients in solving the problems.” It may be noted the S-20 engagement group, comprising national science academies of the G-20 countries, had been initiated in 2017, during Germany’s presidency.
