Making a model start

KOCHI: Aware of the environmental issues plaguing our land, the students have put up thought-provoking concepts at the students model stall of the ongoing Swaswarya Bharat science exhibition at Ernakulathappan Ground.Sailakshmi Hari and Ninu Maria Emmanuel of Bhavan's Vidya Mandir, Eroor, recaptured the role of sacred groves in conserving biodiversity. They intend to promote it through their model in which land, water bodies such as ponds and wells, trees and a variety of rare plant species and animals, birds and reptiles and insects are abundant."We went to Mangalavanam, Hill Palace and an ancient home where there are two sacred groves to conduct studies and learnt how plants play an important role in reducing pollution and maintaining ecological balance," they said.Different plants play a role in this. "Screw pine and drum stick helps clean the waters, 'karingota' is a termite repellant.  Lime, gooseberry and 'moonja' are insect repellents; 'thulasi' and aloe vera are anti-bacterial and mango leaves, 'koovalam' and 'arayal' help purify air. Moreover, the plant 'Janakeeya arayal pathra' can help cure intestinal cancer and yam can help cure infertility," they said."Sacred groves are home to endemic and rare species, even aquatic flora and fauna. Our aim is to introduce biological grooves in the heart of every city and plant trees such as banyan, ficus and neem on either side of the highways."Such groves can help reduce the extinction of flora and fauna. They can also help meet the water requirements of ponds and streams of the local community and recharge aquifers. They act as a repository for various ayurvedic medicines and harbour genetic diversity, they said. They would act as lungs for the city and the much needed green canopy.The green way of conserving energy was explored by Adarsh S Iyer and Ojas P Rahate, students of Bhavan's Adarsha. With lenses mounted on a model and optical fibres below, they demonstrated how solar energy can be captured directly though the focal point of the lenses which can be transmitted through optical fibres. The optical fibres will transmit the light into the rooms, they said.We can save a lot of energy as we are not converting solar energy into electrical energy, they said. Cost is negligible for both the projects, according to the students.