Editor
During the colonial era, four Pasteur Institutes were set up for coordinated pathological research in British governed areas namely at Kasauli (Himachal Pradesh), Coonoor (Tamil Nadu),Shillong (Meghalaya) and Yangon (Now in Myanmar). The first one among them i.e. The Pasteur Institute of India at Kasauli set up in the year 1900 was merged with Central Research Institute in the year 1939. The Central Research Institute (CRI) located at Kasauli is now recognized as a Centre of Excellence for Teaching and Training in Microbiology by Himachal Pradesh University. The Pasteur Institute located in Coonoor (1907), which was originally known as the Pasteur Institute of Southern India was re-christened as The Pasteur Institute of India and is functioning as an autonomous body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, from the year 1977. The Pasteur Institute at Coonoor has developed into a full-fledged Research and Training Institute and presently offers various academic programmes in Microbiology, Biotechnology and Biochemistry in both non-medical and medical streams in affiliation with Bharathiar University, Coimbatore and Dr MGR Medical University, Chennai. The Pasteur Institute of Burma at Rangoon (1915) in present day Yangon (Myanmar) is now a part of the National Health Laboratory (NHL) of Myanmar. Recently the Institute is reported to have developed collaboration with the French Pasteur Institute for sharing technical expertise on diagnosis and laboratory-based surveillance of infectious diseases.
The Pasteur Institute at Shillong (1917) established on similar lines with other Pasteur Institutes, is not only a historic Institute, but is the only one of its kind located in the North-East Region of India. It is therefore desired that the Pasteur Institute at Shillong be developed into a world class Institute for Research and Training in the field of Microbiology and Health Sciences. This would not only lead to strengthening of the Higher Education Scenario in the region but is also likely to open up new vistas for revenue generation through promotion of Heritage/ Medical Tourism in Meghalaya.
Yours etc.
Dr Ranjan K. Bhagobaty.,
Via email
Blue Revolution
Editor,
I was delighted to read the news item “Blue Revolution to come to State on October 26 ” (ST Oct.12, 2018). I was also pleased to learn that this will be the second phase with the total project cost of Rs 51 crore. However, the components of the project were not spelt out in the news report and this leaves room for a lot of speculations. The report should have revealed the various components of the project.
The first phase of the Blue Revolution, better known as the Aquaculture Mission was launched with much fanfare in 2012 and with the clear target of creating 20,000 ponds in order to achieve self sufficiency in fish production and thus avoid fish import from outside the State. The total cost of the first phase (aquaculture mission) was Rs 25 crore and most of it has gone to Garo Hills, especially to Ampati and South West Garo Hills. Nowhere were the targets met either in terms of creating the required number of fish ponds or for reaching self sufficiency in fish production. It ended up only in creating a few fish ponds and producing only just a few thousand quintals of fish. Where are the 20,000 fish ponds (perhaps only few thousand puddles) and where was the targeted 15,000 Metric Tonnes of fish that was to have been in the market by now? But the money is spent. How was it spent? There is no account for it!.This is a huge scam and an independent inquiry should be ordered to unravel the truth. This second phase of the Aquaculture Mission (Blue Revolution) will meet the same fate as the first one if transparent and measurable guidelines are not followed in implementing the project. Moreover, there should be proper monitoring at every step in the implementation of the second phase of the project so that no aberrations take place in Phase II of the Mission. Also , the functioning of the Fisheries Department should be properly followed up to ensure that it runs in the correct lines since there has been no follow up and review of the Department since Meghalaya was created forty six years ago. In fact a review of all departments is called for to assess their efficacy.
Yours etc.,
Philip Marwein,
Via email