Title - Biodiversity train enthrals and educates students

For schoolchildren, it was a ride on board a stationary train that they would probably never forget.A combination of seven coaches showcasing seven different biodiversity zones across the length and breadth of the country and four more coaches aimed at serving like laboratories and experience zones, that was the Science Express Biodiversity Special (SEBS) at Platform No. 10 in Secunderabad Railway Station on Tuesday morning.In a bid to motivate school students to visit the exhibition, officials of the Forests & Environment Department, especially those dealing with the subject of biodiversity were out in strength. Ministers J. Geeta Reddy and D. Nagender and Special Chief Secretary, Forests & Environment, M. Samuel, who were among the first to go through the coaches, appreciated the exhibits.

The exhibition train has done over 68,000 km across the country since 2007, when it was introduced as a Science Express and is an endeavour of the Union Ministry of Environment & Forests. This time round, considering the ongoing Conference of Parties - Convention on Biodiversity, it was decided that it would be showcased as a Biodiversity Special, with the Ahmedabad-based Centre for Environment Education (CEE) taking it upon itself to design and fill the seven coaches with the necessary exhibits.

Each of the seven coaches explain the salient features of the seven biodiversity zones – The Himalayas, Gangetic Plain, North East India, Indian Desert & Semi-Arid Zone, Western Ghats, Deccan Peninsula and The Coast & The Islands, said Kartikeya V. Sarabhai, director CEE.

Joy of science

These apart, there was the Indus Towers Go Green coach, a ‘Joy of Science’ laboratory that aims at allowing students hands-on experience. Schools were also invited by Indus Towers, the telecommunication group to understand various concepts of science, environment, climate change and water. The children were given T-shirts and environment-friendly bags with goodies.

Indus Towers Limited put up kiosks & information centres, also deploying dozens of volunteers to assist visiting students. The Biodiversity Special will be stationed at Secunderabad till October 19.