RailEnquiry

GUWAHATI: The Science Express-Biodiversity Special train of the Union ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) arrived at Kamakhya railway junction here on Saturday.

The special 16-coach train dedicated to various branches of science was inaugurated jointly by the mission director of Sarva Sikhsha Abhijan, L S Changsang and N F Railways general manager R S Virdi.

Out of the 16 coaches, eight of them are dedicated to showcasing the biodiversity of the northeast, trans-Himalaya and Himalayas, Gangetic plain, desert and semi-arid zone, western ghat, Deccan peninsula, coasts and islands. The other coaches exhibit climate change, energy, water conservation and petroleum among the other branches of science.

There is also one coach called Joy of Science, where students can carry out experiments. The train will be here for four days.

"We received a good response from the students in particular on the first day of the arrival of the science express. The biodiversity section focuses on the northeast, which will be great interest for the students. Various activities will also be organized for students at the platform during the the four days the science express will be here," the northeast coordinator of the Centre for Environment Education (CEE), S Kalita said.

CEE is the content designer of the science express. Along with MoEF, ministry of railways and department of science and technology are also involved in making the science express a success. The train was flagged off on the occasion of World Environment Day on June 5. The train will cover 100 stations in two years.

Officials said the emphasis of the train has been on the rich biodiversity of the country as India will be hosting the 11{+t}{+h} meeting of the conference of parties (CoP-11) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) from October 8 to 19 in Hyderabad. The event will have 10,000 delegates from 192 countries. The train will be stationed in Hyderabad from October 9 to 19 during the CoP-11.