Environment awareness exhibition on wheels

Science Express is a 16-coach AC train which will be stationed at the Guntur Railway Station from November 2-5. It gives a glimpse of how the earth is battling for survival

Science Express, a train that has been campaigning for the conservation of environment and bio-diversity of the earth, has arrived at the Guntur Railway Station. It has been traversing the length and breadth of the country, exposing children to the harsh realities of our planet and its degrading bio-diversity and environment.

The Science Express is a unique science exhibition mounted on a 16-coach AC train. It has been travelling across India successfully for the past six years. Flagged off on October 30, 2007, by the then prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh and German Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel, the exhibition train has since covered over 1 lakh kilometres across the country, receiving more than 1.09 crore visitors at 335 halts in 1,205 exhibition days.

The Science Express has thus become the largest and longest running train and the most visited mobile science exhibition in India. It has entered into six Limca Book of Records in its journey so far. From 2007 to 2011, the train was displaying the world of micro and macro cosmos, spreading awareness about the strengths of science in meeting global challenges, including latest discoveries and innovations in the field of modern science. In 2012, Science Express was redesigned on the theme ‘Biodiversity’ and since then it has been running as ‘Science Express Biodiversity Special’.

“The journey through the 16 coaches is excellent and by the time we come to the last coach, it hits us that the earth is dying,” says Sandeep, a class X student, who is excited about the train but feels that something has to be done on a war footing to save the earth from environmental peril.

“It is a good initiative by the government and will hugely benefit tomorrow’s caretakers of earth,” says Geethanjali, a plus two student of a local college.

Biodiversity Special

With the United Nations declaring the current decade (2011-2020) as ‘Decade on Biodiversity’ and India holding chair of the Conference of Parties (COP 11) to Convention of Biological Diversity in 2012, Science Express has been redesigned on the theme ‘Biodiversity’ and since then it has been running as Science Express Biodiversity Special (SEBS). Of the 16 coaches of the SEBS, 8 coaches are solely dedicated to showcasing the myriad biodiversity spread across the Indian geographical zones like Himalayas, the Gangetic plain, North-East India, the Western Ghats, the Indian deserts, the semi-arid zone, etc. The exhibition also covers various other facets like marine, coastal, forest, microbial, agro biodiversity and their linkage with livelihoods besides challenges of conservation. In rest of the rakes, the exhibition includes themes on climate change, biodiversity and water, sustainable environment and energy conservation. The SEBS Phase III began on July 28, 2014, and would be on till February 6, 2015. In the current phase SEBS is scheduled to travel to 57 locations, where it will halt for 3-4 days, during which the exhibition will remain open for visitors. The entry to the exhibition and participation in the complementary activities is free for all.