Draft:Society of Pollution and environmental conservation scientists

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|snippet2=Society of Pollution and Environmental Conservation Scientists is an NGO working in the field of pollution and environmental conservation in Dehradun, registered as a Society in 1994 and active since 1990, known as a registered Space Tutor of ISRO.
|snippet3=Society of Pollution and Environmental Conservation Scientists is located at 115 Krishan Nagar, Dehradun, and can be contacted at specs.ecocampaign@gmail.com or 9411719465.
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Society of Pollution and Environmental Conservation Scientists (SPECS) is an NGO based in Dehradun that works in the field of environmental conservation. It was founded by Dr Brij Mohan Sharma and is located at 115 Krishan Nagar, Dehradun. Known by the tagline "Science For All," SPECS is an independent body that has been active since 1990, and was registered as a Society in New Delhi under the Societies Registration Act (1860) in July 1994. Its activities are spread across the country with a focus on Science Popularization, Research & Innovations, Environment Conservation, and Self Employment.

History

SPECS has been an independent body accomplishing its activities since 1990. It was registered as a Society in New Delhi under the Societies Registration Act (1860) in July 1994.

Philosophy, Vision and Mission

SPECS' philosophy is to replace "Fear" of Science with "Curiosity," and to "Teach" rather than "Give." Its vision is to build a society with a scientific temper, and its mission is to remove fright psychosis of students towards Science. The principle of SPECS is to facilitate common men to do uncommon things and approach empowerment.

SPECS exists with a focus on Science Popularization, Research & Innovations, Conserving Environment, and Livelihood generation. It was established to bridge the gap between science and people, developing a scientific temper among children and an appreciation of science among adults, while providing training to people, including women and youth, to make them independent and self-employed.

Science Popularization

Science Popularization involves making scientific concepts accessible to a large number of people, including children, fostering a better understanding of complex ideas through clear communication. SPECS carries this out through:

• Science Mela, covering topics such as Science behind miracles, Science in toy making, Science through puppetry, and Gazing Stars (astronomy awareness)
• Science and Health Mela Participation
• National Science Day
• National Mathematics Day
• National Children Science Congress
• Grameen Jagriti, a Science and Technology Awareness and Exposure Programme for the Rural Community

Research and Innovations

SPECS describes its approach to research and innovation with the philosophy: "Research is a lift that provided with money will generate knowledge; Innovation is a lift that provided with knowledge will generate money."

Low Cost Portable Solar Emergency Light

Developed by SPECS in collaboration with Reliance Foundation and Dehradun District Jail, this Low Cost Portable Solar Emergency Light with Mobile Charging Facility has been distributed in around 2,000 units.

Energy Saving Innovations

SPECS has developed a fuse to save the life of an LED bulb, helping minimize E-waste and save the environment. Other energy-saving innovations include a low-cost solar reading lamp using bamboo as a resource material, LED bulb making and repairing, bamboo carving LED lamps, and a solar home light system.

Energy Efficient Lights with Solar Inverter

These were developed in collaboration with Dehradun District Jail, with SPECS also training villagers and jail inmates in manufacturing the product.

Installation of Zip Line Ropeways

Zip line ropeways were installed in collaboration with Mountain Shepherds. Described as very light, technically secure, and safe, SPECS also trained communities on the use of these ropeways.

Mission Recycle

Under this innovative programme, glass bottles are recycled, hand-painted, and made into lamps by inserting LEDs. Waste bamboo and stones are also recycled and presented in an elegant manner as part of the mission.

Organic Colours

SPECS extracts natural Holi colours from vegetables, herbs, flowers, and fruits, producing colours that are nature-friendly and chemically free.

Tip-Tip Wash Bottle

A research study was conducted in 15 government and non-government schools of Dehradun to measure the amount of water used by students for hand washing at midday meals. During this research, the "tip-tip wash bottle" was introduced, saving more than 60% of water.

Achievements

• Registered SPACE TUTOR of ISRO
• Developed a Water filter certified by IIT, New Delhi
• Developed the Rasoi Kasauti-kit, distributed for all districts and Union Territories of India during the Year of Scientific Awareness
• Prepared a fuse for LED bulbs, developed and fitted in 327 villages of Uttarakhand, saving 3.10 crore electric units and making the villages energy efficient
• Distributed low-cost solar emergency lights to 2,000 and 3,500 families during the Kedarnath and Kashmir disasters, respectively
• Established 100 LED Bulb repairing centers across 18 states of India to minimize E-Waste

Awards and Recognition

State Level Awards

• Times Brand Icon Award 2018, The Times of India
• Uttarakhand State Governor Innovation Award, 2018
• Garhwal Post Award, 2017
• Innovator of the Year Award, 2010 and 2011, UCOST, Uttarakhand
• Energy Conservation Award 2009, 2010, 2018, UREDA and BEE, Uttarakhand
• Environment Conservation Award 2004, Uttarakhand Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board
• Felicitation by Padma Vibhushan Dr. Manju Sharma, NASI
• Felicitation for science awareness by Sri Trivendra Singh Rawat, Ex-Chief Minister, Uttarakhand
• Felicitation by Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, 2018
• Felicitation by Mrs. Nita Ambani, Chairperson, Reliance Foundation
• Outstanding work in Science Communication by Shri Harish Rawat, Ex-Chief Minister, Uttarakhand
• Felicitation by Hero MotoCorp Ltd, 2016 to 2019
• Felicitation by Viswa Samwad Kendra, Dehradun, 2019

National Level Awards

• Outstanding Work in Science and Technology Communication through Innovations and Traditions ways - 2018, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India
• Outstanding Work in Science and Technology Communication - 2013, DST, GOI
• MInnovation Award - 2021
• Indian Excellency Award - 2021, by Indian Book of Record
• Excellence Service Award, MTNL Health Mela, 2004 to 2019, by Padma Shri Dr. K.K. Agarwal
• Net Zero Fellowship on Climate Change - 2023
• Karamveer Global Award and Fellowship - 2023

International Level Awards

• Asia Social Innovator Award - 2021
• Life Time Achievement Award (2019), S&T Communication through Innovations, by Troy D. Cline (Director, STEM Innovation Lab, NASA, USA) and Padma Shri Prof. Dr. V. Adimurty (ISRO Team Member, Mangalyaan and Chandrayaan projects), organized by Smart Circuits
• Mentor of the Year 2019 – Global Award by SEAS
• UN Appreciation in Energy Efficiency, 2018
• Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund of US State Department, implemented through US Embassy, 2016

Campaigns

Water Quality Campaign – Potable Water for All

Water Quality Tests have been conducted in each ward of Dehradun city by SPECS since 1991, aiming to create awareness and provide clean and pure water to the population.

Detection and Prevention of Adulteration in Food Campaign

SPECS developed a low-cost, easy-to-use food adulteration testing kit called Rasoi Kasauti. Around 40 products have been checked for adulteration, including pulses, milk and milk products, spices, sweets, jaggery, tea, and coffee, using the Rasoi Kasauti Kit. Children, housewives, and students are trained under this programme.

Folk Media Campaign

Folk media campaigns are organized to spread scientific knowledge on various issues in a simple and fascinating way, culturally and ethnically, among the rural population.

Energy Efficiency Campaigns

Lighting up Lives

LED bulb-making residential workshops were organized frequently as part of this well-planned project under the Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund of the US State Department, implemented through the US Embassy, New Delhi. A unique feature of the project was training participants to repair damaged LED bulbs at nominal cost, saving money and energy.

Urja Bachat Gram – Ukhimath

A community-based campaign for Energy Conservation and Self Employment organized in the Kedar Valley of Uttarakhand. Ukhimath was saturated with 7-watt LED bulbs, and through this effort, 11,004,750 units of electricity per year are saved across 54,024 electric points.

Ladiya Workshop

LED Jhaalar making was started under "Main Hoon Aatmanirbhar Abhiyaan." A large number of women and youngsters were trained during this campaign, with the main aim of making women and youth self-dependent.

Exposure to Students

Exposure Visit to Industries

These exposure visits orient students and teachers toward the advancement of science and technology at an industrial level. Visits are organized for students from rural areas to places such as Hero MotoCorp (Haridwar), ITC (Haridwar), and Sri Ram Solvent (Kashipur).

Ignited Minds

Sponsored by NCSTC, DST, New Delhi under its motivational programmes, the Ignited Camp was organized at Kandoli, Dehradun by SPECS, featuring a range of activities under the title "Scienfun." Students were taken to the Himalayan Drugs Institute, Regional Science Center, Indian Military Academy, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, and the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation museum, Dehradun.

Environment Conservation

Anti-polythene Signature Campaign

A workshop led SPECS to develop and implement a "Garbage Management Model" for the newly set up Wildlife Institute of India campus on the outskirts of Dehradun. The model sought segregation of degradable and non-degradable waste, with disposal managed with the help of rag pickers. The model was subsequently recreated and implemented in a couple of residential schools.

Plantation – Abki Baar Kewal Phaldar

This plantation programme was implemented in 2019 in the Doiwala block of Dehradun district with the financial support of Hero MotoCorp. The programme included only fruitful plants, and a total of 210,740 saplings were planted in 10 minutes.

Plantethon

Around 10,000 plants were planted during this community-based monsoon-season drive, with students of various schools and colleges volunteering. Mainly fruit- and flower-bearing trees were planted.

E-Waste Management

SPECS has established well-equipped centers for entrepreneurship, sensitizing communities toward the economic aspects of waste management and developing entrepreneurship using local resources to transfer knowledge of e-waste recycling, reuse, repair, and cleaning. E-waste minimization centers generate income and enhance profits for the community. Livelihood-based activities under these centers have succeeded in minimizing and reusing e-waste, including generating employment during the pandemic. Waste jhaalars and ladiyas were repaired, and new LED bulbs, tubelights, bamboo lights, and decorative lights were made, available at approximately 40% less than market cost.

Livelihood Generation

Livelihood generation encompasses activities and efforts aimed at creating sustainable means of earning a living, including employment opportunities, entrepreneurship, skill development, and economic initiatives. SPECS promotes the following trades:

• Aquarium – starting a business in the aquarium industry, including colourful and ornamental fisheries
• Slipper Making (Hawai Slippers etc.) – small-scale slipper manufacturing
• Data Cable – low-cost home-start electronic cable manufacturing
• Beekeeping – honey market growing consistently at 30 to 40%
• Hydroponics – a simple, low-cost farming technique requiring no soil, fertilizer, manure, or sunlight
• Steel Scrubber – packaging as a small-scale industry
• Packaging of Spices – for household, hotel, restaurant, and dhaba use
• Stone Art, Bottle Art, and Succulent Nursery – trades startable with minimal investment

Leadership

The organization was founded by Dr Brij Mohan Sharma.

Contact Information

Phone: 9411719465 Email: specs.ecocampaign@gmail.com

External Links

• Official Website