2. INTRODUCTION
Back to
The Centre for Ecological Sciences at the Indian Institute
of Science was established as the first of the Centres of
Excellence sponsored by the Department of Environment, Government
of India in 1983, with the mandate of focusing on the ecological
problems of the Western Ghats.
The Department of Environment, Government of India provided
the seed money to develop the infrastructure and to initiate the
functioning of the Centre for the VI Five Year Plan period ending
March 31st 1985. The Indian Institute of Science then took over
the payment of salaries of the 15 core staff, fellowships for the
Ph.D students and recurring expenses towards stationery, postage
etc. through support received from the University Grants
Commission as of April 1st, 1985. The Department of Environment
has however, continued to provide a grant towards the salaries of
temporary project staff and working expenses for the research
programmes, workshops, visitor programmes and library on the
basis of specific project proposals submitted for the VII and
VIII Five Year Plans. The Centre has also received support for
specific research programmes or projects from the Department of
Science and Technology, Government of India, the Department of
Ecology and Environment, Government of Karnataka, the Planning
Commission and the Indian Navy. A Monitoring Committee
constituted by the Department of Environment in consultation with
the Director, Indian Institute of Science regularly monitoring
the work of the Centre during the first five years. A special
committee set up by the Department of Environment reviewed the
performance of CES for the first five year period in June 1988.
Since then, a special Monitoring Committee set up by the Ministry
of Environment and Forests, has been meeting every year to assess
the work of the Centre.
The Centre undertook 15 specific projects over the period
1983 to 1990. These were assessed by a special review committee
in 1988. In light of the suggestions of this committee, CES
formulated a further set of 13 projects to be pursued over the
VIII Plan period 1990-95. Several other new projects have been
added to this in consultation with the Monitoring Committee. The
work on these projects since 1983 has already resulted in the
publication of 192 papers in scientific journals and books and 85
technical reports. Apart from this substantial published
scientific output the Centre has been active in applied action
research with practical implications. These have included a
major role in the establishment of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve
and collaboration with the State Government in work on two
programmes of microwatershed development in coastal Karnataka and
in developing an activity-oriented programme of environmental
education for standards 6 to 9. The Centre has also provided
extensive consultation to agencies such as the Planning
Commission, National Wasteland Development Board and the
Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister. The Centre
has interacted vigorously with a number of voluntary agencies in
the field of ecodevelopment. It has an active visitor programme
and has conducted a number of training programmes and workshops.
On the occasion of the completion of 10 years, the Centre
for Ecological Sciences is organising a discussion meeting on the
theme "Evolution, Conservation and Development". The Indian
Institute of Science has constituted a special review committee
with experts from India and abroad to assess the work of the
Centre during the past ten years.
This report summarises our work from 1983-1993 and is also
intended to serve as an information brochure.
Back to