ByAt a time when world leaders are furiously pushing for the use of science and technology to counter climate change, a certain section of academicians are looking towards Indian mythology to spread the message of sustainability.“Lord Shiva as a great environmentalist in the world,” is the title of a paper that will be presented at the 103rd Indian Science Congress at the University of Mysore on Wednesday. According to the two-page abstract of the paper, accessed by Mirror, followers of Hinduism understood the importance of a clean environment well in advance.The paper is part of a symposium on air quality in major cities in terms of organic and inorganic pollutants. The claims by the writer, Akhilesh K Pandey, chairman of MP Private University Regulatory Commission, Bhopal, may not go down well with modern scientists, who base their works on evidence and facts.Pandey’s paper draws inspiration from the rudraksha necklace on Lord Shiva. “The word rudra means strict or uncompromising and aksha means eye. It illustrates the fact that Shiva is firm about his cosmic laws. Thus we can say that ancient Indians were very much aware about ecology and sustainability. Therefore, the objective of the article is to create awareness about the conservation of environment without causing harm to others,” it says. From river Ganga to tiger skin, the paper tries to explain more about the God.Last year, a paper presented at the Congress held in Mumbai sparked outrage among the scientific community after it claimed the science of flying a plane had been recorded by Maharishi Bharadwaj, long before Wright brothers. Facing criticism, the authorities had promised not to allow such papers.Experts at the 103rd Indian Science Congress have said that there is no denying the fact that non-vegetarian food does ensure significantly better nutritional intake than that of a vegetarian.They said meat and fish consumption could be the answer to dealing with 194.6 million people in India who are undernourished – with 51 per cent of women in the age-group of 15-55 being anaemic and 44 per cent of children underweight as per a 2015 report from Food & Agricultural Organisation.National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) director Dr AK Srivastava and NDRI senior scientist (animal reproduction) A Kumaresan said in a session on ‘Innovation in livestock sector for food, health and livelihood security in India’ that animal foods are an important source of high-quality protein, minerals, vitamins and micronutrients. “The importance of dietary animal protein can be well recognised because it contains essential amino acids, which are deficient in cereals,” said Srivastava.Shankh or conch has a “special relevance for every Hindu and the blowing of shankh is the best way to prevent several ailments”, stated a paper that was presented at a symposium under the section Anthropological and Behavioural Sciences at the 103rd Indian Science Congress on Tuesday.However, presentation of such papers is contrary to claims by Indian Science Congress authorities, who had last year said that only pure and evidencebased science would be discussed in the future. According to the paper, written by Rajeev Sharma, an IAS officer, blowing of shankh is the best preventive measure for psycho-somatic disorders as it accounts for both “physical and mental aspects of a performer”.Sharma told Mirror that he had been practising this for nearly two-and-a-half years, and after he recommended conch therapy to nearly 40 people, they recovered from ailments like thyroid and cervical spondylitis, among others. He insisted that it was science.