Children should avoid junk food and instead increase their regular intake of green vegetables and pulses to improve resistance and develop good health, biotechnologist Manju Sharma advised students at an interactive session here Sunday.

Talking to them at the Science Expo organised on the occasion of Bharatiya Vigyan Sammelan, Sharma said, "Biotechnology is going to play a vital role in development of the country but the students seeking perfection in this field must go to the right place, right teacher and right institution."

The field has immense prospects and job opportunities, she said. In reply to a question, Sharma said that biotechnology has an important role to play in application area of nano-technology. Bio-informatics is also a very promising field.

Nano-biology is also emerging as a good field. She gave answers to questions pertaining to the effects of ultra-violet rays on human body, formation of biogas, manufacturing of bio fertilizers etc.

Children asked questions about junk food and soft drinks and she advised them to avoid these to maintain good health. Sharma, who has been honoured with the Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian award, counselled children to take food as advised by their parents and increase the intake of green vegetables, pulses, rice, eggs to improve resistance power. Certain soft drinks damage the bones and muscles of children, she added.

Sharma said that biotechnology could be used in a big way to ensure quality of Ayurvedic medicines. Medicinal plants have been recklessly destroyed in our country. There is need to take up their plantation on a very large scale.

She said that traditional and modern systems of medicine are important and there should be equal emphasis on promoting them.

Source-IANS
LIN/P