PESHAWAR, Sept 21: The stall of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) at an exhibition attracted a large number of people here on Sunday owing to high-tech nature of its indigenously made products and services.

Despite its extensive engagements in public sector services like farm research, support to the industry, nuclear medicine, mineral development and nuclear energy, it is still known in the public perception as strategic organisation alone.

Perhaps mindful of this mis-perception, the PAEC has started putting up exhibitions, displaying its public service activities. One such occasion was the elaborate stall established at the exhibition arranged on the occasion at two-day national executive symposium on “Technology Developed for Commercialization” here.

A scientists at the stalls informed PAEC has so far evolved 43 high yielding soil suitable crop varieties which has resulted manifold increase in the production. The crop varieties of PAEC have big acceptabilities by the farmers, the experts said. “Our crops fetch Rs six billion additional income to the farmers annually,” he added.

A PAEC Centre NIBGI has developed a bio-fertilizer which is non- pollutant and non-toxic and cheaper. Our scientists have developed vaccines for cattle and chicken diseases which are more effective and in-expensive.

The PAEC nuclear medical centres cater for more than 300,000 patients annually. PAEC has developed a technique for reclamation of saline lands and we are transferring the technology to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) member countries.

“We have also developed a nuclear fuel and materials for local power plants which augur well for putting up more nuclear power plants needed for country’s economic development.

Another scientists at the stall informed that PAEC support industry programme comprises of providing training/certification in welding technology to the industry, training and certification in the field of NDT.—APP