Respected judges, elders and dear friends! I am Sahil  Das, a student of Class IX from XYZ  Public School, Cuttack. It gives me immense pleasure to stand before you and express my views on the most highlighted recent topic “Technology- A bane or boon?” It is just a golden opportunity for me and a matter of great pride and glory to justify my view whether technology is a boon or a bane. In my opinion technology is a boon, not a bane at all.

Technology! It has transformed human life beyond all imaginations. Life in the modern world is governed and conditioned by the off-shoots of technology.  We live, move and have our being in an age of technology and whatever we cast our eyes; we are overwhelmed by the glorious achievements of technology. Indeed, technologies have revolutionized human life and civilization so much that it is impossible to imagine our existence without them. Bane means nuisance or curse and boon is blessing, advantage or benefit. Hence, in my opinion technology is not a bane or curse to human civilization. It is a marvelous boon or blessing.

The unconcealed remark of some knowledgeable persons in the wake of scientific strides and technological triumphs is that “technology creates more problems than it solves”. Despite this jarring note, technology has acquired a halo that is almost impossible to shake off. Who can deny the robust role and range of technology that we experience in our every day life. The recent scintillating space technology provides useful data for natural disaster monitoring, solving environment problems, and improving telecommunications. Through fax, e-Mail and the Internet, information technology has outstripped all barriers that time and space had placed in man’s search for instant information. Moreover technology has reduced the distance between continents and countries. Within some hours we can reach anywhere in the globe. The latest bio-technology is the big thing with the potential to revolutionize the fields of agriculture, health and medicine. The disease-resistant and high-yield crops only can solve the world’s food problems and new medicines and drugs can cure dangerous diseases and prevent genetically inherited disorders. Hence, in my opinion technology is an immense boon to human race.

It is a fact that the misuse of scientific and technological advancements has brought mass deaths and destruction, dislocation of millions resulting in untold misery and suffering. Again, we may say that technology has over-exploited and abused the earth’s material resources and destroyed its ecosystems. But it is not the fault of technology. Man’s and nation’s greed, thrust for power and religious fundamentalism have caused the disasters, not technology. Forests are vanishing and there is increased desertification, and the water bodies are polluted due to our mismanagement. Technology is not responsible for all these. Our careless planning and negligence in implementing it is responsible for all these. Hence, technology is not at all a bane, but a marvelous boon.

Technology reigns supreme over our intellect and imagination. Despite some harmful impacts, technology has undoubtedly provided a lot of benefits to us in varying degrees. If today we are scared of some impending disaster, it is not because of technology, but because of its wrong implementation. For a prolific supply of our daily necessities food, clothes and shelter, we owe a deep gratitude to technology. Technology runs big industries and the hydroelectric generating stations. It has made man’s work easy by the invention of various machines which have changed the very face of industry, trade and commerce. It has made immense contribution to human health. Technology again, has contributed immensely to the dissemination of knowledge and education. Hence, technology in my opinion is a great boon to human civilization.