Students, youth have to be active partners in environment protection initiatives: Prof Talat

Srinagar, June 5: The University of Kashmir on Saturday organised an online seminar to mark the World Environment Day.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Talat Ahmad inaugurated the seminar titled ‘Conserving and Restoring Ecosystems’, organised by the varsity’s Department of Environmental Studies.
In his presidential address, Prof Talat said the Himalayan region is facing multiple challenges on the environment protection front and everyone will have to join hands to ensure that all pro-environment campaigns and initiatives yield better results on the ground.
Prof Talat referred to several pressing environmental challenges including climate change and global warming, asserting that community-level engagement is important to raise awareness on how the adverse fallout of such environmental changes can be minimised locally.
He said students and youth will have to be active partners in environment protection and lead all environment campaigns from the front.
Prof A R Yusuf, former Dean Academic Affairs at KU, talked about ecosystem restoration and highlighted the issues and problems that Jammu and Kashmir is facing vis-à-vis conserving and managing ecosystems.
Prof Bashir Ahmad Ganai gave a historical perspective of the World Environment Day and highlighted the role of science in restoring ecosystems.
Prof G A Bhat talked about the loopholes in the policy-making vis-à-vis restoration of the environment while Prof Azra Nahid Kamili talked about the ecosystem restoration which, she said, is the main theme of World Environment Day-2021.
In his welcome address, Prof Fayaz Ahmad, Seminar Director and Head, Department of Environmental Science referred to human- animal conflict as a result of ecosystem destruction.
Dr Samiullah Bhat, senior assistant professor presented a brief about the achievements and functioning of the Department of Environmental Science and Dr Mohammad Muslim, Coordinator webinar conducted the proceedings of the inaugural session and also presented a vote of thanks.
Dr S Satya Kumar, Scientist-G & Senior Professor, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, presented a paper on ‘Ecosystems of the Himalaya: Conservation and Restoration’ while Dr Rajan Kumar Kotru, former senior Natural Resource Governance & Policy Specialist ICIMOD, Kathmandu Nepal presented his lecture on “Design and Delivery of Eco-Restoration Through Landscape Approach”.
Archana Chatterjee, National Coordinator IUCN, India, presented a paper on “Ecosystem Restoration with Special Focus on Mountain Ecosystems” while Dr Purnamita Dasgupta, Theme Leader, Ecosystem Services ICIMOD, Kathmandu Nepal, delivered a talk on “Ecosystem Restoration: The Potential for Valuing Ecosystem Services in the Himalayas”.
Dr Aasimah Tanveer, Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Science presented a vote of thanks after the technical session, while Dr. Aftab Ahmad Bhat, Assistant Professor GDC Beerwah also spoke on the occasion. The technical session was moderated by Dr Arshid Jehangir, Senior Assistant Professor and Organizing Secretary.
At least 225 participants had registered for the seminar including faculty members, research scholars and students from various educational institutes from within and outside Kashmir.

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