World Environment Day at AMU
Aligarh : Faculty members and students of various departments, centres and faculties joined the ‘World Environment Day’ celebrations with a slew of green activities across the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). Cleaning drives, awareness programmes and tree plantations were some of the highlights of the day.
At the Dr Ziauddin Ahmad Dental College (ZADC), Prof R K Tewari (Principal, ZADC) emphasised the significance of the action as well as its need to encourage awareness for environment protection.
He said: “We have joined the global platform for public outreach to promote tree conservation and continuous research and awareness on environment issues. There is a need to protect the earth—pollution has emerged as a major challenge and every person should become a part of this movement”.
He also administered a pledge to protect the environment and planted tree saplings with teachers, students and non-teaching staff.
Delivering an invited talk of the Centre for Green and Renewable Energy, Zakir Husain College of Engineering and Technology (ZHCET) in collaboration with Institution of Engineering and Technology (UK), Dr Arun Kumar Tripathi (Adviser, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and Former Director General, National Institute of Solar Energy) spoke on the use of renewable energy sources for mitigation of environmental degradation.
He stressed: “As part of efforts to implement our climate ambitions, we must take actions against activities that have a negative impact on health and environment”.
Dr Arun Kumar also discussed various policies and schemes of the Indian Government for environment protection.
Prof Mohd Rihan (Coordinator, Centre for Green and Renewable Energy and Member-in-Charge, Electricity Department) spoke on the history and relevance of World Environment Day.
“We must all take responsibility to avert the catastrophe being wrought by the crises of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss”, he added.
Dr Jaiprakash (Director-Technical, National Institute of Solar Energy) deliberated the role of solar energy in decarbonisation of power systems and prevention of environment degradation in a talk organised in collaboration with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers-IEEE (USA) Students Branch.
He discussed goals and innovative solutions developed by the National Institute of Solar Energy for environment protection.
Mehtab Singh (Chairman, Institute of Engineering and Technology-IET, Delhi Local Network-DLN), R N Rajpoot (Group General Manager, Rail Vikas Nigam and Chairman, Communities Committee, South Asia, IET) and Tarini Baswal (GM Electrical RITES, Indian Railways and Secretary IET DLN spoke about how individuals, communities, civil society, businesses and governments around the world can make a difference with environment protection initiatives.
Dr Mohd Faisal Jalil and Mohd Zaid coordinated the programme.
In the World Environment Day observations at the National Service Scheme (NSS), Dr Arshad Husain (Programme Coordinator) explained how ecosystems can be restored with conservation of various components of earth and the need for adopting techniques for conservation.
Dr Mujahid Ali Khan (Programme Officer) pressed for implementing comprehensive plans that seek to maintain all species of plants and animals in a geographic area through the management of natural resources.
NSS Coordinator and Programme Officer with student cadets also planted tree saplings on the occasion.