PNS
: The Thinkers’ Club here organised a webinar on pollution and water.
Scientist Dr Jayakrushna Panigrahi joined as the chief speaker who said vehicular emission is the biggest contributor of CO2 gas in the environment. There is also considerable shrinkage of forests over the planet. Nature has given the green plants a unique capacity to split CO2 into oxygen and carbon, but the fast loss of forest cover is a big worry, he added.
Dr PK MK Das joined as another speaker who emphasized on monitoring spending by the Government to check pollution. Citing an example he said, the Central Government has spent Rs 36,000 crore to clean the river Yamuna but there is no significant result. There should be development of consciousness on the topic among the general public, he stressed, and advised people to change their lifestyle to accommodate environmental care. He also advised keeping ducks in the water bodies to maintain balance in the ecosystem.
Dr Nihar Ranjan Sahoo, as guest of honour, spoke on restricting the use of plastic materials for packaging. He said the plastic materials thrown here and there go to the sea ultimately. The plastics have a shelf-life of 12 years and in the natural process they turn to micro and nano particles. Ultimately, these particles go to the stomach and body of aquatic animals. He said, fortunately, the Freon gas is presently not used as refrigerant gases. This gas was making a hole in the protective ozone layer surrounding the atmosphere. The present use of Propane and IsoButane is more environmentally friendly. There is a target to replace the Freon gas by 2030, he informed.
Club president Barada Prasanna Das wanted the present cities to be free from pollution. While he managed the meet, Prabashi Odiya Bikash Parishad president Surya Narayan Mishra gave the welcome address.