UJVN Ltd celebrates World Environment Day
Dehradun: The managing director of UJVN limited, Sandeep Singhal stressed on the importance of focusing on preserving the environment in this age of fast paced development. He was speaking at a webinar organised by the corporation to mark World Environment Day on Saturday. He said that the corporation is assessing the environmental impact of the hydro power projects and preparing plans accordingly. Singhal claimed that minimum ecological flow is being discharged in all the projects of the corporation. In his address the former environment consultant of the corporation SS Bisht highlighted the need for coordination between developmental activities and environmental protection. The former head of department of forestry at Garhwal University, NP Todaria also spoke on the occasion. The UJVNL held programmes at its headquarters, power stations and projects on the day in which trees were planted.
UCOST holds webinar to mark WED
Dehradun: Uttarakhand Council of Science and Technology (UCOST) in collaboration with National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI) marked World Environment Day in the virtual mode. Additional principal chief conservator of forests, Samir Sinha spoke on aspects of ecological restoration, Chipko movement, ecosystem degradation, restoration culture and Earth’s Overshoot Day which marks the date when humanity has exhausted nature's budget for the year. He stressed on the need for adopting a long term scientific approach on ecosystem restoration and working consistently on awareness, capacity building, value based behavioral change, enhancing political will for culture of restoration and facilitation of cross-governmental and cross-sectoral dialogues. UCOST director general Rajendra Dobhal talked about the population induced pressure on the natural resources. He hoped that judicious application of science and technology had the power to mitigate it. Former Garhwal University VC AN Purohit said that the environment is not a resource but a framework of perceptions and ideas in relation to time and space. It is an inbuilt component of development.
WED observed at ICFRE & FRI
Dehradun: The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) marked the World Environment Day through virtual mode with about 100 officials from MoEF&CC and its regional offices, ICFRE and its Institutes, various State Forest Departments and others attending the event. The council’s director general AS Rawat said that the contribution of ecosystem services account for half of global GDP. He expressed concern over the increased frequency and intensity of natural disasters as a result of environmental changes and the huge cost involved in managing such disasters. He suggested that such adverse events can be curtailed through concerted efforts by individuals, organisations and governments at national and international levels. He also stressed upon the importance of pollinators in productivity of agricultural, horticultural and forestry species in the context of environmental changes. The Forest Research Institute (FRI) also marked the occasion with a webinar on restoring ecosystem. Speaking on the occasion, Rawat said that amidst the pandemic, the institute is maintaining its link with different stakeholders online. He congratulated all the competitors including students of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (NVs) and Kendriya Vidyalas (KVs) under the programme PRAKRATI; a scientist – student interactive programme and students of different universities and colleges.