There is need for facilitating sustainable water conservation for future generations, said the deputy director general (Education) of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Omkar Singh while speaking at a seminar on drought and water scarcity organised to mark World Day to Combat Desertification under Sustainable land Ecosystem Management Project.
ICFRE DDG (Extension) Saibal Dasgupta spoke on the importance of freshwater which comprises about 2.5 per cent of the total water available on earth and out of which less than 1 percent is used to support ecosystem and humans.
Today water scarcity is a major problem which human beings are facing and one of the major factors behind the scarcity is unwise use of water. He emphasised that the problem related to fresh water availability will increase in coming years due to climate change, over-exploitation and it is high time to develop strategies to make people free from catastrophe.
Forest Research Institute director Dr PP Bhojvaid spoke on the role of forests in water conservation, stressing on the need for maintaining natural forests for the ecological security of nation. Chair of Excellence, FRI Deemed University, Prof SP Singh spoke on present status of stress on water reserves in Himalayan ecosystem.