SRINAGAR: On the occasion of the International day for Biological diversity, the department of Botany University of Kashmir organized a one- day seminar with the theme Water and Biodiversity during which a poster exhibition and debating competition was also held in which various scholars and students participated.
In his key note address, Vice Chancellor University of Kashmir Prof Talat Ahmad while underlining the significance of the day said that water and biodiversity are importantly interconnected with each other and there is need to aware the common masses about the preservation of rich biological diversity for the sustenance of life.
Wherever there is water there is life and when there is life there is biodiversity and it is good if students and common masses are made aware about the challenges faced by biodiversity on which the very existence of life depends by organizing more such programs and seminars, said Prof Talat.
Prof Talat said that besides students from Botany or Zoology efforts should always be made to rope-in students and scholars from other streams like humanities, arts and social sciences to participate in such programs for mass awareness so that they could share their ideas also on the subject from their point of view as it concerns all.
He also urged upon researchers to focus on the different diverse areas of the biodiversity and try to get benefit from it.
He said We have different satellite campuses available at Leh, Kargil and various parts of Kashmir valley. Our scholars and researchers should try to understand diversion among the various places by availing the support at these campuses and find how biodiversity varies at different places.
Prof Talat said that students and researchers should try and explore the areas of specialization like Bio -Geochemistry as there is lot of scope in the field.
While speaking on the occasion Dean Academic Affairs Prof AM Shah referring to Quranic Verses said God has created the mankind and provided the allied systems for his sustenance. And it is the responsibility of man to protect these systems which include air, water, forests, flora and fauna for his own existence.
He said that every developmental project should ensure that these life supporting systems are not disturbed and there is a need for mass awareness so that the common people should be well aware of how to safe guard the biodiversity for their own interest and for the whole humanity.
Earlier Registrar University of Kashmir Prof Zaffar Ahmad Reshi while highlighting the theme of the seminar emphasized on the preservation of the water resources in Kashmir and said The reason for celebrating this day is to sensitize the young minds so that they are made conscious of the fact that they are fortunate enough to live in Kashmir where we have plenty of fresh water resources whereas people in other parts of the country are facing huge shortage of drinking water and water for irrigation which has resulted in falling of agriculture in these areas.
At the same time they need to be told about the responsibility they have to shoulder for protecting these sources of water from unnecessary human intervention, said Prof Reshi.
Prof Reshi also said that soon a task force meeting regarding the preservation of saffron in the Valley would be held in the first week of June during which several issues and challenged faced by Kashmiri saffron which is world renowned for its quality would be discussed.
Dean Biological Sciences Prof Akbar Masood in his address highlighted the concept given by United Nations international convention on Bio-diversity and provided an insight into the various environmental issues including the eutropication of lakes in the valley.
Head Department of Botany Prof Irshad A Nawchoo in his welcome address highlighted the role of research in the field of bio-diversity.
At the end of this session Vice Chancellor visited the poster exhibition and interacted with the scholars who had made the posters on various issues related to the biodiversity.
The first position in debating competition was bagged by Roomaisa Rashid Beigh- a third semester student of Bio resources whereas the second and third positions were secured by Saliqa Ramzan of first semester of Dept of Botany and Sadaqat Farooq of First semester again from Bio resources. The consolation prize went to Nafisa Khan of Third Semester from Dept of Botany.
In poster exhibition the best poster award went to Showkat Ahmad Pala whereas the second and third position in poster competition went to Gowhar Ahmad Shapoo and Chasfeeda Akthar , all scholars at the department.
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