PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The Higher Education minister Dhan Singh Rawat has announced that a Centre for Disaster Management Studies will soon be opened at Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University.
He was addressing the 46th annual convention of the Institute of Geographers (IIG) and an international conference on Dynamic Earth, Fragile Environment and Paths to Climate Resilient Societies at the university on Saturday. The three-day conference is being organised by the department of Geography of the university.
The minister said that the new centre will enable research students to conduct disaster-related research and easily understand the geographical ecology of Uttarakhand. He asked the university to submit a proposal for a GIS lab in the Geography department. Rawat said that climate change is becoming a serious issue worldwide, requiring scientists to think seriously about it and work in this direction.
Addressing the conference, environmentalist and Padma Bhushan recipient Anil Prakash Joshi said, “Development cannot be denied, but in this race for development we have usurped homes of others to build our own, devastating our ecosystem. Earth’s temperature is rising due to ongoing climate change. The Himalayan regions are bearing the brunt of this impact, but the day is not far when its impact will reach the plains.’’
Presiding over the event as a representative of the HNB Garhwal University vice chancellor NS Panwar said that this IIG conference could prove to be a major step towards saving the Himalayas. He said that participation of the general public is essential to keep the earth clean and beautiful.
The head of the department of Geography MS Panwar welcomed the guests. Subject experts from India and abroad are taking part in the international conference.
