GDC Budgam organizes seminar on Biodiversity, Climate Change

BUDGAM, OCTOBER 26: A day-long national seminar on ‘Biodiversity and Climate Change: Challenges and Prospects’ was held at Sheikh ul Aalam Memorial Degree College Budgam on Thursday.

Renowned scientists, eminent academicians and students from different colleges of the State and outside participated in the seminar that was aimed to find a solution to the problems related to deterioration of biodiversity.

Seminar was organized by Department of Environmental Science of GDC Budgam to suitably demonstrate the linkages between biodiversity and climate change and stimulate new ideas and approaches for future research in this regard.

Director Colleges, Prof. Zahoor Ahmad Chatt was chief guest on the occasion. In the inaugural session, he spoke on the global scenario and climates change and biodiversity. He lamented that man has failed to maintain the balance between the development and the environment.

Registrar Cluster University Srinagar, Prof Yaseen A Shah, Director, University Institute of Technology Barkatullah University, Bhopal Prof Ashwani Wageno, Nodal Principal Kashmir Division Colleges Prof Yasmeen Ashai, Principal SAM GDC Budgam Prof. Rafiya Rashid also spoke on the occasion.

Speakers deliberated upon the current scenario of environmental issues of JK vis-à-vis the impact of brick kilns on vegetation and human health. They said that modern genetic modification techniques can be used to create crops that possess inbuilt tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses and hence make these plants resilient to some adverse effects of climate change.

More than 300 abstracts from all parts of India including some reputed institutes like Jamia Milia, AMU, Punjabi University Patiala, BSGBU, Jammu University, SKAUST-K and SKAUST-J, Cluster University, Central University Kashmir and other colleges of the State were released on the occasion.

Fifty oral presentations and 100 poster presentations pertaining to the theme were also presented.

Speakers informed about the current alarming extinction rates and said 10,000 species are lost every year. They maintained to reduce the loss of biodiversity and deterioration of ecosystem services, it is necessary to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.