Shridhar University Pilani Rajasthan Marks World Environment Day

Prof. B R Natarajan *

In the international arena, India today which has emerged as a decisive environmental, social, economic and political power is befittingly the first time global host of World Environment Day 2011 with theme – Forests: Nature at Your Service.

No one has any doubt that Environment is changing in many aspects. Starting from 1972, 5th June is celebrated globally every year as the World Environment Day (WED). The United Nations, through this day, stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. To raise awareness on sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests, year 2011 also has been declared by the UN as the International Year of Forests - IYF.

Forests play multiple roles in our lives providing a source of livelihood, refuge for many species and as lungs of the earth clean air for all. Deforestation and degradation of forests account for about 20% of global greenhouse emissions. The multiple values of forests include biological, ecological, recreational, educational, environmental, scientific, socio – cultural as well as economic. Forests play a thankless role in catchment area management, soil and water conservation, climate change mitigation as well as biodiversity conservation.

Forests which cover 31% of total land area of earth support 80% of terrestrial biodiversity that live on them. In India forests occupy about 25% of the geographical area and the North Eastern States of the country alone account for 25% of the forests.

According to the State of Forest Report 2003, by Forest Survey of India Dehradun, the forest cover of Manipur is 17,219 Sq. kms which is 77.12 % of the total geographical area of the State. About 200 million people of India depend on forests for livelihood. Forest Conservation Act 1980 and National Forest Policy 1988 broadly govern the Forest Management issues in India.

Prof BR Natarajan Pro Vice Chancellor of Way to Transform Shridhar University Pilani Rajasthan took a road yatra from Pilani to Goa and back during May 30 to June 7, 2011 crisscrossing the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra. Interacting with a wide cross section of public enroute, it emerged that in the heavily industrialized state of Gujarat, forests occupy roughly 9% of the land area. Pooja a student of Class XII from Birla Balika Vidyapeeth – BBVP Pilani felt that Rajasthan the largest state in India with just about 9% forest area offered ample challenge to increase the forest coverage in a big way.

While Akash Srinivasan a student of class IX of Mushtifund High School, Panaji Goa took pride in stating that Goa had over 30% of the land area as forests, Raj Sankar a student of Class X of Lokpuram Public School Thane lamented that a big state like Maharashtra had only 20% of land area as forests.

Prof Srinivasan of Goa University Chemistry department said that Goan public was extremely environment conscious. Mr R Jaya Kumar Executive from Essar Shipping Mumbai said that the forests in Yeoor – Mama Bhanja hills and Kanheri around Thane would have degraded long ago but for the active involvement of the local public.

Even though vast amount of information is available about environment, no one has doubt that it is just bits of data while knowledge is putting them together and wisdom is transcending them. Transformation of the individual by education is precursor to social and economic transformation of society at large.

Education is the key component of any environmental initiative, as it provides for sustainability and prepares future generations of global citizens. Keeping this in mind Shridhar University Pilani is offering a 3 year BSc in Environmental Science at the undergraduate level and MTech in Environmental Engineering at the post graduate level.

About Shridhar University: An initiative of the Sarvhit Trust, Shridhar University Pilani has been established under Section 2(f) of UGC Act 1956 incorporated by Government of Rajasthan vide Ordinance No. 3 of 2009 and the same ratified by the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly vide Act No. 4 of 2010 as The SHRIDHAR UNIVERSITY ACT BIGODNA, JHUNJHUNU.

Further, Vide letter F.No 8-3/2010(CPP-I/PU) dated 31 May 2010, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has also notified Shridhar University under Section 2(f) of UGC Act 1956. ISO 9001:2008 certified Shridhar University has 11 Schools of Learning offering various Certificate, Diploma, Under Graduate, Post Graduate as well as Doctoral programmes.

In order to prepare students for a global future, Shridhar University has actively taken up collaborations with various national & international institutions and already has signed MoU with top ranking Athens University of Economics and Business - AUEB, Greece.

For more details contact:

Public Relations Officer
Shridhar University
Pilani - Chirawa Road
Pilani, Rajasthan 333031 India
Phone 91-1596-510000
Fax 91-1596-510002
Email [email protected]
Website: www.shridharuniversity.ac.in