Assam University organises Himalayan Day, dignitaries speak about the importance of this climate governor

Himalayan Day 2022 was celebrated in the Assam University Silchar on September 13. Along with the rest of the nations, this day was organised with lectures and presentations by various experts in the conference hall of the Department of Ecology and Environmental Science. Other than the Vice Chancellor of the varsity, Prof. Rajive Mohan Pant, Prof. SK Tripathy was present among the guests. Dean of the School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Prof. Parthankar Choudhury was also present.

The program started with the welcome address by Professor Parthankar Choudhury, Dean of the E. P. Odum School of Ecology and Environmental Science. Prof. Choudhury spoke about the vagaries of weather, and insecurities of food, water, soil and water that are on the rise. Security issues of glaciers, forests, and rivers present in the ecosystem, for all of which we are dependent on the Himalayas, also found mentioned in his address. This was followed by the speech of Prof. S. K. Tripathy from Mizoram University, who spoke on ‘Himalayan mountains: As the regulator of climate and life support systems’.

Vice Chancellor of the varsity, Prof. Rajive Mohan Pant in his elaborate speech mentioned how he has spent the early part of his life travelling along the east, west and central parts of the Himalayas. To him, the Himalaya is a celebrity, which is robust, it is the king of all the mountains. While quoting Tenzing Norgay, the Vice Chancellor added, that Norgay climbed Mt. Everest seven times but not intending to conquer, but rather to be in the lap of mother nature. This pristine is in a state of fast decline, to which Prof. Pant said, we all shall have to take care of nature, and if we do not do that, days are not far away that she will start to revolt!

A presentation sent by Dr G. S. Rawat, former Dean and Director of the Wildlife Institute of India, entitled ‘Conservation and sustainable use of Biodiversity for human wellbeing in the Indian Himalayan Region’, was elaborated by his scholar and faculty of the university Prof. Aparajita De. Er. Kireet Kumar, Director in charge and Nodal Officer, NMHS of the G. B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, Almora, Uttarakhand spoke on, ‘Water Sanctuary Development for water security in the Himalayan villages’ through a virtual session.

The program ended with a vote of thanks by Prof. Ajit Kumar Das, Head of the Department of Ecology and Environmental Science. The program was compared by two master students of the department, Avantika Pradhan and Debopriya Sarkar. It needs to be mentioned here that the day was first celebrated on September 9, 2015, by Harish Rawat, the then CM of Uttarakhand to recognize the immense contribution of the Himalayan mountain range to maintain the healthy environment for the entire Indian Subcontinent. Since then, every year September 9 is observed as National Himalayan Day. This year it is a weeklong celebration at more than 400 centres across the nation.