Srinagar, Oct 11: Minister for Forest and Environment Mian Altaf Ahmad on Tuesday stressed on the need to preserve forest wealth which, he said, was must for environment and ecology.
 The Minister while addressing a function after inaugurating 2 day national seminar, organized by the Department of Geography and Regional Development, on Himalayan Resources, issues, Challenges and Management Strategies at University of Kashmir here said, “Forest act as catalyst in the promotion of the tourism in the state.”
 The Minister sought the cooperation of the people and organization in the protection and preservation of the forests. “Preservation of forests is necessary for JK’s prosperity,” he added.
 Mian Altaf stressed the need for the conservation of environment and sustainable use of resources by adopting the indigenous and appropriate modes of techniques for the exploitation of resources. He stressed that there was a dire need to launch a comprehensive awareness campaign at the grass root level for the conservation of local environment.
 Vice-Chancellor of KU, Prof Talat Ahmad, while delivering the presidential remarks stressed on focus on institutionalized research for addressing the specific problems like Glacial Recession, Changing Hydrological Regimes and |Land Use/ Land Cover changes. He announced that two new research institutes, Institute of Glaciology to be sponsored by DST and Centre of Atmospheric Physics and Mountain Metrology to be sponsored by Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India would be established soon. 
 The V-C said that judicious utilization of resources is central to the concept of sustainable Development and this sustainability is to be practized at the grass root level. 
 “If human action has been a part of the ecological tragedy of this unique mountain ecosystem then human action only can restore the damage already done and considerably restore these resources to its pristine glory,” he added. 
 Earlier Prof T A Kanth the convenor of the seminar  and senior faculty Department of Geography and Regional Development said that his department has  been seriously pursuing its goal of imparting quality education and conducting quality research in the major areas of immediate relevance to the society and state. 
 In his key note address Prof Rais Akhtar noted environmentalist and  a  member of the committee on Inter-Governmental panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 said that Himalayas are the abode of largest mountain environments which  have nurtured this Indian subcontinent with life sustaining water and enabled a civilization to blossom. But today Himalayas biological diversity is facing deep crisis and is in the process of loosing much of its precious resources . 
 In his address Registrar University of  Kashmir Prof Syed Fayaz  said that today, the entire Himalayan system with its rich and unique biological diversity is facing a deep crisis and is in the process of loosing much of its precious resources.
 Prof M S Bhat head of the department of geography presented vote of thanks and  Dr Parvaiz Ahmad faculty conducted the proceedings of the inaugural event.
About 100 research papers would be read on the theme in various sessions to be held in the university.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 11 Oct 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 11 Oct 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:00:00 IST