The Department of Botany, Islamia College of Science and Commerce (ICSC) Srinagar, organised a series of events related to celebration of the World Biodiversity Day, observed across the world on May 22 every year.
College Principal Prof (Dr) Aijaz Bashir, the chief patron of the week-long programme, kick-started the events that aimed at raising awareness among students, faculty and other participants about the importance of biodiversity conservation.
Prof Aijaz said students can become leaders of conservation of biodiversity with their proactive participation in such programmes which are critical to our understanding of the pressing need to prevent loss of biodiversity.
He appreciated the Department of Botany for organising the current programme, and many other important programmes this year so far, including World Wildlife Day, Arbor Day, International Day of Action for Rivers, Global Recycling Day, Water Day and World Plant Fascination Day, among others.
Head of the Department and Coordinator of the programme, Dr Khursheed Ahmed Ganaie, in his inaugural address, highlighted the purpose of celebrating the World Biodiversity Day and also emphasized on the need for preservation of the native biodiversity of J&K.
He said loss of biodiversity is a challenge that requires new and innovative solutions, even as he underlined the critical importance of public awareness campaigns to help conserve biodiversity.
As part of the programme, the Department organised a theme-based lecture series titled ‘Biodiversity of Jammu and Kashmir’ wherein the invited speakers who have contributed immensely towards the assessment and documentation of the Biodiversity of Jammu and Kashmir, educated the participants about current status and future requirements for biodiversity conservation.
The main speakers included Dr Anzar Khuroo, Senior Assistant Professor, Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, Prof N. A. Zeerak, Professor-cum-chief scientist and former head, Division of Plant Breeding and Genetics, SKUAST-K, and Mr O.P.Sharma (IFS) ex-Director, Ecology, Environment and Remote Sensing. All three eminent persons are members of Biodiversity Board, Govt. of J&K.
The events saw an active participation of faculty members of the department and students of P.G and U.G programmes. The department recently constituted the Botanical Society of Islamia College, a platform solely managed and owned by the students, to hold regular interactions and programmes on important botanical issues.
Huzaifa Altaf Wani was nominated as its President and Mubeena Rasool as its Secretary, both students of the senior-most batch of PG Programme. The said Society will soon organise a Students’ Conference on ‘Sustainable Development-The Way Forward.’
The HOD Prof Khursheed thanked the college Principal Prof Aijaz, faculty members including Dr Showket Yousuf Beigh, Dr Sheikh Javaid, Dr M.D. Bhat, Dr Gowhar Ayub, Dr Sabina Bashir, Dr Ghulam Hassan Rather and Prof Abdul Shakoor, and non-teaching staff, for their cooperation and participation.