Srinagar: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir held an online event on Tuesday to commemorate Earth Day 2020.

This year it was the 50th anniversary of the World Earth Day, which is celebrated every year on April 22 to celebrate the planet earth, its nature, environment and plants.

Given the stay-at-home and social distancing is being followed across the globe due to COVID19 outbreak, this year’s Earth Day has gone digital as all the functions were held virtually.

SKUAST-K held a series of online lectures and programmes on ‘Climate Action’, which was Earth Day theme for 2020. The event was held in collaboration with ICAR-World Bank funded National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP).

Renowned earth scientists including Dr N Chatopadyay, Scientist F, Former DDG Agromet, India and Member World Meteorological Organization, Geneva, Dr VUM Rao, Former Project Director of AICRP-AM, CRIDA, Hyderabad; Dr Anand Sharma, DDG Meteorology, Regional Met Center, New Delhi and Head Agromet services IMD presented lectures and interacted with the students.

Director IMD, Srinagar, Mr Sonam Lotus; Dean COTS, SKUAST-K Dr MF Baqal, Associate Director Research, Prof Azmat Alam Khan, Head CoAET Dr Junaid Nazir Khan and other heads of the Divisions and Senior Scientists of the university also participated and held interactions. Dr Sameera Qayoom, Nodal Officer AMFU Srinagar and Dr Latief Ahmed Scientist, DARS Rangreth organized the function and arranged the webinars.

Experts deliberated on the issues of climate change and its mitigation. They talked about how the present lockdown has turned into a blessing in disguise for cleaning the environment. The experts also informed the participants about the importance of weather and the ways and means to be adopted for improving the life on earth.

Director Planning and Monitoring Dr Nazir Ahmad Ganai congratulated the organisers and lauded their efforts for connecting the students with the national and intentional experts through virtual mode during the lockdown.

An interfaculty painting, slogan and photo competition of students on the theme of the Earth Day celebration was also conducted.

KR Desk