3-day international webinar on water and health concludes at KU

Srinagar: An international webinar on ‘Water, Health and Parasites’ concluded at the University of Kashmir on Wednesday.
Dean of Academic Affairs Prof Shabir A Bhat was the chief guest at the valedictory session of the three-day webinar, organised by the Department of Environmental Science in collaboration with Indian Society for Parasitology (ISP).
In his presidential address, Prof Bhat referred to a UN report saying 1 in 3 people live without safe drinking water and up to 5.7 billion people could be living in areas where water is scarce for at least one month a year, by 2050.
“This has to be a matter of great concern for everyone, especially the policy-makers and researchers, to work towards finding sustainable solutions to address such challenges. I am glad our university is partnering in this highly important conversation and engagement,” he said, appreciating the Department of Environmental Science for organising the webinar on an extremely important theme.
Prof Bhat said academic institutions today are cruising through an era of partnerships and collaborations alongside an interdisciplinary approach to education and research. “Therefore webinars like these not only enable brilliant minds to come together to focus on addressing important challenges like water conservation but also infuse in young researchers that urge to find solutions to some of the pressing problems that the society is faced up with,” he said.
Secretary ISP Dr JK Sakena, who was a guest of honour, said conferences give an ample opportunity especially to young scientists to exchange their ideas through individual and group discussions and come up with recommendations on key issues like water, health and parasites.
Dean of KU’s School of Biological Sciences Prof Irshad A Nawchoo, who was also a guest of honour, said academic institutions can play a great role in feeding the outcome of their research on water into the policymaking on water conservation at different levels. He said climate change and global warming must lead young scientists to help evolve robust frameworks and policies that help address key challenges to water conversation.
In his concluding remarks, Head Department of Environmental Science Prof Fayaz Ahmad gave a brief of the deliberations held during the past three days, including by top experts from India, China, Australia, Japan, Italy and other countries.
Dr Mohammad Muslim conducted proceedings of the valedictory session while Dr Arshid Jehangir presented a vote of thanks.

 

 

 

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