GANDERBAL, MARCH 23: The Vice Chancellor of Central University of Kashmir, Prof. Mehrajuddin Mir Tuesday launched plantation drive within the varsity’s Tulmulla Campus.
Addressing the gathering, the VC who was also the Chief Guest on the occasion urged the students to be at forefront of environmental protection and said that academic institutions must help build partnerships and strategies and contribute to boosting environment protection efforts at the local, national and international levels.
He said the active involvement of students in pro-environment initiatives can go a long way in meeting the desired goals and addressing pressing environmental challenges including air pollution, global warming, and climate change besides biodiversity loss.
The day-long plantation drive was organised by the Landscape Development Division of the Varsity in collaboration with the J&K Forest Department and Social Forestry department.
Regional Director, Social Forestry Kashmir, Mehrajudin Malik who was the Guest of Honour, said his department is working seriously to increase the green cover of the J&K UT.
He said this year the department has tied up with Village Panchayat Committees for afforestation and said that they are hopeful about such collaboration which shall go a long way in developing community forests to enhance the green cover as well as suffice the needs of local community in terms of fodder, fuelwood and timber
Registrar, Prof. M Afzal Zargar said that the university is taking the plantation drive in the newly developed Campus to augment the green cover. He also informed that the Botany division is developing a herbal park in the campus and requested for contribution from the Forest department in this regard.
DFO Sindh Owais Mir said academic institutions have a huge role to play in helping the Forest Department to increase the green cover across the J&K UT.
Among others, Prof. Farooq Ahmed Dean Legal Studies, Prof. Shahid Rasool Director Tulmulla Campus, Prof. Mohd Yousuf Dean Life Sciences, Dr Zahoor Ahmed Dean Education, Dr Mehrajudin Shah Dean Students welfare, Dr Ahsan Chisti Dean Engineering and IT, Officers and officials of Forest and Social Forestry, students and officials from Central University were present on the occasion.
