GDC Thannamandi Celebrates World Wetlands Day

DOGRA HERALD BUREAU
rajouri, Feb 2
The Eco-club in collaboration with Departments of Botany and Zoology of GDC Thannamandi celebrated World Wetlands Day as part of Viksit Bharat Abhiyan here today.
On this occasion an intra-college symposium cum quiz competition on the theme “Wetlands and Human Wellbeing” organized under the patronage of Prof. (Dr.) Farooq Ahmed, Principal of the college. Dr. Nazakat Hussain, Head, Department of History and senior most Faculty in the College was Chief Guest on the occasion.
In his message, Prof. Farooq Ahmed emphasized upon the need of conservation of Wetlands which are critically important ecosystems that contribute to biodiversity, climate mitigation and adaptation, freshwater availability as well as world economies. He appreciated the initiative of organizing Departments to raise awareness about the importance of wetlands among students and youth and increase people’s understanding of these critically important ecosystems at large. Dr. Nazakat said that it is more important to raise awareness at local level to accomplish national and global awareness goals about wetlands for reversing their rapid loss and encourage actions to conserve and restore them.
In the intra-college symposium Adnan Aqib of B.Sc 6th Semester won 1st prize whereas Nosheen Qureshi of B.Sc 4th Semester and Saba Naz of B.Sc 6th Semester bagged 2nd prize and 3rd prize respectively. The speakers gave an overview of about 2500 Ramsar sites worldwide including 80 across the nation and 7 in Jammu & Kashmir.
Seven lakes in Pirpanjal needed to be promoted as UNESCO heritage/Ramsar sites, the young speakers raised concern. Dr. Gulshan Rashid, HoD Geography, Fatima Parveen, Convener Women Development Cell, and Prof. Rumy Dar, HoD – English, served as judges of the symposium.
The symposium was followed by instant and open to all quiz in which winners were gifted pens as token of appreciation.
Earlier, Dr. Ashaq Malik, IQAC Coordinator and Head, Department of Botany welcomed and introduced the audience about the Day World Wetlands Day which is celebrated each year on 2 February to raise awareness about wetlands. This day also marks the anniversary of the Convention on Wetlands, which was adopted as an international treaty in 1971.
Dr. Shiraz Ahmed, HoD Zoology, co-ordinated the programme whereas Dr. Junaid Ahmed, Convener, Eco-club and Head Department of Environmental Sciences presented the formal vote of thanks. Adnan Aquib Head Boy conducted the proceeding of the programnme.
Prominent among others present on the occasion were Dr. Abdul Haq Naimi, Prof. Asif Ajaz Lone, Dr. Nazar Ul Islam, Dr. Gohar Iqbal, Prof. Supriya Gupta, Anuj Bali (Librarian), Dr. Nusrat Farooq, Dr. Sajjad, Dr. Nisar Bhat and Dr. Wahid Qazi,