World Environment Day Celebration
Publish Date:05-06-2023
World Environment Day Celebration (05-06-2023)
A day long program was organized jointly by Centre for the Environment and Infrastructure Planning and Management (IPM) for celebrating World Environment Day on 5th June 2023 at IIT Guwahati. The programme started with a welcome address by the organizing chairperson Prof. Utpal Bora, Head, Centre for the Environment near Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Auditorium. The tree plantation event was inaugurated by Prof. P.K Iyer, officiating Director, IIT Guwahati. While addressing the gathering, he talked about motivating the young students to take actions for protection of the environment by organizing frequent awareness programs. He further emphasized on tackling plastic pollution by researching and innovating on new biodegradable solutions. Prof. Konjengbam Darunkumar Singh, Associate Dean, IPM spoke about the constant the efforts by IPM section in making IITG an ecofriendly and beautiful campus. Speaking during the event, Prof. Subhendu Sekhar Bag, Associate Dean, Research & Development explained about the importance of conservation efforts for sustainability of the planet earth. The tree plantation event was also joined by faculty members and students from various departments & centers and staff members from Centre for the Environment and IPM section.
The tree plantation event was followed by invited lecture session held at the seminar hall of Centre for the Environment. Prof. Utpal Bora welcomed the gathering and felicitated the invited speakers Dr. Jagannath Biswakarma, University of Bristol and Prof. Partha Pratim Baruah, Gauhati University. Mr. Dulal Chandra Medhi, social worker, Changsari was also felicitated by Prof. Bora. The session was chaired by Prof. Subhendu Sekhar Bag. Dr. Biswakarma delivered a lecture on “Impact of Environmental Changes on Water in Engineered & Natural Systems” where he provided insights on strategies for arsenic removal from ground water using iron and recycling of the heavy metals. Delivering a lecture on “Algae: A solution to plastic pollution”, Prof. Baruah described about the promises of research on algae in producing bioplastics and employing certain species of algae for plastic degradation. He further added that his research team has identified more than 1200 algae species in Assam and appealed the researchers from the country to take up applied research on algae. Towards
the end of the session, Prof. Utpal Bora spoke on “Untangling the insect, plastic and Biodiversity Conundrum”, where he described about whether insect are part of problem or solution in tackling plastic pollution. The lectures were followed by a certificate distribution ceremony, where the winners of the poster presentation held on 2nd February, 2023 on the occasion of World Wetland Day 2023 was awarded with a certificate.
As a part of the celebration, the gathering was entertained by a cultural session towards the end. Mr. Krishna Kanta Bora, PhD student from IIT Guwahati recited a poem. The audience was amused by musical performances by Mr. Abhiraj Baishya (masters student from IISER Berhampur), Nivrita Raj (bachelors student from Christ University, Bangalore) and Tchummrgne Kouam Ida (PhD student from IIT Guwahati). The celebration cane to an end with the vote of thank by Prof. Utpal Bora.
