‘Ecosystem conservation must to attain sustainability’

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, June 4

Pushpa Gujral Science City and the Punjab Pollution Control Board in collaboration with the Centre for Environment Communication are observing World Environment Day by inaugurating an online Film Festival from June 3 to 5.

Punjab Pollution Control Board chairman Dr SS Marwaha had launched the Environmental Film Festival here on Thursday. Dr RBS Rawat, former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and HOFF Uttarakhand, was the chief guest on the second day of the film festival. Speaking on the occasion, he said deforestation, soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, industrialisation and socio-economic constraints are the major causes of climate change leading to desertification in certain areas, as well as glacier melting and flooding, in others. In his advice to the government he has emphasised upon the importance of habitat protection and ecosystem restoration to minimise damage from events such as flooding and cloudbursts in mountain regions and prevention of droughts in the plains to achieve sustainability.

Two films based on ecosystem conservation viz. ‘Endemic species conservation focused on traditional conservation practices of Mystica swamps in the Western Ghats of India’ and ‘Flight to Freedom- The Amur Falcon story’ based on attitudinal change in local population of Nagaland to ensure protection of this migratory species as they migrate from Mongolia to the African continent were showcased at the occasion, followed by discussions with their film makers Ram Alluri and Bano Haralu.

Dr Neelima Jerath, Director General, Science City, during her introductory remarks said human actions, including deforestation, encroachment on wildlife habitats, intensified agriculture and acceleration of climate change have pushed nature beyond its limit. She highlighted that ecosystem restoration is impossible without biodiversity conservation because ecosystems can’t function properly without it. “Many species in the world are endangered or even critically endangered and many more still are vulnerable. Biodiversity loss is a great threat to the goal of ecosystem restoration,” she said highlighting severe implications for humanity, including the collapse of food and health systems. She highlighted that even though the use of electronics in our lives has increased considerably but e-waste management is an area which has still not received full attention and users of electronics are not aware of the hazards of this waste.

Dr Rajesh Grover, Director, Science City, present at the occasion said restoring ecosystems could play a major role in further controlling global warming and climate change which in return will help in mitigating climate change. He urged the participants to adopt simple things viz saving water, shifting to renewable forms of energy, saying no to single-use plastics and adopting 3Rs — ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’ as much as they can on individual level to help restore ecosystem.

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