Baligh-ur-Rahman For Actions To Maintain Ecological Balance

Governor Punjab Engr. Baligh-ur-Rahman Wednesday said that climate change was rapidly affecting the planet and urged to maintain ecological balance in the region on priority

BAHAWALPUR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Aug, 2022 ) :Governor Punjab Engr. Baligh-ur-Rahman Wednesday said that climate change was rapidly affecting the planet and urged to maintain ecological balance in the region on priority.

In this regard, experts from all over the world, including the universities would be invited at Governor House Punjab in September for a consultative session.

Governor Punjab expressed these views in an online conference on 'environmental protection and social responsibilities' at the Islamia University of Bahawalpur (IUB).

He congratulated the Islamia University of Bahawalpur for highlighting this important issue and taking various steps for it. The establishment of the Consortium on Climate Change by the Islamia University of Bahawalpur, and the installation of a solar energy project in Jamia Islamia were very important steps in promoting environment-friendly energy.

He appreciated the Vice Chancellor, the Islamia University of Bahawalpur Engr. Prof. Dr. Athar Mahboob and senior faculty members for taking various measures regarding the environment.

On this occasion, Punjab Higher education Commission Chairman Prof. Dr. Shahid Munir said that the emission of carbon gases on a global scale was the cause of environmental changes.

At the end of this century, the world population will reach 20 billion. Since the industrial revolution that started in 1850, carbon emissions due to human activities were at the highest level that we were facing in the form of global warming and other climate changes.

He emphasized that international standards for environmental protection should be strictly implemented by all countries and to adopt technologies that lead to a reduction in pollution.

Secretary Higher Education Department Najaf Iqbal said that cooperation between industry, academia, and experts was very important for environmental protection. Addressing environmental threats was very important for social and community development and experts in universities could offer the best solutions for this.

Engr. Prof. Dr. Athar Mahboob, Vice Chancellor of the Islamia University of Bahawalpur appreciated the participation of Governor Punjab Engr. Baligh-ur-Rahman, Chairman Punjab Higher Education Commission Prof. Dr. Shahid Munir, Secretary Higher Education Department Najaf Iqbal, Vice Chancellors, and other experts in an online conference regarding the environment.

He said that an Inter-University Consortium was formed under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Shazia Anjum so that all the departments in the University could join forces to conserve the environment. Subsequently, the Inter-University Consortium on Climate Change was formed, which includes more than 50 universities and institutions. This one-of-a-kind consortium was welcomed by all dignitaries including the Governor of Punjab.

VC said that such courses have been introduced at the BS level which creates awareness and consciousness regarding the environment.

The Department of Environmental Sciences at the Islamia University of Bahawalpur was offering a 4-year BS degree in Environment. At present, the university was getting 3 MW of solar energy from the solar energy park, which was sufficient for the campus needs in winter, he added.

Green Campus Project was started at the Islamia University of Bahawalpur three years ago to establish an environment-friendly campus where renewable energy was provided, food wastage was minimized and waste management was also in place. The Islamia University of Bahawalpur is installing a water waste treatment plant in Bahawalpur later this year. The Sustainable Development Center has been established under the supervision of Dean Faculty of Social Sciences Prof. Dr. Rubina Bhatti so that the Islamia University of Bahawalpur could effectively play its role in achieving the goals of long-term development.

On this occasion, Vice Chancellor Institute of World Development Economics Dr. Nadeem ul Haque, Dean Faculty of Social Sciences Prof. Dr. Rubina Bhatti, Prof. Dr. Shazia Anjum, Dean Faculty of Chemical and Biological Sciences, Prof. Dr. Asif Naveed Ranjha, Chairman Department of Social Work, Dr. Muhammad Abdullah, Director Biodiversity Park, national and international experts addressed the conference.

Prof. Dr. Ji Li, Environmental Communication, Wuhan University, China, Prof. K. Kuperan Viswanathan UUM, Malaysia, Dr. Samina Khalil, Member Economic Advisory Council of the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Environmental Pollution Control Policy, Ammara Durrani, UNDP Representative, Farzana Altaf Shah, Director General Pakistan Environment Protection Agency, Ashiq Ahmad Khan, Ammar Jafari Chairman Digital Pakistan, Dr. Hayu Prabowo, Director Research Center, Dr. Nirosha Hewa well large, University of Waikato New Zealand and Zhu Yuxuan, Vice Director Ecological Culture Development Center, China also addressed online.

Prof. Dr. Rubina Bhatti, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, renewed the pledge on behalf of the faculty and students that the activities at the academic level regarding the environment will be increased so that the university experts could face this most important challenge. The focal person of the conference, Chairman of the Department of Economics, Dr. Abid Rasheed Gul, thanked the Vice Chancellor for his special support and patronage in organizing the conference.

He thanked the participation of Governor Punjab and Chancellor, Chairman Higher Education Commission Punjab, Secretary Higher Education Department, and other experts.