AMRITSAR: The experts converging at the inaugural session of two-day-seminar on `Inculcating Environmental Habits for Global Health’ at Khalsa College of Physical Education (KCPE) today said there is no time left for talks and all out efforts are required to protect the environment. They said the degradation of ecology has reached its crescendo and society, government and all individuals must make collective efforts to protect depleting waters, soil and air pollution.
In his keynote address, retired Lt. Gen. Dr.JS Cheema, Vice Chancellor, Maharaja Bhupinder Singh Punjab Sports University, Patiala, said environment and health are inter-connected but the paradox is that we are playing havoc with the environment but hoping to gain good health. This, he said, was not possible and carbon emissions have to be stopped. He called up farmers also to stop burning of stubble in fields.
The seminar, which was sponsored and organized in collaboration with Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), Patiala, was aimed to create awareness and find solutions to rising pollution, said Gunbir Singh, Joint Secretary (Finance) Khalsa College Governing Council. He also cited examples from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib and messages from Gurus, to press upon the appeal to preserve the environment for sustainable life for future generations. He gave clarion calls to the youth to rise up against threats to ecology.
PPCB Chairman Dr. Adarsh Paul Wig also spoke emphatically on individual efforts required to take on the environmental hazards including air, water and climatic degradation. He said putting blame fingers on each other will not work anymore and be it farmers, industry or corporate, all must understand that we have reached the point of no return and we need to address the mammoth problem of pollution all around and find its solutions.
PPCB Member GS Majithia gave an example how the metal on holy Golden Temple was losing its sheen all due to vehicular and burning of the straws and garbage around the precincts of the Harmandar Sahib complex. “We need support from the society at large to check the menace of environmental degradation”, said he.
Earlier KCPE Principal Dr.Kanwaljit Singh welcomed the speakers and guests and honoured them with green plants. He said purpose of the seminar was to make people aware about the sustainable use of resources and motivating one and all to take part in environment friendly activities and making our environment pollution free.