Five days workshop organized by Department of Environmental Sciences concludes at Jammu University

JAMMU, February 19- The five-days workshop on “Advances in Environmental Monitoring and Analysis” organized by the Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Jammu in collaboration with the Human Resource Development Centre (HRDC)  concluded at University of Jammu.

The workshop comprised of total twenty sessions wherein eminent resource persons from reputed Institutes/Universities like Jawaharlal Nehru University, The Energy and Resources Institute,Tejpur University, Central University of Jammu, Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology (Jammu)and Directorate of Ecology,Environment and Remote Sensing, were called to deliver lectures on the latest tools and techniques in monitoring and analysis of various environmental components like air, water, and soil. Hands-on training on various visualization methods and statistical techniques for representing and interpreting the environmental data was also provided to the participants during the practical/demonstration sessions.

In addition,two field visits were made, one to the Sewage treatment plant, Bhagwati Nagar, Jammu in order to familiarize the participants with various treatment procedures followed by Jammu Municipal Corporation for treatment of the sewage of the Old Jammu city, and the second to Gharana Wetland Reservewherein the Department of Wildlife Protection, J&K provided a demonstration to the participants on various animal rescue techniques being followed by the department for rescuing the injuredanimals.

Participants also visited the areas adjoining the Gharana wetland and Suchetgarh border. The workshop was inaugurated by Professor S.K. Pandita, Director HRDC, University of Jammu. Professor Piyush Malaviya, Convener of the workshop, in his welcome address highlighted various themes of the workshop which included air quality monitoring, contaminant mapping in aquatic and atmospheric systems, soil diagnostics, pedometrics and digital soil mapping, climate vulnerability assessment, climate modelling, and data analytics and visualization techniques.

The purpose of the workshop was to encourage the participants to combine, analyze and interpret environmental data in environmental decision-making. The Keynote lecture of the workshop was delivered by Prof. R K Singhal, Head, Analytical Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Center, Mumbai on tools and techniques in environmental monitoring.In his remarks, Prof S.K. Pandita applauded the department for providing such extensive training covering diverse environmental aspects in such a short span of workshop duration.

A poster presentation session was held during the last day of the workshop,the posters presented by the participants were evaluated by Professor Mahender Singh, SKAUST-Jammu. Dr. Rakesh Kumar Atri, the organizing secretary, conducted the proceedings of various sessions of the workshop. Dr. Deepika Slathia, co-convener presented a brief report of the workshop during the valedictory session. Thirty-two participants from both within and outside the JKUT participated in the workshop and appreciated the department for the successful conduct of the workshop.

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