Earth Day: ‘Humans are destroying the planet’

UAF faculty and students hold seminar, awareness walk

FAISALABAD: Irresponsible exploitation of natural resources has caused irreparable damage to the environment, University of Agriculture Vice Chancellor Iqrar Ahmad Khan said on Wednesday.

He was addressing participants of a seminar held in connection with the Earth Day. The seminar was arranged by the Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences.

The VC said consolidated efforts were needed to tackle challenges of climate change.

He said climate change was a global phenomenon.

“While many countries have taken steps to preserve the environment, deforestation and pollution continues unchecked in Pakistan,” he said. He said governments should prioritise green zones while planning cities. He said awareness should be raised on water scarcity and citizens should be encouraged to conserve water. The vice chancellor said industrial pollution should be controlled by better enforcement of laws in this regard.



Faculty of Agriculture Dean Muhammad Arshad said, “This is our country, our planet. It is our responsibility to ensure the air we breathe can sustain this generation and the next.”

He said soil fertility was deteriorating and deforestation, pollution, melting glaciers and depleting ozone layer could wipe out parts of the world if the precautions were not taken.

Institute Director Javed Akhtar said most people in the world lived in cities.

“As urban populations grow, environmental degradation worsens,” he said.

Prof Uzaira Rafique said researchers should be encouraged to develop innovative techniques to use natural resources without wasting them.

Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority Project Director Abdur Rehman also spoke on the occasion.

Later, an awareness walk was held. Participants walked from the Admin Block to the Faculty of Agriculture. 

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23^rd, 2015.