'Protecting environment must be everyone's priority'
A two-day national seminar on ‘Clean Air for Blue Skies: An understanding of Air Pollution Concerns and its abatement’ was organised jointly by Guru Ram Das School of Planning, Guru Nanak Dev University, and the Punjab Pollution Control Board, Patiala. In the inaugural session, the welcome address was given by Dr Ashwani Luthra, head, Guru Ram Das School of Planning. The introduction of the theme of the seminar was given by Dr Ritu Raj Kaur who talked about the issues of air pollution and its effects. Prof Sarabjot Singh Behl, Dean Academic Affairs, GNDU, spoke on sources of air pollution like transport, energy and built environment. “The fossil fuel — coal — is being burnt at a rapid pace, contributing greatly to air pollution. We need to find sustainable replacement for clean energy and develop them on a rapid scale to ensure that air pollution is not just kept under check but also reduced significantly,” he said. Building on clean energy and sufficient public transport systems to reduce vehicular pollution, checking external pollutants, including the burning of stubble and garbage, too was discussed. Prof Adarsh Pal Vig, Chairman, Punjab Pollution Control Board, Patiala, spoke on the activities of the PPCB. He said protecting the environment should be the priority of everyone. People must think how they were contributing to the environment pollution and mitigation. There were six technical sessions pertaining to the theme of the seminar. The themes of various technical sessions were air quality and pollution, air pollution concerns and efforts, air pollution mitigation measures, climate change and emission reduction, mobility and air pollution and stakeholders in air pollution reduction. There were eminent speakers from various government organisations, environmental experts from NGOs like the Centre from Science and Environment, ICLEI, academicians – students and faculty — from across the country who participated in the conference.