Srinagar, June 11: To mark World Environment Week (05–12 June 2025), the department of Environmental Science, University of Kashmir (KU), in collaboration with the Department of Students’ Welfare (DSW) and Wular Conservation and Management Authority (WCMA), organised a series of awareness events under the theme “Empowering the Next Generation” with a special focus on “Beat Plastic Pollution.”
The event was supported by the Jammu and Kashmir Science Technology and Innovation Council (JKSTIC), Government of J&K. The week-long programme began on June 05 with a signature-cum-pledge campaign and an environmental awareness survey, followed by the screening of a documentary film based on the survey’s findings. These initiatives saw enthusiastic participation from students, faculty, and staff, sparking meaningful dialogue on sustainable practices and pollution control. Delivering the presidential address, Vice-Chancellor KU, Prof. Nilofer Khan, termed the University’s recent NAAC A++ accreditation as a collective milestone and urged the academic community to extend this excellence to environmental responsibility. “We must change our mindset and adopt strategic approaches to keep our planet as pristine as it was bestowed upon us. Our youth should also be equipped to address the environmental issues with innovation, responsibility and leadership,” she said. Speaking on the occasion, Dean Academic Affairs KU, Prof Shariefuddin Pirzada emphasized the need to move beyond discussions towards collective action. He pointed out the rising use of plastic even during social events like weddings, warning that unchecked pollution directly affects human health and well-being. Registrar KU, Prof. Naseer Iqbal, acknowledged plastic waste as a persistent issue and called for insightful outcomes from research projects to translate into practical solutions and encouraged greater community outreach.
Dean, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences KU, Prof. Ghulam Jeelani, and Dean DSW KU, Prof. Pervez Ahmed, both emphasised that despite the plastic ban in place since 2022, plastic use continues to rise. They stressed the need for stronger institutional and policy-level action, citing KU’s own steps such as installing filtered water dispensers to curb plastic bottle usage. Earlier, Coordinator, Department of Environmental Science KU, Dr. Sami Ullah Bhat, in his welcome address provided an overview of the Environment Week activities and emphasized the importance of youth engagement and awareness as a foundation for long-term change. The seminar on plastic pollution featured two invited talks, oral and poster presentations by students and faculty from KU and other institutions including SKUAST-K, NIT Srinagar, Central University of Kashmir, and Cluster University Srinagar. The week-long activities shall culminate on June 12 with a cleanliness drive at Wular Lake, jointly organised with WCMA, involving students from local higher secondary schools and government degree colleges. Dr. Mohammad Muslim, faculty at Department of Environmental Science, KU and organising secretary, presented a vote of thanks. The valedictory session was presided over by Dean Research KU, Prof. Mohammad Sultan Bhat. The event concluded with a formal vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Arshid Jehangir, faculty at Department of Environmental Science, KU.
