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Written by: JK Monitor News Network

Category: ENVIRONMENT

Published: 23 January 2023

SAMBA: The National Service Scheme unit ‘Prabha’ of Government Degree College Ramgarh organized an extension lecture in its adopted school - Government High School Swankha’ on the theme of ‘Conservation of Environment’. The extension lecture was organized on day-five of the ongoing ‘7 Days NSS Special Winter Camp’ under the banners of ‘My College My Pride’ and ‘My Town My Pride’. The drive was conducted under the   guidance and leadership of Prof. (Dr.) Satinder Kaur, the Principal of the College.

Dr. Shamsher Lal, the NSS Programme Officer, along with the NSS Committee members and NSS volunteers visited the adopted school. In his address, he motivated the students of the adopted school to protect and conserve the environment in order to observe sustainable development. He also said that environmental conservation is a practice that paves the way for protecting the environment and natural resources on the individual, organizational as well as governmental levels.

Dr. Anjali Bala of Department of Environment Science, who is also one of the NSS Committee members, gave a powerpoint presentation to the students and the staff of the Government High School Swankha.  In her presentation, she explained that Yajnavalkya Smriti, a historic Indian text on statecraft and jurisprudence, suggested to have been written before the 5th century AD, prohibited the cutting of trees and prescribed punishment for such acts.

During Chandragupta's reign, there was a regular forest department led by a Kupyadhyaksha (superintendent) and Vanpalas (forest guards). Further, she said that from the driest regions to the wettest zones in the world, India has them all. Water is not just a natural resource but a political issue in most parts of the country. The Cauvery dispute between Karnataka-Tamil Nadu, Mahanadi dispute between Chhattisgarh-Orissa are a few examples of the tussle for water. The Tamil Nadu government's rainwater harvesting efforts and civil society movements such as Environmentalist Foundation of India (E.F.I's) community based lake/pond conservation efforts are seen as efforts to conserve water in India. In 2003, India set up a National Forest Commission to review and assess India's policy and law, its effect on India's forests, its impact on local forest communities, and to make recommendations to achieve sustainable forest and ecological security in India.

The report made over 300 recommendations including: India must pursue rural development and animal husbandry policies to address local communities' need to find affordable cattle fodder and grazing. To avoid destruction of local forest cover, fodder must reach these communities on reliable roads and other infrastructure, in all seasons year round. The Forest Rights Bill is likely to be harmful to forest conservation and ecological security. The Forest Rights Bill became a law in 2007.

The school administration applauded the effort of the College in carrying out such extension activities that are of importance to the students in particular and the society in general. They also asked the College’s NSS unit ‘Prabha’ to organize such activities in the near future. The extension lecture was attended by the staff and a large number of students of Government High School Swankha, and by the NSS Committee members and volunteers of GDC Ramgarh.