Srinagar: Vice-Chancellor University of Kashmir Prof Nilofer Khan Tuesday inaugurated a national workshop on ‘Himalayan Alpine Biodiversity Characterisation and Information System Network’.
The workshop was organised jointly by KU’s Centre for Biodiversity and Taxonomy, Department of Botany and Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (ISRO), Dehradun. It was sponsored by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change under the National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS).
Addressing academics and officers at the inaugural session, Prof Nilofer said such collaborative workshops enable our faculty and students to get connected and partner with national-level experts on important issues like biodiversity conservation.
“The ultimate goal of such activities should be to facilitate more collaborative works and give greater exposure to our faculty, research scholars and students,” she said, highlighting the recent national-level collaborative programmes held at the University of Kashmir, including a three-day DST-SERB meeting.
Director IIRS Dr R P Singh in his message said the Alpine region is most susceptible to changing global warming patterns and characterisation of its diversity is utmost important in understanding the response of climate change on vegetation.
Mr T Rabi Kumar, IFS, Additional PCCF Kashmir said the important deliberations during the workshop should, apart from attaining other objectives, lead to “quantification” of biodiversity resources for their better management.
Dr Suresh Kumar, AFE, IIRS-ISRO, said the workshop provides a great opportunity for participants to join scientific deliberations to address a fragile ecosystem in view of the concerns triggered by global warming and climate change.
Dr Hintendra Padalia, Head FED, IIRS-ISRO, said the current project aims at strengthening biodiversity data collection using new technologies and also to track impact of different activities on biodiversity in the region.
Dean Research KU Prof Irshad A Nawchoo highlighted the University’s efforts, research and collaborative works in vast areas of biodiversity conservation in the Himalayan Region.
Dean School of Biological Sciences KU Prof Zafar A Reshi underlined the need for collaborative research activities for better outcome of such projects, even as he highlighted the university’s significant imprint in the NMHS projects.
Mr Rashid Naqash, Regional Wildlife Warden Kashmir and Dr Maroof Shah, Deputy Director (Research), Sheep Husbandry Department, also spoke at the inaugural session about the works related to biodiversity undertaken by their respective departments, and issues and concerns thereof.
HOD Botany Prof Zahoor A Kaloo delivered the welcome address, while Dr Anzar A Khuroo, Organising Secretary, conducted proceedings of the event.
