29 Jul 2025

Patna. July 29. Speaking at a seminar celebrating World Nature Conservation Day today, Dr. Mousumi Gupta, Research Lead and EIACP Coordinator of Asian Development Research Institute (ADRI) cautioned that the virus load of the Corona Virus in our population has not decreased even after the passage of three years. Moreover, the spread of the virus does not follow a predictable pattern. For example, a city which is located close to another one which has been struck by Covid-19 may not show any signs of the disease. The ADRI-organized event was hosted by the Geology Departments of Patna University and Patna Science College and was titled Conservation Strategies: Bihar’s Path to Ecological Balance.” She also suggested the promotion of cleaner cooking fuel, improved ventilation and creating awareness for checking lung cancer in females. She has done a study on female lung cancer in collaboration with Mahavir Cancer Sansthan.

Both Dr. Gopal Sharma (Interim Director of National Dolphin Research Centre, Patna) and Professor Dr. Syed Md. Saalim (Geology Department of Patna University) touched on the topic of global warming. Dr. Sharma reported that there has been a 68 percent reduction in bio-diversity because of the 1⁰Celsius rise in global temperature from 1970 to 2016. He stated that the solution to mitigating the urban heat island effect is rain water harvesting and roof-top gardening. Professor Saalim gave a presentation on how the Sea ice cover in the Arctic region has been shrinking due to melting of ice since 1984 to date. It is being caused by global warming, which is 4 times higher in this region than that in the Tropics. This reduction in ice cover is affecting the Monsoons in our country, thereby harming India’s agricultural production- a cause of much concern. In another presentation, Dr. Sunil Kumar Gupta, Program Officer of EIACP at CSEC-ADRI praised the Bihar government for taking suitable action to address the problematic air pollution in the state by providing integrated Chullahs to some 50,000 households and distributing LPG cylinders to them.  He attributed the major contributor of PM 2.5 emissions in Patna to be the transport sector.

Professor Atul Aditya Pandey of the Geology Department of Patna University pointed out that the university’s research agenda has been focusing primarily on the behavior of the flood-prone River Kosi – the Sorrow of Bihar – since early 2000s. This is an important component of the University’s research agenda of water conservation and management since the 1990s in order to preserve the ecological balance of the state.

The Principal of Patna Science College, Dr. Alka urged society to revert to old times when the roads had earthen margins on its sides and houses would have Aagans. Patna University’s Geology Professor Bhavuk Sharma reported that 1 out of every 4 cities in the world are facing a water crisis. 54 percent of India faces high to extremely-high water stress, with a very rapid decline of ground water in North Bihar. Thus, solutions like rain water harvesting have become the responsibility of every dutiful citizen.

Dr. Sunil Kumar Gupta brought up the Vote of Thanks.