Chandigarh University draws world's attention towards serious environment Issues by organizing Global Law Conference
“Good economy contributes towards improving environmental conditions for the society” said Piyush Goyal, Union Minister for Railways, Commerce & Industry. He was speaking during the inaugural session of the Global Law Conference at the campus of Chandigarh University, Gharuan. Government of India has taken some major reforms in the form of some progressive schemes such as Ujwala Yojna, Ujala Scheme, Swach Bharat, Ban of Single Use Plastic and Cleaning of Rivers which has contributed towards the protection of environment in a significant way over the period of five years. The minister applauded the efforts of Chandigarh University for making compulsory the subject of Environment Laws for every student studying in any stream from January 2020.
Justice Deepak Gupta, Judge, Supreme Court of India, Justice Dhirubhai Naranbhai Patel, Chief Justice, Delhi High Court, Chief Justice, High Court of Himachal Pradesh, Justice Lingappa Naryana Swamy, Justice Lord Carnwarth, Judge, Supreme Court of UK, Justice Luc Lavrysen, Judge Belgian Constitutional Court & President, EU Forum Judges for the Environment, Justice Ananda Mohan, Judge Supreme Court of Nepal, Justice Arun Monga, Judge Punjab & Haryana High Court, Justice Jayant Nath, Judge Delhi High Court, Justice Suresh Kumar Kait, Judge Delhi High Court, Justice Ajay Tewari, Judge Punjab & Haryana High Court, Dr. Prashant Gargava, Member Secretary, Central Pollution Control Board, Satya Pal Jain, Additional Solicitor General and Former Member Parliament, Ashish Jain, Director, Indian Pollution Control Board, Prof. Tracy Hester, University of Houston Law Centre, USA, Justice Swatanter Kumar, former Judge Supreme Court of India and former Chairperson, National Green Tribunal and Satnam Singh Sandhu, Chandigarh University were the other dignitaries who were present on the occasion.
Chancellor, Chandigarh University announced to carry out a mass cleanness drive in Januray 2020 for the city of Chandigarh, Mohali and its villages in which 25,000 students of CU would be collecting municipal solid waste from different part of the city and takes it to the segregation site contributing for the cause of environment protection.
“The Government of India is contemplating big projects in the field of Solar Energy which will also contribute in the area of Environment as the country will be able to meet its energy requirements and we will lessen our dependency on thermal plants” said Union Minister. He further added that the Government is encouraging the common man to buy electric-vehicles and in order to do that the current government is giving number of subsidies to the buyers which is another way to reduce the vehicle pollution that accounts for the majority of air pollution and it will also help the country in saving billions of dollars in foreign exchange. Piyush Goyal announced that Government of India will launch solar projects producing 1 lakh gigawatts by 2020.
While giving his presidential address on the occasion, Justice Deepak Gupta, Judge Supreme Court o India said, “The important decision that we have to make is that whether we want to have a secure future or not and if the answer is yes then everyone of this planet have to contribute for the cause of environment protection”. Every tree on this earth should be visualized as a oxygen producing entity which will make every individual sensitive towards the issue of environment, added Justice Deepak Gupta.
“Global Law Conference through the five technical sessions on Air Pollution, Clean Water, Climate Change, Forest and Bio-Diversity and Municipal Solid Waste have made a very exemplary attempt to touch the major environmental concerns and with international & national dignitaries discussing the matters in detail, I am sure that the conference is concluding with great findings and outcomes” said Justice Dhirubhai Naranbhai Patel, Chief Justice, Delhi High Court.
“Issues pertaining to Environment are not territorial as they are cross-border, trans-continental and global issues which requires joint efforts by all the countries so that we are able to protect our planet” added Chief Justice, D.N.Patel. He added that by the year 2100, the average temperature of the earth would rise by 6-7 degree Celsius and while with the increase of temperature by 1 degree has large repercussions on our life; one can easily understand what would be the consequences if it increases by that extent. The rise in temperature will add financial burden on world economy as we have to spend more on health added Justice Patel.
While talking in one of the technical session on Municipal Solid Waste, Chief Justice Lingappa Naryana Swamy said, “Indian population is producing 63 million tones of municipal solid waste every year with the increasing population and increased purchase power, the generation of solid waste will increase at an annual rate of 10% causing huge storage problem for the country”. Justice Swamy further said that, “Monetizing power produced by waste is a method to generate wealth from waste and India has a huge potential to generate wealth from its municipal solid waste which is currently 500 Mega Watts now and 1,075 MW by 2031.
While delivering his address in one of the technical session on Air Pollution, Dr. Parshant Gargava, Member Secretary, Central Pollution Control Board, “We have been analyzing data collected of Air Quality Index (AQI) in more than 370 cities of India and have found that major reason for the severe air condition is due to emission from vehicles which means we have to look for alternate resources such as e-vehicles for our transportation”.
Students and faculty of University Institute of Legal studies have prepared a Book on “Environmental Laws” containing research papers which was release by the dignitaries on the occasion. Chandigarh University honored Balbir Singh Seechewal with “Friend of Earth” Award for his contribution through Anti-River Pollution Campaign in Punjab to save Buddha Nullah and construction work carried at 110 miles Kali Bein rivulet.
