Lucknow: The Geography Department of National PG College organized a ‘Bhoo Samvad’ on the topic of water crisis amid the scorching heat waves on 1 June 2024. The keynote speaker of this program was Professor Bindhy Wasini Pandey from Delhi School of Economics.
Professor Pandey said in his statement that due to continuous urbanization, indiscriminate tree cutting and extinction of rivers, the temperature has crossed 50 degrees Celsius not only in Lucknow but in many parts of India. Due to this, people have lost their lives in many cities and due to water crisis, water is not available for basic needs. Its solution is possible only when a person understands his responsibility and uses as much water as needed, plants as many trees as possible, and collects and reuses waste water and water coming out of air conditioners in his homes.
Along with this, he also told that global warming is not only a topic of today but is centuries old, in which European and American geographers have divided it into four major parts – Gunz- Mindel- Risse- Wurm. According to Professor Pandey, just as the temperature of cities is reaching new heights due to urbanization, similarly, due to the rapid development of concrete houses in villages, people may have to face more difficulties in the coming times such as rapid fall in ground water level, drinking water and drought problems.
The Principal of the college, Professor Devendra Kumar Singh, said that this is not the first time that severe heat is happening, rather Nautapa has been going on since ancient times, but with time, we have caused great damage to the environment in the name of development, trees were cut, due to which the roadside places became desolate. Due to this, there was an unexpected increase in temperature. The availability of fresh water per person, which was 6000 cubic meters in 1994, has decreased to only 2300 cubic meters in 2000.
Looking at the population growth rate and increasing consumption of water, this figure is estimated to be only 1600 cubic meters by 2025. Hence, the Principal and all the teachers and Geography students present in the ‘Bhoo Samvad’ took a pledge to plant trees according to their age, prevent misuse of water and make proper arrangements for food for animals and birds in this scorching heat.
