Protecting nature every day is our shared responsibility: Raichur University Registrar

The Hindu

17 hours ago

Safeguarding nature is not merely an obligation of a few, but a collective responsibility, said Shankar Vanikyal, Registrar of Maharshi Valmiki University, Raichur while addressing the gathering during World Environment Day celebrations held at the Krishnatunga Auditorium on Thursday.
Presiding over the event Thursday, which was jointly organised by the university's Departments of Life Sciences and the Karnataka Forest Department, Vanikyal emphasised that the growing global temperature, erratic climate patterns, and the alarming extinction of wildlife and bird species threaten the very fabric of life on earth.
'If we fail to conserve the environment that sustains us, it will not be able to sustain us in return,' he said.
He criticised the unchecked pursuit of material comfort at the cost of nature and urged everyone to prioritise conservation over unchecked development. Expressing concern over the increasing use of plastic, he remarked that today's youth often feel embarrassed to carry jute bags, mistakenly perceiving it as old-fashioned, leading to greater reliance on environmentally harmful materials such as plastic.
He strongly advocated for personal discipline in environmental protection. 'Before buying any product, we must ask ourselves if it harms the environment. A clean and joyful atmosphere is born from a clean environment,' he noted.
Speaking on the occasion, K. Venkatesh, Deputy Registrar of the university, highlighted the link between a healthy environment and a healthy life. 'Every form of life, including animals and birds, depends on nature for food, air, and water. Preventing plastic pollution and conserving the environment is a duty we all share,' he said while addressing the student community.
To mark the occasion, saplings were planted on the university campus. Participants took a pledge to nurture and grow the saplings. Faculty members from the Life Sciences departments distributed saplings to dignitaries as a symbol of commitment to nature.
Present at the programme were Jyothi Damma Prakash, Registrar (Evaluation), Parvathi C.S., Dean of the Faculty of Commerce, Latha M.S., Deputy Registrar (Academics), and University Engineer Pampapathi, apart from faculty from various departments, non-teaching staff, and students.