Chair for Sustainable Development (CSD) at the Indira Gandhi National
Open University (IGNOU) have launched an online Leadership Programme
on Himalayan Ecosystems (LPHECO).
The programme caters to scientists and policymakers working in the
areas of agriculture, rural development, environmental science and
sustainable development.
Dr. Karan Singh, Member of Parliament, launched the programme, which
is of minimum one-month duration and maximum six-month duration, at
the EMPC Studio-II at the University.
"Deforestation, population pressure and global warming are leading to
glaciers which are disappearing and ozone layer which is depleting.
There has to be awareness at the politician's level and then the state
governments should volunteer. Unless there is involvement from Nepal,
Bhutan, China, state governments of Himalayas and Panchayati Raj
institutes there will be no concrete step taken towards their
conservation. Environmental values must be integrated in school
syllabus in order to sensitize the youth right from the start," he
said.
VC Prof. V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai, said "It is essential to upgrade
people's awareness and concern through short educational programmes
with objectives to advance scientific knowledge, to evolve integrated
management strategies, demonstrate their efficacy for conservation of
natural resources and to ensure environmentally sound development in
the entire Indian Himalayan Region."
Admission to this course will be available to students throughout the
year in four academic cycles i.e. February, May, August and November.
Once registered, learners will have access to personalized learning
space. This includes self instructional material, related audio/video,
slides, self check exercises etc. weaved in one platform.
Prof. M.K. Saluja, Director, School of Agriculture (SOA), said, "We
started with one appreciation programme but now we have five of them.
We are also developing programmes on Gender and Population, Bio
Diversity, Sustainability Audit and Water Security which will be
offered under the new emerging discipline 'Sustainability Science'."
The objectives of the programme is to sensitize and strengthen
awareness about the Himalayan ecosystems in the context of Sustainable
development, to link and evolve the linkages of livelihood and
ecological security in the mountain region and to improve the
awareness among the stakeholders about the impact of climate change
and management.
Dr. M.L. Dewan, an eminent environmentalist also addressed on planting
billions of trees in the Himalayas. Prof. M.S. Swaminathan, Member of
Parliament, emphasized that leadership should come from young scholars
to save Himalayas and said that from 'Bleeding Himalayas' it should
change to 'Greening Himalayas'.
Dr. Nehal A. Farooquee, Associate Professor, SOEDS explained the
contents of the course which comprises of four blocks. "It gives an
introduction to the mountain eco-system, Himalayan livelihood systems
and also addresses the challenges to the sustainable development.
Students can undertake project on any topic studied taking into
account local field conditions."
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