Seminar on ‘‘Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resilience’’ on World Environment Day

The Institution of Engineers (India) (IEI), Tripura State Centre in association with Tripura State Pollution Control Board, organised a seminar programme on the theme ‘Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resilience’ on June 5, 2024, in connection with World Environment Day. The programme was held in the Seminar Hall of the IEI, Tripura State Centre. 
Since 1974 it has been celebrated every year on 5th June on various environmental issues involving stakeholders. It is the United Nations’ flagship day for promoting worldwide awareness and action for the protection of the environment and also it is one of the statutory events of the IEI to be observed by all centres of the IEI. Protecting land, forests and biodiversity is connected to all the SDGs (sustainable development goals). Desertification, land degradation, and drought are a silent and invisible crisis that affects people and the planet. 
The program was graced by Dr. Avinash Kanfade, Principal Secretary of Forest Department and Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Govt. of Tripura and said in his speech that heat waves are a growing threat to society and the environment and heat waves contribute to soil desiccation and intensify drought severity. The special speaker of the program, Anjan Sengupta, Joint Director of Biotechnology Department, Govt. of Tripura spoke on land restoration challenges and strategies and underscored the role of bamboo plantation which can also restore degraded lands and protect forests, thus combating desertification. Another special speaker, Er. Biswajit Saha, former Superintending Engineer of PWD (Water Resource), Govt. of Tripura discussed water resource management and its role in tackling land degradation and desertification. The program was presided over by Dr. Subhadeep Bhattacharjee, Chairman of the IEI Tripura State Centre. Welcome address was delivered by Dr. Mrinal Kanti Deb Barma, Honorary Secretary of the Centre and programme was coordinated by Dr. Animesh Debnath, Co-Chairman of Environmental Engineering Division of the IEI Tripura State Centre.