The Post Graduate Department of Botany, Khalsa College Amritsar organized Two Days National Conference Air Quality and Human Health: Consequences and Remedies on Nov. 4-5, 2022

The Post Graduate Department of Botany, Khalsa College Amritsar organized two day National Conference on "Air Quality and Human Health: Consequences and Remedies" in collaboration with Punjab Pollution Control Board, Patiala, sponsored by National Clean Air Programme, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Govt. of India, New Delhi on Nov. 4-5, 2022. There was 1 keynote address, 8 Invited, 11 oral and more than 100 poster presentations over a span of two days. During this conference four technical sessions and a parallel session for Young Environmentalist Award was held. The Conference was inaugurated by S. Rajinder Mohan Chinna, Honorary Secretary, Khalsa College Charitable Society and he motivate the students and participants to think and work for the welfare of environment and society. Worthy Principal, Dr. Mehal Singh encouraged the participants for sustainable use of resources and motivated them to take part in environment friendly activities and making our environment pollution free. The keynote address was delivered by Sant Baba Seva Singh Ji, (Padma Shree Awardee) Khadoor Sahib. Baba Ji emphasized on the importance of plants in maintaining the air and soil quality and prevention of floods. He also emphasized on planting more trees to make this environment a suitable place to live for the coming generations. He explain how his teams planted more than 7 Lakh trees, established around 200 fruit gardens and more than 250 Nanak forest to make this environment green and clean. Prof. (Dr.) Adarsh Pal Vig, Chairman Punjab Pollution Control Board, Patiala discussed the various activities done by the board to make farmer aware about stubble burning and crop diversification. He emphasized universities and colleges to organize such kind of events and he applauds the efforts of Khalsa College for successful organization of this national conference. Dr. Balwinder Singh, Head, Post Graduate Department of Botany explained the activities being organized by department for the pollution free environment. Dr. Rajbir Singh, organizing secretary, "AQHH-2022" welcomed all the participants and delegates and discussed his views on the title of the conference.

In the first technical session Sh. Umendra Dutt, Kheti Virasat Mission, Mr. Kamaljeet Hayer, Natural farmer, Sohangarh Natural Farm addressed the participants about the importance of organic farming and less use of pesticides and herbicides and maintaining the air quality by planting more trees and crop rotation. S. Gurbinder Singh Bajwa, Young Innovative Farmers Association, Gudaspur explained the techniques of DSR and crop residue management for the safe environment. The oral presentations were done by the researchers from various institutions. In the second technical session, Dr. M.S. Bhatti, Prof. G.N.D.U. Amritsar and Dr. J.S. Gill, PAU, Ludhiana addressed the participants. Dr. M.S. Bhatti talked about recent data of Global Burden of Disease (GBD) from 1990 to 2019 as the death rate increased by 2.5 % i.e. 10 lakhs deaths per year because of air pollution. Professor Bhatti explained about air quality index as well as various types of pollutants responsible for various health hazards among populations. Dr. J.S. Gill, PAU, Ludhiana talked about a novel innovation, "surface seeding" to halt paddy residue burning. On the second day in the third technical session Dr. Saroj Arora, Professor, G.N.D.U., Amritsar discussed about the role of plants in the treatment of dermatologic disorders. In the final technical session of the conference, Dr. Shweta Yadav (Professor, HS Gour Vishvidyalaya, MP) and Dr. Surendra S. Suthar (Doon University, Dehradun) discussed various approaches to control air pollution and role of Vermicompost in organic farming. Dr. Madhu delivered vote of thanks in the concluding day of the conference. Dr. Harjinder Singh, Dr. Prabhjit Kaur, Dr. Harpreet Kaur, Dr. Sushant Sharma, Dr. Maninder Kaur, Dr. P.K. Ahuja, Dr. Harsimran Kaur, Dr. Sonia Sharma Dr. Pardeep Kaur, Dr. Gurpreet Kaur, non-teaching staff and students of the department were present during the conference.