By Our Staff Reporter
Uttarkashi, 3 May: The Head of the Department of Zoology at RCU Government PG College, Uttarkashi, Professore Madhu Thapliyal, during a recently concluded departmental council event, motivated her students to help solve the problem of plastic waste. Uttarkashi is a district headquarters where pilgrims stay while visiting the famous Gangotri Shrine during the Char Dham Yatra. Because of the huge influx of tourists and an already overwhelmed carrying capacity of Uttarkashi town in terms of population, the problem of waste disposal has increased exponentially.Prof Madhu Thapliyal is a well-known environmentalist who has done scientific research on the impact of dams on river ecosystems and on the biodiversity that flourishes in the rivers. Inspired by their teacher, some students – Amandeep Aswal, Aditya Rana, Abhyudaya Painuli, Gaurav Panwar, Digambar Jagudi and Ashutosh Saranais started a campaign to remove plastic waste from Bugyals (alpine pastures).She congratulated the students for their commendable work when her students recently cleared the plastic waste scattered in Bugyals from a height of 4000 metres (Daarwa Top). She stated that, not only in Uttarkashi, but for the last 10 years, under the campaign of Save Nature Save Life, success was achieved in saving the one-hundred-year-old Gaura Devi pond in the very posh area of Dehradun. This success was achieved only because of participation of local public, and MDDA. She mentioned that she got the support of newspapers and media and the pond was saved from encroachment and acquisition because all stakeholders of society were involved.She added that, if the common people perform their responsibilities properly, they can face challenges like climate change.Today, there has been so much technological advancement but dumping of plastic waste remains a major problem. There is no one else to blame for this except humans. Prof. Thapliyal also disclosed that the students found footprints of animals and birds like snow leopards and monal during their collection drive. College Principal Prof Savita Gairola congratulated this team of students. She said that the students of the college Zoology Department and Prof Madhu Thapliyal have brought laurels to the institution.
