Sri Fatehgarh Sahib/March 25:
(Ravinder Singh Dhindsa)
The Department of English at Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib, organized a One-Day National Seminar dedicated to World Water Day 2025. The seminar on "Water and Humanity: Crisis, Culture and Sustainability" brought together distinguished scholars, environmentalists, and academicians to discuss the urgent need for water conservation and sustainability. The event began with a formal welcome by Dr. Ankdeep Kaur Attwal, Head, Department of English, who greeted the esteemed dignitaries and participants. She highlighted the relevance of the seminar, emphasizing the growing global water crisis and the need for collaborative efforts to address water conservation challenges.In his presidential address, Dr. Pritpal Singh, Vice-Chancellor of the University, underscored the importance of preserving water for future generations. He pointed out that while agriculture contributes to water depletion, untreated industrial effluents pose a far greater threat, leading to severe health issues such as cancer, kidney diseases, and waterborne infections. He also drew attention to the rise of corporate hospitals in Punjab, linking it to increasing health risks due to water pollution. He called for immediate action in this regard and proudly shared the contribution of the University in water conservation. He shared that the University is committed to saving water and has established sewerage water treatment plant, Run-off and RO water water recharge and rain water harvesting. He also shared that the University has orgainsed number of tree plantation drives. In his inaugural address, Dr. Sukhwinder Singh Billing discussed the two main aspects of the water crisis: availability and quality.
He connected the discourse to Guru Nanak’s philosophy, which remains profoundly relevant in today's environmental concerns. Tracing cultural shifts in ecological awareness over the past five decades, he urged against blaming any single sector for the crisis. Instead, he advocated for collective responsibility, stricter enforcement of environmental laws, and stronger governmental support for farmers to ensure sustainable resource management. Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Swaraj Raj spoke on the significance of World Water Day and this year’s theme, "Preserving Glaciers." He explored global water politics, highlighting that while India has 18% of the world’s population, it possesses only 4% of its water resources, which puts immense pressure on its dwindling supplies. He warned that wars over oil in the 20th century are being replaced by conflicts over water in the 21st century. Referencing the Punjab-Haryana water dispute, he elaborated on its evolution into a political and communal issue. Citing the case of a soft drink company in Mexico, he illustrated how corporate interests exacerbate water shortages worldwide.
He also discussed the shift in resource ownership from democracy to oligarchy, and now to what he termed as "broligarchy." Sharing personal observations, he lamented the decline of bird populations in Punjab’s wetlands and the harmful impact of pesticides on butterflies, emphasizing that economic-driven development often disregards environmental sustainability. Dr. Rajan Aggarwal presented a scientific analysis of the negative consequences of the Green Revolution and industrialization on Punjab’s water resources. He provided data on the declining efficiency of Punjab’s canal system and highlighted changing rainfall patterns leading to flash floods. Stressing the need for immediate action, he proposed technological solutions such as laser levelling, zero tillage, bed planting, drip irrigation, sewage treatment plants, mulching, polyhouses, rainwater harvesting, perforated tiles, and open well recharge systems to conserve water effectively. Bringing a spiritual and philosophical dimension to the discussion, Dr. Hardev Singh elaborated on Sikh philosophy’s deep-rooted connection to water conservation.
He noted that Sanskrit has twenty-seven different words for water, demonstrating its cultural and historical significance. He also pointed out that Punjab is a land of rivers and saints, which underlines the religious reverence for water. Stressing that water is not just a physical necessity but an emotional and spiritual entity, he referenced religious texts that emphaise the Supreme Being as "Shabadguru" (the divine word) and then as "Amrit" (the nectar of immortality).The seminar was convened by Dr. Baljeet Kaur, Assistant Professor, who emphasized the need for interdisciplinary discussions on environmental sustainability. The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Professor Ramesh Arora, Director of Internal Quality Assurance Cell of the University. He expressed gratitude to all the speakers, participants, and organizers for their invaluable contributions. He reiterated the importance of continued dialogue and collaborative efforts in tackling global water challenges.The seminar was graced by Prof. Tejbir Singh, Registrar of the University, Dr. Preet Kaur, Head, Department of Physics; Dr. Rupinder Kaur, Head, Department of Biotechnology; Dr. Richa Brar, Head, Department of Mathematics; Dr. Rahul Badru, Head, Department of Chemistry; Dr. Harneet Billing, Head, Department of Education; Dr. Nav Shagan Deep Kaur, Head, Department of Sociology; Mr. Harpreet Singh, Head, Department of Music; Dr. Supreet Bindra, Assistant Professor of Physiotherapy; Dr. Monika Airi; Assistant Professor of Zoology; Dr. Jaspreet Kaur, Incharge, Department of Agriculture, Dr. Navdeep Kaur, Incharge of Botany; Dr. Jaspreet Kaur, Incharge, Department of History and faculty members of various departments of the University.