Recent Event

Summing up of the two days’ U.G.C. Sponsored National Seminar on “Conservation of Biodiversity and Natural Resources in sustainable development” was held in the Zoology Department, A.P.C. College, New Barrackpore, in collaboration with the Department of Zoology, Bajkul Milani Mahavidyalaya on 6th and 7th September, 2016 .

After a conventional but very hearty, cordial and lucid Welcome address of Dr. S. Bhowmik, the Principal of the College, and a brief but elucidative inaugural address by Dr. N. C. Halder, the President of the G.B of the College, the main key note address was delivered by Professor Gobinda Chandra Sadhukhan,. ASC, JU. In his deliberation Prof. Sadhukhan elaborately narrated the very need for the preservation of the Biological diversity for furthering human civilization in general and to augment any sustainable all round development of human livelihood in particular. At the same time Prof Sadhukhan mentioned about the Anthropogenic activities for modern civilization as the most detrimental and disruptive modes for preservation of the Biodiversity of all the existing millions of floral and faunal species on this planet, that albeit includes the man himself, as a consequence a large number of both floral and faunal species got extinct already and another large number are on the verge of extinction which have been termed as endangered species After this key note address the first session of the 1st day’s Seminar was pronounced end for Tea break.

After the Tea break the 1st scientific session for the seminar was held where four invited papers were red by the various experts working in the field. The very tone of those papers almost orchestrated the same tune suggesting the very need of the preservation of the Biological diversity of this planet as far as possible intact to ensure the survival of man himself along with various plants and animal. At the beginning Dr. Punarbasu Choudhuri, Department of Environmental Science, University of Calcutta, very categorically illustrated the role of anthropogenic activities, in the pretext of economical gains, destroys the otherwise a balanced and beneficial mangrove ecosystem with a sustainable Biodiversity developed naturally as a sole environmental protector of this area in particular and the entire west Bengal in general. Even now this ecosystem has been made to be under great threat from the human greed of exploitation to destroy the still left remnant part of Entire balanced Biodiversity of the remote past.

In her deliberation Dr. Sangita Mitra of National Biodiversity Board, Chennai clearly pointed out the very intension of human nature to encroach animals’ and plants’ habitat and so called corridors of various animals to glorify the human’s ascendance. For the purpose she cited an example showing how the naturally developed elephant corridor, from the time immemorial, was occupied by creating railway tracks in the Himalayan foothill forest of North Bengal as a consequence large number of elephants die very on and off at that area and she opined that for any such developmental program man always assign for the betterment of only and only for humankind leaving all other plants and animals in complete oblivion creating permanent man-animal conflict and destroying the sustainable Biodiversity of an ecosystem ultimately that fingers to human for the rapid extinction of various Biological species that man must understand “ better late than never”.

UGC Emeritus Fellow and retired Professor Samiran Chakraborty beautifully illustrated the human role for the invasion of alien species in otherwise a naturally developed balanced ecosystem interacting with naturally emerged Biological diversity to jeopardize the entire that specific ecological Biodiversity leading to the extinction of many species and or departing of many faunal species thus creating a new ecosystem untested interactive interaction by the Natural selection leading to the vulnerable situation of the rest of the newly developed ecosystem. He cited many examples in the connection which are African cat fish, Guppy, Gambusia, Tilapia, Nile tilapia , common carp, Grass carp, Silver carp, Crocodile fishes etc. Among mollusks African giant snail is the best example that destroys innumerable plants many of which are economically important. The list of such alien Insects is very long that destroy even number of Medicinal plants, food plants and many otherwise important plants.

In his deliberation Dr. R.K. Pandit of Mohadevananda Mohavidyalaya, Barrackpore, narrated the beautiful genetic diversity within a group of phytophagous Aphids in the sub Himalayan region of North Benbal and he stressed on the preservation has become essential to maintain the genetic diversity of this group of organism.

Anchor and the observer of the session, Dr. S. N. Maitra Ex Associate Professor, in Zoology, A.P.C. College, concluded that it is now obvious that Human interest does not spare anything such as flora or faunal safety, if need be, in the pretext of development and furtherance of civilization. Only framing of some Government rules against any such destruction of Biodiversity will never mitigate the problem but every citizen must feel from the childhood, from birth, the need of the preservation of the Biodiversity and should it be emancipated by heart but not just by saying. He finally concluded by considering human civilization history that whether the present direction of human developmental strategy keeping intact the achievement of conservation of Biodiversity is possible in real sense? However, we all together must have to try to ensure the conservation of Biodiversity as much as we can adopt various means. After this a half an hour break was announced for lunch.

After the lunch break was over post lunch scientific session began with Dr. Sangita Mitra, of National Biodiversity Board, in chair. In this session two invited papers were red and five paper presentations were there. The first invited lecture was of restoration of ecosystem in the coal field area of Ranchi Jharkhand by Dr. Sukalyan Chakrabarty of BIT, Ranchi .In his lecture Dr. Chakrabarty pointed out that coal lifting and not properly filling up of that huge vacuum place, by sand, large water bodies are the result. He elaborated that aqua culture practice in these water bodies may help in the partial restoration of otherwise lost ecosystem due to coal rising in a very improper way. By that way the part of Biodiversity could be restored.

Followed by this deliberation of Dr. Sukalyan Chakrabarty, Dr. Amal Kumar Patra of Vidyasagore College , Kolkata, beautifully narrated the diversity in fresh water malaco faunal distribution in some districts of West Bengal. Proper preservation of all those fauna is essential as a part of the preservation of Biodiversity that serves as human by nutritional efficacy as well. Afterwards five papers were presented by various authors of very diverse in nature such as moth diversity of SBR and its impact on mega diversity red by Dr. Biplab kumar Modak of SKB University. Then it was Botanical Bioremediation: a green technology for ecosystem restoration red by Dr. Swarnakar of Bangabasi College followed by the paper Odonates availability inSerampore College campus red by Dr. Sanjay Sarkar of Serampopre College and another paper entitled ‘Globalization of regional Bio-resources by Geographical indications red by Dr.Mohsina Iqbal New Alipore College, Kolkata and that was finally concluded by a paper entitled ‘Orchids extra vagavza – An old wives tale. By all those papers Human civilization process has directly or indirectly been implicated time and again. However, importance of the preservation of Biodiversity has been upheld by all the speakers.

After the end of the post lunch session Dr. Sangita Mitra of National Biodiversity Board expressed her view, as chairperson of the session, that all most all of us try to fit every Biological activities in human utility only just forgetting all of millions of flora and faunal requirement which is really improper.

Second day’s session was started at 10.30 AM where five invited papers were deliberated by various experienced scientists in their respective fields. The session was chaired by Professor Shilanjan Bhattacharyay, State University, Barasat. The first paper of the pre lunch session was deliberated by Dr. Piyali Chatterjee, DD of Cacutta Zoological Garden, entitled “Role of Ex situ conservation “In her deliberation Dr. Chatterjee lucidly explained the exact role of ex situ conservation to protect the various endangered species and their genomic preservation for the conservation of Biodiversity apart from its other aspects such as man can come closer to animals for knowledge and pleasure.

After that Dr. S Mishra of ZSI deliberated his lecture on “ Fish diversity and conservation” His deliberation was beautifully arranged so that it was very easily understood by the audiences that how the piscine live are diversed and why they need human attempt for their preservation. Next deliberation from the Principal Uluberia College Dr.Debashis Pal on the topic entitled “ East Calcutta Westland” In his lucid but in elaborative way he explained what is westland and exactly how this Westland possess the sustainable Biodiversity with the help of large number of micro and macro flora and fauna. This diversified live process has to be conserved for human need and sustainable benefit.

After that Dr. A.K.Mahapatra of Digha MARC delibered his lecture on “Mass destruction of Sea cucumbers at Digha coast fish trash by shore scene nets”. In his deliberation Dr. Mahapatra elaborately showed that how the Sea cucumbers are being destroyed every day at Digha coast by scene net operators and that is a direct threat to the preservation of Biodivarsity. Finally this session was end after a beautiful, elaborative and emancipative deliberation by Mr.Kaushik Bhattacharya, a Naturalist on the Bio-ecological need of various snakes and their role in maintaining the rodent population in Natural system. He also told about the need for human being to know the snakes for both the Nature and the Man himself. Audience was very attentive and interested to listen about the requirement of conservation.

After the end of the session Professor Shilanjan Bhattacharya of state University elegantly elucidated the main essence of the second day’s pre lunch session, as chairman, pin pointing the various experts’ experiences of the basic need to conserve the Biological diversity starting from the micro flora and fauna to macro flora and fauna including the man himself. He also stressed to reduce the human menaces both for maintenance of Biodiversity and its conservation with immediate effect as already time has been telling for the last decade or so. Then the chair person thanked the audience and requested to go for lunch.

After lunch break the post lunch session started by 3 pm. At the beginning of this session Dr. Nithar Ranjan Madhu, Convener of this seminar, narrated the various activities undertaken through the year long performance by the Nature’s club members. In addition she Videoed some very rich Birds’ diversity within the A.P.C. College campus collected by the members of the Nature’s club throughout the year.

Seven papers were red by various authors of respective Colleges and Universities where everybody attempted to focus the very need to protect the Biological Diversity comprising balanced interactive processes created by floral and faunal diversities in Nature. Human activities must not and should not be the main cause of destruction of those Natural diversities. Afterwards there was a brief Valedictory session which was initiated by the Convener of the Seminar, Dr Sutapa Biswas , and concluded by the Principal of the A.P.C. College. Entire proceedings of the Seminar, for two days, was anchored by Dr. Satyendra Nath Maitra, Ex. Associated professor of Zoology, A.P.C. College, in his observation he had commented that the entire Biological diversity is under great threat only and only by the Anthropogenic activities for the last about three hundred years or so mainly. At the same time he, with all humility, has asked the audience that whether keeping this present direction of civilization intact is it possible to prevent the rapid destruction of Biodiversity on this planet?

Summing up of the two days’ U.G.C. Sponsored National Seminar on ‘Medicinal Plants, Health and Environment’ was held in the Botany Department, A.P.C. College, New Barrackpore, in collaboration with the Department of Botany, Bajkul Milani Mahavidyalaya on 9th and 10th September, 2016.

After a conventional but very hearty, cordial and lucid Welcome address of Dr. S. Bhowmik, the Principal of the College, and a brief but elucidative inaugural address by Dr. N. C. Halder, the President of the G.B of the College, the main key note address was delivered by Dr. Prasanta Sarkar, Director, Medicinal Board. In his deliberation Dr. Sarkar elaborately narrated the very need for the preservation of the medicinal plants for furthering human civilization in general and all round development of human livelihood in particular. After this key note address the first session of the 1st day’s Seminar was pronounced end for Tea break.

After the Tea break the 1st scientific session for the seminar was held where three invited papers were red by the various experts working in the field. At the beginning Dr. Prabir Ranjan Sur, Retd. Scientist of Botanical Survey of India illustrated the role of beneficial medicinal value.

In her deliberation Dr. N. K. Dhal of Professor of Biological Science, CSIR-IMMT, Bhubaneswar-13 clearly pointed out the very intension of human health with associated with Plants medicines. Professor Sobhan Kr. Mukherjee, University of Kalyani beautifully illustrated the role of medicinal plants in balanced ecosystem.

After the lunch break, the first invited lecture was of Preparation of register for medicinal plants by Dr. Anirban Roy, West Bengal Biodiversity Board, Govt. of West Bengal. In his lecture Dr. Roy pointed out that Biodiversity could be restored. Dr. Manabendra Dutta Choudhury, Professor, Ethnobotany & Natural Product Research Laboratory, Assam University and Dr. Sandip Kumar Basak, Associate Prof., Kandi Raj Colleg and Dr. Sumit Mitra, Associate Prof., Ranaghat College were explained that Ethno medicine is comparatively a new areas of science deals with plant-man relationship though ages. This subject is gaining increasing importance to the pharmaceutical industries in India and abroad. This paper is briefly an outlines of the ethno medicine used in veterinary systems in India. As example only eight ailments have been discussed- with preventive and curative measures by the medicinal and aromatic taxa.

Second day’s session was started at 10.30 AM where five invited papers were deliberated by various experienced scientists in their respective fields.

The session was chaired by Dr. Krishna Roy, West Bengal state University, Barasat. The first paper of the pre lunch session was deliberated by Dr. Subrata Maity, Medicinal plant Consultant, Kolkata, entitled “Medicinal plants and health’’.

After that large numbers of paper presentation were held accordingly. After lunch session, a workshop was organized by the department specially Organizing Secretary Mrs. Bhanumati Sarkar, HOD, Department of Botany by the help of expert from various Institutions.