Organized by: Department of Geography
Convener : Dr. Abhay M. Patil
It gives me immense pleasure to present before you the report of UGC Sponsored Two-Day National Seminar on ‘Population, Environment and Sustainable Development: Issues And Challenges’ organized by the Department of Geography on 12th & 13th September 2014. The seminar received a very good response and a total of 80 research papers were selected for presentation from states like Goa, Maharashtra, Andra Pradesh, Gujarat & Tamil Nadu on the different sub themes.

The National Seminar was inaugurated with keynote address by Dr. R. S. Deshpande, the known Economist and Rajiv Gandhi National Fellow (ICSSR) Former Director, Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bangalore. He focused on population, environment and sustainable development. He systematically linked how population is causing environmental damage and stressed the need for appropriate use of technology and manpower to overcome environmental crises. He urged that renewable natural resources must be taken care of for the better future. The Guest of Honour of the Seminar, Dr. T. C. Sharma, Former Principal, R.P.D. College of Arts & Commerce, Belgaum, highlighted his deep concern over the degradation of environment and its related issues like Global warming, Depletion of ozone layer, Acid rain, etc. which leads to climatic change and the global crises in natural resources. He stressed a need for a safe and secure future for the human mankind. Smt. Lata Kittur, Chairperson, R.P.D. College Managing Committee, presided over the function.
The two-day National Seminar had a total of five plenary and seven technical sessions. The resource persons like Dr. C. M. Lakshamana, Prof. S. I. Biradar, Prof.(Smt). Mukta Adi, Dr. Prabhir rath, Dr. P.T. Hanamgond, Dr. D. N. Misale, Dr. N. D. Hegde participated and contributed their views on various themes of the seminar.
I take this opportunity to thank our beloved Principal Shri. M. I. Hegde, Orgnising Secretary Shri. S. S. Shinde, Joint Organizing Secretary Smt. S. I. Kittali, Coordinator, Dr. M. S. Kurani and all the Chairpersons and members of various committees, the student volunteers for their valuable support towards the grand success of this seminar.
I also thank the University Grants Commission for their financial assistance in organizing this event and my sincere thanks are also to the SKE society, Union Bank of India and Bio-vision Health Care Belgaum for their valuable contribution in the form of sponsorship.
I look forward for the same trust and continued support in the future events organized by our Department.