Environmental Day at SRMIST to reduce Carbon Footprint and MoU with TERRE

June 16 23:34 2021

Kattankulathur – SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST) observed World Environmental Day with an aim to reduce Carbon Foot Print and mobilize students and faculties to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems. About 900 students, faculties, staff members and others participated in the event that was held virtually. SRMIST’s Associate Director (Campus Life) and UBA Nodal Officer Dr. V. Thirumurugan welcomed the participants.

Speaking at the event, the Founder Chancellor of SRM Group of Institutions and Member of Parliament Dr. T. R. Paarivendhar said, “We must preserve our mother nature as a place to live as we inherited from our ancestors and pass on to our next generation and the environmental Day is an everyday activity for the global citizens and not pertaining to one institution.”

Dr. Rajendra Shende, Chairman of TERRE (Technology, Education, Research and Rehabilitation for the Environment) Policy Centre and former director of UNEP, the chief guest for the event talked on ‘Global Ecological Challenges – to make the youth Climate and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) ready’. SRMIST recently signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Smart Campus Cloud Network (SCCN) of TERRE Policy Centre, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to United Nations Sustainable Development.

Goals (SDGs) aiming to reduce carbon footprints and establishing SRMIST as a green and smart Institute. The Founder Chancellor of SRM Group of Institutes stressed the SRM Family members to follow the Ten Commandments agreed in the MoU between SRMIST and SCCN and committed to cooperate with TERRE in all avenues to make the campus a SMART CITY.

“SRMIST is like a small city and our aim is to transform it to a smart city,” said SRMIST’s (Interim) Vice Chancellor Dr. C. Muthamizhchelvan. “By collaborating with TERRE we would fulfill our ambition of making all our students and faculty future-ready and SDG-Ready.”

“Through SCCN we aim to mainstream United Nations Global Goals (SDGs) by adopting education and research on SDG where young minds are motivated for spearheading to active participation to lay out the road map for SRMIST SMART CITY for better health and education”, said Dr. Rajendra Shende.

SRMIST has also signed the Carbon Neutrality Pledge, “Not Zero- Net Zero Pledge” designed and monitored by SCCN of TERRE Policy Center. SRMIST will be the South-India’s Regional Hub of Smart Campus Cloud Network (SCCN). TERRE Policy Centre through Smart Campus Cloud Network (SCCN) will provide the overall guidance and mentoring to SRMIST on United Nations SDGs and Climate Change issues. The success-stories will be showcased on network platform including discussions in the web site sccnhub.com.

SRMIST is an active member of Higher Educational Institutes Network called Smart Campus Cloud Network (SCCN), launched by TERRE Policy Centre in 2017. The network is supported by UNESCO-Paris and India’s Ministry of Education through All India Council of Higher Technical Education (AICTE) and University Grant Commission (UGC). This digital network of nearly 350+ universities and colleges (7 from abroad) promotes the practical activities in the campus that contribute towards United Nations SDGs. Thus SCCN makes campus as laboratory for SDGs and promotes ‘learning by doing’ within the campus.

The network of universities encourages the students and the faculties to share their experiences on practical projects related to SDGs in the campus. The projects deploy the digital technologies like IoT (Internet of Thing), AI (Artificial Intelligence), Cloud-networking, Machine-to-machine learning and Block Chain.

The projects like Energy efficiency, harnessing of renewable energy, waste to energy, zero-waste, green buildings, smart-grid, healthy sanitation, e-waste management, air pollution, zero-emission transport, conservation of biodiversity ban on single use plastic, water conservation and water use efficiency, Carbon Neutrality, Sustainable Farming, Digital agriculture among others are undertaken in the campus. Ideation and research on SDGs are also encouraged in the campus. Importantly the results of the practical work in the campus are shared across the universities in the world through digital cloud dashboard that TERRE has developed.

Dr. S. Ponnusamy, SRMIST’s (Interim) Registrar felicitated the program highlighting the dedication and commitment of SRMIST to preserve the environment quoting that more than 100 crores rupees have been invested during the past decade on green initiatives and renewable energy programs at SRMIST such as STP plants for recycling of waste water, Rain Water Harvesting Systems, Biogas plants, Solar panels, Solar water heaters, Solar cooking system, Specialized Solid waste recycling units such as Bio medical waste, E- Waste and paper waste.

Dr. Kantha Deivi Arunachalam, Dean Center for Environmental Research, Directorate of Research, SRMIST thanked the Founder Chancellor, SRMIST for his Presidential address in motivating the SRMIST stakeholders assuring that he is with them during this pandemic time. She appreciated Dr. Rajendra Shende – Chairman, SCCN for his dedicated guidance and the support during 2019 to organize the Core Group meeting on May 17th and a Round Table Discussion on SDGs in association with SCCN, UGC and AICTE inviting VCs and Directors from all Higher Education Institutes on May 18thin 2019.

The SRMIST Environment Day committee thanked the resource persons and experts like Dr. Gayathri – HoD, Anaesthesia, Dean and Pro VC Medical for 3 days Pranayama workshop from May 30, 31 and June 1st.Ms. Kanimozhi and Dean – College of Agriculture for the presentation on Urban Farm Center, Narture Pharmacy and the Medicinal Cafeteria at SRMIST on June 2ndand interacting with the participant on the creation and maintenance of herbal garden. Dr. Abimanyu, and Dr. Chitra Pandian, Dean, School of Pharmacy for the demonstration on the Preparation of formulations of herbal sanitizers and hand washing liquid and motivating the participants to prepare their own herbal sanitizers on June 3rd, 2021.

Dr. C. Sheela Sasikumar, Director & Head-Clinical Research, Hi-care Super Specialty Hospital, Chennai was acknowledged for her enlightened talk on “Food Antioxidants for Prevention and Management of COVID” and mad the participants to understood the role and the mechanism of each bioactive components and its synergistic effect in managing and preventing the virus on June 4th. Over 100 enthusiastic participants attended all the workshops. The World Environmental Day (WED 2021) activities from May 30 – June 5th 2021 were organized and mentored by Mr. Sujith, Department of Medical Microbiology, SRM MCHRC and coordinated by Dr. Suriyaprakash – CENR. The Students, Faculties and Staff members from various disciplines of Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Medical and Health Sciences, Science and Humanities played a key role in scheduling the one week activities of WED 2021.

Media Contact
Company Name: SRM IST Kattankulathur
Contact Person: R Nandakummar
Email: Send Email
City: Chennai
State: Tamil Nadu
Country: India
Website: https://www.srmist.edu.in/

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