SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Oct 7: The Institution of Engineers (India) [IEI], Dhanbad Local Centre, in collaboration with the EIACP Programme Centre (RP), Department of Environmental Science and Engineering (ESE), IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, celebrated World Habitat Day on Tuesday.
Prof. Alok Sinha, Head of the Department of ESE, inaugurated the event. In his address, he highlighted the importance of respecting natural habitats and emphasized the need for creating animal corridors to maintain a balance between urban expansion and ecological conservation.
He also shared his recent experiences from a visit to the Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary, underscoring lessons in sustainable coexistence between humans and wildlife.
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Delivering the welcome address, Prof. Biswajit Paul, Professor at the Department of ESE and Secretary of IEI Dhanbad Local Centre, spoke on the relevance of World Habitat Day as a platform to encourage sustainable and inclusive urban development.
He noted that for a mining and industrial city like Dhanbad, urban growth must align with ecological sustainability and community welfare.
The observance also underlined the importance of transitioning from emergency responses to development-oriented solutions that enhance urban resilience and social equity.
Prof. Riya Dutta, Assistant Professor, Department of ESE, delivered the keynote address on “Climate Change and Its Impact on Urban Areas.” She discussed the increasing vulnerability of cities to extreme weather events such as heat waves and floods.
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Prof. Dutta stressed the significance of adopting green infrastructure, restoring wetlands, developing efficient stormwater management systems, and promoting community-level adaptation to make cities more climate-resilient and livable.
This year’s global theme for World Habitat Day was “Urban Solutions to Crisis,” reflecting the collective call for sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient urban development.
