The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC and the Department of Hindi, Punjab University jointly organized a two day national seminar on 'Globalization, Environment and Human Rights' from the 1st - 2nd February, 2018. The seminar saw over 50 research presentations.
Inaugurating the seminar, Mr. S.C. Sinha, Member, NHRC highlighted how globalization and the tangents of maximizing profits and accumulating capital had a negative impact on environment. He said that environmental crises like depletion of ozone layer, melting of glaciers and reduction in biodiversity were all a result of unchecked exploitation of nature in the garb of globalization.
Dr. Rajendera Singh, Magsaysay awardee, in his key note address, said that despite decades of development since independence, the incidence of drought and floods had increased 10 times in the country in 2017. This, he said, spoke of the alarming state of depleting environment. Popularly known as the waterman, Dr Singh shared his agony how businesses had robbed the poor of their basic right to drinking water, which is being sold at prices, which they can't afford to pay. Drawing on his experience, Dr. Singh demonstrated how with local innovative methods of water conservation, a barren region can be transformed into a fertile one.
Mr. Ambuj Sharma, Secretary General, NHRC stressed upon the need for conservation of natural resources to save the planet for future generations. He said that in order to save environment, a balance was required in theory and practice through proper policy interventions.
Several concerns were raised on the depleting environment due to manmade causes and how action was required to ensure that the business activities did not deprive people of their rights in the quest for globalization. The highlight of the seminar was its interdisciplinary nature bringing different subject experts and government functionaries under one roof to discuss and deliberate upon the challenges facing globalization, environment and human rights.
Several prominent people attended and also addressed the seminar. They included, among others, Mr. Gurbachan Singh, DG(I) Investigation, NHRC, Dr. Ranjit Singh, Joint Secretary, (P&A), NHRC, Dr. Gurmeet Singh, Chairperson, Department of Hindi, Punjab University, Professor Meenakshi Malhotra, Dean University Instruction, Punjab University. Mr. Prashant Kumar Mahapatra, Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Haryana, Dr. Shyamli Singh, Indian Institute of Public Administration, Prof. Nandita Singh, Coordinator Interdisciplinary Centre for Swami Vivekananda Studies, Mr. Nirmal Kashyap, Environment Engineer, Pollution Control Board, Haryana, Dr. Roshan Sunkaria, Principal Secretary, Environment, Col. (Retd.) Guljit Singh Chadha, Registrar, Punjab University, Dr. Ashok Kumar, Department of Hindi, Dr S.K. Shukla, Assistant Director, NHRC.