Meaningful Environmental Discourse week Concludes at Jimmy McGilligan Centre on World Environment Day

Indore - On the occasion of World Environment Day, the 32nd Annual Environment Symposium Week organized by Dr. Mrs. Janak Palta McGilligan, Founder Director of Jimmy McGilligan Centre for Sustainable Development, concluded in the presence of FICCI-FLO and a large number of Environment lovers, Workers, women, men and youth .

The program started with prayers in the Graceful presence of the Chief Guest Prof. Upindra Dhar, Vice Chancellor of Vaishnav Vishwavidyalaya . First of all, Mr. Atul Bagai (IAS), retired head of United Nations Environment Programme, India gave an online message, "I salute all the people gathered on World Environment Day along with Janak ji. I was appointed as the head of United Nations Environment Programme, India in 2017 and met Janak ji for the first time in 2018 and was surprised to see how she does so much work of environmental protection alone. Since then, every year she invites me to this program. Even though I have just retired, she remembered me in this program. This year's theme is a call for speeding up for land restoration, desertification and drought . The rapid increase in heat is a terrible threat not only for India but for the entire world. Like Janak Didi, we all have to plant trees, save water and save the earth. I thank Didi for inspiring us along with the new generation in an unprecedented and well-organized way. I wish all of you the best."

1: The week was started by the chief guest, Vice Chancellor of Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Dr. Renu Jain, saying that all will have to focus their lives on land restoration and they will make their campus zerowaste and plastic free. Indore College of Dentistry and its Dean Prof. Sandhya Jain said that with the inspiration of Janak Palta Didi, now we use steel utensils for eating and drinking and have started using earthen pots instead of plastic water bottles. Environmental scientist Dr. Dilip Vaghela, water expert Dr. Sudhendra Mohan Sharma, environmentalist Dr. OP Joshi taught about greenery, water conservation and pollution control.

2 Kasturba Gram College Principal Dr. Rishina Natu, all the students and faculty/staff and students were addressed by Janak Palata McGilligan on making the earth healthy through sustainable living and all gave their heartfelt assurance.

3 Keynote speaker, retired IIT BHU and Hyderabad Director Prof. Rajeev Sangal from Indore, staff and students participated in the discussion about the damage caused to the earth due to pollution and conservation of soil, water and biodiversity, prohibition of single-use plastic. IIT Indore 2014 batch pass-out students Rohit Agarwal and Jwalant Shah told that solar cooking langar was organized in Amarnath Yatra by Zero Waste Startup Swaaha Company, from there plastic waste was brought down and recycled and today Swaaha is providing its services in the whole country from Port Blair to Northeast. 

4 The next day, organic farmers from 20 villages, founder of Jaivik Setu Ambrish Kela, Nadi Vaidya Shefali Sanghal, Solar Dryer Social Entrepreneur Varun Raheja and Janak Didi interacted with them about organic farming will have to be scaled up and given priority to avoid the disaster of climate crisis.

5 Varun Raheja, Founder of Raheja Solar Food Processing Pvt. Ltd., learned to make solar dryer during an internship with Janak Palta McGilligan and said that now his biggest aim is to promote pollution-free food and sustainable livelihood in rural India. Surekha Sonawane, another intern of Janak Didi, told a very interesting success story of her start-up "Ready to Eat Mix". She makes and sells 200 items using a solar dryer. 

6 Dr. Mrs Janak Palta McGilligan shared her life journey and concerns about Climatic Emergency with the Director of Shri Vaishnav Management Institute, George Thomas 150 students and faculty/staff of MBA, for environmental protection and sustainable development by adopting habits in their daily lifestyle that are nature friendly. WE cannot justrraise slogans of Bharat Mata, Dharti Mata and Gaumata ki Jai, we will have to consciously and mindfully work for Conservation and sustainabel Development to become healthy and prosperous.

 7 Today, on World Environment Day, the Chief guest Vice Chancellor Prof. Upinder Dhar and Prof. Santosh Dhar Dean of ShriVaishnav University . They said in the closing address that Janak Didi conducts environment discourse for 7 days and herself is plastic free, chemical free, and is giving her solar wind energy to 50 tribal families. She grows organic food and feeds others.. Her whole life is an example, an inspiration and guides different institutions. We now need to move beyond awareness to action. We have to reach the front of the environment. There is a need for immediate action and not just events on environmental protection.

Janak Palta McGilligan Presented the ActionPLan , The Outcome OF Week long Discourse Collectively as follows: 

 

 1. Took a pledge to make DAVV, IIT Indore, Vaishnav Institute and Kasturba Gram zero waste and solar campuses.

 2 To motivate the general public to buy organic products from organic farmers so that the income of farmers can increase Poison-free organic farming, indigenous seeds for organic farmers will save the future by saving soil, water. 

3. Varun Raheja of Raheja Solar Food Processing Private Limited Company said that he will create a separate department for solar droid organic products in his company and will also promote solar drying of organic products, solar drying of Ayurvedic herbs and cosmetic products. 4. 4 To encourage and support organic farmers for collection and preservation of coarse grains like jowar, bajra, kodo, kutki etc.

 5. Stop using plastic in daily life. 

6. Plant trees and take care of them till they grow. 

7. Staff and all people, farmers will no more use plastic packing.

8 All will make it a habit to switch off fans and lights when they are not in use.

 In the end, Mr. Virendra Goyal (Trustee of the Foundation) said that if we only try to plant and raise as many trees as possible and avoid single use plastic as possible, we can save the environment to a great extent. 

Mrs. Vibha Jain (President of FICCI FLO Indore) said that we should check our dustbins that most of the dry waste in them is made of plastic, which is a matter of concern because plastic is very dangerous for the health of our soil. We should avoid buying things that we do not need. Separating the waste as medical waste, electronic waste etc. makes its recycling process possible. Dr. Jayshree Sikka (Gujarati Science College) spoke about saving Soil otherwise we cannot save the Land.

Nilesh, Pooja and Sidharth assisted the week long program as Volunteers.

 Keltech Lab founder Sushil Malhotra and his colleagues were present. They honored i Janak Palta McGilligan was honored with the Caltech First Green Award 2024 by the Caltech Test and Research Center Testing and Calibration Lab for her extraordinary dedication and work after testing water, air and pollution at the Center for Sustainable Development.