Srinagar Garhwal: The three-day international conference on geography at Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University concluded with an in-depth discussion on climate change, urbanization, and environmental imbalance. Experts expressed concern over the rapid urbanization of hill regions and the shrinking of rural areas, calling it a major cause of ecological disruption. They emphasized that development plans in Himalayan states should be designed from a geographical perspective to minimize natural disasters and preserve environmental balance.
Prof. V.P. Sati from Mizoram Central University said that increasing migration from villages to cities in mountain regions is weakening traditional rural structures. The conference, organized under the 46th annual session of the Indian Institute of Geographers (IIG), saw participation from researchers and academicians from India, the UK, Luxembourg, and Nepal. Discussions covered themes such as environmental change, dynamic earth systems, sustainable development, and climate crisis.
Prof. Manjula Rana, Dean of the Faculty of Arts at Garhwal University, said that such global seminars provide valuable insights for research and policymaking. IIG President Prof. D.K. Nayak highlighted the need for geographically informed development strategies in sensitive mountain regions like Uttarakhand to reduce disaster risks.
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Conference Coordinator Prof. M.S. Panwar informed that the collected recommendations from the event will be compiled into a report and sent to the NITI Aayog and Setu Commission before October 31. Over 200 research papers were presented, and 300 participants attended the sessions.
For his outstanding contribution to geographical research, Dr. Sagar was honored with the ‘Young Geographer Award’.
