Climate Action
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INTRODUCTION
The world is in a climate emergency – “a code red for humanity”, according to the UN Secretary-General. The concentration of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere is wreaking havoc worldwide and threatening lives, economies, health and food. Burning fossil fuels is the primary reason for adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, notably carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane. Agriculture, industrial processes, and forest loss are the other causes. Greenhouse gases warm the air by absorbing heat radiated by the Earth, trapping the heat near the surface. Greenhouse gas emissions amplify this effect, causing the Earth to take in more energy from sunlight than it can radiate back into space.
Nitte (DU) and Climate Change Mitigation: The institution constituted a committee of the Nitte University Green Initiative Project (NUGIP) in 2017. The motto of NUGIP is “Nurture Nature.”
Mission: To create and foster an ecosystem to facilitate sustainable growth, ambience for learning, improved quality of life and a healthy society.
Objectives:
- To foster and mentor green campus initiatives that strive towards sustainable growth of the University.
- Explore green options in all plans.
- Generate awareness towards biodiversity, conservation of energy and waste management.
- Develop and design a structured management system to reduce, reuse and recycle resources.
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
Nitte University Green Initiative Project 2021-22
The committee is headed by the Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, Prof. (Dr). Satheesh Kumar Bhandary. The committee has representation from every constituent university college, external members from the state pollution control board and regional environmentalists.
INFRASTRUCTURE
- University Administrative Block and Justice K S Hegde Charitable Hospital Campus:
GREEN COVER
University Administrative And Hospital Campus:
Green Cover:The total percentage of green cover is calculated as 7.8%
Trees and woody shrubs audited on this campus: 330
KSHEMA Campus And Hostels
Green cover of KSHEMA campus and hostels is 24.3%
Trees and woody shrubs audited on KSHE- MA and hostel campus: 939
Paneer Campus:
Green cover: The campus has 24% green cover.
Trees and woody shrubs audited on the campus: 725
b) Green Inner Space
Large inner spaces with green covers en- hance the ambience of the teaching-learn- ing experience. Well-tended gardens pro- vide a healthy, oxygen-rich atmosphere to the occupants.
c) Medicinal gardens
One hundred twenty-five medicinal plants are planted and catalogued with their scien- tific and common names, medicinal uses and chemical components.
d) Plant a Tree on Your Birthday
Planting a sapling on birthdays is a step to- wards neutralizing an individual’s carbon footprint. It creates a memorable connec- tion with the campus.
EDUCATION
Nitte (DU) have incorporated environmental science in the undergraduate curriculum of all the university courses with the following learning objectives
COURSE OUTCOMES
CO1: Evaluate events of Climate change, global warming, ozone layer depletion, acid rain and its impacts on human communities and agriculture based on case studies
CO2: Compare various ecosystems such as forest, grassland, desert and aquatic case studies
CO3: Integrate and analyze the various nat- ural and manmade factors that affect forests, the environment and tribal populations CO4: Propose alternative sources of energy to meet the growing energy needs of our population
OUTREACH PROGRAMS:
Introduction to Traditional Paddy Culti- vation
The NSS unit of Dr NSAM PU College, Man- galore, organized a visit to the paddy field located at Chembugudde, Thokkotu on 13th July 2021. The program was inaugurated by Mr Jayaram Shetty, former MLA of the Ullal constituency. Addressing the students, he expressed that agriculture must be modern- ized, and if students have good knowledge in this field, they can help achieve this. He mentioned that one who cultivates does not experience poverty. Principal Dr Naveen Shetty K presided over the function. In his speech, he said that the college had enrolled students from different parts of the state, in- cluding Dandeli and Mysore. He added that the present generation is not aware of the cultivation of paddy and the purpose of this visit was to enhance knowledge of tradition- al cultivation. Around 30 NSS volunteers ac- tively participated in planting the seedlings and got a hands-on experience in traditional cultivation. Mr Purushotham Pilaar, a former member of Municipal Corporation, Somesh- war; Mr Vishwanath Alva & Mr Sharath Ku- mar Bhandari, renowned agriculturists; Mrs Shakunthala Shetty, owner of the paddy field and a few of the staff members were present on occasion. NSS officer Mrs Sandhya wel- comed the gathering, and Mrs Manaswi pro- posed the vote of thanks. Mrs Meera Crasta coordinated the program.
A Public Awareness Program, “National Pollution Control Day”
The Institution Innovation Council, Nitte (DU), in collaboration with Project NISHAB- DA, Department of ENT, KSHEMA and Nitte Institute of Speech and Hearing (NISH), or- ganized “National Pollution Control Day” in the virtual mode on 2nd December 2021. Prof (Dr) B Satheesh Kumar Bhandary, Vice Chancellor, Nitte (DU), delivered the open- ing remarks and provided an overview of the University’s efforts in establishing a green campus. Prof (Dr) Senthil Vel, Dean, College of Fisheries, Mangaluru, delivered the key- note address with an update on the types of pollution and its impact on human and other living resources. The Guest of Honor, Mr Ra- mesh D Naik, Senior Environmental Officer, KSPCB, Mangaluru, stressed the immediate need for complying with government regu- lations in mitigating pollution. Mr Gurudath Kamath, Inspector of Police (Traffic), South Police Station, Naguri, Mangalore, was the Guest of Honor and spoke of the noise generated by road traffic as a harmful en- vironmental stressor for the general public. Prof (Dr) Vadisha Bhat, HoD, ENT, KSHEMA, presented a talk on the ‘sound impact on hearing’.Prof (Dr) G Srinikethan, President Institution Innovation Council, Nitte (DU), in- troduced the guests. Ms Shwetha Sada, Prin- cipal, NISH, delivered the welcome address. Dr A Veena Shetty, Member, Safety Commit- tee, Nitte (DU), proposed the vote of thanks. Dr Renita Castelino, Reader, Dept. of Oral Medicine, ABSMIDS, compered the program.
ACHIEVEMENTS RELATED TO THE SDG
Nitte (Deemed to be University) has been ranked 253rd in the UI Green Metric World University Rankings in 2021
Nitte (Deemed to be University) is ranked 253rd in the UI Green Metric World Univer- sity Rankings in 2021. These international rankings recognize universities’ contribu- tions to policies and actions related to green campuses and environmental sustainability. NitteDU participated in this ranking survey for the first time in 2021. A total of 956 Uni- versities from 84 countries participated in the rankings this year. The survey evaluates 39 indicators related to environment-friend- ly infrastructure, energy, climate change, waste management, water, transportation and education. Nitte Institutions promote sustainable practices on campus and en- courage students to be sensitive to environ- mental issues.
Bird counting in Nitte (DU) Campus
Bird enthusiasts and students spot 86 spe- cies of birds on the Nitte University campus Nitte (Deemed to be University) participat- ed actively in the national event of Campus Bird Count - 2021 (CBC-2021) organized by Bird Count India in collaboration with eBird (The Cornell Lab of Ornithology). The event was conducted with enthusiasm and passion from 12th to 15th February 2021. During the four-day bird count, bird enthusiasts and Nitte University students & faculty con- ducted a systematic survey at Paneer and K S Hegde Medical Academy campus. Be- sides the resident and frequently observed birds, some delightful migratory winter vis- itors such as Purple sunbird, Long-billed sunbird, Blyth’s reed warbler, Booted eagle, Ashy Drongo and Indian Pitta were sighted. Night birding was fruitful in spotting a few nocturnal birds, such as Barn Owl, Indian Nightjar and Jerdon’s Nightjar. This year’s annual event records 86 species of birds on campus, which is a progressive improvement compared to 56 species in 2020. The birding sessions were open to the general public of Mangalore city.
Prof. (Dr) Sateesh Kumar Bhandary, Vice Chancellor, Nitte (DU) and expert birders from NUCSER, NUINS led the birdwatchers from other Nitte institutions consisting of doctors, PhD, PG & UG students and several nature enthusiasts from Mangalore city.
WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2021
World Environment Day was celebrated on 5th June 2021. Mr Shridhar P, Range Officer, Mangalore Division, was the Chief Guest for the occasion. The program was presided over by Dr Prof. Satheesh Kumar Bhandary, Vice-Chancellor, Nitte (DU). The occasion was unique, as the guests who planted the saplings were staff and students of Nitte (DU) who fought positively against COVID-19. The event was organized by Prof. Dr. Smitha Hegde, Member Secretary of, Nitte Universi- ty Green Initiative Project (NUGIP).
TREE PLANTING CEREMONY
A tree planting event was conducted on 8th June 2021 on the Paneer campus. On this occasion, Dr. (Prof.) C. S Shastri, Principal, NGSM Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences; Prof. Dr Fatima D’Silva, Principal, Nitte Usha Institute of Nursing Sciences; Prof. Vinod Aranha, Director, Nitte Institute of Architec- ture and Dr Anirban Chakraborty, Director, NUCSER, planted trees in the campus. Dr Smitha Hegde, Member Secretary -NUGIP, organized the event.
“World Environment Day” was celebrated on 5th June 2021 at the Institute. The theme for 2021 is ‘Restoration of Ecosystem – Re- imagine, Recreate, Restore’. Events such as the installation of the Pot Compost unit and Bird Feeder units were held on the occasion of World Environment Day. Dr Dhanesh Ku- mar K U, Principal, Nitte Institute of Physio- therapy, installed the ‘Pot Compost Unit’ in- side the campus, and Dr Saumya Srivastava, IQAC Coordinator, Nitte Institute of Physio- therapy, explained the methods of segrega- tion, recycling, and composting the organic waste material. Following this, Bird Feeder units were placed outdoors adjacent to the building. All the teaching and non-teaching faculty of the Nitte Institute of Physiother- apy actively participated in the event. Mrs Shilna Rani P, Assistant Professor, NIPT, co- ordinated the event.
A SELFIE-CAPTION COMPETITION FOR WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL DAY
World Environment Day celebrated on 5th June, aims to create awareness about the beauty of the environment and to focus on the current devastating effects of human civilization on our environment. On this oc- casion, owing to the pandemic leading to lockdown and most of the students confined to their homes, a selfie-caption competition was planned for the students based on the theme the United Nations gave: Reimagine, Recreate, Restore.
Twenty-eight submissions were received for the competition that was judged by Ms Suma N S (Lecturer, Dept. of Humanities), Ms Athira Rajan (Asst Professor G-I, NISH) and Ms Jinciliy Susan Paul (Speech Language Pathologist - Grade I, NISH).
NURTURE NATURE
This year ‘Vanamahothsava’ at Dr MRSM En- glish Medium High School was celebrated on 23rd July 2021. Each staff member- teaching and non- teaching- planted a sapling with an oath to nurture them. The program’s focus was to ensure a greener campus, sus- tain biodiversity and thereby, a better future. The saplings were collected from the Range Forest Office, Moodabidri.
CONVERSATION TITLED “ECOLOGICAL DESIGN THINKING”
The NIA Conversation titled “Ecological De- sign Thinking” by Dr Upendra Raval was con- ducted on 6th October 2021 in online mode. It was facilitated by Ar. Nikhil Shah.
Dr Upendra Raval (Muni Bhai) is a distin- guished academician and an environmen- talist. He has over 30 years of experience working with water systems and wastewa- ter management. A PhD in Zoology, and his doctoral research explored functional anatomy and avian biology. He has widely lectured and engaged with design and en- gineering schools across India for over 12 years. Since 2016, he has been a visiting professor with SVNIT, Surat, where he teach- es M.Tech (Urban Planning) students explor- ing 21st century Urban Planning - Water and Wastewater Engineering.
The conversation by Dr Upendra Raval em- phasized the need to unravel and under- stand the molecular complexities of ecolog- ical systems to inform the planning scale of human settlements. It reinstated the need to move beyond the anthropocentric par- adigms and embrace eco-centric thinking processes. It reflected upon the parallels between the human body and ecological systems like rivers, wetlands, estuaries, lakes, oceans and likewise. It critically questioned the existing sewage and sanitation models and the need to evolve them further in a de- centralized manner to achieve a closed-loop ecosystem.
LECTURE SERIES ON SUSTAINABLE DE- VELOPMENTAL GOAL 13 TOPIC CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH
A sustainable development goal lecture on ‘climate action and health’ was organized by ABSMIDS in association with Staff Develop- ment Centre, Nitte (DU), on 29/12/2021. The resource person was Dr Iddya Karunasagar: Advisor research and patent Nitte (DU). He spoke on the climate change and its effect on heath, creating awareness regarding the same. The moderator for the programme was Dr Shruthi H Attavar, Reader AB Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences.
RESEARCH
Research grants
Dr Divya Jyothi/Ms. Navami U. Formulation and evaluation of polyherbal gel containing leaf extracts of Tamarindus indica, Nyctanthus arborstris and Memecylon 0.malabaricum N/ RG/NUSR2/NGSMIPS/ 2021/3
Publications 2021
Nayak, P., Sandeep, D. S., Hameed, A., Priya, S., Kumar, P. and Kumar, A. (2021) “A Study of Antioxidant and Anti-bacterial activities of Borassus flabellifer ”. Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International; 33(25B): 53-60.
doi:10.9734/jpri/2021/v33i25B31461
shani Bhat, Gopinath Haripriya, Nishith Kumar Jogi, Bangera Sheshappa Mamatha. Carotenoid composition of locally found seaweeds of Dakshina Kannada district in India. Algal Research 2021. Volume 53: 102154.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2020.102154
Kumar, A., Kumar, P., Nayak, P., Sandeep, D. S., Priya, S., James, J. P. and Shravya, H. (2021) “Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activity of Some New Coumarin Incorporated Pyridine-3-carbonitrile derivatives”, Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International;33(21A):12-20.
doi: 10.9734/jpri/2021/v33i21A31364.
Bhat, A., Rajesh, K. S. and Raghavan, R. (2021) “Evaluation of Antivenom Activity of Cassia alata Leaf Extract against Daboia Russelii Venom”, Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International; 33(38A):288-298.
doi: 10.9734/jpri/2021/v33i38A32088.
Prabhu, R., Fernandes, R. and Govinda, K. A. (2021) “Phytoconstituents Isolation and Hepatoprotective Activity Potential of Averrhoa bilimbi Leaf Extract”, Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International;33(58B): 573-581.
doi: 10.9734/jpri/2021/v33i58B34239.
