SPECIAL ONLINE LECTURE ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT PU
The Department of Gandhian and Peace Studies in collaboration with the Department of Public Administration organized a webinar on the topic “Covid-19 Towards a Sustainable Lifestyle” of Prof. Suresh Mishra, Professor of Public Administration & Chair Professor & Coordinator Centre for Consumer Studies and Project Director, National Consumer Helpline (NCH) & State Consumer Helpline Knowledge Resource Management Portal (SCHKRMP), Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi, today via WebEx.
Dr. Manish Sharma, Chairperson, Department of Gandhian and Peace Studies introduced the topic and speaker and other invited guests, faculty members and students.
Prof. Mishra started his presentation by stating that COVID-19 is the greatest humanitarian challenge to the world since World War II and it has been observed that this disease is created and spread by the rich but the poor are the most affected one. And it has also changed the Attitude and behavior towards the purchasing and consumption pattern of the masses throughout the world. Greed has replaced need. He discussed how COVID-19 pandemic is a trigger for taking serious action and making policies towards sustainable development which is a combination of both sustainable lifestyle and sustainable consumerism. He said that the initiative for this must start with the students who can draw an action plan for sustainable development and who can spread the message of sustainability. Besides the mantra for this lies in 5Rs – Refuse, Reuse, reduce, Recycle and Rethink. He suggested an action plan for sustainable living with a focus on changing attitudes, saving water, fuel, electrical energy, food and use of chemicals. He concluded by saying that now is the time to reverse the adverse effects of consumerism and that Gandhi is more relevant today than it was in the past as Gandhi has very rightly said that “The World has enough for everyone’s needs but not for everyone’s greed.” And Sustainable Development has to be with Sustainable Production and Sustainable Consumption.
In the end, different questions were asked by the various faculty members and students. The webinar was well attended by different faculty members of Panjab University, Chandigarh and from across India as well as from abroad. Dr Bharti Garg, Coordinator, Department of Public Administration, PU, Chandigarh proposed vote of thanks to all.
