As part of the Ms. Mehmooda Ali Shah Interdisciplinary Lecture Series to mark its 75th year anniversary, Government College for Women, M.A. Road, Srinagar organised special documentary screening and lecture on environmental conservation on March 15, 2025. The event was organised by Department of Environmental Science and Department of Journalism & Mass Communication. Engineer Abdul Rashid from Educational Multimedia Research Centre (EMRC) University of Kashmir was the resource person for the programme.
The event was attended by students from Environmental Science and Journalism departments besides faculty members of the college. The programme began with the playing of an archival video featuring Ms. Mehmooda Ali Shah, the legendary principal of the college who headed the institution for 20 years followed by a music video on Kashmir, titled ‘Capturing Kashmir in all shades’ made by Er. Abdul Rashid. One of the main highlights of the programme was the screening of two documentaries titled ‘Climate Change: Threat to Future Generation’ and ‘Mission Ehsaas: Wetlands Ecosystem Restoration’ made by Er. Rashid.
Earlier, in her welcome address, worthy Principal, Prof. (Dr.) Yasmeen Farooq Khan spoke about the importance of environmental conservation and role of mass media.
“Mass media, particularly visual or electronic media, has a very powerful impact. It remains with you for a quite long time. So I hope with what you see today, you carry home that message and become ambassadors of environment conservation,” Prof. Yasmeen impressed upon the students.
“I hope that the documentaries showcased today will help foster empathy and compassion for the natural world, develop critical thinking and media literacy skills, and encourage students to become active citizens in environmental conservation,” she added.
Announcing the launch of Ms. Mehmooda Ali Shah Interdisciplinary lecture series, Prof. Yasmeen said, “The interdisciplinary lecture series has been named after our pioneering principal whose contribution in promoting academic excellence and institutional growth have left an indelible mark, and we all are part of that legacy. The students have to carry forward that legacy of academic excellence and becoming conscious citizens and work for environmental conservation.”
She appreciated Department of Environmental Science and Department of Journalism and Mass Communication for taking the lead in organizing this lecture under the timely theme of climate change and sustainability.
“Your efforts in promoting environmental awareness and sustainability align with Ms. Mehmooda Ali Shah’s legacy of excellence and service, and as a college, we are committed to promote environmental awareness and sustainability, and we hope that the media and environmental documentaries can play a vital part in this effort,” Prof. Yasmeen said.
The worthy Principal emphasised on the need to leverage the power of media and environmental documentaries to stay informed, share knowledge, demand action, and make sustainable choices in our daily lives. “Together we can create a better future for this planet. The documentaries which were screened today gave us all food for thought for working towards a better future,” she added.
After the screening of his documentary films, Er. Abdul Rashid Bhat shared his experiences related to environmental conservation. He underlined the need for collective efforts needed for environmental conservation, citing the example of ‘Mission Ehsaas’, an initiative led by Mr. Manzoor Wangnoo and his volunteers, which focused on restoring and conserving the Gilsar and Khushal Sar lakes in Srinagar, thereby addressing environmental degradation and promoting sustainable practices.
While sharing anecdotes from his personal intervention to address the plethora of environmental issues, the guest speaker revealed startling facts and figures related to the plight of wetlands in Kashmir.
He also emphasised on the role and power of mass media in highlighting the issues related to environmental degradation. Er. Rashid also shared several environment-friendly solutions to tackle issues like waste management.
Earlier, Head, Department of Environmental Science, Dr. Asiya Nazir Khan presented a detailed introductory note of the programme. She spoke about the pressing need to raise awareness regarding environmental conservation. Dr. Asiya also shared some of the initiatives taken by the college in this regard.
HOD Journalism and Mass Communication, Dr. Suhail Ahmad presented Vote of Thanks. He also spoke about the role of mass media in shaping public opinion on immediate and long-term threats posed to environment.
