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Foundation Day 2016–A Report The 58th Foundation day of the Geological Society of India,Bengaluru was celebrated with aWorkshop on ‘Climate Change, the Paris Accord and the Indian Commitment’ at ConferenceHall, KhanijaBhavan, Department of Mines and Geology. R.H. Sawkar, Secretary delivered the welcome address.Dr. M.S. Rao introduced the themeand drew attention to the increase in CO2 levels in the atmosphere from 280 ppm, prior to the beginning of the industrial revolution in the late eighteenth centuryto the current CO2levels that have crossed 400 ppm level resulting in appreciable global warming. He highlighted the general consensus of Figure 1: Mr. R.H.Sawkar delivering the welcome address scientific opinion endorsed by leading Science Academies of the world that anthropogenic activities and greenhouse gas emissions are the primary cause for the present situation. However, there are strong and respected dissenting voices (albeit a minority). Dr.M.S.Rao also quoted a recent article from Natureabout Climate Change (25 April 2016) on Greening of the Earth wherein it has been found that CO2 fertilization has prompted trees/plants to sprout extra foliage equivalent in area to twice the continental USA based on satellite imagery analysis.He opined that our understanding of climate change and its impact thus needs to be more precise. Dr. T.V. Ramachandra, Co-ordinator, Energy & Wetland Research Group, Centre for Ecological Research, IISc, Bengaluru,the key speaker of the day spoke on “Carbon Footprint and Changes in Climate”. He highlighted the challenges posed by various anthropogenic, CO2emission sources such as electricity, industry, agriculture, transportation and the municipal waste disposal sector which together become the sources of principalgreenhousegas emissions. Unplanned and rapid Figure 2: Dr. T. V. Ramachandra delivering the key note urbanisation with conversion of wetlands, address on Carbon Footprint and Changes in Climate. green spaces, lake beds and minor drainage/streams into high-rise concrete structures often with glass façade that are not conducive to tropical climates have led to problems such as flooding, decline in ground water table (from 28 m to 300m in a span of 20 years) and enhanced per capita electricity consumption in the city which leads to larger carbon foot print. They have also led to 79% decline in water bodies and 78% reduction on vegetation cover in the Greater Bengaluru area. The city with a population of about 98.8 lakh has only about 14.8 lakh trees, far shorter than the average of about 8 trees per person. Surface and atmospheric temperatures during the last decade have increased by 2-2.50C due to anthropogenic heat sources such as the concretisingof large areas, higher electricity consumption, increased burning of fossil fuels by ever increasing number of automobiles for transportation and unscientific methods of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) disposal,which release CO2 and other greenhouse gases. Dr. Ramachandra opined that the decision to make Bengaluru – a summer resort during the Colonial period (c. 1800 AD with the average summer day temperature of 14-160 C),into the capital of Karnataka was a mistake, considering its lack of major water sources. This has been compounded further by unplanned urbanizationwith total disregard to ecology and the environment with a current average temperature of 340-370C.He cited the ecological consequences of dams that were constructed for electricity generation and irrigation withthe examplefrom theSharavti project in the Western Ghats in Karnataka. This has upset the nature’s delicate balance between a riverand its catchment with flora and fauna, resulting today in decreased vegetation, ground water depletion and decline in aqua-culture. He also showed how artificial intervention and afforestation with non-local tree species upsets the ecological balance.He strongly advocated that planners should ‘mimic’ nature and should not tamper with the ecology of a given terrain and entertain exotic ideas of linking or diverting rivers from their natural courses and other such drastic nature-modifying programs. Figure 3: Dr. Keshav A. Bulbule delivering a lecture on Environmental Benefits of Urban Mining Dr. Keshave A. Bulbule, formerly Professor of Chemistry, Bangalore University and Consultant, E-Parisaraspoke on the ‘Environmental Benefits of Urban Mining’, essentially scientific –recycling and recovery of metals (termed as urban mining) such as Cu,Pb, Zn and precious metals like Au, Ag and other metals from a variety of e-waste materials such as PCBs, mobile phones, cables and others.According to Prof. KeshavBulbule,P.Parthasarathy is the pioneer for such urban mining in India and this is much advanced in China, South Korea, Japan and other countries.He said that India generates about2.7 million tons of e-waste and the GOI is presently attaching great importance to the scientific way of recovering metals by reprocessing the e-wastes as well as their safe Figure 4: Dr. K.A.Bulbule presenting a CD containing video of gold disposal. At the E-Parisara, located at extraction from tailing Dobaspet, on the Bangalore-Pune high-way, e-wasteis processed scientifically by manual dismantling of electrical equipments and PCBs and segregation without recourse to incineration with zero landfill.Such scientific methods of recycling help to mitigate the risks of hazardous pollution on community health. Dr. VenkataDasu, formerly Director, Geological Survey of India, spoke on ‘Global climate change: causes, effects and remedies’. He gave a brief overview of the problem with possible causes due to earth’s orbital variations, solar output, volcanism and anthropogenic sources. Greenhouse gases, such as CO2, methane, water vapour, N2O and CFC’s have contributed to the global warming although the dominant component is CO2 by human activity especially through fossil fuel Figure 5: Dr. S. P. VenkataDasu delivering his address on Global Climate Change: causes, effect and remedies (mainly coal) burning for power, transport and industry. As remedial measuresDasu reiterated the steps that are needed such as clean coal technology, carbon sequestration, re-forestation, building self-sustaining smart cities and life style changes through less use of animal products. Shri S.V. Srikantia, Vice President initiated discussions on the theme highlighting India’s commitment at the Paris summit such as clean coal technologies, increasing solar component in the power generation and others. There was a lively debate that followed on several issues such as the usage of the term ‘urban mining’, wetland management systems in urban areas, ground water, dams, ecological flow(?), the Yeetinahole river project,diversion of rivers from Western Ghats, water supply concerns of Bengaluru etc. Dr. Ramachandra opined that all our endeavors to improve the quality of life should be in conformity with nature based on soundecological principles. The meeting concluded with a formalvote of thanks by Dr. P. Krishnamurthy. P. Krishnamurthy and M.S. Rao