Indian Buildings Congress organised a webinar on the topic ‘Development Vis-a-Vis Conservation’ on 22^nd August, 2020 at 4.00PM. Eminent speakers were invited who presented their views on the topic. The Panelist Shri Rakesh Chaturvedi, IFS, PCCF, Chattisgarh Govt. and Shri Sameer Bajpei, Prof., NIT Raipur; delivered their talk.

Shri Pradeep Mittal, President, IBC, in his opening address welcomed Shri O.P.Goel, Founder President, IBC,  all the panellist , Shri H.P.Gupta, Hony. Secretary, IBC and all the viewers/ audience.  He briefed everyone attending the webinar about the history, role and vision of IBC. While expressing the relevancy of the topic of the webinar in the present day scenario, he outlined the main reasons necessitating conservation of nature.

The President informed that the world including our country is facing an ever-increasing demand for food, water, sanitation, shelter, health services, transportation, and energy. It is essential that the infrastructure and built-environment required to support these demands is planned, designed, delivered, operated, and maintained appropriately without compromising the needs of future generation by conserving the nature and without damaging the eco-system.

The President further mentioned that the purpose of development is to meet the basic needs of the humanity, improve the quality of life for all and ensure a secure future. India is under severe pressure for coping up with never-ending demand for urban housing and the corresponding infrastructure. Considering this rapid growth, focus has to be on systematized urbanization and integrated development.

The President also mentioned that we all know the development takes place at the cost of environment. Development takes place on land which may be either forest or agricultural thereby reducing the forest or agricultural land cover. For development we need stone, sand, cement, lime, steel, bricks, timber, tiles, paints, other building materials, fuel, electricity, transport etc. Due to mining of the natural building materials like stone and sand, the natural sources of raw materials are depleting fast. Therefore, the President stressed the need of conserving the natural resources by reducing the consumption, reducing the waste, reusing the waste and recycling the waste generated.

Shri O.P.Goel, founder President, IBC while thanking everyone joining the webinar, stressed the need of conservation in the present day scenario of heavy pressure on natural resources due to increased demand of housing and other buildings.

Shri Rakesh Chaturvedi, IFS, PCCF, Govt. of Chattisgarh in his talk informed that all humanity has the duty to integrate environmental conservation with development activity at all stages and levels so as to achieve sustainable development. Keeping use of non-renewable resources and related activities within the limits of carrying capacity of the eco-systems, sustainable development promotes the well being of both people and eco-system.

Shri Chaturvedi further informed that the rate and speed at which we are using the natural non-renewable resources for the development needs, the day is not far off when these natural resources will face extinction, water will be scarce,the humanity will be sick with multiple environment related ailments like respiratory diseases and many types of allergies. Nature as a whole, the earth and all life system should be respected. All persons have a moral and fundamental responsibility to respect and care for the community.

Shri Chatuirvedi said- protect, preserve and in so far as possible, restore the health and integrity of eco-system should be the pre-requisite of development to ensuring the functioning of essential ecological processes and life support system throughout the earth. Therefore, it is the most appropriate time we take the corrective action for change of our mindset in balanced development to ensure conserving the nature.

Shri Sameer Bajpei, Prof. NIT Raipur in his talk mentioned that manufacturing of cement, steel, tiles and other building materials and the construction processes consume not only huge energy but also produce many types of harmful gases, raise the temperature of the environment, pollute air and water. Lot of fossil fuel is used for production of energy.

Shri Bajpei further added that protection and conservation of the environment is best achieved by preventing environmental harm rather than by attempting to remedy or compensate for such harm. Activities which are likely to cause potential or actual harm to the environment shall be preceded by a thorough environmental impact assessment.

For ensuring conservation, Shri Bajpei reminded that the duty is cast upon the construction industry to follow the principle of 3Rs i.e Reduce, Reuse and Cycle. In totality our aim is to ensure that the infrastructure construction industry is armed with new age capabilities, innovative technologies in construction of buildings and infrastructure and at the same time not compromise on quality, safety, health-care and above all in conserving the environment.

At the end of the Webinar, Shri H.P.Gupta, Honorary Secretary, IBC presented the Vote of thanks. He thanked all the panellist for their valuable deliberations and the viewers for joining the seminar and making it successful.