Latest news with #PrakashBabu
The Hindu
06-06-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
Pondicherry University V-C advocates adoption of plastic-free practices across community
P. Prakash Babu, Vice-Chancellor of Pondicherry University has advocated adoption of plastic-free practices in schools, homes, and public events. In his valedictory address at World Environment Day 2025 celebrations hosted by the Zoological Survey of India, Andaman and Nicobar Regional Centre of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India and EIACP Centre on Island Biodiversity at Sri Vijaya Puram, Port Blair, the Vice-Chancellor stressed the pivotal role of students and academic institutions in driving long-term environmental change. Emphasising the hazards that micro-plastics posed to the food chain and the suspected linkage to severe health issues, including cancer, Mr. Prakash Babu urged administrators to strictly enforce ban on plastic bags and promote biodegradable alternatives and citizens to refrain from using single-use plastics. He noted that children often have the power to influence household habits. The Vice-Chancellor also gave a call for sustained action throughout the year, instead of symbolic events to protect the environment on a single day. Further, the V-C said that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands held the potential to become a national model for responsible tourism. Being relatively less polluted, the islands represent the ideal environment of ecological balance and responsible tourism. He later visited the ZSI museum at Sri Vijaya Puram. C. Sivaperuman, Additional Director, Zoological Survey of India, Ramakrishna, former ZSI Director, Pallavi Sarkar, Secretary (Agriculture, AH and VS) A and N Islands, Lal Ji Singh, Additional Director, Botanical Survey of India, A and Nicobar Islands, and S. Kannan, Chairperson, School of Energy, Environment and Natural Resources, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai participated. The dignitaries also distributed certificates to the winners of various competitions on the theme of environment.
The Hindu
28-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
V-C inaugurates open air theatre, selfie-points at Pondicherry University
Pondicherry University has launched a host of facilities, including an open air theatre. Prakash Babu, Vice-Chancellor, who formally opened the theatre, said the facility was aimed at fostering creativity of the youth on campus. The open air theatre is a stage for not only cultural events, but also for informal intellectual discourse among the students and scholars, he said. The Vice-Chancellor later inaugurated the office of the Proctorial Board of the University. The Pondicherry University Proctorial Board Regulations, he said, were formulated after careful reference of other Central universities by a duly-constituted committee to maintain discipline and ensure code of conduct among students on the campus. (The decision to impose a code of conduct had drawn condemnation from the Pondicherry University Students' Council which had stated that 'the measure was a way of forcing undefined moral standards which could be weaponised against students voicing dissent.' Eventually, this would lead to 'criminalising expression and participation and silencing of dissent with punishments that overreach legal boundaries', the Council feared.) Y. Venkata Rao, Dean, Students' Welfare contended that the provision for Proctorial Board was as per the Pondicherry University Act, 1985. With the University expanding and adding courses with a large number of students enrolling, it was necessary to constitute the Proctorial Board to ensure that disciplinary processes were followed by adhering to principles of natural justice and teaching and learning activities were carried out smoothly without any disturbances. The composition of the Board has a broad representation of members from minorities, women and North-East region in order to ensure fairness in its functioning, he said. The V-C also inaugurated two selfie-points on the premises in different locations. Sibi. P.S., Deputy Dean, Students' Welfare, K. Tharanikkarasu, Director, Studies, Clement Sagayaradja Lourdes, Director, Culture, Rajneesh Bhutani, Registrar (in-charge), Vijay Kumar, Librarian, deans of schools, heads of the departments, faculty members, officers, staff and students participated.
