University of Jammu Celebrates World Environment Day 2026

JAMMU, JUNE 5: The Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Jammu, celebrated World Environment Day 2026 by organizing an educational visit to the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) and Waste-to-Wonder Park at Bhagwati Nagar, Jammu, aimed at enhancing students’ understanding of sustainable environmental management practices.

During the visit, students were provided firsthand exposure to the various stages of sewage treatment, including preliminary screening, primary treatment, biological treatment, secondary clarification and sludge management. Mr. Kulvinder Kumar, Plant In-charge, and Mr. Dileep Kumar, Supervisor, guided the students through the facility and explained the treatment processes in detail. They also demonstrated how treated wastewater can be safely reused for irrigation, landscaping and final discharge into the River Tawi. The students further visited the STP laboratory, where routine monitoring and analysis of untreated sewage and treated wastewater are carried out.

Interacting with the students, Prof. Deepika Slathia, Head of the Department, highlighted the crucial role of sewage treatment plants in transforming wastewater into a valuable resource through proper treatment and reuse. She emphasized that such initiatives help reduce environmental pollution, protect public health and contribute significantly to water conservation by enabling the reuse of treated wastewater for various non-potable purposes.

As part of the programme, the students also visited the Waste-to-Wonder Park, which features sculptures and installations created from scrap materials. The park serves as an example of how waste can be transformed into valuable and aesthetically appealing products through recycling and innovation.

The visit was attended by 20 students along with faculty members Prof. Piyush Malaviya, Dr. Rakesh Kumar, Dr. Neeraj Sharma, Dr. Anshu Gupta and Dr. Suresh Kumar, who accompanied and guided the students throughout the programme.

Later, an interactive session was organized for the students, during which Dr. Amita Fotedar, Policy Advisor, Ministry for Primary Industries, Government of New Zealand, and a distinguished alumna of the Department, shared her academic and professional journey. She highlighted the diverse career opportunities available in Environmental Sciences and stressed the importance of continuous learning, skill development and maintaining a global outlook for professional success. The session proved highly inspiring and offered valuable guidance to students regarding career planning and professional growth.