Everybody is adversely affected by environmental pollution and because of it the significance of environmental science and studies cannot be deserted. The need for sustainable development is a key to the future of mankind. Continuing problems of pollution, loss of forest cover, solid waste disposal, degradation of environment, issues like economic productivity and national security, global warming, the depletion of ozone layer and loss of biodiversity have made everyone aware of environmental issues. The United Nations Coference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janerio, Brazil in 1992 and world Summit on Sustainable Development at Johannesburg in 2002 have drawn the attention of people around the globe to the deteriorating condition of our environment. It is clear that no citizen of the earth can afford to be ignorant of environment issues. Environmental management has captured the attention of health care managers. Managing environmental hazards has become very important. Human beings have been interested in ecology since the beginning of civilization. Even our ancient scriptures have emphasized about practices and values of environmental conservation. It is now even more critical than ever before for mankind as a whole to have a clear understanding of environmental concerns and to follow sustainable development practices. India is rich in biodiversity which provides various resources for people. It is also basis for bioremediation. Only about 1.7 million living organisms have been described and named globally. Still many more remain to be identified and described. Attempts are made to conserve them in ex-situ and in-situ situations. Intellectual property rights (IPRs) have become important in a biodiversity-rich country like India to protect microbes, plants and animals that have useful genetic properties. Destruction of habitats, over-use of energy resource and environmental pollution has been found to be responsible for the loss of a large number of life-forms. It is feared that a large proportion of life on earth may get wiped out in the near future. In spite of the deteriorating status of the environment, studies of environment have so far not received adequate attention in our academic programmes. Recognizing this, the Hon’ble Supreme Court directed the UGC to introduce a basic course on environment at every level in college education. Accordingly, the matter was considered by UGC and it was decided that a six months compulsory core module course in environmental studies may be prepared and compulsorily implemented in all the University/Colleges of India. The experts committee appointed by the UGC has looked into all the pertinent questions, issues and other relevant matters. This was followed by framing of the core module syllabus for environmental studies for undergraduate courses of all branches of Higher Education. We are deeply conscious that there are bound to be gaps between the ideal and real. Real effort is required to minimize the gaps by intellectual and material inputs. The accomplishment of this course will depend on the inventiveness and constrain of the teachers and the amenable students.
Keeping this in mind the Department of Environmental Science of T.D.B. College, Raniganj, Paschim Bardhaman, West Bengal, India is offering Environmental Studies as a compulsory paper to all of its undergraduate students since 2000. Initially it was carrying 50 marks in theory and no project work was included. Later on the department adopted semester based CBCS curriculum as per the latest guidelines of UGC and have introduced the compulsory paper of Environmental Studies carrying 50 marks (40 marks in theory and 10 marks in project) i.e., of 4 credits to all the 1st semester students. At present the department is having one faculty member (SACT - I) employed exclusively for teaching environmental science and studies. The department is also planning to introduce Environmental Science as honours, generic and programme courses of study in this college in near future. The future prospect of this subject looks very bright. After studying Environmental Science and Studies one can get job opportunities in various fields like educational institutes (as faculty member), industries (as environmental manager), pollution control boards (as scientists), NGO’s etc. Paschim Bardhaman district of West Bengal is considered as industrialised belt that generates huge amount of black carbon and hence the introduction of Environmental Science as a discipline will definitely be helpful for the overall ecological improvement of the surrounding region.
