Fundamentals of Environmental Studies (An Old and Rare Book)

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About The Author Professor Dilip Kumar Sinha, currently the Vice-Chancellor of Visva-Bharati, began his pursuits on environmental studies and endeavours wayback in early 70's, when he was a Professor of Mathematics at Jadavpur University. His book on 'Facets of Eco-Development' published by Jadavpur University continues to be a pioneering effort in the initial days of eco-developmental concerns. At Jadavpur University he directed the UNESCO projects on Environmental Education. First, he brought out a book on the 'Curriculum on Environmental Education' at the First Degree level and the second, on 'Modules on Environmental Education for Teachers These works had been referred to as cardinal works of the International Environ-mental Education Programme (IEEP). Professor Sinha has the experiences of organising several IEEP seminars and work-shops on Environmental Education and Environmental Sciences, too. The M.Phil. programme on Environmental Science at Jadavpur University was shaped under the leadership of Professor Sinha. Professor Sinha, later on, as Ghose Professor of Applied Mathematics and Co-ordinator, Centre For Advanced Study of Applied Mathematics and also Co-ordinator for Atmospheric Sciences, Calcutta University undertook programmes on activities on environmental affairs. He is also involved in Studies on Natural Disasters, which formed the focal theme of the Indian Science Congress Session in 1991; of which Prof. Sinha was the General President. He edited the book which came out as proceedings of this session on Natural Disasters. His latest book in Bengali ‘Paribesh O Duryog' (Environment and Dis-asters) won for him Rabindranath Memorial Prize for the year 2000.

Dr. Ananda Deb Mukherjee formerly a Professor of Geological Sciences at Jadavpur University is at present the Vice-Chancellor of Vidyasagar University. Prof. Mukherjee basically being an earth scientist has deeply involved himself in teaching, research and curriculum development of Environmental Education for the last thirty years. He was the founder Co-ordinator of the M.Phil Environ-mental Science Unit of Jadavpur University. He was also the Director of the School of Oceanographic Studies, Jadavpur University. He has jointly edited two books namely—(a) Coastal Zone Problems and (b) Disaster Management, published by Jadavpur University. He was a post-doctoral Fellow of the Norwegian Government from 1969-1972 and was attached to the University of Oslo where he initiated his work on environmental geology. He was also a visiting Fellow of CNRS, France in 1971. Later on as a Senior UNESCO Fellow he worked at the Leoben Mining University, Austria and Institute of Geology, Oslo from 1980-1981. He was a visiting scientist at the Leoben Mining University from 1988-1989. He has participated in large number of IGCP Environment related programmes. The University Grants Commission awarded him in 1999 the Pranabananda Saraswati Award for the year 1997 for his outstanding contribution in the field of Environmental Science and Ecology. Besides his administrative duties, he is also looking after as Director of the ICZOMAT Project under DIFID support in collaboration with the University of New Castle Upon Tyne, U,K.

Preface

Any pursuit of understanding the environment, whether through activity or otherwise, is fast assuming newer and broader dimensions, chiefly because of the widening perception of, commitment to and the practices in environment education. Any book, therefore, on environment, whatever be the level, has to be necessarily selective in respect of what may be labelled as leading heights of environmental endeavours. The present book has reckoned on - and we have scrupulously refrained from being dubbed as one on - environmental sciences per se. The title of the book is significantly important in that it seeks to veer readers from a variety of backgrounds. Such studies can ill afford to be. mundane or simplistic about scientific aspects which can, therefore, be hardly glossed over. Historical, cultural, social and economic aspects figure appositely in this book. Happenings in and activities on environment in fairly recent times or coupled with accounts of what might have happened earlier are also covered in the book. It must be added that the. UNESCO programme in Environmental Education (EE) dealing with problems of teaching and developing modules as parts of the curricula development are precursors of the presentations made in this book. The Indian ethos and ambience have reinforced visualisation and internalisation of all the ingredients through few deliberations on EE at the first degree level for which the book is designed.

**Contents and Sample Pages**