Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal (RIMS) organised a one-day seminar on the theme Swasth Bharat, Carbon Shunya Bharat in Imphal on 26th February where Maharaja Leishemba Sanajaoba, MP Rajya Sabha graced the occasion as Chief Guest, Prof. N. Sanjib Singh, Medical Superintendent, RIMS as President and Dr. Aditya K. Joshi, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Govt. of Manipur as well as Prof. Paonam Gunindro Singh, Vice-Chancellor, Manipur University of Culture, as Guest of Honour.

The event was also followed by the distribution of certificates and cash rewards to the winner of the State Level Painting Competition at the RIMS Jubilee Hall on Sunday.

Technical speeches were delivered by Dr. S. Priyokumar Singh, former Director of Science & Technology of Govt. of Manipur; Dr. Koijam Mani Bhushan Singh, Associate Professor & Head, Department of Environment Science, DM College of Science, DM University, Imphal; Prof. (Dr.ing) Bakimchandra Oinam, Dept. of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Manipur and by Dr. A Dr. Aditya K. Joshi.

Maharaja Leishemba Sanajaoba highlighted the government’s view of reducing carbon emissions and said that PM Modi’s vision is to make a healthy India by making lifestyle changes. He spoke about the concept of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle and advocated strongly for making lifestyle changes. The MP hopes that this program will bring out insights for the state. He also stated the need for an active lifestyle, traditional medicines waste treatments, energy conservations, paperless facilities, and digital interventions.

Dr. S. Priyokumar Singh gave a historic perspective of climate change which has been highlighted as back as 1978 when scientists found ice melting in Antarctica. He also explained the importance of monsoon which affects foodgrain production and is greatly affected by climatic disturbances. Dr. Priyokumar also advocated the use of telemedicine in a state like Manipur.

Dr. Koijam Mani Bhushan echoed that there is No Planet B and that Climate change is for real affecting every region of the world and said that climate variability and change have now become global environmental concerns today. He highlighted the factors contributing to climate change are urban heat, runoff precipitation, and the blanket of pollution. He advocated the use of solar energy and waste management at RIMS

Prof. (Dr.ing) Bakimchandra Oinam while highlighting a case study of 2018-20 by his team found that the concentration of health services is mainly in the radius of 4.7 km in Manipur and is in the line between Imphal east and west districts. He stressed that even in Imphal city the effect of climate change is visible. He explained the difference between climate and weather by saying that climate is what we expect and the weather is what we experience thereby simplifying the very concept of Climate change to general people.

He presented strategies for decarbonizing the health care sector by net zero emissions through building design; sustainable water, waste, and transport management, better management of anesthetic gases with high global warming potential; use of telemedicine and digital health technologies; low carbon procurement chain.