Bhadarwah, December 21 : Bhadarwah, a place known for its enchanting landscape and education, hosts maiden visit of Hon’ble Chief Minister Jammu and Kashmir State and Pro-Chancellor, University of Jammu Jenab Omar Abdullah. The Chief Minister during his tour to Bhadarwah, visits Bhadarwah Campus to inaugurate the National Apple Germplasm Repository and laid down the foundation stone of Institute of Mountain Environment.
The Institute of Mountain Environment has been established here at Bhadarwah keeping in view the topography and catchment area of the Bhadarwah. This institute will take research on the problems of the mountains and their inhabitants to make their life prosperous without hardships. The National Apple Germplasm Repository has been sanctioned by the department of Bio-Technology Govt. of India. This region is well suited for the cultivation of Apples and Bhadarwah Campus has been chosen to take research on this domain.
The purpose of this repository is to develop a germplasm of all the verities of Apple and research will be taken to improve the quality and varieties of Apple keeping in view different climatic conditions. Establishment of Apple Germplasm Repository would prove highly beneficial for the development of horticulture in the area and elsewhere in the State. He said Institute of Mountain Environment is also of greater significance for the State where maintenance and preservation of environment looms large for protecting green wealth and ecology of the State. Chief Minister who is also the Pro-Chancellor of University of Jammu after inaugurating National Apple Germplasm Repository and laying foundation of Institute of Mountain Environment complex in the Campus said that this would give impetus to the development of scientific and technical research in the State and enable passing out students to get easily absorbed in the open job market.
The Chief Minister also said that research being the backbone of development and progress in all fields of life, as such; the universities have a greater role to play in this direction. The Vice Chancellor University of Jammu, Prof. Varun Sahni apprised Chief Minister about the initiatives taken by the University of Jammu to establish this Campus in terms of academics and infrastructure. Rector Bhadarwah Campus, Prof. M.A. Malik sees this campus a full fledged University with high academic standards in times to come. Bhadarwah is going to be a hub of higher education as this area is well connected to other states of the country through Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, which would boost the economy of this area and upliftment in terms of intellectual wealth and education tourism.