86 Nationalities come together to Celebrate Gulf Medical University Virtual Global Day 2021
The annual Global Day celebrations organized by the Student Affairs Department of Gulf Medical University (GMU) owned by the Thumbay Group– a leading medical University in the region-were celebrated virtually with a limited audience in person, on 15th March 2021. Organized every year to appreciate the cultural diversity of the students and staff of GMU, the event was a convergence of culture and traditions of the 86 nationalities that form the student cohort of GMU.
Prof. Hossam Hamdy, the Chancellor of GMU was the chief guest of GMU virtual Global Day 2021. Accompanied by the Vice-Chancellors and Deans, the students had exhibited the food and costumes, as well as other exhibits relevant to their culture and history online.
More than 1000 attendees online including the students and staff of the University as well as their families and friends joined. Admiring the students’ efforts, Prof. Hossam Hamdy said the annual Global Day was an occasion to celebrate the togetherness of GMU’s students and staff, emphasizing the University’s ‘Unity in Diversity’. Diverse Healthcare professions expressing their diverse cultures and Learning from one another.
Some of the top countries participating were United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, Pakistan, India, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, France, and Iraq. The first place was secured by Pakistan followed by Nigeria and India the second and third place respectively.
The United Arab Emirates secured first place in the Arts category, which was a great achievement. The Student Council also thanked the Chancellor and all students for making this event a success in these challenging times of the pandemic.
Celebrated every year, GMU Global Day seeks to admire the unity in the cultural diversity of GMU’s student community hailing from over 86 nationalities. The event encourages the students to display the essence of their ethnicities and cultures, whilst allowing them to know and appreciate each other’s culture.
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Bombay HC to form high-powered committee on Mumbai air pollution
Mumbai (PTI): The Bombay High Court on Thursday said it would form a high-powered committee to oversee the compliance of measures to tackle air pollution in the Mumbai region, noting that the efforts taken so far by state and civic authorities are insufficient.
It was not criticizing anyone but wanted to ensure that "people should live in pure air," said a division bench led by Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar.
The HC had in October 2023 taken suo motu cognizance of the rising pollution in the metropolis "which was ranging between good, satisfactory, moderate poor, very poor and severe", the bench noted.
Directions were issued by the court on November 6, 2023, and suggestions were made for short-term, mid-term and long-term measures.
Since then, the HC has made observations expressing dissatisfaction about the steps taken by the Mumbai and Navi Mumbai civic bodies, the judges said.
The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) is simply "sailing on its affidavits," but the steps purportedly taken by it were not sufficient, the court stated.
Air pollution in Mumbai has not decreased, in fact it was reported to be very severe in December, said the judges.
"We have apprised ourselves of the previous orders, and find that compliances so far made by (municipal) corporations and MPCB are not sufficient and satisfactory," the court said.
The authorities might have taken serious steps but their results were not visible, it added.
The court expressed inability to examine all the affidavits filed by the municipal corporations and MPCB and reports submitted by an expert committee (formed in 2023), citing the "rising number of dockets and limited hours and time."
After hearing all the parties at length, the high court decided to form a high-powered committee led by a former Supreme Court judge to monitor the compliance of measures to tackle air pollution in Mumbai and the surrounding areas.
The committee should meet on a daily basis, the court said, adding that its members should be provided necessary facilities.
The bench also referred to a suggestion that the citizens affected by pollution should be compensated.
The lawyer for the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation said there are existing statutory bodies to look into this aspect.
"Maybe there are statutory bodies formed in Maharashtra, but then we have not come across any suggestion or action taken by such a body in the present proceedings..." the court said, adding that it was inclined to give "some powers" to the committee.
The court is expected to finalize the names of the committee members in its written order.
