HYDERABAD, Feb 16: Eminent scholars and botanists have called for effective measures to check the cutting of plants and trees which are indispensable to life.

They were speaking at the concluding session of a national conference of plant scientists.

The conference was organized by the Institute of Botany of the University of Sindh in collaboration with the Pakistan Botanical Society.

The session was chaired by Sindh University vice-chancellor Mazharul Haq Siddiqui.

Eminent botanist Dr Abdul Ghaffar was chief guest and leading botanist Dr K.M. Khan was guest of honour.

The scholars said the syllabus of undergraduates and postgraduates would be processed through the Pakistan Botanical Society.

The conference recommended that substandard books, botany journals and other reading material should be banned and scientists be given the task to select educational material.

It proposed registration of botany graduates with the Pakistan Botanical Society and development of syllabus for BSc and MSc degree programme by the Pakistan Botanical Society.

Eminent scholar Dr Abdul Ghaffar shared his remembrances with the University of Sindh.

He said that Dr Abdul Salam, head of the department of botany, University of Sindh, had launched Pakistan Journal of Botany in 1957.

He said that he was associated with the Pakistan Botany Journal since 1971.

He said the Sindh University had done a wonderful job by organizing the conference and provided a great opportunity to botanists of the country to share their views.

Dr K.M. Khan said it was a great achievement of the university to upgrade department as institute.

The dean of the faculty of natural sciences, Dr M.Y. Khuhawar highlighted proceedings of three-day national conference.

He said it was a happy augury that a number of young scientists from all over the country took active part by presenting their research papers.

The director of the institute of botany and secretary organizing committee, Dr M. Tahir Rajput, Pakistan Botanical Society president Dr Hidayatullah Abro, Dr Baseer Ahmed and Dr Syeda Saleha Hassney also expressed their views.

A total number of 260 scholars and botanists from universities, colleges and research organizations attended the conference. About 160 scholars presented their research papers and presentations in 12 technical sessions.