UIFT students get an insight into the challenges of the fashion industry Lecture on ‘Sustainable Lifestyle’ at UIFT, PU

An informative lecture on the grave challenges sprouting from the textile
industry was hosted at the University Institute of Fashion Technology and Vocational
Development (UIFT & VD), Panjab University, Chandigarh for the graduate and post-
graduate students of the department.
The title of the lecture was ‘Sustainable Lifestyle- Fashion with a Heart’ and
was delivered by Dr. Namita Gupta, Chairperson, Centre for Human Rights and Duties,
Panjab University. The speaker cited references from the fashion industry, on meager
wages and other issues of the textile industry workers. She also talked about other
challenges in the industry like hazardous chemical waste which needs to be treated in
an effective way.  “Industrial waste is a massive issue now. We need to find ways to
treat chemical waste from textile industries,” she said.
Dr. Namita deliberated how fashion designers are aping each other highlighting
a dire need to have ethics (in terms of creativity) in the fashion world. She talked
about the carbon footprint and how the planet is getting burdened by the wrongful ways
of humans along with discussing ways to handle it. An interesting part of the lecture
was on wages of the workers in the apparel industry. She discussed how ‘illegal’
production of merchandise is on an upsurge, where the poor workers are not compensated
for the production which is commissioned by the bigger apparel firms.
UIFT Chairperson Dr Prabhdip Brar, was present at the occasion and encouraged
the students to attend the special series lectures for a deeper insight into their
subject. Department faculty member Dr Anu H. Gupta, who had introduced the speaker,
shared the achievements of Dr. Namita with the students and asked them to participate
and interact.
Dr. Namita Gupta is an award-winning academician (best case study and best
essay by Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi), has published 28
research papers in journals of national and international repute besides authoring a
book titled ‘Environmental Administration in India: Issues and Concerns’.