GUWAHATI, March 21 - Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today launched initiatives to develop Majuli as India�s first carbon neutral district and as a biodiversity heritage site coinciding with the celebration of the International Day of Forest here.
While also launching the �Forests are Lives� campaign to celebrate the importance of Assam�s rich forest and biodiversity, Sonowal stated that only till trees exist can humans live on this planet and he urged the people to take a pledge to conserve its biodiversity to make the State pollution-free.
Stating that steps must be taken to generate more awareness among students to conserve nature, Sonowal directed the forest department to celebrate the International Day of Forest from next year in every school of the State.
Underlining the State Government�s goal on �Green Assam�, Sonowal said everyone has to conserve nature and he urged all parents to gift their children saplings on their birthdays and inspire them to plant trees at all available spaces on their household premises.
Reiterating that tourists visit Assam to see its wildlife and enjoy nature, Sonowal said that continuous degradation of its ecology would adversely affect the economy of the State. �Majuli is facing existential crisis and therefore, initiatives like designating carbon neutral district and biodiversity heritage site are needs of the hour to preserve the river island�s rich heritage and legacy,� he said.
