JALUKBARI, June 6 - The Zoological Society of Assam (ZSA) celebrated World Environment Day yesterday with a daylong programme at Pachim Guwahati Mahavidyalaya, Dharapur.
On the occasion a tree plantation drive was taken up by the ZSA members along with college fraternity and local well-wishers and a few prominent donors who contributed land to the college in the initial stage of its establishment.
This was followed by an environmental awareness lecture by Dr Balendra Kumar Das, president, Assam College Principals� Council (ACPC).
Adrita Bhattacharyya, a BSc student of Delhi University, delivered a lecture on the theme of this year�s World Environment Day. She talked about the various anthropogenic causes of destruction of the beautiful and life supporting Nature and natural resources and highlighted the need for protecting Nature for survival of mankind and other living beings.
Dr Indra Kumar Bhattacharyya, former principal of Cotton College and the present adviser to ZSA also talked about saving precious Nature for future generations. ZSA president Prof Priyabrata Lahkar presided over the meeting and suggested some immediate measures for making the environment better, like use of bicycle, developing the habit of walking and saving fuel and keeping the surrounding clean.
Prof Jogen Ch Kalita, general secretary of ZSA appealed to all its members to create awareness amongst people regarding preserving the treasures of Nature through people�s participation programmes. He also informed that the ZSA has decided to nominate Dr Purnima Devi Barman, Green Oskar awardee as ZSA�s brand ambassador for the cause of saving Nature.
At Don Bosco: Along with the rest of the world, World Environment Day was celebrated at Don Bosco School, Panbazar, on Monday.
With the theme �Connect with Nature�, the programme was jointly organised by the Don Bosco Eco Club in collaboration with the United Nations (UN) Resource Centre, NE Region.
Some of the dignitaries present were Fr Sebastian Mathew, school Principal; Aswini Sarma, executive director, UN Resource Centre, NE Region; Eco Club teachers Reita Bhattacharjee and Rina Dey, lawyer and Assam Tribune columnist Neelotpal Deka and Farida Islam, who acted as speaker and judge respectively of the debate held on the occasion on the topic �Positive changes in the environment cannot be brought at the individual level�.
The Eco Club also handed over about 15 saplings donated by the State Bank of India to Fr Sebastian Mathew, and which were later planted within the school premises. A skit titled The awakening was also presented on the occasion by the school students to spread the message of the importance of caring about the environment.
