GUWAHATI, June 5 - Along with the rest of the world, World Environment Day was observed in Guwahati city today with calls for protection of the environment for survival of mankind.
The Guwahati Municipal Corporation planted saplings in the GMC Park at its Panbazar head office.
GMC Commissioner Devajyoti Hazarika urged everyone to plant at least one sapling and spoke about the importance of plants in human life and how they keep the environment in balance.
Border Security Force (BSF) Frontier Headquarters, Guwahati conducted a plantation drive in order to create environment awareness among the troops.
Rajesh Kumar, Inspector General of BSF Guwahati Frontier, inaugurated the drive by planting a sapling. He urged the BSF personnel to convey and convince this noble idea to their colleagues and their families. On the occasion the BSF troops took a pledge to fight against environmental pollution.
To mark the occasion, State Bank of India, Local Head Office, North Eastern Circle organised a tree plantation drive at Jugashree Nagar, Kahilipara here. Around 200 saplings of bakul, guava, jamun, etc., were planted in the locality.
Chief General Manager, SBI NE Circle Sunil Kumar Tandon, general managers Sudhir Kumar Sharma and Digmanu Gupta and DGM and CDO M Mishra were among those who planted saplings at the venue. The programme was supported by the Nagarik Samitee of Jugashree Nagar.
On the occasion of World Environment Day, the 1st Battalion National Disaster Response Force, Patgaon, Guwahati carried out a plantation programme.
The NDRF planted around 155 different types of saplings in different parts of its camp and surrounding areas. Personnel of NDRF participated in an Environment Day campaign with the promise to make substantial contribution to Mother Earth.
The Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) carried out a plantation drive near the Judges� Field pavilion. GMDA Chairman Ashok Singhal, Vice Chairman Faruk Abdul Mannan, GDD Additional Chief Secretary Maninder Singh and DC Kamrup Metro Biswajit Pegu among others took part in the programme, observing norms of social distancing.
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) observed World Environment Day at its Maligaon headquarters and in all its five divisions spread over different states.
At Maligaon GM/NFR Sanjive Roy planted tree saplings. Other senior officials also joined him. A seminar was also held at NFR HQ where all senior officials from various departments participated. A souvenir was also released on the occasion.
Cotton University organised a plantation drive in Kewa village, Sonapur to mark World Environment Day.
Registrar of the university Prof Diganta Kumar Das along with other officials and staff members carried out the drive. Saplings of many fruit-bearing trees were planted in and around the village on the occasion.
Through a video message Vice Chancellor of Cotton University Prof Bhabesh Chandra Goswami appealed to the university fraternity to plant one to ten fruit-bearing or medicinal plants individually during the month of June.
To mark the occasion, Karmashree Hiteswar Saikia College�s Uma Charan Bania Library and Education Centre organised a webinar on the topic, � World�s Lockdown and Restoration of Nature�.
Senior journalist and environmental activist Bhargab Kumar Das who delivered the lecture on the topic as a resource person, pointed out how Nature has been destroyed by the mindless interference of human society upon it in the name of development and progress.
The Covid-19 pandemic while forcing the human world to go into lockdown, has given the natural world some space to breathe and thrive in; it has shown how Nature can bounce back from its waning life and lustre once human beings stop their mindless destruction of it and its habitats, he said.
Das appealed to the people to be genuinely aware of their environmental responsibilities and join hands in protection of the natural world for posterity by creating a conducive environment where man, Nature and animals can coexist not as threats to one another but as integral parts of the larger natural ecosystem.
Earlier, inaugurating the webinar, Dr Sikhamoni Konwar, Principal of the host college threw light on different environmental issues and concerns affecting society at large. �The lockdown due to Covid-19 has shown us that our natural environment can be restored if destructive human interference on it can be checked,� Dr Konwar added.
The webinar was attended by about a hundred teachers and students from different colleges of the State and members of the public. The entire session was coordinated by Gitika Das, librarian of the college.
Ellora Vigyan Mancha (EVM) organised several plantation drives and environment awareness programmes in different parts of the State.
In Guwahati EVM organised a plantation drive at the Baghorbori High School. The Beltola-Basistha branch and South Kamrup branch of the organisation also hosted similar programmes, complying with all norms of social distancing.
Taraboti Development Foundation, an NGO for persons with disabilities, organised a tree plantation programme at Oxygen Park, Panbari village near the Pobitora National Park. Approximately 100 neem saplings were planted during the drive.
In view of the COVID-19 situation the NGO is promoting neem tree plantation in view of its air purifying properties and its widespread use in fighting fungal and bacterial infections.
Divine Hand Welfare Organisation celebrated World Environment Day by organising tree plantation and distribution of plants among the general people on the premises of Japorigog High School and Sarboday Ashram at Chandmari.
Social workers Arati Kalita, Renu Das and Dhrubajyoti Bhuyan were among those present at the programme.
The Regional Meteorology Centre, Guwahati also observed World Environment Day.
The Guwahati Management Association (GMA) observed World Environment Day at Patarkuchi, Sonapur, near here.
A meeting was organised by GMA in collaboration with Prakriti Suraksha Parishad at Patarkuchi. Proper social distancing was followed at the meeting.
The meeting was presided over by GMA vice president BK Duari, while Swapnanil Baruah spoke about the significance of the day. GMA general secretary Bhabesh Hazarika, Bedabrata Lahkar, Tapan Kakoty and others also spoke on the occasion. Later, the GMA members planted saplings in the locality. Several other GMA members joined the programme which was live streamed via Zoom.
The Assam Police Radio Organisation (APRO) Training School at Jalukbari conducted a tree plantation drive in its campus to mark the occasion. About 200 saplings were planted.
The Gauhati University NSS Cell in association with Mahatma Gandhi National Council of Rural Education, Hyderabad (MGNCRE) observed World Environment Day through the online mode among NSS programme officers and volunteers on the theme �Time for Nature�.
In a message, GU Vice Chancellor Pratap Jyoti Handique urged the NSS volunteers and programme officers to strive for a healthy ecosystem with rich biodiversity.
Dipak Kumar, Regional Director, NSS, NER, Guwahati, requested the NSS units to form eco clubs to create a healthy environment and appealed to all for minimising over-exploitation of natural resources.
Prof Hari Prasad Sarma, former Rector, GU; Dr Ranjan Kumar Kakati, Director, Students� Welfare & Programme Coordinator, GU NSS and Dr Anasuya Vemuri, senior faculty, MGNCRE, Hyderabad also spoke on the occasion.
To celebrate World Environment Day, WWF-India�s Environment Education Division announced three programmes to keep learners of all age groups engaged.
To start with, WWF India in partnership with UNEP, NBA, UNDP and IUCN-CEC launched �Stand with Nature�, a nationwide biodiversity e-campaign to reconnect humans with Nature. The launch event was hosted digitally by UNEP.
The campaign is designed for children, youths and adults to boost their Nature quotient by understanding the natural world, valuing its importance and taking positive action to safeguard the future of planet Earth. �Stand with Nature� is an energised movement where everyone acts to learn about protecting, restoring and sustaining Nature. Users can visit http://www.standwithnature.org/ to join the movement.
