GUWAHATI, June 5 - As part of its World Environment Day celebrations, the Office of the Chief Engineer PWD (Bldg), Assam, today resolved to write on both the sides of a sheet of paper to minimise the environmental damage associated with the production of paper.
�We have also decided to take up with the government the issue of using both sides of a page to reduce environmental damage and help maintain ecological balance,� Jyotish Sarmah, Chief Engineer, PWD (Bldg), Assam, said.
The day was marked by plantation of nahar saplings in the office complex.
The event was attended among others by Commissioner and Special Secretary, PWD (B&NH), Raj Chakrabarty and senior officials and staff.
Assam State Zoo, Guwahati, in association Nature�s Green Guard and North East Wetland together with students of Axel Public School observed World Environment Day in the zoo campus.
Honorary wildlife warden of Biswanath and president of North East Wetland Alkesh Sam Kashyap explained the significance of the day to the students and urged them to be responsible in protecting Nature.
The 35 students present on the occasion took up a cleaning drive inside the zoo campus. Fruit tree saplings were also planted.
Dr Arindam Panjabi, Zoo Veterinary Officer; N Saikia, Zoo Deputy Ranger; Payal Roy, teacher of Axel Public School and Partha Pratim Sarma, nodal officer of Nature�s Green Guard were among those present on the occasion.
Voice of Environment (VoE) today launched an initiative at Paltan Bazar as one of the model settlements to be developed as smart ecosystems where residents, vendors, hotels, markets, malls, administration and police came to collaborate as part of its �Clean & Eco-friendly Guwahati City Mission�.
Paltan Bazar is a core strategic area not just because of it being demographically dense and covered by small, medium and large-sized markets, but it is the place where 90 per cent of tourists land first, stay in hotels and move to different destinations.
Team VoE in association with Assam Police and other institutions of Paltan Bazar today conducted a mass cleanliness drive starting from the statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and covering Paltan Bazar Police Station point. A mass signature campaign was conducted led by environmentalist Moharana Choudhury and team.
Pragjyoti Communications observed the day with different programmes at Mayong Anchalik Mahabidyalay. The programmes included plantation by Mayong�s traditional king Taranikanta Singha Dipamka Hazarika, college Principal Dr Mahananda Bora, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary Ranger Mukul Tamuly and president of Pragjyoti Communications Dipanka Hazarika.
The ninth edition of the environmental journal Pobitora was released on the occasion by environmentalist Julin Baruah. A procession by students and drawing, quiz and essay contests were among the highlights of the day.
As part of its observance of the day, Assam Carbon Products Limited (ACPL) cleaned the public road adjacent to its plant and distributed saplings in the locality. People were also briefed about the fragility of the environment and the importance of its protection. It planted 101 saplings today.
Krishna Baruah, CEO of Kamrup Metro Zila Parishad and Project Director of DRDA was the chief guest on the occasion.
The State Bank of India (SBI) celebrated the day at its local head office in the city. Digmanu Gupta (GM, NW-II), Sudhir Kumar Sharma (GM, NW-I) and Ashish Kumar Biswas (DGM&CDO) planted saplings in the office campus. A sustainability pledge was also taken by all the staff members of the office. SBI plans to plant 25,000 saplings across its North Eastern circle within one year.
The Kamrup District Legal Services Authority in collaboration with Divine Hand Welfare Organisation observed the day at the Vagrant and Observation Home, Fatasil Ambari with tree plantation and an awareness meeting.
Jyotsna Das, Secretary of KDLSA and Bhupesh Kumar Bharali, superintendent of the children home were among those present at the meeting.
On the occasion of World Environment Day today, FICCI FLO North East under the initiative of Dr Srutimala Duara, chairperson, FLO North East, planted more than 200 tulsi plants and a few sandalwood saplings on the premises of the Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra.
Twenty-eight varieties of tulsi plants were donated by Dr Prabin Saikia, who has a large garden called �Bantirtha; at Narayanpur. A large number of tulsi plants were also given to FLO by the State forest department.
The honoured guests on the occasion included Anand Khatoniyar, brand ambassador of the environment and forest department, Hem Kanta Talukdar, Chief Conservator of Forest and Surya Hazarika, besides Dr Saikia.
Dr Saikia spoke on how he passionately collected varieties of tulsi. During his boyhood days he learnt the art of identifying tulsi plants from his grandmother. He spoke on the medicinal benefits of tulsi.
Chief Conservator of Forest Talukdar spoke on the necessity to curb pollution that is spreading all over, the use of pesticides that have brought down the standard of tea and other crops, the need to build up small-scale business related to incense, bamboo and essential oils that are abundant in Assam.
In keeping with the theme of this year�s World Environment Day, MyGov Assam conducted a cycle rally in Guwahati today with the aim of creating awareness about air pollution.
The cycle rally witnessed an enthusiastic participation of over 120 cyclists from across the city. The rally was flagged off by Chandrakanta Basumatary, brand ambassador of the State forest department. In his speech he emphasised how everyone together can fight environmental problems.
The rally was led by Abhishek Gogoi, silver medallist at Special Olympics, 2019. The rally started at 6.30 am from Gauhati Commerce College and after reaching Noonmati, returned to the starting point.
A group of Cottonians of the 1975 batch celebrated World Environment Day today at Akshar Foundation, Pamohi on the outskirts of the city.
They began the day by releasing fingerlings into the Deepor Beel situated near Akshar Foundation. A drawing competition for the students of the institution also formed part of the daylong programme. A unique contest to test the knowledge of the students regarding naming a plant by looking at the branch and leaves was also held on the occasion. Other activities included an extempore competition on subjects related to Nature, planting of saplings and sharing a meal with the students and faculty of the school.
The Institution of Engineers, Guwahati, observed the day in its office campus with an awareness meeting. It was attended among others by Deepak Kumar, Police Commissioner of Guwahati, who stressed the need for introducing the odd-even number for plying of private vehicles as was done in New Delhi. He said the arrangement was very effective in Delhi and he himself witnessed its success there.
The Indian Federation of UN Association and Don Bosco School Guwahati celebrated the occasion with a meeting which was attended among others by Dr RC Barpatra Gohain; AS Bora, retired District and Sessions Judge and Prof Jharna Kalita from JB Law College. Earlier, the message of the UN Secretary General was read out by Dr Aswini Sarma, Secretary General of UN Association, Assam.
The Gauhati Commerce College Alumni Association also observed the day with the students of Akshar Foundation located at Pamohi.
Our Jalukbari Correspondent adds: World Environment Day was celebrated at all the airports of the north-eastern region today with different activities. At the LGBI Airport residential colony, the activities began with an e-rickshaw ride by the employees.
About 150 saplings were planted in the residential colony. Sanjeev Jindal, Regional Executive Director, Airports Authority of India, NE region, led the plantation programme. Airport Director Ramesh Kumar and the staff of Airport Colony also took part in it.
Later in the day, a drawing and poster making programme by the students of BK Niketan, Azara, was also organised at the airport to promote and create awareness about environment conservation.
The 1st Battalion National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Patgaon, Jalukbari, observed World Environment Day with programmes like sapling plantation at different NDRF locations, 5-km run, cyclothon, debate, workshops, discussion on the topic �How to reduce air pollution�, drawing and poetry competitions and video shows to generate awareness about environment conservation among the masses.
More than 400 NDRF personnel and 100 villagers participated in the Environment Day programmes.
