GUWAHATI, June 6 � Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Sunday took part in a plantation drive and distributed saplings in an official programme to mark the World Environment Day. In the event held at the Gauhati Medical College Auditorium, he and other senior officials pledged support to the campaign for environmental awareness.
Present in the function was State Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain, Principal Secretary, Forests, Saraswati Prasad and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, VK Vishnoi, according to official sources.
Prizes were also distributed among young children who won a painting competition held on the occasion.
The global theme of the year 2011 for the World Environment Day Celebration is �Forests: Nature at Your Service�.
In another programme, the Institution of Engineers (India) Assam State Centre, and Aaranyak, a society for biodiversity conservation in North-East India, jointly celebrated the World Environment Day 2011. As part of the programme, a training workshop on �Reporting and campaigning on environment� was organised at the Panbazar premises of the Institution of Engineers (India).
A Green Oath was read out by all the participants which was conducted by noted science communicator Prof Arup Kumar Misra, who also delivered the welcome speech.
In the technical session, resource person PK Das focused on how to prepare environment reports for the print media, Nayan Prasad, programme executive, All India Radio, Guwahati, discussed techniques of preparing environment report for radio, and Mubina Akhtar, green reporter, Asomiya Pratidin, gave the basic ideas for preparing environment reports for TV.
The practice session was conducted by Purnina Devi Barman, environment educator and Dr Pranjit Sarma, coordinator, GIS Lab, Aaranyak.
A total of 32 school students from 16 schools of greater Guwahati participated in the event.
On the occasion of the World Environment Day, Arpita Social Welfare Society initiated by IIT Guwahati students organised a plantation drive at its campus.
Students, staff and a few members of the faculty took part in the drive. The participants planted 40 saplings inside the campus, covering them with shelters to protect them from scavenging animals. There was also an interactive session among all participating members on environmental hazards.
Indian Oil�s Guwahati Refinery also celebrated the day in a befitting manner, with its employees and their family members, school children, members of the media and others at the Sector II township.
The proceedings began with tree plantation in the Refinery township area followed by the official function where Dr Chandan Mahanta, Head, Department of Environment, IIT, Guwahati, was the chief guest.�
BP Das, General Manager, Guwahati Refinery, in his welcome address, dwelt on the theme of this year�s World Environment Day.
A special brochure published on the occasion was released by Dr Mahanta.
Dr Mahanta, spoke about man�s strong dependence on forests and nature and said that in spite of this, environment management had not been given enough importance by man in the course of development.� He lauded the efforts of the Guwahati Refinery in environment management and mentioned that the refinery was doing beyond mere compliance of statutory obligations in the area of environment, and that the involvement of young children and the community was a good direction in which the refinery was focusing its activities.�
He also urged the Guwahati Refinery authorities to become a more environment-consciousness organisation by spreading awareness in its vicinity on the need to conserve the environment.
A rally was taken out from the venue of the inaugural function to Noonmati area by the students and employees present. Street plays were also organised in the area for mass awareness on environment protection issues like stopping wood cutting, conservation of water, preserving forests, tree plantation, stopping earth-cutting on hills, etc.�
The refinery authorities undertook another plantation drive of bamboo saplings in Sector I area with the twin objective of increasing the green cover and preventing soil erosion.� Another innovative project related to increasing awareness on water conservation.
