GUWAHATI, June 5 - On the occasion of World Environment Day, various organisations, institutions and offices today organised colourful events aimed at biodiversity conservation and raising people�s awareness about the need to protect Mother Earth.
The Day was celebrated at NF Railway headquarters with NFR General Manager Chahatey Ram, along with other senior officers, planting saplings at the Railway Central Hospital, Maligaon. The GM and the officials visited the railway colony and laid stress on cleanliness as part of the �Swachh Rail Swachh Bharat� mission of the Indian Railways.
A seminar was held at the NFR headquarters where discussions were held about using energy-efficient locomotives and use of bio-diesel for running locomotives.
A plantation programme was organized on the Cotton University premises yesterday by �Cottonian 82� � a group of former students of the institute. The programme was inaugurated by Dr Ratul Rajkhowa, former Professor of Cotton College. He expressed satisfaction over the initiative taken by the ex-Cottonians and urged all concerned to make a vigorous campaign among the new generation for the protection of the environment. Members of �Cottonian 82�, present students and others participated in the programme, said a statement.
The State Bank of India celebrated the Day with various events, including tree plantation programmes on a large scale across the North East. The bank undertook tree plantation programmes in most of its branches in the region. A symbolic tree plantation programme was held on the bank�s local head office premises today and later saplings were distributed among the bank employees.
Later, in the afternoon, a bulk tree plantation programme was arranged at Balaji Temple, Gorchuk, where more than 100 new tree saplings were planted by PVSLN Murthy, Chief General Manager, and senior managers and other government officials. Murthy said such bulk plantations should not be confined only to this day. Every citizen of the country should plant a tree in a month to protect the earth.
Aaranyak, a society for biodiversity conservation, celebrated the Day across Assam with various events. The programmes included audio-visual awareness talk, environmental games, awareness on loss of Nature and natural resources due to negative behaviour of human being, etc.
In the city, a programme was held at Montfort School where Jayanta Kumar Pathak of Aaranyak conducted an interactive session and presentation on the importance of environment protection. About 2,200 students and 68 teachers attended the event. A plantation programme was also conducted within the school campus by Aaranyak members.
Voice of Environment (VOE) organised a workshop-cum-interactive session that saw participation of over 300 students at the Panbazar Girls� HS School, Guwahati. The programme began with with the adoption of a sapling by Principal Arati Duania Borah.
The interactive session was coordinated by Apala Sarma, a teacher. Dr Queen Sarma, senior member of VOE, gave the introductory speech. A questionnaire consisting of 15 questions related to the environment was distributed among the students to evaluate their knowledge and understanding about the environment. A pledge was conducted by the team VOE for protecting the environment, upgrading environment education, and �saying no to plastic.�
The occasion was also observed by North East Wetland, an NGO, with a plantation drive at the office of the Chief Engineer, PWD (National Highways). A cleanliness drive was also conducted in the campus.
FAsCE India, while observing the Day implored the citizens of Narengi and Satgaon to take forward the theme �Connecting People to Nature� to protect and save Planet Earth. The event was marked by an awareness rally and planting and distribution of saplings. Addressing on the occasion in the LG Tower premises at Narengi, chief guest Archana Goswami, president of �Matri�, urged the gathering to protect the environment by planting trees and preventing deforestation.
