GUWAHATI, June 5 - World Environment Day was observed on Monday all over the Northeastern States under the theme �Connecting People to Nature.� Our Correspondents report:
Dimapur: The Day was observed across Nagaland today. Addressing the gathering in Mokokchung town hall, Speaker Dr Imtiwapang Aier called on the participants to seriously think about positive environmental action and restraint from random destruction of our environment. He said environmental issues are increasing due to �our greediness� while expressing grave concern over rapid deforestation.
Dr Imtiwapang said time has come to understand ways in which natural system support us. �Our fragile forests should be protected through concerted efforts before it is too late,� he stated. The Speaker also appealed to participants to make tree planting a habit.
He further urged the participants to make Mokokchung district a �carbon-free zone� through preservation of our natural forests.
In his address, Parliamentary Secretary, CAWD & Taxes, Dr Benjongliba expressed concern over age-old practice of slash and burn jhuming saying that it has resulted in destroying our rich biodiversity. However, he noted that this practice has been gradually shifting to permanent cultivation.
Parliamentary Secretary, Commerce & Industries, Amenba Yaden power point presentation on �best practices of jhuming.�
ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh today joined the rest of the world to celebrate the World Environment Day.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu joined the celebrations by taking part in a tree sapling plantation drive along with school children at the Art of Living campus at Jollang village, on the outskirts of twin capital town of Itanagar and Naharlagun. About 200 students from different schools planted more than 300 saplings during the programme organised by State Department of Environment & Forests.
The Chief Minister said, �Our tribal culture is deeply intertwined with nature � be it the puja or our way of living. Each tribe has a unique relation with their natural environment, which makes our culture inseparable with nature.�
Khandu discouraged unplanned destruction in the name of development and urged all the departments to see that the development activities have minimal impact on nature.
Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein said, �We have degraded the abundant natural resources like forest, animals, fish, etc., through our activities like rampant forest cutting, hunting and fishing�.
He called upon all to protect the environment from degrading further and appealed to take necessary corrective measures by minimising forest degrading activities.
Parliamentary Secretary for Forests and Environment CT Mein and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Omkar Singh also addressed the gathering.
IMPHAL: The Day was observed in Manipur on Monday by taking up various initiatives to rejuvenate nature and environment. The State level observation was held jointly by Directorate of Municipal Administration, Housing and Urban Development (MAHUD) and Environment departments.
Chief Minister N Biren Singh launched the �Segregation at Source� campaign in Imphal city by providing two dustbins to households and shops to collect wet and dry waste materials. Under this new initiative, wet garbage should be put in green dustbins and dry waste materials in blue dustbins.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said, �Nature does not require us, but we need nature for our survival.� As such, people need to take a collective pledge to conserve nature for sustainable development and survival of human beings, he added. The State Government is planning to impose ban on the use of polythene bags in the State, he said.
In his speech, MAHUD and Forest and Environment Minister Th Shyamkumar said that people should not disturb nature. People would bear the brunt of nature�s fury if they keep on breaking the nature�s law, he warned.
