GOALPARA, June 6 - The World Environment Day, an annual event which is celebrated on June 5 every year across the world, to raise awareness among the general public for a green and healthy environment, was observed centrally here by the district administration in association with the Goalpara Municipality Board (GMB) on Sunday.
The day started with planting of tree saplings at Pahartoli of the town by a large number of people assembled for the occasion, which was then followed by a public meeting at the community hall in the Goalpara Municipality Board�s office.
Speaking on the occasion, the executive officer of GMB, also the circle officer (Balijana circle), Dhiman Kumar Choudhury in his presidential address highlighted the significance of the day and urged all the people to increase the green cover of Goalpara town and its adjoining areas. He also sought their active participation in making it a people�s movement so that people can have a harmonious relationship with the environment.
He also emphasized that the responsibility of saving the environment should lie not only with the government or any other agency but people should equally share the responsibility of saving the environment.
Moreover, he raised a few environmental issues like rampant deforestation in the district citing examples of illegal felling of teak wood causing huge damage to the Pancharatna reserve forest.
Assistant Commissioner and DIPR (incharge) Banti Talukdar highlighted issues like global warming and threat to the wildlife due to habitat destruction by unwarranted human activity and the affects of greenhouse gases emission due to burning of fossil fuel and rampant deforestation and stressed upon taking up reforestation projects in those depleted areas.
While known social worker Sailen Das emphasized the need to maintain the natural balance of the ecological system which we are a part of and appealed to all to come out and become pro-active agents for solving the environmental issues like arresting degradation, air pollution etc.
Circle officer, Matia Debjani Choudhury, Assistant Commissioner Geetashri Lachit were among others who also spoke on present day major environmental issues affecting human health.
A total of 38,000 tree saplings, 2000 each for 19 municipal wards were distributed among the people to increase the green cover as well as to make the town more attractive for visitors as well as the tourists.
SILCHAR: The World Environment Day was observed amidst planting of saplings and awareness meetings in Cachar district on Sunday.
The Cachar district administration brought out an awareness rally in which besides officials and staff of the district administration, students from various schools, colleges and social welfare organisations took part. The rally began from the office of the Cachar Deputy Commissioner and went through the various streets of Silchar before culminating at the Children�s Park.
Cachar DC S Vishwanathan urged the people of the district to plant one tree every day. �The district has a population of 18 lakhs and if every citizen plants one tree every day, we will have 18 lakh trees in a year. This will help reduce the pollution level as well,� he said. A cleanliness drive was also conducted on the occasion.
The Deputy Commissioner also informed that the drive against use of plastic bags, most of which are coming from outside Cachar will be intensified and all plastic bags above 40 microns will be banned. Further, Vishwanathan urged the Silchar Municipal Board to start reprocessing the solid wastes.
Meanwhile, a cleanliness drive was conducted by the staff members of Pollution Control Board at Cachar College.
Also, saplings were distributed among the people by the forest department on the occasion. A function was organised jointly by the forest department and department of ecology and environment, Assam University Silchar.
Moreover, Udoyer Pothey, a local NGO planted saplings at the Red Cross Hospital. Members of the NGO maintained that merely planting trees on the World Environment Day will not suffice the need to fight against global warming. People must plant at least one tree every day to combat the menace.
Mangaldai: The State toppers of the Higher Secondary and High School Leaving Certificate examinations, who have become role models for lakhs of students, can play an important role in motivating the younger generation for preservation of nature. Keeping this view in mind, the members of Crystal Vision, a local non- government organisation observed this year�s World Environment Day with the participation of Bhaskar Singh and Nekib Javed, the two State toppers from Mangaldai.
On the occasion, a plantation drive was carried out in the surroundings of the daily vegetable market under Mangaldai Municipal Board. Bhaskar and Nekib jointly initiated the process in the presence of local businessmen, school children, members of the NGO and other local nature lovers.
Earlier, addressing a public awareness meeting, Dr Kamala Bora, Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry, Mangaldai College and the Secretary of Assam Science Society, Mangaldai chapter explained the significance of observing the World Environment Day and the importance of tree plantation to reduce the growing threat of carbon dioxide gas in our atmosphere.
The meeting attended by Commissioner of ward no. 3, Manik Seel Sarma, micro-eye surgeon Dr Anil Sarma, local leading citizen Pranab Kumar Saha, Sekhar Mazumdar, journalist Hemanta Kumar Barua, among others, felicitated the eighth rank holder in the Commerce stream of HS and 16th rank holder of HSLC final examinations, Bhaskar Singh and Nekib Javed respectively.
LUMDING: The World Environment Day Was observed at Lumding Saheed Maidan Community Hall by Oozaru, an NGO, in a befitting manner.
The programme was inaugurated by Sudip Deb Roy, secretary, Oozaru by lighting of the ceremonial lamp. Rabi Narayan Mahanti, head of the Smek India Pvt Ltd at Lumding, Shekhar Chakraborty, principal, Pranabananda Vidya Mandir, Munin Chamua, O/C, local thana, Lumding, Uttam Das, vice chairman, Lumding Municipal Board, Dr Rabiswar Ghosh, Ajoy Majumder, president Saheed Club, Pintu Majumder, Babul Chakraborty of Oozaru, Pradeep Sheel, Hojai Jila, Baudhik Pramukh, Kishore Nath, head master, Pranab Vidyapith, Debika Chowdhury, principal, Busy Bees Academy, teachers of Busy Bees Academy, a large number of students from different schools were present as invited guests.
Another resource person of the programme Madhab Dahal, range officer, Lumding, guided the entire programme and distributed saplings among the students and urged everyone to become �environment-sensitive� people. All the invited guests delivered their speeches highlighting the importance of preserving the nature and urged one and all to maintain cleanliness in every sphere of the society.
At the end of programme, all the guests, teachers and dignitaries planted trees along the boundaries of the wall.
