Srinagar, June 5: To raise awareness about environment and ecology among the masses, various functions were held across Kashmir on the ‘World Environment Day’ on Saturday.
Every year, this day is observed as the day dedicated to educate about environment, plant trees and clean surroundings.
First held in 1974, it has been a platform for raising awareness on environmental issue such as human overpopulation, wildlife crime, global warming, marine pollution, and sustainable consumption.
World Environment Day is a global platform for public outreach, with participation from over 143 countries annually.
Each year, the programme provides a theme and forum for different non-government organisations, businesses, communities, governments and celebrities to advocate environmental causes.
This year the theme for the ‘World Environment Day’ was ‘Ecosystem Restoration’.
SRINAGAR
To mark the ‘World Environment Day’, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Muhammed Aijaz Asad launched a plantation drive by planting saplings of Deodar tree at Municipal Park in Jawahar Nagar.
Saturday’s plantation drive was a part of a mass plantation under which a target of 5 lakh plants have been set for plantation in Srinagar under the Srinagar Smart City project to extend green cover in Srinagar City.
ANANTNAG
Deputy Commissioner Anantnag Piyush Singla kickstarted a plantation drive at Khanabal.
The programme was organised by Social Forestry Division Anantnag and also witnessed a cleanliness drive besides certain awareness activities on ecosystem restoration.
BANDIPORA
The district administration Bandipora organised debates, essay and painting competitions, cycling rallies and plantation drives with an aim to sensitise the people about the importance of keeping the environment clean.
DC Bandipora Owais Ahmad gave away the prizes to the winning students besides unveiling a painting at mini-secretariat to kickstart theme-based wall paintings across the district
He also inaugurated an awareness campaign by flagging off a vehicle of Municipal Council Bandipora that had been fitted with a public address system that would create awareness regarding the issue among the public.
KUPWARA
The District Legal Services Authority Kupwara organised various programmes across the district. Apart from the door-to-door campaign through PLVs for spreading awareness of various pollutions, air, water, soil, the PLVs stressed the importance of afforestation and reforestation.
Painting and essay competitions were organised in various schools across the district on the topic with collaboration of the cultural wing of the Education department in which 877 students participated and highlighted the environmental issues in colours.
The participants were also made sensitive to solid waste management.
Tourism Deptt takes pledge to preserve fragile ecosystem
The Department of Tourism took a pledge to preserve the fragile ecosystem and environment at the tourist destinations for safe and responsible tourism.
At Pahalgam, Director Tourism, Kashmir, Ghulam Nabi Itoo and MD J&K Cable Car Corporation Majid Khalil Drabu led the cleanliness drive at Aru road opposite Deer Park.
At Gulmarg, the function was attended by Joint Director, Tourism, Kashmir, Tabassum Kamili, CEO GDA Inam-ul-Haq Siddiqui, SDM, Gulmarg, representatives of hoteliers and other service providers.
At Sonmarg, a ceanliness drive organised in the meadows of Sonamarg was flagged off by the CEO, Sonmarg Development Authority, Mushtaq Ahmad Rather along with Deputy Director Tourism, Registration.
At Yousmarg, SDM Chadoora Prince Noorul Hamid in presence of several officers particularly in the plantation drive organised by the Yousmarg Development Authority.
At Aharbal, DC Kulgam Bilal Mohiuddin Bhat started a cleanliness drive.
Similar functions were held at Chinar Bagh and Zabarwan Park in Srinagar.
Horticulture Deptt plants fruit trees
The Department of Horticulture, Kashmir celebrated the day by planting fruit trees in the Directorate of Horticulture Kashmir, Rajbagh, Srinagar.
Director Horticulture Kashmir Ajaz Ahmad Bhat planted a fruit plant at the horticulture complex and emphasized upon use of organic manures and less use of pesticides on fruit plants.
Saplings planted in DHSK compound
Director Health Dr Mushtaq Ahmed Rather along with other officials planted sapling in the compound of the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK) office.
On the occasion, the director said, “We should take all measures where we can restore the ecosystem so that we have a healthy society and healthy nation.”
The director in his message appealed the people to maintain a healthy and eco-friendly environment.
He instructed all the health officials that they should take all the measures to ensure a healthy and hygienic environment in and around the hospitals.
3-year-old Srinagar girl plants a tree every month
At her age, most would still be trying to figure out the significance of plants but not Filza Faheem.
The three-year-old girl from Srinagar is already in the mission mode and planting trees.
Recognising her efforts to protect the ecology, on World Environment Day, Filza was awarded by the South Asian Voluntary Association of Environmentalists (SAVAE), a Kashmir-based organisation that focuses on environmental policy in South Asia.
Filza’s father, Faheem Masoodi said, “We tried our best to inculcate a sense of responsibility towards ecology. We consulted many environmental experts about the means to reverse climate change and that is how we decided to make Filza plant trees across various geographies of the region.”
CRPF 61 Bn carries plantation drive around Shankaracharya
CRPF 61 Bn carried a plantation drive in Shankaracharya Temple and its surroundings.
A statement of CRPF issued here said that the plantation drive was led by Commandant CRPF 61 Bn CRPF Rajendra Singh, Deputy Commandant Dharmendru Arya, Assistant Commandant Surender Negi and Officer Commanding D/61 Inspector Arun Mishra.
The statement said that around 300 saplings were planted on Saturday
IEI, NIDM organise webinar
Institution of Engineers (India) J&K State Centre, Srinagar (IEI JKSC) and National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), Union Ministry of Home Affairs organised a webinar ‘Ecosystem restoration for improved relationship with nature’ on the ‘World Environment Day’ in collaboration with divisional administration Kashmir, Government PG College for Women, Gandhi Nagar Jammu, J&K Forest Department, SSM College of Engineering and Technology Parihaspora and J&K State Emergency Operation Centre, Srinagar.