Significance of World Environment Day

Thounaojam Bonbihari *

History

The UN General Assembly in 1972 decided to have one special day dedicated to our environment. This Stockholm Conference on Human Environment deliberated on the integration of human interactions and the environment. It has designated 5 June as World Environment Day and it will be observed every year with a theme with a different country hosting it each year.

It has been a platform for raising awareness on environmental issues such as global warming, air pollution, water pollution, plastic pollution, food security, sea level increase, sustainable development, overpopulation, marine population, wildlife crimes, illegal wildlife trade etc.World Environment Day is a global platform for public outreach with participation from over 143 countries annually.

Each year, the program has provided a theme and forum for businesses, NGOs, communities, governments and celebrities to advocate environmental causes.One year later, the first WED was held with the theme “Only One Earth”. WED helps drive change in consumption patterns in national and international environmental policy.

WED 2022

This year’s World Environment theme mirrors the first WED theme “Only One Earth”. Sweden is the host of world environment day. Being the host, all official events were organized in Sweden, The idea of the theme’ Only one earth” is to focus on the world’s togetherness in the direction of creating the atmosphere conducive for peace, harmony, prosperity and health by saving nature and life.

The policy of the theme is to create and adopt a lifestyle which should be pollution free and full of green land. This planet is our only home and we need to save it for our future generations.

It is high time that suitable initiatives must be taken on an urgent basis. As we all have been facing a pandemic for the last two years, it has highlighted the significance of a safe, clean and sustainable environment like never before. Now, it is on our shoulders to take care of mother earth and its resources. It is our first and foremost responsibility to look after the uses of every resource.

The World Environment Day inspires us to do something about the environment we cannot live without and take appropriate steps to protect the environment without which life on the earth is impossible at all.

The campaign shines a spotlight on climate action, nature action and pollution action while encouraging everyone, everywhere to live sustainably, the UNEP said. It further stated that while our individual consumption choices do make a difference, it is collective action that will create the transformative environmental change we need, so we can advance to a more sustainable and just Earth, where everyone can flourish.

Paryavaran Sanrakshan and WED 2022

Paryavaran Sanrakshan is an All-India Organization dedicated to our environment. It has its Manipur State Branch also. We at Paryavaran Sanrakshan feel small initiatives by people themselves can make a big impact. We can do the following on our own for a better tomorrow.

1. Plant a tree in a year.
2. Save water as much as we can.
3. Stop using plastic on a day-to-day basis.
4. Take an initiative to keep our society clean and green
5. Throw garbage in nullahs, lakes and rivers.
6. Increasing forest area by reducing the use of wood & tree
7. Exploitation of resources to the minimum level
8. Drive less motor vehicles and ride more bicycles
9. Try to reuse the things

Paryavaran Sanrakshan Manipur organized an Eco-Friendly Mega Cycle Rally on the occasion of the World Environment Day on June 5, 2022. The rally was flagged off by Shri Thongam Bishwajit Singh, Hon’ble Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Govt. of Manipur from Kangla Western Gate, Imphal West, Manipur. The rallyists were received by Shri Thokchom Satyabarta Singh, Hon’ble Speaker, Manipur Legislative Assembly at Brahmapur Nahabam Community hall, Imphal East, Manipur.

For a change and as public awareness the following public figures took part in the rally as cyclists and led from the front.

Hon’ble Ministers

Shri Thongam Bishwajit Singh,Hon’ble Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Govt. of Manipur
Shri Yumnam Khemchand Singh, Hon’ble Minister for RD, Panchayati Raj and MAHUD, Govt. of Manipur.

Hon’ble MLAs

Shri Karam Shyam, Hon’ble MLA, Langthabal A/C
Shri Tongbram Robindro Singh, Hon’ble MLA, Thanga A/C

Noted personalities such as Naba Volcano and Ranbir Thouna participated in the rally. Renowned cyclist Rohan Philem also participated in the rally along with many boys and girls. Elders who have crossed 70 years also took part in the rally. About 180 cyclists took part in the rally.

Some unique features of the rally are as follows.

1. Only cycles took part in the rally and the support team rode on e-rickshaws and e-scooters / bikes.
2. It was entirely a polythene free green rally
3. Food was served on locally available thamna
4. Water served on reusable bottles
5. Negligible wastage
6. All the flags, banners and placards were printed on clothes and paper cardboards

Our slogan for the Rally is based on what we can do individually by each at our own homes.

Slogan for the rally are as given below

U thaminashi
U hinghanminashi
Eshingl ikna sijanarashi
Cherang sagonaragumshi

Let’s all follow the above in letter and spirit and make our Manipur cleaner and Greener for a better tomorrow.