Make Manipur green call issued on WED
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 05 2024: As in other parts of the world, the World Environment Day was observed across the State, today.

The theme of this year observance is "Land restoration, desertification and drought resilience".

The Directorate of Environment and Climate Change observed the day at its campus at Porompat with former VC of DM University Professor N Rajmuhon as the chief guest.

Delivering the presidential speech at the event, Director of Environment and Climate Change T Brajakumar said that climate change also affects the atmospheric conditions of earth which is home to different species.

Saying that many countries are facing water crisis and getting drier (desertification) due to climate change, he added that about 40 per cent of land masses of earth are becoming drier and the same affects half of the world population as per a report of the Convention to Combat Desertification of the United Nations.

Stating that the process of desertification is becoming more and more prevalent in Manipur too, Brajakumar added that deforestation on a large scale to cultivate poppy is also a type of severe desertfication.

On earth getting warmer, he underscored the need to formulate a policy and an action plan on reuse and recycle of resources and reusable items to lower greenhouse gas emission.

Prof Rajmuhon spoke about the impact of climate change on earth.

He said that people have been witnessing rise in global temperature, change in rainfall pattern, loss of biodiversity and severe flood and drought.

It is the loss of biodiversity which greatly contributes to climate change, he added.

Both RIMS and JNIMS were built by filling up water bodies, Prof Rajmuhon said and added that a proper land use planning is crucial to protect the environment.

He further stated that students should be taught about environment and climate change from a very young age.

Continuing that some States in India recording a temperature above 50 degree Celsius is alarming, he maintained that Manipur too is getting wanner.

Conservation of forests and water bodies and judicious use of land and resources is inevitable to protect earth, Prof Rajmuhon said and added that there are also traditional knowledge to protect the environment.

Plant trees which have economic values, he appealed.

As part of the programme, a panel discussion on role on colleges in green education programme and climate action plan in Manipur was also held.

RIMS also observed the day near Gents Hostel no 3 of the health institute at Lamphel and planted tree saplings.

At the observance, RIMS Director Professor G Sunil Kumar highlighted the importance of restoring the degraded ecosystem.

Saying that air pollution, water contamination and climate change cause several health problems and natural disaster, he appealed to all the students of RIMS to take active role in the movement to ban the use of plastic bottles inside RIMS campus.

Medical Superintendent of RIMS Prof N Sanjib Singh also attended the programme among others.

A similar programme was also held at Manipur Police Training College at Pangei in the presence of ADGP Training Arvind Kumar, in-charge Director of MPTC M Pradip Singh, Assistant Director of MPTC S Gautam Singh and DFO Central Ganesh Nagarajan.

About 300 tree saplings were planted during the observance.

ZEO Zone I and Model Higher Secondary School, on the other hand, observed the day under the supervision of Director of Education (S) and Samagra Shiksha Manipur at Takyel today.

As part of the observance, tree saplings were planted at Model Higher Secondary School at Takyel and an official website of the school was launched.

At the function, Director of Education (S) L Nandakumar said that the decision to observe World Environment Day on June 5 every year was taken at the Stockholm Conference of the United Nations General Assembly in 1972.He instructed all the ZEOs and Headmasters of all schools to let every student from Class VI to XII plant at least one tree and let them adopt the sapling.

Saying that the saplings can be taken from the Forest Department, he added that nurturing of all the planted saplings is very important.

Nandakumar also took a pledge to protect the environment with the students and teaching and non-teaching staff of the school.

Principal of Model Higher Secondary School P Nipendro also attended the programme.

National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health of National Health Mission observed the World Environment Day at TG Higher Secondary School.

Director of Health Services Dr O Sanahanbi, State Mission Director of NHM Manipur Dr Somorjit Ningombam and Principal of TG Higher Secondary School Vinita Elangbam were the presidium members.

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