'Plant a tree, save the environment'

 Special Correspondent

Silchar,  June 6: World environment day comes and goes and with that tall talks and high promises too. The day of June 5 has been no exception. A rally organized by the district administration of Cachar and participated by different state departments, civic body, organizations, NGOs, schools and colleges which started from the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Cachar after making round of the main thoroughfares of the town converged on the ground of Children’s Park at Normal School Road. It was the occasion to remind the assembly that clean environment and greenery was the rich legacy of man and it was the noble responsibility of all to join together and save the ecology. Not only for today but also for tomorrow.

 This earth has to be made beautiful for all to live in a healthy manner. For that it is important that everyone has to contribute his or her mite towards a green world. The occasion was also to remind that reckless destruction of forest and its resources is playing havoc with human life. Timber tycoons and smugglers have become more than active to indulge in taking away the forest resources. All this has adverse impact on greenery which is fast changing the environment. Global warming is one of the causes. All are affected by it. NGO The Greens which also observed the day brought out the message of grim future if greenery was destroyed.

 It is therefore high time that every citizen commits himself to plant a tree. This will help in generating greenery and save ecology, besides keeping pollution at bay. Along with that the imperative need is to dispose of garbage and wastage in a proper manner. The civic body has a greater role to play. It is also necessary that pollution, noise and emission of smoke, caused by vehicles has to be checked. All the three bodies, administration, civic body and pollution control board, have to work in unison to keep the town neat and clean, the NGO emphasized.

 Besides, NGO The Greens on the forefront of campaign for saving ecology has reached out to the citizens to ensure that polythene bags are not used and the draige system is not disturbed for free flow of sewage water. The NGO has laid stress on making river Barak pollution free like the Ganges. Filling up of ponds and tanks indiscrimitely in the me of development is yet another serious bane of today. No one can deny water is another me of life. Of grave concern is the sinking down of water level around the earth which has been further aggravated by the ever increasing depletion in the water level under the ground. Citizens have therefore to practice rain water harvesting.

 Another important aspect of the world environment day, now in its 43rd year, is to make everyone conscious of the injurious effect of smoking on health, intake of drugs and other contraband goods. Protection and conservation of endangered wildlife species should also be the concern of every sensible and saner human being. The Greens has reiterated the early creation of Borail Wildlife Sanctuary declared in 2004.

 On the forefront of the rally with banners were the DC, Viswathan S, IAS, ADCs, civic body chairman, Silchar MLA, officials of forest department and other state establishments. After all the show and fanfare of the world environment day, the basic question that centres round common people is, will the message of the occasion go down well to keep the environment eco-friendly? Thousands of seedlings and saplings were planted today and the social forestry department set a target of distributing 2 lakh saplings. How will they be protected and how many saplings of the last year have been saved? Without any protective rings around as it was seen last time, the apprehension is about the wastage of going for such a show of plantations.