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World Environment Day

Ministers Mark World Environment Day 2023 With Tree Plantation, Call To Beat Plastic Pollution

World Environment Day 2023: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India organised an event with a thrust on the Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment)
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Ministers Mark World Environment Day 2023 With Tree Plantation, Call To Beat Plastic Pollution
The theme for World Environment Day 2023 is ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’

New Delhi: June 5, celebrated as World Environment Day every year is a day to bring together millions of people and engage them in the effort to protect and restore the Earth. This year marks the event’s 50th anniversary. The theme for World Environment Day 2023 is ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’. It is a reminder that people’s actions on plastic pollution matter. As part of the celebrations, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India organised an event with a thrust on the Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment). At the event, two schemes – ‘Amrit Dharohar’ and ‘MISHTI’ (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes) – announced in the Union Budget 2023-24, were launched.

Also Read: World Environment Day 2023: President Droupadi Murmu Calls For The Need To “Build A Green Future Together”

Amrit Dharohar aims to promote conservation values of Ramsar sites with the philosophy of conservation through community participation and prosperity through conservation. On the other hand, MISHTI aims to promote ecological and socio-economic resilience of our coastal ecosystems.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the gathering through a video message today and highlighted that India of the 21st century is moving forward with a very clear roadmap for climate change and environmental protection. Underlining the theme of this year’s Environment Day – the campaign to get rid of single-use plastic, the Prime Minister expressed happiness that India has been working continuously in this direction for the past 4-5 years. PM Modi informed that India started working on two levels to get rid of single-use plastic in 2018. He said,

On the one hand, we have banned single-use plastic while on the other hand, plastic waste processing has been made mandatory.

Also Read: “India Moving Ahead With Clear Roadmap On Environment, Climate Change,” Says PM Modi On World Environment Day

To mark the day and create awareness about the need to protect our environment, our ministers shared their messages on social media.

Vice President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar called to embrace responsible living and leave a flourishing legacy for future generations. He write, “On #WorldEnvironmentDay, let us work towards combating plastic pollution and climate change to embrace responsible living. By deepening our bond with nature, which is an inalienable facet of our civilizational ethos, we can create harmonious coexistence with the planet and all its diverse inhabitants leaving a flourishing legacy for future generations.”

To mark World Environment Day, Mr Dhankhar planted a Rudraksha sapling in the premises of Parliament House today.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president JP Nadda planted saplings at BJP Headquarters in the national capital. Mr Nadda shared a picture on social media and captioned it in Hindi, which translate to, “Conservation and promotion of nature is our culture as well as our responsibility. Let us all together plant trees for the welfare of living beings and take a pledge to protect the environment.”

Also Read: World Environment Day 2023: The Role Of Water, Hygiene And Sanitation In Building A Climate Resilient Tomorrow

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath planted Harishankari (Banyan, Peepal, Pakad) saplings at the Gorakhnath temple premises.

Also Read: To Protect The Environment, Travellers Need To Adopt Sustainable Practices: Dia Mirza

CM Adityanath also appealed to the citizens to join the government’s ongoing efforts to control pollution and protect the environment. He also gave the mantra of “six R’s — reduce, reuse, recycle, recover, refabricate, and repair” to protect the environment from plastic.

The celebration of World Environment Day on June 5 for the last 51 years bears testimony to the global concern over the environmental crisis, which has increased significantly over the years, the chief minister said.

He was addressing a conference on ‘Race for Life: Circular Economy and Local Climate Action’ organised by the Department of Forest, Environment and Climate Change.

It is concerning how the environment has been neglected in the 51-year journey of economic development. Earth, water, air, trees, and plants work together to form the environment. We have all also been created around the five elements. Though there is a connection between our life cycle and that of the rest of creation, we pollute the water, air, and other natural resources, the chief minister said.

He said that people have to bear the brunt of this in the form of various diseases and “the cost of treating these diseases consumes a significant portion of peoples’ incomes”.

Citing the example of the Namami Gange project in the field of environmental protection, CM Adityanath said that today the water of the Ganga has become clean and uninterrupted in Prayagraj and Kashi.

People are happily visiting and bathing in it. Whereas earlier people could not take baths in Prayagraj Kumbh, he said.

The chief minister said that “Amrit Sarovars” are being constructed in every village as part of the “Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav” for water conservation.

Referring to encephalitis disease, he said that pollution and filth were the reasons for this. Everyone must work to stop it from spreading again by being aware of the environment and cleanliness, the chief minister added.

CM Adityanath said this year the theme of World Environment Day is “Solution for Plastic Pollution”. “It was banned in the state in 2018 itself. Single-use plastic consumption is equivalent to sin as a cow might die after consuming it. Being an indestructible thing, plastic also affects the health of mother earth,” he said.

The Chief Minister also informed about the ‘Van Mahotsav’ to be organized in the first week of July and said that the state government has decided to plant 35 crore saplings.

On the occasion of World Environment Day, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath administered LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) pledge to all 58,000 gram panchayats and 762 municipal bodies of the state through an online medium. 

Also Read: To Protect The Environment, Travellers Need To Adopt Sustainable Practices: Dia Mirza

Wishing everyone a “Happy World Environment Day”, the President of the Nationalist Congress Party, Sharad Pawar, said “It is the responsibility of each of us to maintain the balance of the environment and prevent environmental damage. Let us decide to take the initiative to protect the environment and the biodiversity of the earth and move towards sustainable development.”

On the occasion of World Environment Day, Mr Pawar participated in ‘Ek Ghar, Ek Jhaad’ (One House, One Tree) activity organized at the party office in Pune. During the event, saffron mango cuttings were distributed, he informed via a social media post. See pictures:

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called to make our environment clean and beautiful. He said, “Let us take a pledge to create an environment where clean air, pure water and happy and healthy people reside.”

Chief Minister Kejriwal called upon the people of Delhi to transform the fight against pollution into a Jan-Andolan or people’s movement. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the CM emphasised the need for collective action to create an environment where citizens can thrive in a state of well-being, enjoying clean air and pure water.

On the occasion of World Environment Day, a Paryavaran Sammelan event was organised by the Delhi Government’s Department of Environment and Forests on Monday at the Thyagaraj Stadium. During the conference, a street play was performed to raise awareness about the pollution caused by plastic, and a vocal group presented a song dedicated to the environment.

Following this, the Department of Environment screened a short film on oxygen to educate people about the importance of maintaining a clean environment. At the end of the event, Eco Clubs, RWAs, and Forest Guards who have been actively involved in improving the environment were honoured and awarded certificates. The event was attended by Environment and Forests Minister Gopal Rai, local legislators, and other senior officials of the department.

CM Kejriwal thanked the children of the various schools of Delhi who had gathered at the Thyagaraj Stadium for the event and said that they are the future of the country and have to take this great nation forward.

He said that the world today is globally celebrating the 50th World Environment Day event. The Delhi CM reminded the people that it was in 1972 that the UN General Assembly celebrated the very first ‘World Environment Day’ event.

 Also Read: On World Environment Day, India’s First Climate Resilient School Launched By Dettol In Uttarakhand

Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Nitin Gadkari called to take a pledge to protect the environment.

Also Read: Agenda For World Environment Day 2023: Our Planet Is Choking On Plastic, It’s Time For A Change

Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar urged the citizens to plant more and more trees and take a pledge to keep our environment clean and pure.

Union Minister, Tribal Affairs, Arjun Munda shared a picture of women worshipping a tree and captioned it as “Come, today on the occasion of ‘World Environment Day’, let us all take a pledge to protect and enhance our environment by making it clean, beautiful, pure and pure.”

Union Cabinet Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Dr Virendra Kumar too made a clarion call to increase the green cover.

On the occasion of World Environment Day, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu flagged off an awareness rally from his official residence Oakover. Students of Government Senior Secondary Schools Portmore, Sanjauli and Shimla Public School, as well as volunteers from the Shimla Municipal Corporation, took part in the rally, an official statement said.

Emphasising that the state government has implemented several measures for the preservation of the environment, CM Sukhu said Himachal Pradesh is the first state in the country to ban single-use plastic.

Recognised as Devbhoomi, Himachal Pradesh aims to instill a sense of environmental consciousness among the youth through awareness drives, he said.

Cyclists also joined the rally, the statement said.

Highlighting the state’s commitment towards the preservation of the environment, CM Sukhu said that the state government has presented a green budget, which incorporates various measures for promoting environmental conservation and sustainability.

Also Read: The Agenda Behind Dettol’s Climate Resilient School Project That Aims To Tackle The Climate Change Crisis In India

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha participated in a cleanliness drive and planted sapling at Maharajganj Bazar, Agartala this morning. He said, “On this special day, let’s all pledge together to stop using plastic & keep our environment healthy.”

In a conversation with news agency ANI, CM Saha said,

We should properly segregate waste and biodegradable items, respecting the friendly environment. We are attempting to make Tripura completely plastic and pollution free which has been the need of the hour. PM Modi also wants this to happen.

On the contrary, Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh attacked the Centre, alleging that there is a push for a radical loosening of environment and forest laws, with “more assaults” on the regulations in the offing. In a long social media post, he wrote,

Laws relating to environmental clearance have been liberalised. The Standing Committee headed by me was deliberately kept aside for amendments to the Forest Conservation Act, 1980. The Forest Rights Act, 2006, which recognized the rights of tribal communities, was rendered ineffective. The powers of the National Green Tribunal were taken away. The trade of elephants is going on openly.

He further added,

The government is planning more attacks on the laws related to the environment and forests. At the same time, the movements related to the environment are being suppressed and the agitators are being intimidated. There is a gigantic gap between global talk and local walk.

 

Also Read: World Environment Day 2023 To Be Celebrated On ‘Mission LiFE’ Theme By India: All You Need To Know

Meanwhile, West Bengal Environment Minister Manas Bhuniya attended an event organised on World Environment Day, where seeds were distributed, saplings were planted and quiz contests were conducted among the students. 

The earth is no less than our mother. If we use plastics indiscriminately, there will be rampant pollution, which will be tantamount to assaulting our mother, Mr. Bhuniya told the gathering.

He asked the student to report industrial pollution through the ‘Paribesh’ app of the government.

We will reward the informer if the report is found to be true, and also keep his identity secret, he said.

The state Forest Department organised a programme at New Town Harinalaya where Forest Minister Jyotipriyo Mallick stressed on the need to save greenery. Mr. Mallick planted saplings of neem at the event.

He said the government has already planted 1.54 crore mangrove saplings in the Sunderbans, and would continue the drive.

At the Birla Industrial and Technological Museum (BITM), a quiz contest was held and a film was screened on environmental protection.

An awareness programme on the unique celestial event — ‘Zero Shadow Day’ — was also held. Seeds were also distributed among school children.

Noted astrophysicist Debiprosad Duari said the city witnessed the ‘Zero Shadow’ moment at 11.34 am.

An art installation was created from plastic waste near Nicco Park in Salt Lake to spread awareness about plastic pollution. A large number of people participated in the event, organised by an NGO.

A smart bin was installed at the campus of St Xavier’s College in Park Street for the collection of used plastic bottles.

The bin has a sensor that will notify the data management centre when the number of discarded plastic bottles reach the threshold limit, ensuring optimised collection, said a spokesperson of R-Pet, which is behind the initiative.

Also Read: World Environment Day 2023: Bollywood Celebrities Urges Citizens To Do Their Bit To Save Mother Earth

Meanwhile, Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan said 1 crore saplings would be planted in the state next year. Addressing a gathering here on the occasion of World Environment Day, he said 10 per cent of the saplings would be of neem.

There is a target to plant 1 crore saplings in the state next year. Of that, 10 per cent will be of neem and the remaining 90 per cent will be of fruit-bearing trees so that fruits are available to the people free of cost, he said.

This would be a meaningful step in the direction of nutrition for the people along with environment protection, he said.

 

The governor said that Jharkhand is a symbol of greenery, where people worship trees.

Emphasising the need to protect the environment, he said that more than 50 saplings were planted in Raj Bhavan on the occasion of World Environment Day.

Our environment is being polluted by the use of plastics. Whenever we go to the market, we should carry bags and not use plastics, he said.

Also Read: The Agenda Behind Dettol’s Climate Resilient School Project That Aims To Tackle The Climate Change Crisis In India

The Kerala government, on the other hand, observed the World Environment Day by holding Haritha Sabhas (green assemblies) and launching a campaign against plastic use across the state, among other initiatives. Kicking off the state-level Haritha Sabha, Local Self Government Department minister M B Rajesh said law enforcement needs to be strengthened to make the state garbage-free.

Launching the ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’ campaign, a collaboration of tourism sector stakeholders and local community on World Environment Day, Tourism minister P A Mohammed Riyas said all people are duty-bound to keep the tourism centres in the state clean.

Minister Rajesh said awareness campaigns alone would not yield the desired results for the ‘State with No Waste’ programme.

Even as consistent campaigns and projects focus on waste disposal, total cooperation and support by the public is needed to achieve the target of making Kerala completely garbage-free by March 2024… Also, the rules and legal measures need to be enforced strictly to see that our surroundings are kept clean without being littered with garbage and pollutants, Mr. Rajesh said.

The Local Self Government Department (LSGD) convened Haritha Sabhas with the active participation of Local Self Government Institutions (LSGIs), marking the completion of the goals set for the first phase of the Immediate Action Plan launched to keep Kerala clean and litter-free and plan the future course of action.

The government aims to make Kerala completely garbage-free by March 2024 through three phases. We have to dispose of bio-waste at its origin and remove garbage mounds from public spaces, Mr. Rajesh said.

He added that the second phase of the campaign will conclude on October 31, 2023 and Haritha Sabhas will be convened again on November 1.

Mr. Riyas inaugurated a mega beach clean-up and awareness campaign at the famed Hawa Beach at Kovalam near the state capital and said that government agencies are training local communities to make paper and cloth bags to use as an alternative to plastics.

He said that he was confident that tourism stakeholders and entrepreneurs would fully avoid plastics and rely on locally-made products as alternatives and set an example for the world.

The tourism minister also launched the distribution of 1,000 cloth bags made under the ‘Smarter Choice of Greener Tomorrow’ campaign by RT Mission through its ‘Clean Kerala Initiative.’ The Haritha Sabhas, one of India’s largest awareness campaigns, had an attendance of more than two lakh people, the LSGD said, adding that they evaluated the outcome of ‘State with No Waste’ campaign conducted from March 15, 2023 to June 1, 2023, and discussed the future course of action.

Also Read: World Environment Day 2023 To Be Celebrated On ‘Mission LiFE’ Theme By India: All You Need To Know

In Rajasthan, Forest and Environment Minister Hemaram Chaudhary flagged off a public awareness rally on World Environment Day today and inaugurated 33 new air quality monitoring stations in the state, officials said.

The minister also laid the foundation stone of the Integrated Resource Recovery Park at Tholai in Jamwa Ramgarh area in the district, a statement said. Two thousand saplings were also distributed free of cost by the forest department, it said.

Addressing a programme organised by the State Pollution Control Board, Mr Chaudhary said that single-use plastic has been banned in the state for a safe future and for pollution control. The Rajasthan government’s new forest policy promotes planting as many more trees as possible, the minister said via videoconferencing. He also said that the environment can be saved by the active participation of common people.

Also Read: World Environment Day: Meet The Children Of ‘Green Gurukul’, The Next Generation Of Climate Change Warriors

On the occasion of World Environment Day, the Ministry of Coal and Coal PSUs organised numerous programs to encourage employees and local communities to embrace sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyles in line with the LiFE activities, an official statement said.

These initiatives include strategic efforts in land amelioration and afforestation, effective management of air quality and noise, emission reduction, gainful utilization of mine water for community purposes, implementation of energy-efficient measures, sustainable utilization of overburden and development of Eco Parks and Mine Tourism. During the last two weeks over 200 awareness campaigns/programs have been organized by Coal PSUs to promote and adopt LiFE actions in day-to-day life. These programs encompass a wide array of activities such as raising awareness about the 5R principles of Waste Reduction (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair & Recycle), it added.

The LiFE campaign aims to prioritize individual actions in combating climate change. It encourages people to make small but significant changes in their daily lives, such as reducing plastic consumption, minimizing food waste, energy saving, recycling of waste and using public transportation.

Hosting informative discussions on the significance of diverse tree species found in coal regions through the “Know Your Tree” initiative, emphasizing the importance of sustainable food systems, distributing fruit-bearing plants/saplings and eco-friendly jute bags, organizing essay writing competitions on the theme of “Lifestyle for Environment,” promoting creative endeavors like the Best out of Waste Competition, Quiz competition, Extempore Competition, Speech Competition, Cyclathon etc, it said.

According to the official statement, “additional activities like conducting plastic waste collection drives within and around office premises to raise awareness about the detrimental effects of Single-Use Plastic on the environment, organizing e-waste collection drives, facilitating pond cleaning activities, hosting seminars on “Home Composting,” LiFE Actions were also held.”

Also Read: World Environment Day: How These Safai Sathis Are Saving Himalayas From Becoming Garbage Mountains

Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary on Monday stressed recycling of agriculture waste and chemical-free farming. The agriculture ministry organised an event on Mission LiFE on the occasion of World Environment Day at Pusa in New Delhi. The programme began with a tree plantation activity on the premises of the venue by Choudhary.

In his remarks, the minister highlighted the importance of lifestyle for the environment and stressed chemical-free farming as one important option for sustaining the resources for future generations, according to an official statement.

He emphasised the adoption of Mission LiFE in agriculture to address the adverse impact of climate change.

Quoting the example of Rajasthan, he mentioned that the state is having pre-monsoon showers more frequently than in previous years.

Also Read: Agenda For World Environment Day 2023: Our Planet Is Choking On Plastic, It’s Time For A Change

NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.

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