World Environment Day celebrated

LUCKNOW: A clean environment is a primary indicator of the quality of life. Several organisations in the city celebrated World Environment Day with enthusiasm with the theme ‘give Earth a chance’. State Urban Development Authority (SUDA) and District Urban Development Authority (DUDA), organised a plantation drive at Takrohi, a lower income group colony.
Navneet Sahgal, district magistrate inaugurated the function by planting the first sapling. The function was co-sponsored by the Times of India and about 100 saplings were planted in the colony. On the occasion, several one-room apartments in the Takrohi colony were given to the poor on a monthly rent of Rs 150 by P Kanaujia, project director, DUDA.
At the Industrial Toxicology Research Centre (ITRC), the day was celebrated with the motto ‘give earth a chance’. During the programme, a lecture was delivered by Prof Indra Nath, a lady scientist. Lecturing on ‘newer health challenges of a developing world’, Nath said that if we give earth a chance, it will give us a longer chance. “Saving the earth is not a duty of a single person but the responsibility of humanity,� she exhorted.
Nath stressed that because of heavy urbanisation, change in lifestyles, family structures and value systems, the environment was suffering. She also elaborated on changing profiles in nutritional status, sex differences, and diet related chronic diseases, which also add up to the disturbance in the environment.
National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), organised a debate-cum-drawing competition on the theme ‘environment of Lucknow’, a slogan and a pledge writing contest and a competition called ‘nature trail’. The competition was sponsored by the World Wide Fund for Nature, India, and open to students in the age group of 5 to 18 years. About 75 students from different schools participated in the event.
Brig L C S Manral, state director WWF-India and Dr Kamla Kulshreshtha, head of the eco-education centre, explained the significance of this day and highlighted the environmental problems facing humanity and what children need to do to save the planet.
Indian Water Works Association, Lucknow centre, celebrated the day with paper presentations and discussions on environment related issues including the human impact on environment, environment law and policies, assessment of geo-environment, land, water, and forest.
Tree saplings were also planted by Akhil Bhartiya Samajik Vikas Sansthan at Sector I, Aliganj. A similar drive was carried out in front of the Central Command Hospital in the cantonment. Brig Sanjeev Madan, Commander Lucknow sub-area inaugurated the occasion by planting a sapling.
A drawing competition was organised by New Millennium School with 150 students participating. The Regional Centre for Urban and Environmental studies began a series of lectures on the day, with the inaugural by Prof H N Verma, pro vice-chancellor, Lucknow University.
Nazimuddin Siddiqui, minister for environment called upon the people to save the environment from exploitation. He exhorted people to perform their duty in nurturing nature.