The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Forest cover plays a key role in eco balance

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 05, 2011
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Forest cover plays a key role in eco balance

Honey bees feasting on a flower in Visakhapatnam on the eve of World Environment Day

Awareness on environment undoubtedly increased when people began feeling the hazards of pollution. June 5 is observed as World Environment Day, marking the beginning of United Nation's conference on human environment in the year 1972. The first World Environment Day was on 1973. World Environment Day is celebrated every year with a different theme.

The theme for this year is Forests-Nature at Your Service -- cover one third of the earth's land mass, performing vital functions and services around the world which make our planet alive with possibilities. In fact, 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their livelihoods. They play a key role in our battle against climate change, releasing oxygen into the atmosphere while storing carbon dioxide. Thousands of activities were organized worldwide, with beach clean-ups, concerts, exhibits, film festivals, community events and much more.

Tree plantation

Several corporate houses have made it a point to observe World Environment Day to create awareness among the general public. The Hindu, in association with Essar Steel Limited is organising a tree plantation activity at 9 a.m. on June 5 at the ongoing Annual Training Camp of 13 Andhra Battalion of NCC at Naval Maritime Academy (NAMAC), near Ashoka Park, Defence Civilian area. During the next 10 days, planting of saplings will be done at Visakha Valley School, Sri Prakash Vidyaniketan, Sri Krishna Vidya Mandir, Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan School, in all around 1000 saplings will be planted as part of this green initiative by Essar Steel. Conservator of Forests, Mr.N.Jawahar Babu and Mr.K. Lohitasyudu and Mr.B. Dhanunjaya Rao, Forest Range Officer have arranged for the supply of 1000 saplings for this activity.

Gangavaram Port on Satureday celebrated the World Environment Day at the port premises to create awareness and emphasize the importance of clean and green surrounding. Mr. Usman Ali Khan E.E, R.O, Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board, Mr. Jagan Jivan Rao, Senior Environmental Scientist, Lab -in -Charge, Zonal Office, Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board along with Sri Konna Tatarao, Corporator and TDP Ward President attended the event along with all employee and staff members of Gangavaram. Gangavaram Port staff planted more than 10,000 saplings in the neighborhood area over the last seven days as a part of the celebrations for the World Environment Week.

Gangavaram Port also plans to increase the its existing 60,000 plant nursery capacity to more than 1 lac plants before December 2011

Mr. Raj Ratan Naidu Vice President Gangavaram Port Limited said “The objective of the entire Week long Environment Day celebrations was to empower our people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development and ensure all people enjoy a clean and greener future” GreenPark Hotel in the city will be offering saplings to the guests and also take up plantation at the hotel premises on the day, its General Manager K.M. Rao said.

The Park Hotel Visakhapatnam pens a green message for guests to raise the issue of climate change and global warming on the Day. During this week, staff at The Park, Visakhapatnam will be treated to repeat screenings of Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth, to advocate the role everyone plays in environment conservation. The Park launched a weekly clean up of the Beach in front of the hotel and surrounding areas.

On the eve of the World Environment Day, ING Life India flagged off a unique national campaign for citizens in Visakhapatnam, encouraging them to cast their vote for a greener city. The campaign, called ‘ Think Green: Plan & Plant' has been designed by ING Life India, where over 40 of its employees from the Visakhapatnam branch will reach out to several households, starting on the World Environment Day. They will be appealing to the citizens of Visakhapatnam to cast their vote for a greener city.

Employees will also be distributing saplings to participating citizens, encouraging them to plant it in their homes, thereby creating awareness about the protection of Environment. Over 4200 citizens in Visakhapatnam are expected to be reached out in a 3-day long exercise.

Prabhakkar Sharma

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh