Nongpoh: World Environment Day that was celebrated in various parts of Ri Bhoi District on Wednesday witnessed more enthusiasm and an increase in the number of the participations, compared to previous years, by the people at the village-level, government offices and school children, especially in planting of thousands of tree saplings.
Celebration was held at Umden in Ri Bhoi District which was attended by the local legislator of Nongpoh constituency Mayralborn Syiem as chief guest and was organised by the Catholic Youths under Lumsinai Parish.
Addressing the celebration here, Mayralborn Syiem said that the World Environment Day is not only a one-day affair to be celebrated on June 5 alone, but instead, the people should understand that the need to protect and preserve the environment is a daily affair, and should be celebrated everyday by planting trees as much as one can, for a better and safer environment in times to come.
He also stressed on the fact that the need of a campaign to plant more trees and protect the environment is the need of the hour as this is a global issue where the fight is against pollution and the inevitable threats of global warming.
More than 500 tree saplings were also distributed to the students of various schools of Umden area during the World Environment day Celebration.
Meanwhile, the Hills Farmer Union (HFU) Pahammawlein 20 Mer Unit also celebrated the World Environment Day at 20 Mer by planting trees.
It was then followed by other programmes under the leadership of Jardon Kshiar and P Kshiar, the president and general secretary of the unit, respectively.
Similar programme was also organised by the Ri Bhoi Police, the Divisional Soil Conservation Department of Ri Bhoi at Nongpoh and Jirang respectively.
In Nongpoh, the Ri Bhoi Police organised a 5-kilometre environment day run beginning from Mawtnum to culminate at Indoor Stadium, Nongpoh, which was then followed by a tree plantation drive at Police Reserve attended by the Ri Bhoi Police Chief, C Syrti, DSP Headquarter, VDS Rymbai and other officers from the police department.
Moreover, in Jirang, the Soil and Conservation Department, under the Springshed Development Project supported by the National Adaptation for Climate Change through NABARD as the implementing agency, had also organised a tree plantation drive at Nongrim village where more than 10,000 tree saplings were planted during the day.
Oberving the World Environment Day, the village Umsaitsning Lad Mawrong in Ribhoi District on Wednesday in collaboration with the office of Block Development officer along with the self-help group planted trees within the village and joined hands to make the surrounding village and its adjacent green and beautiful.
