AMPATI/TURA/RESUBELPARA, June 5: South West Garo Hills, West Garo Hills and North Garo Hills on Thursday joined the World Environment Day celebrations with massive plantation drives and public awareness campaigns focused on this year’s global theme ‘Ending Plastic Pollution’.
According to a statement, in South West Garo Hills, a programme was organised by the Social Forestry Division, Tura, in collaboration with the Mellim Beekeepers Association at the Multi-Facility Centre in Mellim under Rerapara C&RD Block
Teachers and students from Soudarion Secondary School, Mellim Higher Secondary School and Shinefield School actively participated in tree plantation, drawing, painting and essay competitions aimed at promoting environmental consciousness.
Village elders including Nokmas from Matalagre, Agasigre, Oragre and Indikgre, along with church leaders from Krima 19, attended the event.
During the programme, Conservator of Forests MJA Sangma, who was the chief guest, highlighted the harmful impact of plastic waste on livestock, citing a case where plastic was found inside a cow’s stomach, and urged the public to adopt eco-friendly alternatives and waste segregation.
Rerapara BDO A Ch. Momin, who was the guest of honour, revealed that only one village, Chisigre, had initiated plastic waste management among the 143 villages under the block.
He stressed the need for community-level waste management and warned against the carcinogenic dangers of plastic.
Delivering the keynote address, A Ch. Sangma, DFO of Social Forestry Division, Tura, presented alarming statistics of plastic usage worldwide, now crossing 516 million tonnes and projected to reach 1.2 billion tonnes. He cited evidence of plastic in tiger excreta and the ocean’s deepest trenches, urging strong community norms and behaviour change like carrying reusable bags and bottles.
Meanwhile, Betasing C&RD Block undertook a massive afforestation drive.
With the participation of RZD Shira, Project Director, SRES-DID, and CRN Sangma, BDO of Betasing, indigenous species were planted on 63 hectares of land donated by the A•king Nokma of Malchapara village using Artificial and Assisted Natural Regeneration models.
Schools throughout the district also held plantation and awareness programmes.
At Okkapara Songgitcham Government LP School, Emphul Ch. Marak, SDSEO (i/c), and Tapos Ch. Marak, SEO, engaged students with the theme ‘Nurture Today, Secure Tomorrow’. Emphul Ch. Marak encouraged planting trees in the name of one’s mother to symbolise a nurturing bond with nature.
Meanwhile, in Ampati, the Deputy Commissioner’s Office and Amalgamated Establishment marked the occasion with a cleanliness drive and tree plantation within the DC Office premises, reinforcing their pledge towards a cleaner environment.
West Garo Hills
In West Garo Hills, a plantation drive was jointly conducted by 120 Bn CRPF and Agillanggre LP School, Tura. West Garo Hills Superintendent of Police SH Abraham T Sangma, who was the chief guest of the occasion, joined officers and students in planting saplings. The initiative was widely appreciated by the local community, and CRPF authorities committed to more such environmental initiatives in the future.
North Garo Hills
In North Garo Hills, World Environment Day was observed with tree plantations and awareness activities throughout Resubelpara.
North Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Dr Abhishek Saini, along with other officials, led a plantation and cleaning drive at the DC Office premises. Local schools and village communities actively participated by planting trees and conducting roadside plantation drives.
“The call for safeguarding environment was bolstered by the message of reducing plastic use which causes major problem in waste management. Event as this, witnessed the unity of government, offices, schools and communities as they come together doing their bids to save the environment,” a statement in this regard said.
