Ranchi: A ten-day state-wide public awareness campaign was launched under the joint aegis of the Department of Forest, Environment and Climate Change, Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board and Centre for Environment and Energy Development (CEED), Government of Jharkhand, to coincide with the celebration of World Environment Day on 5th June.
The main objective of this campaign is to spread public awareness and encourage community initiatives on the issue of promoting land conservation, dealing with drought and preventing soil erosion, in line with the theme of Environment Day.
Besides, this campaign is also being conducted in accordance with the sustainable lifestyle measures of Mission Life so that a sense of responsibility towards the environment and society can be encouraged among the people.
The campaign started in Ranchi and other districts with active participation of farmers, women self-help groups and common citizens in many constructive activities like resolution for land conservation, use of organic fertilizers and tree plantation etc. Jharkhand is one of the most vulnerable regions in the country to climate change, facing persistent drought and high rates of land degradation.
In this context, the theme of this year’s World Environment Day holds special significance for Jharkhand.
The campaign’s activities emphasize the call for collective action towards addressing these critical issues for a green future.
Explaining the context and objective of the campaign, Dr. Sanjay Srivastava (IFS), Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief of Forest Force, Government of Jharkhand, emphasized the importance of individual efforts and collective participation.
He called upon all the citizens to imbibe it in their lives in accordance with the theme of the campaign ‘Our Land, Our Future and We are Generation Restoration’.
He further informed that various public activities are being conducted in all areas of the state, which are aimed at underlining the importance of contribution of every individual in environmental protection, sustainability and inclusive development in the state.
Under the campaign, various creative activities like social media campaigns, pledge and signature drives, street plays, green fashion shows, tree plantation, painting competitions etc. will be organized across the state in government departments, urban local bodies and public places.
Shashikar Samanta (IFS), Chairman, Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board, said that small steps in the campaign are necessary to realize big changes.
He stressed the importance of a collaborative and solution-focused approach in line with scientific studies to address environmental challenges.
Ramapati Kumar, CEO, Centre for Environment and Energy Development (SEED) stressed on nature conservation and adopting sustainable lifestyle, taking inspiration from the rich cultural heritage of Jharkhand.
He stressed on bringing local and bottom-up solutions and convergence approaches for better results.