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NGOs, CSOs and district administrations observe World Environment Day in Lakhimpur, Dhemaji and Majuli

MONOJ GOGOI

NOMITA BILUNG

Several Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Civil Soceity Organisations (CSOs), educational institutions and the district administrations observed the World Environment Day today in various places of the  Lakhimpur, Dhemaji and Majuli districts.

According to sources, Peoples Action for Development (PAD), a Gogamukh based NGO organised the WED at Bahgarha Pathar, a village which comes under the NGO’s  “Strengthening Resilience: Sustainable Adaptation to Climate Change in Flood-Affected Areas of Assam through Multi-Sectoral Prevention and Adaptation Mechanisms and Advocacy” project. This, theTerre des Hommes, a Germany-based

organization supported, project includes 10 most hazard prone villages in the area under Bihpuria Revenue Circle in Lakhimpur district. Although PAD organised the WED in Bahgarha Pathar, youth, children, women and men from the other project villages (also from non-project villages) reached the observation place to participate the WED.

(Photo by PAD staff)

All the participants, including PAD volunteers carried out a cleanliness drive in the village and also planted saplings (erecting protections so that no livestock could harm the plants) at required places in the area.

Participating in the event, Girima Doley Pegu, the Zila Parishad Councilor (ZPC) of Bihpuria told about the importance of trees on earth. She urged not to cut trees and encouraged all to plant trees. In her address she tried to create an awareness on environment.


(Photo by PAD staff)

The president Gangarabari Panchayat Jibakanta Kutum told, “Trees help in carbon shrinkage and we need more trees in our places”. He also cited the works of Forest Man Jadav Payeng and appealed the people to plant saplings as Payeng.

Lakshman Kutum, interestinly, recited a several decades old popular Assamese poem. The first few lines can be translated like this, “Our village is very beatiful with abundance of beautiful trees/Ftuits and flowers come out in branches of the trees, we find fallen fruits in abundance…….” (Xuwani amar gaokhoni oti xuwani gosere vora/ Dal vori vori fol ful lage koto pau tol xora……). He told, “Do we find such a village in our area as stated in the poem or does my village resemble to the village as the poet delineated.


John Tirkey, the livelihood coordinator of the project told about global warming, climate change and its impacts in our areas. He mentioned the rise of temperature in various places around the globe. “Our neighboring country Pakistan experienced in and around 50 degree Celsius recently. Temperature in several places in Northwest India also witnessed nearly 50 degree Celsius, Chhattisgarh is undergoing with 48 degree Celsius”’, he told. He also stated that in last 30 days in northwest India, including Delhi people experienced several atrocious heatwaves. Tirkey also explained the implications of these climate events.

The same project, “Strengthening Resilience: Sustainable Adaptation to Climate Change in Flood-Affected Areas of Assam through Multi-Sectoral Prevention and Adaptation Mechanisms and Advocacy” has also been implementing in 10 flood affected villages in Majuli by Jorhat based NGO Northeast Affected Areas Development Society (NEADS). Hemanta Phukan, the project coordinator informed that they observed the Day in all the 10 villages, prone to the Brahmaputra river. NEADS, through observing the event, tried to create awareness among the village on the importance of environment. They also conducted cleanliness and plantation drives in the villages.


(Photos by NEADS staff)

Parivartan a Gogamukh-based NGO in collaboration with NEADS and North East Water Talk observed the WED in its office auditorium. The NGO had organised an essay writing and art competitions on “Water in Ethnic Folk-lore”. The results were announced and the winners were awarded.

Takam Mising Porin Kebang (TMPK), the students’ organization of the Nising community also organised the Day at various places in the three districts. TMPK organised the WED ar Maihang, a hotel in Kulajaan in Dhemaji district.

The district administrations and the concerned departments also observed the Day in different places of the districts.

Although today is Sunday, many schools and colleges observed the World Environment Day.

The host of the UNEP’s World Environment Day this year was Sweden and the theme was “Only One Earth”. The theme expressed the significance of and meaning of the Day. There is only one planet in the galaxy where there is biotics and that is only the Earth.

Let’s care it for the upcoming generations and for those who are yet to born.


Nomita Bilung is the Documentation and Advocacy Manager at Peoples Action for Development (PAD).


 

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