The Kanteerava Indoor Stadium was filled with people sporting green caps and white shirts, some dressed in their Scouts and Guides uniforms, displaying their love for nature on the eve of World Environment Day celebrations held in the city. The event was jointly organised by Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment and the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board.
Chief Minister Siddaramiah was present at the event along with Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, Minister for Information and Public Relations Roshan Baig, Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment B. Ramanath Rai, and other dignitaries. Students of various colleges had put up stalls, exhibiting their ideas of saving wildlife and conserving the environment. The theme for this occasion was 'Go wild for life: zero tolerance for illegal wildlife trade.'
The various dignitaries reached out to the audience through their speeches, appealing them to conserve the environment and stress on waste segregation, rain water harvesting and waste segregation and management. A point that was repeatedly stressed upon was the conservation of wildlife. Kali Tiger Reserve and Tiger Village received State Awards for their outstanding contribution on the field.
The Chief Minister honoured Anand Kumar, Lingaraju V., Dr. Chandra, and Hasiru Dal Innovations Private Limited for their attempts to conserve the environment by planting trees, segregating waste and preaching conservational values to people, by presenting them with the State Award. He said, "I urge the people of Karnataka, on this auspicious day, to arise and start saving this environment which is facing a serious threat. We see irregular waste management everywhere and it is our responsibility as honest citizens to stop this practice and head the right way.”
The Chief Minister visited the stalls that were put up by the students and also interacted with the students of Karnataka State Pollution Control Board stall.
A magazine on solid waste management was also released by all the dignitaries. An essay writing competition and drawing copetition was also held for high school and middle school students.
