A tree-planting drive, awareness programmes, and felicitation of those working for the protection of the environment marked the World Environment Day celebrations in the city on Friday.
‘Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care’ is the theme of this year’s World Environment Day.
Poet B. Sugathakumari was the chief guest at a district-level function organised by the Forest Department at Cotton Hill Government Girls Higher Secondary School here. Principal Conservator of Forests S.C. Joshi presided over the function. Citizen Conservator Awards, Prakriti Mithra Awards, Karshaka Puraskaram, and Harithapankaali Awards were given away at the function.
The focus of the ‘One Dream, Stay Green’ programme organised by Tree Walk at Central High School, Attakulangara, was the need to protect the environment. Child rights activist Vimala Menon and Anitha Sharma of Tree Walk spoke. A report ‘Growing up and learning with trees’ that focusses on 32 varieties of plants and 25 species of birds was released.
The ‘Banyan badge’ was the highlight of the observance at Government Model Higher Secondary School, which was decorated with mango leaves. Environmentalist R.V.G. Menon inaugurated the programme. A medicinal garden was also opened.
At St. Mary’s Residential Central School, Poojappura, eco club members planted saplings and took a pledge to conserve nature. Students actively participated in the bulletin board competition by displaying articles, writing slogans, drawing cartoons, and painting. At the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Development Studies, saplings of medicinal plants were planted on the institute premises near the Neyyar dam.
