World Environment Day marked with slew of programmes in Bengal

West Bengal marked World Environment Day on Tuesday with a slew of programmes including colourful parades, distribution of environment-friendly bags to replace plastic, planting of trees and holding of awareness programmes.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged everyone to curb plastic pollution.

"Today is World Environment Day. Following this year's theme, let us pledge to beat plastic pollution. Let us pledge to make every dayA #WorldEnvironmentDay," Banerjee posted on her Twitter handle.

Kumartuli Sarbojanin, a community Durga Puja committee in North Kolkata, marked this year's theme "Beat the Plastic Pollution" by handing over cotton bags to customers carrying plastic bags while buying vegetables in the local market.

Colourful tableaux also moved around the city underscoring the year's theme.

A local clubs in north Kolkata's Hedua, opted for an innovative initiative of clicking selfie with plant saplings. Children from various schools gathered in the area and got shutter happy posing with the plants in their hands.

City NGO Vivek, organised a colourful parade, 'Walk for Environment' from south Kolkata's Golpark to Rashbehari Avenue to spread environmental consciousness. The chief attraction of the parade was a tribal dance.

The Forest Department in Salboni of West Medinipur district collaborated with a volunteer organisation a day back to sensitise school children on 'Environment and Wildlife'.

Ashwika Kapur, the young girl who made the country proud by winning the Wildscreen Panda Award (also known as the Green Oscar) in Bristol in 2014, was also there to interact with the children of Deulkunda Primary school.

The Kolkata girl won the award for her documentary "Sirocco-How a Dud Became a Stud" which is about a New Zealand parrot who is the official spokesbird for conservation.

"I could inspire the children through these films and images. As this place is very rich in biodiversity filled with many birds and animals, I told them that the wildlife-based filming can also be done here like other places. If the children get such inspiration then they will realise that this is a valuable thing and shouldn't be destroyed," she said.

Medical Bank, a north Kolkata based NGO, distributed green bags in the local market. They also held a parade with these sustainable bags where children and other environmentally conscious people took part.

Authorities of the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport contributed towards sustainability by planting tree saplings in its premises and carrying out a plastic litter clean-up drive near the Airport Terminal Building.

NGO EnGIO with the support of the state government, Kolkata Municipal Corporation and Indian Oil, organised an award ceremony, 'Serader Sera Nirmal Pujo Puroskar' for Durga Puja committees.

"Plastic has been a real menace when it comes to waterlogging and we need to integrate the effort with the climate change programme of the city" opined Environment Secretary, Arnab Roy while Pollution Control Board chairman Kalyan Rudra pointed out how the rivers and sea have been affected by plastic.

--IANS

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