Indore: Indore has been taking major steps towards becoming and staying the cleanest city of India. On World Environment Day, plantation drives, events and discussions were held in the city to consider how to take up major steps and ensure cleanliness in the city.
While there has been a stress on controlling pollution and garbage in the city, now the city is working towards ensuring not only clean land and water but also air. A major issue faced in metro cities and even tier-II cities is air pollution.
To make the air cleaner, cyclists quote the importance of reducing emissions and district administration is working towards ensuring the same and further cleanliness.
Following is a birds-eye view of Indore on environment day:
Indore aims to become cleanest with the cleanest air too: Div commissioner
Divisional commissioner Dr Pawan Sharma |
Giving credit to Indoreans for supporting all the initiatives to make Indore the cleanest city of India four times in a row, divisional commissioner Dr Pawan Sharma addressed a webinar on social media on the concluding day of week-long celebrations of environment day.
In his address, he quoted various achievements and challenges taken up by the city in the last couple of years.
“For future, now, we want to improve air quality in Indore and ensure that pollution remains at bay,” Sharma said. He added that use of mechanised road sweeping is one way to do that.
“We are now switching dhaba to electronic dhabas, so that air pollution comes down, further similar initiatives are being run to bring down the use of wood and charcoal burning that causes air pollution,” Sharma said.
Among achievements, Sharma cited garbage collection charge and earning Rs 50 lakh revenue from carbon credit.
Padma Shri Janak McGilligan Palta, director of Jimmy McGilligan Centre for Sustainable Development recommended the promotion of bullock cart for tourism and the need for separate planning urban and rural areas.
A bid to switch to healthier and environment friendly tomorrow
Group of cyclists on airport road for Environment Day ride |
A group of cyclists organised a ride along the airport road and quoted the need for switching to eco-friendly modes of transport. Further, while wearing a mask is necessary for us today, so is proper disposal.
“We noticed used masks, broken bottles, plastic and paper waste on the roads and sidewalks, which is not a good sign for our environment,” group's senior cyclist and mentor Major General Omprakash Gulia said.
Prof Manoj Mishra said, “It is essential that we bring a change from root level to change the current situation, i.e. stop hurting the environment as well.” He quoted the importance of eco-friendly transports especially cycling and how it can help in reducing pollution.
Colonel (Retd) Anurag Shukla, telecom professional Amol Rege and businessman Akshay Chouhan also cited ways to increase plantation and lifestyle changes for sustainable development.
BSF men plant saplings
BSF personnel planting saplings in Bijasen centre. |
Border Security Forces (BSF) personnel planted over a 2,100 saplings at BSF centre at Bijasen on World Environment Day, i.e. Saturday. Mass Plantation drive for the year 2021-22 has been launched by STC BSF Bijasan campus Indore under the leadership of Ashok Kumar Yadav, inspector general, STC BSF Bijasan Campus Indore.
BSF will be completing 1 lakh sapling plantation in the coming days. In his address to the personnel, Yadav said, “The government has approved mass plantation drive and it is our duty to ensure the wellness of our country in every possible way, including greenery.”
He added that plantation and maintenance of trees are essential for the health and prosperity of the city and country.
“We pray that this plantation drive helps in the progress of city and helps in making everyone healthier,” Yadav said.
Plantation in school complex
Namo Namo Shankara organised a plantation programme on the ground of Namdev Panjwani School Complex. Pankaj Fatehchandani, president of organised said, “About 50 saplings were planted in ward 65 along with youth and women power along with corporation employees.”
Competition for students & teachers
Various online competitions were organised by the Environment Planning and Coordination Organization (EPCO) on the occasion of World Environment Day - 5th June.
Among them, a painting competition based on the theme Ecosystem Restoration for students of high secondary and high school. That is students from class 9th to 12th and college students can participate in the poster competition with slogans.
Apart from this, an online quiz competition also was organised from 11 am to 5 pm. All students, teachers, professors and common citizens of the state can participate in this.
Online panel discussion will also be telecast by Zonal Science Center and EPCO on 5th June from 11 am.
For poster competition with painting and slogan, students have to take drawing sheet A3 size and file type and size - JPEG and 2.5-10MB.
On the bottom right side of the drawing sheet, the participant will write his/her name, address, e-mail and mobile number with signature. Entries will be accepted on EPCO's e-mail at ngcepcomp@gmail.com on June 7 till 5 PM.
Awards for winners
Rs 2000/-, Rs 1500/-, Rs 1000/- and Rs 500 amount will be given to the winners of poster competition, painting competitions and slogan writing.
There will be first, second, third and consolation (two) prizes respectively. Prize money to the winners will be transferred to the bank account through RTGS. The winners will be selected by an external judging panel.
