85.44 lakh trees planted under the Mission Tandrust Punjab:Gupta, IFS
Pushpa Gujral Science City, jointly with Punjab Pollution Control Board and Centre for Environment Communication is celebrating World Environment week by organizing online quiz competition and Film Festival from June 2-5. On first day of the festival, online quiz competition on Nature, Environment & Sustainable Development was organized for students aged between 11 and 15 years. Mr. Saurav Gupta, IFS, Director, Directorate of Environment and Climate Change was the Chief Guest at this occasion. Speaking at the occasion he said that the State Government has launched “Mission Tandrust Punjab” to make Punjab healthiest State by taking care of its air and water quality, ensuring safe food and good living environment. He informed that 85.44 lakh trees have been planted under the Mission Tandrust Punjab and 66 lac Sapling of Native species have been distributed under Ghar Ghar Haryali Program. He called upon the students to take initiative for the restoration of ecosystem of Punjab.
Dr. Neelima Jerath, Director General, Science City during her introductory remarks said that the celebration of World Environment day reminds us to restore our ecosystems in every possible way. She pointed out to the need of promoting education for Sustainable development and that Science Museums like Pushpa Gujral Science City could play a major role in this direction by reaching out to the children and their parents by simplifying complex scientific concepts and involving then in conservation in a fun way. She asserted that if we all put our best foot forward to stop the rampant global warming then we can expect certain rewards in the future. There are solutions to global warming available today and its time we put them to use. These solutions will reduce the amount of heat-trapping gases that we emit into the atmosphere, she added.
Dr. Rajesh Grover, Director, Science City said that Punjab, primarily an agrarian economy and the food bowl of country, is facing a threat of desertification. Bad agricultural practices like over use of pesticides and fertilizers besides following the same crop cycle of wheat-paddy year after year are factors contributing towards diminishing soil fertility. He stressed on adoption of best agricultural practices to restore ecosystems.
The quiz was conducted by Quizmasters Ms Puja Ahluwalia and Ms Shabnam Sharma, The Deens Academy, Bangalore. The First prize in online Quiz Competition was won by, Gayatri Mahajan from Shri Guru Harkishan Public School Pathankot, second prize was won by Chahat Chadha from Daynand Model Sen. Sec. School Jalandhar and Kashish Dhillon from DIPS Rayya got third prize.
