Chamarajanagar: Commemorating World Environment Day celebrations, Vana Mahotsava programme was organised by the Forest Department across all the Forest Ranges coming under Bandipur Tiger Reserve on June 5.

At Bandipur campus

‘Beat Plastic Pollution’ being this year’s theme of World Environment Day, the Department officials and staff, in association with the volunteers of ISHA Foundation, Mysuru centre, created awareness on how harmful is plastic usage to the environment by wearing plastic covers (with #BeatPlasticPollution and #StopPlasticSuffocation as tag-line) as masks to grab the attention of tourists. Speaking about the programme, DRFO K.N. Mohan Kumar Kadagere said that the idea of wearing plastic cover as mask was to convey the message to the people that how we suffocate by covering ourselves in plastic, similar is the case of the earth when we throw plastics that are not biodegradable.

RFO Srinivas, DRFO S. Srinath Reddy, Forest Guards Nethravathi, Appanna and Suresh and others were present on the occasion.

At Gundlupet

CF Ambadi Madhav, who spoke during the World Environment Day celebrations programme at Devaraja Urs Stadium in Gundlupet, said that though plastic usage has been banned, it has not been stopped completely. If plastic is thrown on the soil it doesn’t decompose and this loosens soil thus resulting in soil erosion.

In order to maintain balance in Environment, we have to grow more trees and save forests, said the CFO who reminded, “Our responsibility doesn’t end with just planting of saplings. We must also nurture and conserve it besides creating awareness about deforestation.”

It is not just the duty of Forest Department to safeguard forests but it is the responsibility and duty of each and every individual who breath, he said. Stating that trees are cut at many places in the name of road-widening and development, he said that we should balance it by planting more trees elsewhere.

Over 700 school children took out an awareness rally on the occasion. Earlier, Gundlupet MLA C.S. Niranjan Kumar inaugurated the sapling planting programme. Gundlupet TP President K.A. Jagadish Murthy, Town Municipal President Girish, Vice-President G.K. Nagendra and others attend the event.

At Melukamanahalli Gate

Planting of saplings and seed ball disbursing was carried out at the Anjaneya Gudda Forest Region (Melukamanahalli Gate) to mark the Environment Day celebrations.  

Chamarajanagar ZP President Shivamma presided over the event. Gundlupet TP President K.A. Jagadish Murthy was the chief guest.

RFO Puttaswamy, DRFOs C. Anil Kumar and K. Manjunath, Guards Naveen and Obanna, Ashrama Schools and Scouts & Guides students attended the awareness programme.