Kohima, June 5 (MExN): The Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organisation (NVCO) observed World Environment Day under the theme ‘Ecosystem Restoration’ on June 5.
Every year the NVCO holds a week-long celebration of World Environment Day by conducting awareness programme in schools, colleges and churches. However, due to the pandemic, the NVCO could not conduct any physical awareness programme this year, it informed.
NVCO President and environment activist Kezhokhoto Savi stated that that the time has come for us to develop a sense of urgent need to protect our environment as well as a sense of hope for its future. Plenty of damage has been done to the earth, and more is inflicted every day, he said.
He expressed dismay to learn that Nagaland was among ‘the worst performing States and UTs’ as per the assessment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) India Index and Dashboard 2020-21.
The theme for World Environment Day is “Ecosystem Restoration” which means assisting in the recovery or destroyed, as well as conserving the ecosystems that are still intact, Savi said.
He said that we are failing on our part in replacing the trees that we have cut or cleared the thick forest/jungle around us either for development or construction of roads. In order to fight the menace of global warming, vigorous efforts should be made such as to discourage activities or development or business such as stone quarry, stone crusher, etc. which causes damage to the environment, he asserted.
Water has become increasingly short in supply as the human population soars. An abundant of safe, clean water is a necessary for all life. By protecting rivers and their related ecosystems as well as searching for new sources of water, even in the form of preserving trees in the jungle and rocks in the rivers, we can assure ourselves of a substantial supply of this crucial substance in the future while still protecting important fish and wildlife habitat, Savi opined.
“Together, let us save our land and our people,” he urged.
