Longleng, June 9 (MExN): In observance of World Environment Day on June 5, Phom Baptist Christian Association (PBCA) launched its first phase of Green Mission on the theme ‘Preserving God’s Own Green Earth’ at its Headquarters, Nyengching, Longleng.
Presenting the Green Mission concept, PBCA Executive Secretary N. Tialemba Phom stated the Mission is a biblical response to the ecological crisis and the concept of launching the first phase at the Mission centre is drawn from the biblical mandate, “Go and preach the gospel beginning from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). He conveyed that the Green Mission will be launched in the entire Phom Land making Longleng a Green district in Nagaland, according to a press release.
Tialemba further informed that Green Mission is a comprehensive term that talks about healthy and sustainable living, and pollution free world. He specified that Green Mission encompasses a wide range of environmental mission, vision and activities – to care for mother-earth, to respect and preserve the nature, to fight global warming and climate change, to discourage random deforestation, to protect and preserve wild life, to reduce using of plastic materials, etc.
Speaking on the occasion, John Tsulise Sangtam, Deputy Commissioner of Longleng expressed that “because of human selfish attitude, we are severely destroying our mother earth.” Lamenting the ecological crisis that is alarming the world, he encouraged the citizens to change their attitude towards the environment for making a safe future by developing habits of planting trees and utilizing God’s nature more judiciously. “We need to discourage the random use and disposal of plastic materials in our surroundings as the plastic hazardous on our health and environment is alarming,” he added.
PBCA president, Chingleu presented the plans and vision of PBCA to take the Green Mission forward. Rev. Mane Phom, Literature Secretary, PBCA demonstrated on how to reuse and reproduce waste materials with low cost to safe environment. District Forest Officer, Longleng, Beizo Suokhrie also extended his solidarity to the PBCA Green Mission by providing refreshment and saplings and expressed his gratitude to the PBCA for taking up such a noble cause, the release added.
The event was marked by planting of saplings by all the members present. Around 150 saplings were planted inside the mission compound. Host of leaders from the Phom tribal apex bodies, Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police, heads of different departments, church leaders, PBCA staffs, public leaders and NGOs from Longleng district attended the event.
