A function being held to create environmental awareness organised the district unit of the Bharat Jan Gyan Vigyan Jatha, Ludhiana (BJGVJ) at Nehru Rose Garden, Ludhiana on Sunday evening.
Ludhiana, June 24, 2013: The unprecedented loss of human and other forms of lives and property could have been avoided in Uttarakhand if effective steps were taken to preserve ecological balance in the region. Cutting of mountains, diverting the natural route of rivers and large scale deforestation by greedy elements, uncaring the environmental clearance, in connivance with some politicians, bureaucrats and officials led to this unprecedented damage by the floods.
These views were expressed by various speakers at the public function to create environmental awareness organised the district unit of the Bharat Jan Gyan Vigyan Jatha, Ludhiana (BJGVJ) at Nehru Rose Garden on Sunday evening. The event was organised in coordination with Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD), Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST) under the National Environment Awareness Campaign. The speakers demanded that environmental laws should be effectively implemented. As a part of the campaign Vanmahotsav was initiated by planting saplings in the rose garden by the activists of the Jatha. It was decided to plant 1000 saplings in the coming period as a part of green Ludhiana campaign.
Maj.(Retd) Sher Singh Aulakh, President of the Jatha expressed concern at the deteriorating environmental conditions in and around Ludhiana. The air is polluted because of industrial and vehicular exhausts. Most of the water samples have failed. Garbage is lying on the road sides due to which there is always an imminent threat of communicable diseases. Even though we have witnessed epidemics every year there seems to be little in the anvil to meet these challenges in the ongoing rainy season. Only a joint and sincere effort by the administration and the civil society in coping up with these challenges can mitigate the hazards of pollution on our health. He demanded that Paryavaran Vahini including the representatives of different departments and voluntary organisations be formed to meet this challenge.
Speaking of the public function, Dr Arun Mitra General Secretaty BJGVJ Ludhiana said that only a sustained and concerted effort with a vision for technological applications keeping in view the environment needs is required at the global level to promote health and save our planet from ecological disaster. There is thus need for a global outlook, individual responsibility and joint effort. He said that whereas degradation in environment is found everywhere, it is an irony that the implementation of environment laws at the places where poor workers do the duties in extremely harsh conditions is nearly totally ignored.
MS Bhatia, Organising Secretary said that we should go in for renewable energy resources which are in abundance in our country rather than nuclear energy which is neither safe nor economical.. We should adopt all the measures for energy conservation for sustainable development. He further cautioned that global warming occurring as a result of large number of gases accumulating in the atmosphere is a pointer to it.
Gurcharan Kocher, Vice President of the Jatha said that women can play a big role in preservation of ecology. She cited several historical movements in this context.
Ranjit Singh, Vice President of the Jatha organised a quiz competition on environment and gave prizes to the winners.
Gurwant Singh gave an account of the status of noise pollution in the city.
Sandeep Kumar, who attended the event on behalf of the PSCST lauded the role of the jatha. He was welcomed by Krishan Lal Malik, Vice President of the organisation.
Amrit Pal Singh showed films on menace of use of Plastic bottles for water and another film on conservation of biodiversity.
It was decided to give a memorandum for better environment in the city to the Mayor and make representations with suggestions on traffic to the ACP traffic.
Surinder Kumar recited a poem on environment.
Among others, Kusum Lata, Baldev Singh Brar, Anod Kumar, Ramadhar Singh, Swaroop Singh, Dr Ashit Kumar Mitra, Anil Kumar, Sooraj, Sunil, Ramveer, Ram Sagar, Sita Ram and Munna and Sohan Singh participated.