NATURE DOES NOT NEED US, BUT WE NEED NATURE FOR OUR SURVIVAL: CHIEF MINISTER

Chief Minister Shri N. Biren Singh launched the ‘Segregation at Source’ campaign at the World Environment Day celebration, jointly by Directorate of Environment and Directorate of Municipal Administration, Housing and Urban Development (MAHUD) at Mahatma Gandhi Avenue, Imphal today.

Under this new initiative, Municipal Corporations/Councils will provide two dustbins to every households and shops to collect wet and dry waste materials. Wet garbage should be put in Green dustbins and dry waste materials in Blue dustbins.

Speaking on the celebration, organised under the theme, ‘Connecting   People to Nature’ as the chief guest, Shri N. Biren said, “Nature does not require us, but we need nature for our survival.” As such, people need to take a collective pledge to conserve nature for sustainable development and survival of human beings, he added.

The Chief Minister contended that he introduced the initiative of fighting pollution and protection of environment when he was the Minister of State for Forest and Environment way back in 2004. He carried on the campaign when he took over the charge of Chairman of Manipur Pollution Control Board as well, Shri Biren recalled.

The Chief Minister further said that under this noble initiative known as ‘Green Imphal’, he not only planted many saplings around Imphal city but also cleaned Nambul river.

Sharing his views on possible environment degradation and health hazards caused by polythene bags, the Chief Minister informed that deliberations are being made by the State Government to impose ban on the use of polythene bags in the State.

Stating that keeping Imphal city neat and tidy had already been included in the list of tasks to be completed within 100 days by the State Government, the Chief Minister sought co-operation from the public in this regard.

Maintaining that deforestation is the main cause for frequent landslides in hill areas, the Chief Minister urged the public to plant more and more saplings instead of felling trees.

He also made his earnest appeal to the public not to dump waste materials into rivers.

The Chief Minister also informed the gathering that the State Government had begun organising seminars to have brainstorming sessions of experts and scholars to find a road map to bring economic development in the State.

MAHUD and Forest and Environment Minister Shri Th. Shyamkumar while speaking at the function as the president said that people should understand the warning signs given by the nature. He observed that people would bear the brunt of the nature’s fury if they keep on breaking the nature’s law.

PHED Minister Shri L. Dikho, Parliamentary Secretary (MAHUD) Shri N. Indrajit, MANIDCO and MANITRON Chairman and Hiyanglam AC MLA Dr. Y. Radheshyam, Additional Chief Secretary (Environment) Shri Sambhu Singh and Additional Chief Secretary (MAHUD) Dr. J. Suresh Babu also attended the function as guests of honour.

The Chief Minister flagged off a team of volunteers who would plant 1000 saplings at different parts of the State as part of environment protection campaign. He also administered oath of conserving nature to the gathering during the celebration.

Later, the dignitaries also released a film on Blooming Manipur which has been taking up the task of planting flowers and plants in different areas.