SHILLONG, JUNE 4: The West Garo hills district Basin Development Unit (BDU) is organizing a Basin Development Conclave on June 5 and 6 which will kick start the month long celebration and observation of Basin Development Month.
The West Garo hills district administration and BDU under the aegis of IBDLP will organize a series of events to create awareness about environment protection, preservation of forest and catchment areas to create an enhanced level of understanding about water use, forest management and environmental conservation initiatives.
The month of June will be observed as Basin Development Month. There shall be string of activities, events and workshops aiming at creating awareness about environmental degradation and the need to protect the environment particularly to preserve the catchment areas, water sources, streams and rivers.
Beside the conclave June 5 will also see the World Environment Day being organized with intellectuals, heads of line departments, academicians, senior citizens being invited to be part of the programme. It shall be a round table workshop in which illustrative presentations shall be made on ill effects of jhumming and its ecological imbalance, challenges and convergence initiatives relating to water and climate change strategies.
There will also be panel discussion with leading senior citizen to evolve a district level strategy on environment protection, water use and forest management which will be documented as Ten Point Programme for West Garo Hills for consideration of the chief minister to evolve policy initiatives.
The discussion shall include conservation and preservation of environment, community awareness programme, and protection of catchment areas, climate change, adaptation programme, land use mapping, forest management and livelihood issues.
On June 6 there will be a programme on creating awareness about Green Earth Day. The programme shall primarily be an awareness creation programme for school children and shall involve the participation of 15 -20 schools. The Green Earth Day will be an opportunity for the West Garo hills BDA to reach out to the school students and intellectuals informing them about the vital concepts of forest conservation ecology and environment protection.
Documentary films on environment issues like critically acclaimed documentary on ‘Wah Umkhrah’, the most polluted stream of Shillong shall be showcased. Success stories like the cleaning up of Ringrey Stream by enthusiastic students of Sherwood School last year in the wake of water crisis in Tura shall be presented. The proposal for bird sanctuary and environmental planning will be discussed in the meeting. An interesting feature of the Green Earth Day shall be the visit of about 200 school children to rain water harvesting sites and also to Ringrey Stream to study the alarming levels of pollution and contamination in the most vital water resource of Tura.
Under the Chief Minister’s Youth Development Scheme, the district administration has approved proposals of several ngos and social organizations for tree plantation, aforestation and environmental awareness programme and environmental awareness programmes. The Officers Club, Tura shall also be observing tree plantation as a part of the Green Earth Day on June 6.
In the third week of June, there shall be a Water Week Conclave in Tura with chief minister who will be gracing the programme as chief guest. This will be a three-day affairs with the participation of Nokmas, environmental activists, citizen groups, ngos, students, local area development committees and institutions like Nokma Council and GHADC. The programme shall also enlist the participation of prominent church bodies and their leaders. The three day conclave shall be organized to discuss water issues and concerns, protection of catchment areas and forests and suggests policy issues for formulation of Meghalaya Water Act which is under consideration of state government.
Documentations under the flagship of Integrated Basin Development & Livelihood Promotion Programme shall be released during the conclave, there shall be release of a Sustainable Development resolution which is being prepared by leading intellectuals, senior citizens & Basin Development Unit, West Garo Hills jointly which will be circulated to all Nokmas, schools, local area development committees, ngos and village level bodies.
Apart from this, to ensure widespread participation of school and college students, there will be host of competitions and events to enlist the participation of young enthusiasts for the cause of environment. It is also proposed that there will be a signature campaign for the ‘Clean Tura Green Tura’ initiative which will be submitted with a general appeal to the state government.
As a part of the Water Week and Sustainable Development Conclave an exhibition of ‘green’ technologies and innovations and documentation of success stories for environmental preservation shall be held alongside the celebration of the conclaves and events.- By Our Reporter
+ There are no comments
Add yours