Protect environment for sake of mankind, pleads Dy CM

Tirupati: The importance of protecting the environment for the safety of mankind was highlighted on World Environment Day celebrations held at several institutions and organisations in the city on Sunday.

Rallies, awareness meetings and planting of saplings marked the celebrations with the theme 'Only one earth' in a big way.

The programme organised by AP Pollution Control Board at Balaji Dairy in Tirupati was attended by Deputy Chief Minister K Narayana Swamy, Minister for Energy, Environment and Forest Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy and others. Speaking on the occasion, the Deputy Chief Minister felt that it was time to protect the deteriorating environment. Everyone should act with responsibility in planting the saplings which would save them in return.

Minister Peddireddi said that observing environment day should not become a mere routine affair but an opportunity to reaffirm the commitment to help protect the environment. Now, pollution can be seen everywhere and in anything which needs to be changed. He recalled that Chandragiri MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy distributed one lakh saplings and the TTD has initiated steps to ban single use plastic at Tirumala which will help in reducing the pollution.

Chevireddy and AP Pollution Control Board member secretary Vijay Kumar also spoke on the occasion. The Ministers released brochures on the occasion and planted saplings. PCB chief environmental engineer K Venkateswar Rao, zonal officer A Subba Rao, regional officer A Narendra Babu and others took part in the programme.

At a programme held in Sri City, forest range officer Prasad Rao said that the day was aimed at raising awareness about degrading environmental conditions and to encourage people to take positive actions to help create a better future. Sri City's head of horticulture department Madhusudan Reddy conducted the event. National Sanskrit University organised a walkathon in which a huge contingent of about 500 students, faculty and staff took part. It was flagged off by Vice-Chancellor Prof Radhakanth Thakur. Registrar Commander Challa Venkateswar, Prof S Dakshinamurthy, Prof R Chandrasekhar and others participated.

Tirupati railway station Director K Satyanarayana planted saplings in the premises and asked every employee to take part in plantation programmes and preserve them for the sake of future generations. An awareness rally was also held on the occasion. SV Zoological Park also organised a rally, elocution and drawing competitions. Assistant curator V Madhava Rao participated. A rally was organised in SV University by NSS volunteers which was flagged off by Rector Prof V Srikanth Reddy. SVU Arts College Principal Prof BV Muralidhar, Dean Prof Stanely Jayakumar, Dr P Damodaram and others participated.