Visakhapatnam: Adopt eco-friendly steps to protect biodiversity said DRM Chetan Kumar Shrivastava

Visakhapatnam: Plantation of sapling, awareness drives, contests and green initiatives mark the World Environment Day (WED) celebrations here on Friday by various organisations and institutions.

Waltair Division of East Coast Railway (ECoR) observed the World Environment Day celebrations in the railway colonies conducting awareness and plantation programmes.

The Division organised awareness campaign on green plantation with the theme 'Preserve biodiversity to save human race.'

Posters and banners were displayed to propagate the message of environment protection, green initiative, avoid the usage of plastic and preserve biodiversity.

Speaking on the occasion, Divisional Railway Manager Chetan Kumar Shrivastava said, "The celebration of the day provides us an opportunity to rethink on the sustainable environment conserving methods and adopt eco-friendly measures to protect biodiversity. Let us join hands to improve our quality of life by improving our environment and safeguarding biodiversity."

The division has taken several green initiatives including in-house production of organic fertiliser by bio-decompose green bins and green pits, segregation of waste at source, plastic bag exchange programme and setting up of plastic bottle shredders at railway stations.

VPT launches 'Green Visakha' plantation drive

Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT) has launched a plantation programme of 1.02 lakh saplings under Green Visakha at a cost of Rs 3.84 crore. Speaking on the occasion, VPT Chairman K Rama Mohana Rao said that persistent efforts on the existing environment management practices such as covering of stacks with tarpaulins, sprinkling of water on stacks and roads, truck tyre washing facilities and plantation will be continued. As part of the WED celebrations, the environment command control centre was inaugurated by Rama Mohana Rao in the presence of VPT deputy chairman P L Haranadh and CVO J Pradeep Kumar, among others.

AU V-C bats for quality environment

The Centre for Environment, Sustainability and Climate Change (CESCC) at Andhra University, is proposed to coordinate with the government and local authorities for the cause of environment and society. According to Vice-Chancellor of AU P V G D Prasad Reddy, water, land and soil need to be conserved and efficiently managed to enhance productivity, achieve economic growth and promote environmental quality. The V-C said soon full-fledged activities will be taken up towards CESCC.

Good Samaritans green gesture

Good Samaritans distributed 10,000 saplings on the occasion of WED. CEO of Symbiosys Technologies and S Kaasi V Raju of Jyothi Group decided to add a dash of green to the otherwise dried up villages near LG Polymers plant. In line with this, they gave away Tulsi, curry leaves and flowering plants to the residents of RR Venkatapuram and neighbouring areas.

Vizag Children Club hosts competitions

After a long break, Vizag Children Club has conducted a slew of competitions, marking WED. Short video, drawing and poetry recitation competitions were held for those associated with 100 such clubs. The need to follow environment-friendly measures, steps to be followed to prevent coronavirus from spreading, importance of practising social distancing, among other themes were brought out on the canvas by the participants. The contest organised in association with the Rotary Club, was held in various colonies, maintaining social distancing, according to club convener M V Sathyakumari.

More saplings at GPL

Caring towards the environment, Gangavaram Port Limited (GPL) has planted more than 65,000 saplings within the port premises last monsoon, while this year, the target is to form a greenbelt by planting 75,000 saplings from June to May 2021. The Port has taken up the 'Miyawaki' method of plantation which is meant for biodiversity within the Port premises to an extent of one-acre area and planted 12,500 saplings of different species. The programme was inaugurated by CEO of Gangavaram Port N Sambasiva Rao, COO V Janardhan Rao, Director (S&P) C S Raju, Vice President of Vigilance (R&R and Security) B Balakrishna along with key staff members from the port.