Jharkhand observes World Environment Day with series of programmes across state

Ranchi, Jun 5 (PTI) Jharkhand on Friday observed World Environment Day with a series of programmes across the state, including a plantation drive and a call by senior officials for adopting an environment-friendly lifestyle.

Addressing a programme at the Palash Auditorium here, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force Sanjeev Kumar appealed to residents to take a pledge to make the state green and clean by embracing sustainable practices.

He said efforts should be made to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which are a major cause of rising temperatures, and stressed the need for collective action by all sections of society.

“Protecting the environment is the biggest challenge before us. We need to increase soil’s fertility

and work on water conservation. We must take strong measures for pollution control and adopt an environment-friendly lifestyle to make Jharkhand a clean and green state. In this campaign, efforts are needed from the local to the global level,” Kumar said.

He said environmental protection cannot be achieved through government efforts alone and requires the participation of every resident of the state.

“The message of environmental conservation should be shared with villages, homes, schools, relatives and everyone,” he said.

Secretary of the Department of Forest, Environment and Climate Change Abu Bakar Siddiqui urged people to plant at least one sapling and take responsibility for its protection.

“For environmental protection, we must work with legal, moral and religious integrity. This is a global problem, and everyone must make efforts to solve it. We appeal to the residents to plant at least one sapling in their surroundings and take responsibility for its protection,” Siddiqui said.

He said such efforts would play a significant role in ensuring a clean, safe and healthy environment for future generations.

Meanwhile, the Chakradharpur (CKP) division of South Eastern Railway observed the day by planting one lakh saplings across the division.

Of the one lakh saplings planted as part of the plantation drive, 1,200 were planted at the division headquarters in Chakradharpur in West Singhbhum district, according to an official statement.

In East Singhbhum district, Tata Steel UISL, a subsidiary of Tata Steel, launched an initiative combining digital convenience with environmental responsibility.

In line with the Tata Group’s Net Zero 2045 vision, the company strengthened its e-billing system and pledged to plant one tree for every consumer registering for an e-bill, officials said in a statement.

The company has also converted 4,899 metric tonnes of municipal waste into organic compost, which has been made available to residents of Jamshedpur for the first time, they said.

By transforming city waste into a valuable resource, Tata Steel UISL is promoting the circular economy while complementing its sustainability initiatives, including 34.83 MWp rooftop solar capacity and the annual plantation of over one lakh saplings, the statement added. PTI RPS BS RPS MNB