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‘Ecosystem restoration key to save Punjab from desertification’

85.4L trees planted under ‘Mission Tandarust Punjab’: Official

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Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, June 2

The Pushpa Gujral Science City, jointly with the Punjab Pollution Control Board and the Centre for Environment Communication, is observing the World Environment Week by organising online quiz competitions and film festival from June 2 to 5.

On the first day of the festival, an online quiz competition on “Nature, environment and sustainable development” was organised for students aged between 11 and 15 years. Saurav Gupta, IFS, Director, Directorate of Environment and Climate Change, was the chief guest on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, he said the state government had launched “Mission Tandarust Punjab” to push the state among the healthiest ones by taking care of its air and water quality, ensuring safe food and good living environment. He said 85.44 lakh trees had been planted under the mission and 66 lakh saplings of native species had been distributed under the Ghar Ghar Haryali Programme. He called upon the students to take initiative for the restoration of ecosystem of Punjab.

Dr Neelima Jerath, Director General, Science City, during her introductory remarks said the celebration of the World Environment Day (June 5) reminds us to restore our ecosystems in every possible way. She pointed out the need of promoting education for sustainable development and said science museums such as Pushpa Gujral Science City could play a major role in this direction by reaching out to the children and their parents by simplifying complex scientific concepts and involving them in conservation in a fun way. She said: “If we all put our best foot forward to stop the rampant global warming, then we can expect certain rewards in the future. There are solutions to global warming available today and its time we put them to use. These solutions will reduce the amount of heat-trapping gases that we emit into the atmosphere.”

Dr Rajesh Grover, Director, Science City, said Punjab, primarily an agrarian economy and the food bowl of the country, was facing a threat of desertification. Bad agricultural practices such as over use of pesticides and fertilizers, besides following the same crop cycle of wheat-paddy, were the factors contributing towards diminishing soil fertility. He stressed on adoption of best agricultural practices to restore ecosystems.

The quiz was conducted by quizmasters Puja Ahluwalia and Shabnam Sharma, The Deens Academy, Bangalore. The First prize in online quiz competition was won by Gayatri Mahajan from Shri Guru Harkishan Public School, Pathankot, second prize was won by Chahat Chadha from Daynanda Model Senior Secondary School, Jalandhar, and Kashish Dhillon from DIPS Rayya got the third prize.

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