Keekli Reporter, 18th May, 2018, Shimla
HIMCOSTE started a 20 days “Riverfront Cleaning Campaign by the Eco Club Schools under National Green Corps Programme” in collaboration with Ministry of Environment & Forests and Climate Change, Govt. of India, that will cover three districts — Mandi, Kullu and Bilaspur. India is the international host for World Environment Day (WED) 2018, the theme for this year being “Beat the Plastic Pollution”. To mark the celebrations of Cleanliness Campaign began at Manu Rangshala, Manali, Distt. Kullu, as the event was inaugurated by Chief Guest Govind Thakur, Minister of Forest and Transport Govt of Himachal Pradesh.
On the occasion Dilip Singh Rana (The Great Khali) was present as the Guest of Honour and was declared as the brand ambassador for the campaign on plastic free Himachal Pradesh. Besides, on behalf of HIMCOSTE, Kunal Satyarthi, IFS, Member Secretary was present as Special Guest along with Younus DC Kullu, Shalini Agnihotri, SP Kullu, Deputy Director of Elementary Education and Neeraj Chadha, DFO Kullu.
Thakur urged governments, industries, communities and individuals to come together and explore sustainable alternatives and urgently reduce the production and excessive use of single-use plastics and plastic on a whole polluting our oceans, damaging marine life and threatening human health. He appreciated the efforts of the HIMCOSTE for taking this initiative through the Members of Eco Club Schools of District Mandi, Kullu and Bilaspur covering three river stretches i.e. Kullu-Manali (Beas), Mandi (Beas) & Rewalsar Wetland, Bilaspur (Satluj & Beas) – Govindsagar Lake.
He highlighted the importance of the rivers in our day to day life, and how the rivers are being threatened by heavy influx of waste specially plastic waste. He also stressed that it is the moral duty of every citizen of the State to manage and minimize the use of plastics. He said that it is a sad thing that people have not realized the importance of rivers. The water rivers carry now contains plastic waste, pesticides and chemicals used as manure and poisonous wastes from factories.
He said that during the campaign different departments like District Administration, ITBP, Eco Task Force, Education department, Forest Department, Urban Development Department, Panchayati Raj Institutions, Colleges, Mahila Mandal, Yuvak mandal, NGOs’ and other stakeholder agencies would be involved during the campaign from 18-5-2018 to 05-06-2018. More than 1000 members of the 20 eco club schools of Kullu district nearby to Beas river would be involved during the campaign. The Areas like Manali, Patlikul Katrain, and Kullu would be covered during the campaign.
Dilip Rana also address the audience he urged to avoid the use of plastic. He also inspired the students to keep Himachal Clean and Green by saying no Plastic Use.
