Altaf Hamid Rao.
MIRPUR (AJK), (Parliament Times) : Like rest of the world, World Earth Day was also observed across Azad Jammu & Kashmir on Monday to raise awareness among the masses about the diverse causes of the negative impacts on the planet in different forms.
Earth Day was first observed in 1970, making 2024 its 54th anniversary.
Each year, Earth Day has a specific theme to focus global attention on pressing environmental issues. The theme for Earth Day 2024 is “Planet vs. Plastics .” This theme emphasizes the need for collective action to repair and heal the planet’s ecosystems, combat climate change, and preserve biodiversity.
In Mirpur, a grand walk participated by students teacjers social workers and officials of EPA%AJK Govt Mirpur division was the hall mark of the day.
Our Special Jammu and Kashmir state Correspondent and President Environment Journalists Forum AJKv Altaf Hamid Rao reports from Mirpur that the grand Earth Day Walk was followed by a grand ceremony to observe Day, hosted in Govt Model Science College Mirpir with the coordination of State-run Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Azad Jammu Kashmir government where speakers urged for making the masses acquainted of the knowledge about the earth including the affects, the planet suffers in different forms.
The college students, on this occasion, were apprised, through models, of the importance of water, hills, wild lives and deserts for the human life and the measures to keep them intact in natural form without resorting to any harm to these natural resources.
Speakers including the Chief Guest Divisional Director EPA Mirpur division Sardar Idrees Mahmood, the college Principal Prof. Parveen Akhtar, Dr. Fuqan Arzoo, and the students emphasized on this occasion that the natural resources could be raised only through securing the earth to pave the way for coming generations to be furnished with the gift of the natural beauty, they emphasised.
Earth Day, speakers underlined, holds immense significance as a global initiative to raise awareness about environmental issues and inspire action. It provides an opportunity for individuals, communities, organizations, and governments to come together and engage in activities aimed at protecting the planet for current and future generations, they added.
Certificate and cash prize were given away to first, send and third positions holder of debate and poster competition on this occasion.