Bandipora: Bandipora district administration on Saturday observed World Environment Day by organizing Online seminars, Essay Competitions, debates, painting competitions, cycling rallies and plantation drives with an aim to sensitize the people about the importance of keeping the environment clean.
In view of the ongoing pandemic, the District administration in collaboration with Chief Education Officer Bandipora organised an online Essay and Painting competition in order to focus on the issues that are confronting the process of safe environment through virtual mode. The students were asked to write essay on the topic “Wullar Lake: Our Heritage and Pride” while painting competition was organised virtually on the theme, “Save Environment, Save Life”.
DC Bandipora chaired the felicitation ceremony organised in the Mini-Secretariat lawns for the students who participated in the online competition. Deputy Commissioner Bandipora Dr Owais Ahmad was the chief guest on the occasion while Joint Director Planning Imityaz Ahmad, Deputy Chief Education Officer Bandipora GM Sheikh, Officers of Tourism department and other senior officers of the district were present on the occasion.
While speaking on the occasion, the Deputy Commissioner highlighted the importance of the day and urged the students to be the ambassadors of Bandipora by highlighting the importance of keeping the environment clean. He appreciated the students for taking part in the competition and expressing their ideas with regard to the issue. He said after reading the concepts of the students with regard to the environment, he is sure that the future lies in safe hands as the students have clear idea about the importance of preserving the ecosystem.
Dr. Owais said the district administration is working on several projects that are aimed to preserve the ecosystem of the district. He said that all the waste from across the Kashmir valley gets deposited in the Wullar lake through various tributaries and rivers that run into the lake. He said a major project of de-slitting has been launched to increase the capacity of the lake and restore its lost glory.
On the occasion DC Bandipora also gave away the prizes to the winning students besides unveiling a painting at Mini-Secretariat to kick-start theme-based wall paintings across the district
Joint Director Planning, Imityaz Ahmad, who devise the idea of organisng online competitions and launching of large scale theme painting in the district to beauty the walls at prominent locations besides sensitizing people about the importance of ecosystem, while speaking on the occasion said that every individual must now fundamentally rethink his relationship with the living world, natural ecosystem, and its biodiversity.
He said the World Environment Day is also a people’s day which is celebrated as a concern for our environment and the day provides an important platform for promoting the dimensions of environmental sustainable development goals.
Later the Deputy Commissioner along with Senior Superintendent of Police Mohammad Zahid and DFO Social Forestry launched a plantation drive by planting trees in the premises of newly constructed District Hospital Complex. He also flagged off a rally by a group of young cyclists who will ride on their cycles across the town with an aim to create awareness about the environmental issues.
Dr Owais also inaugurated an awareness campaign by flagging off a vehicle of Municipal Council Bandipora that has been fitted with a Public Address System that shall also create awareness regarding the issue among the public.

KR Desk