Mangalore: The most ambitious programme of the state forest dept. “Vriksharaksha”, a statewide afforestation programme was launched by the minister for environment and forestry, Mr. Ramanatha Rai in the town hall of the city today.
Minister Rai, in his innagural address spoke about the need to conserve the environment.
He said, “The importance of the forests can be compared to the requirement of the food in our livelihood. For the existence of the mankind conserving the forests and increasing the green area by planting sapplings is the need of the time. Reduction in the forest area will lead to the extinction of the wild animals and eventually leading to the extinction of the mankind. Hence every citizen has the responsibility to conserve the existing forests and plant sapplings so that tomorrow we may have more forest area. I request the NGO’s, different institutions to help the government in this noble cause and make this programme a grand success.”
“Since this is a statewide initiative we are planning to implement this programme in diffrent departments so that the awareness of the cause is spread.”, he said.
Ex-chief minister Sadananda Gowda was the chief guest of the programme. Adressing the gathering, he said that the programme should not remain within the four walls of of the govt. But it has to reach every common man and every one present in the gathering should plant a sappling and take the responsibility to nurture it.
Minister Rai later gave away the “Vriksha Mitra” award to Ammembal Hasanabba, Madhav ullal and Jeeth Roche, for their exeptional contribution in planting sapplings and creating awareness about the afforestation.
Minister Rai distributed the sapplings to the students and later the dignitories planted a sappling as a symbol of the affoestation program.
Before the program a procession was organised which circled the town hall premises and entered the venue.NSS volunteers and NCC cadets of Kavoor govt. college, Govindadas college, Badriya college, Roshini Nilaya, Beasant college, St. Aloysius college, St.Agnes College, MAPS College, Govt. First grade College, car street, Canara college, Narayanaguru college, St. Raymonds college participated in the procession.
MLA’s J R Lobo, Monappa bhandary, D C N prakash and other officials of the forest and environment department were present at the occassion.