The District Administration West Garo Hills and IBDLP Basin Development Unit, Tura in collaboration with line departments is organising a weeklong eco-system campaign 2016 ‘Completely Possible’ from June 5 to 11, 2016. The ecosystem awareness campaign is being celebrated to mark the World Environment Day, which will also give awareness to contribute towards conservation and promotion of green environment and green initiatives as a responsible individual and as a community to the nature and to our ecosystem.
Garo Hills is rich in bio-diversity and full of rare trees herbs, animals and one of the hot spot zone in the region. The practice and the unplanned agriculture like jhuming cultivation; rat hole mining is taking a heavy toll on local people by poisoning river and destroying the catchment areas and natural habitat of numerous rare and endangered species of Garo Hills. This year World Environment Day 2016 theme ‘Fight against the Illegal Trade in Wildlife’ is a relevant reminder to conserve our bio-diversity to sustain wildlife and protect them from being destroyed and illegally traded.
‘Completely Possible’ is a weeklong eco-system campaign in West Garo Hills wherein everyone in the district is engaged fostering greater awareness towards promotion and protection of bio-diversity, existing natural resources and flora-fauna in the region. The campaign, which kicks started with sapling distribution and pledge taking, encompasses variety of activities and competitions for everybody in different categories, organised on 6th & 7th June, 2016 at SMELC Building, Dakopgre. ‘Art attack’ -poster painting, slogan writing, mud-model making, essay writing, the idea-green concept paper writing, green photography, wall paintings, wall writing etc. are some of the events being organised during the campaign. There will be a massive tree plantation campaign during the entire week wherein schools, colleges, institutions, NGOs, eco-clubs, SHGs, church federations, departments, individuals, and associations will be involved. The technical support and tree plantation drive is actively being mobilised by Soil & Water Conservation, Social Forestry, Agriculture and Horticulture departments. The EFCs of IBDLP in each block with the support of Block Development Officers and active participation of the community, JFMGs, water user groups, Nokmas and VECs are taking the lead role in plantation drive.
Innovative initiative like ‘signature campaign’- sign up for Clean and Green Garo Hills’ is open for all the citizens to write the message for the environment. The best slogans will be recommended for display, through paintings on the walls of Tura by the professionals, which will inspire and bring awareness to the people at large.
The ‘Umbrella March’, which is an open event as a part of the green march during the ‘Green Conclave’, is being organised on the 10th June, 2016; which will have participation from all the districts of Garo Hills. The ‘Green Conclave’ will be held in District Auditorium, Tura. There will be felicitation to the green volunteers, inspiring eco-clubs, federations, and associations as ‘Green Ambassador and Apostle of Peace’ who have shown the way for responsible promotion and conservation of the bio-diversity and the flora-fauna in the region.
The ecosystem campaign 2016 will culminate on June 11, 2016 with expressive green conference and distribution of prizes and certificates. The final day will stage eco-system exhibition, which will display the works and activities of the entire week by the participants and stakeholders.
The campaign is supported by Tura Municipal Board, Meghalaya Tourism, MIE Tura, SSA, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and Chief Minister’s Youth for Green (CMYFG).