UKHRUL: A Comprehensive Environmental Awareness Campaign was held today at Khamlang village in Kamjong District, Manipur, in connection with World Environment Day and Green Sunday. The environmental campaign was organized by the Khamlang Baptist Church in collaboration with the village Tourism Committee. Tree plantation and cleanliness drive were also taken up as part of the program.
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During the seminar, Thotasheng Shanglai, a former member of the Autonomous District Council and a current member of the village tourism committee, emphasized the importance of maintaining ecological balance and highlighted the tourism potential of the village. He discussed the tourism-related initiatives that the committee has undertaken and the ongoing need for beautification efforts within the village.
Resource person Robertson Jajo, an environmental and climate activist, spoke about the necessity of preserving flora and fauna, especially medicinal plants. He expressed delight at having a tourism committee in the village. Jajo addressed the need for tree planting, discussed the types of trees suitable for different purposes, and assured the villagers of material support. He highlighted the significant impacts of climate change and global warming, along with the adverse effects of human activities on the environment and biodiversity, including irregular rainfall, drought, air and water pollution, the emergence of invasive species, and diseases.
Further, he emphasized the need for conserving the ecosystem through tree planting and the protection of wildlife. Jajo encouraged the villagers to plant various types of trees that provide food for both animals and humans. He also briefed the villagers on the importance of planting trees, including water conservation, soil erosion prevention, and fresh air, among others. He also assured the community that he would help provide saplings for planting.
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Jajo also briefed the villagers on global warming, its causes, and its impacts on livelihoods. He stressed the need for sustainable tree cutting practices and the conservation of medicinal plants found in the region, lamenting the loss of these plants due to human ignorance. He called for immediate action to preserve them and highlighted their importance in maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem health.
Furthermore, he urged the preservation of animals, birds, and the fruit-bearing trees that sustain them, lamenting that excessive hunting has destroyed wildlife habitats. He asserted that human existence on Earth is impossible without wildlife and encouraged villagers to refrain from hunting wild animals and birds, recognizing their critical role as pollinators as well.
“The need for increased tree planting is linked to combating global warming, ensuring access to safer drinking water, promoting fresh air, preventing soil erosion, and enhancing soil fertility,” he said. Jajo concluded by encouraging taking photographs of birds and animals instead of hunting them.
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Rev. Shangkhaning Zingkhai, the local pastor, stated that the Church has been observing Green Sunday every year on the first Sunday of June. Also, he stated that to mark the upcoming Green Sunday, the Church decided to hold the campaign and cleanliness drive to raise awareness about afforestation and wildlife conservation as a part of the mission to protect and preserve God’s creation. He announced that the Church plans to observe June 7 as Green Sunday, focusing on messages regarding the preservation of God’s creation and addressing resource depletion and potential solutions.
Following the seminar, a tree plantation and cleanliness drive were conducted to mark the upcoming Green Sunday and contribute to the village’s tourism project.