UKHRUL: A comprehensive environmental awareness campaign was held today in Yeasom village, Kamjong district, Manipur. The event was organised by environmental and climate activist Jojo Robertson to raise awareness about climate change and the worsening environmental conditions in the region.
The programme saw enthusiastic participation from village authority members, youth, and womenfolk. It also coincided with the village youth’s scheduled programme of planting saplings and clearing roads along the Imphal–Kasom Khullen highway.
Speaking during the campaign, Jojo Robertson highlighted the environmental and climatic changes taking place in the region. Citing natural calamities such as floods, droughts, extreme heatwaves, and loss of land fertility, he said these were direct consequences of human activities. He stressed the need to conserve and preserve land resources, as well as the region’s flora and fauna.
Emphasising the changing climatic conditions and growing threats to biodiversity, he noted that human activities have led to the loss of habitats for birds and animals, resulting in adverse ecological changes. “Invasive species have emerged, changing the ecological equilibrium and affecting human lives as a result,” he said.
Addressing the youth present at the programme, he encouraged them to take the lead in preserving the ecosystem and the environment. He strongly advocated banning the hunting of birds and animals during their breeding seasons and urged the judicious use of natural resources, highlighting the need to prioritise conservation.
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Further underscoring the need to protect the region’s flora and fauna, he pointed out that many medicinal plants are on the verge of extinction. He called for the identification, preservation, and sustainable use of these endangered plant species. He also lamented the rapid decline in wildlife due to excessive hunting, habitat loss, and the felling of fruit-bearing trees that serve as vital food sources for wild animals.
“Birds and animals are the heartbeat of planet Earth,” he said, urging their protection and noting that they are closely linked to human livelihoods. The best solution to all these problems is the planting of trees—tree plantation for specific purposes such as economic use, clean air, freshwater conservation, and fruit-bearing trees as food for birds and animals,” he added.
As part of the initiative, Jojo Robertson distributed about 120 saplings to the villagers and assured them of continued support in the days to come.
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Chuimeishon Shimphrui, a village authority member, expressed gratitude on behalf of the village to the environmental and climate activist for conducting the awareness programme and extending assistance. He said the village has already taken measures such as banning hunting during the breeding season and prohibiting the use of batteries for fishing. Describing Yeasom as a blessed land where wildlife and medicinal plants flourish, he appealed for more such programmes to further preserve and conserve the area’s rich biodiversity.
