Port Blair, July 22: The Botanical Survey of India, A & N Regional Centre organized an environmental awareness programme to mark the 67th Van Mahotsav at Government Middle School, Humfreygunj, South Andaman. The Deputy Director & Head of Office, Dr. Lal Ji Singh, inaugurated the programme by planting sapling of Dinosaur age plant Cycas in the presence of the Principal Smt. Resham Kaur and Smt. Krishna Banerjee, Headmistress, teaching and non-teaching staff, retired staffs and students of the school and Smt. Sunita Devi, Chairperson, SMB, Humfrygunj.
In his address, Dr Singh spoke on the importance of planting saplings to generate awareness among public towards the conservation and sustainable utilization of forests and forest products. He emphasised the active role of school children in disseminating the news regarding the needs of plant conservation through which the rate of global warming could be cut down for the better future of our earth. He emphasized that students must be aware about importance of tree plantation and stressed it as a moral duty of every individual to plant trees. Dr. Singh also urged the students to take care of the planted saplings till they are well established and carry out regular weeding. This year the intent is to spread awareness amongst school students, parents and others about the repercussions of deforestation and reckless cutting down of trees, afforestation by BSI scientists.
Over 100 saplings of rare, endangered and threatened plants were planted by more than 200 students, teaching and non-teaching faculty and BSI Scientists and staff on the occasion.
