Different system this year – CM Chang

Eastern Mirror Desk Dimapur, June 4: In view of this year’s World Environment Day, the Minister of Forest, Environment and Climate Change, Parliamentary Affairs, CM Chang has informed that senior officers from the department have been directed to go to each district on June 5, as opposed to other years when the occasion was only in Kohima. “This year we want to have a wider outreach, so senior officials have been deployed to all district headquarters to give education and sensitise the public about our environment,” Chang told Eastern Mirror on Monday. He asserted that this year the ‘system has changed’ wherein the officials will visit the district headquarters and at the same time, conduct tree plantation drives in the respective district. ‘The need to reach out to maximum number of places and people is because the issue of environmental degradation affects everyone and conservation is everyone’s responsibility,’ the minister said. Chang informed that this year more than 7000 people are expected to attend the event across the state and more than 3 lakh tree saplings have been arranged for free-of-cost distribution to the public as well. He further informed that reports would be gathered from all the districts for future action and references. A report is also scheduled to be released on the occasion while various awareness related posters, book markers will be distributed. Chang also acknowledged the efforts of various civil societies and tribal organisations for conducting various programmes on their own. “I am very happy with the various organisations and churches for taking it upon themselves to observe the (World Environment) day,” said Chang. According to him, some churches were even delivering Sunday sermons, on June 9, based on the theme of environment.