Pics: Joshwa D'souza
Daijiworld Media Network-Mangaluru(JD)

Mangaluru, Jun 20: The Working Journalists Association celebrated ‘Vanamahotsava’ in circuit house premises here on Monday June 21.

Forest and ecology minister and district in-charge minister Ramanatha Rai planted a sapling and stressed on the need to plant more saplings and to conserve forest.

“Conserving forests and planting saplings is the need of time as they help us in many ways like bringing rains and keeping the temperature under control. This year the forest department is planning to launch a program to plant one crore saplings and a grant of 8 crore has been allotted for this. It is a good program by the district working journalists union and they have been doing this since a few years,” he said. 

Addressing the media persons later in the conference hall, he said that the new programs of the state government Green School (Hasiru Shale), Green Village (Hasiru Grama), Bring back lakes have been contributing towards conservation of environment. 

“Under the Green School (Hasiru Shale), a school in the district will be chosen and students will be made aware of various types of trees through the saplings planted in the school premises. Last year Sarapadi Government School was chosen for this program in the district,” he said.

Speaking about the green village (Hasiru Grama), he said, “The village which is chosen under this program will be given the eco friendly cooking facilities by providing LPG kits, Gober gas and solar lights to 250 homes. Normally a village closer to the reserved forest is chosen and Ariyadka village in Puttur Taluk is the green village for the district and it will receive grants every year under the program.”

‘Bring back lakes’ for the conservation of lakes:

He said that the existing board for the conservation of lakes has been transformed as an authority and various programs under the name ‘Bring back lakes’  have been planned to be organised in coordination with various private companies under the CSR program. 12 lakes have been already handed over to the 12 companies in Bengaluru and one lake in every city corporation limits will also be developed under this program.

“After developing these lakes, a person from nearby place will be appointed as the lake warden and he will be the person responsible for its conservation,” he added.

Range forest officer Shridhar, Bantwal urban development authority chairman Pius Rodrigues, leader of opposition in MCC Roopa Bangera, president of DK working journalists association Jagannath Bala were present during the Vanamahotsava.