Plantation drive, awareness rallies mark World Environment Day in Visakhapatnam

World Environment Day in the city featured planting, rallies, and plastic ban awareness, emphasizing environmental protection and sustainability.

Planting of saplings, rallies, awareness meetings and calls to shun the use of plastic marked the World Environment Day in the city on Thursday.

District Collector M.N. Harendhira Prasad flagged off a ‘green rally’, taken out from the Kali Matha temple to the AU Convention Centre on Beach Road. The programme was organised under the aegis of the Forest Department, Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board, GVMC and other departments.

The Collector said that a campaign was launched to plant 5 lakh saplings across the district. The target was to plant over a million saplings in the district. He called upon the organisers to ensure protection and growth of the plants.

The Collector called upon the public to shun the use of plastic. He reminded that ‘single-use plastic’ has already been banned. Plastic is causing untold harm to public health, including cancer. It is also harming marine life, he said and commended Divis Labs, Coromandel and other industries and NGOs for becoming a part of the sapling promotion.

Waltair Railway Division celebrated the day with enthusiasm and commitment, emphasising its dedication to environmental protection and sustainability.

This year’s theme, “Beat Plastic Pollution,” highlights the need to end plastic pollution, and the division has actively focused on raising public awareness on plastic ban and promoting large-scale plantation drives.

It organised a series of activities from May 22 to June 5. These initiatives were aimed at reducing plastic pollution and enhancing green cover across the division.