Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio on Tuesday promised to launch a campaign for clean and green Nagaland within three months.
Addressing a programme organized at Nagaland Baptist Church Council convention centre in Kohima on World Environment Day, Rio said the day is being observed to reinforce our commitment to protect the environment for a better future for all of us.
He said World Environment Day is the “people’s day” for doing something locally, nationally or globally involving everyone to take care of Mother Earth.
Asserting that the government is committed to planting trees for a green Nagaland, the chief minister called upon the youths and the people of the state to join in this campaign and plant more trees for a greener Nagaland. He said the dream of a clean and green Nagaland will be a reality only with active participation of everyone.
Commenting on the World Environment Day theme for 2018 ‘Beating plastic pollution’, Rio said plastic pollution is one of the greatest environmental challenges of our time. The challenge before all of us, he said, is to consider what changes we can make in our everyday lives to reduce the burden of plastic pollution in our environment, our biodiversity and our own health.
He also pointed out that plastic has become a menace in Nagaland too, especially in Kohima, Dimapur and other district headquarters, leading to choking of drains and gutters that causes flooding as well as makes them a breeding ground for germs and bacteria.
“World Environment Day provides an opportunity for each of us to adopt many lifestyle changes that can help combat plastic pollution and we need to act actively and participate willingly to combat this challenge and save our fragile environment,” Ro added.
He further called upon everyone to resolve to commit oneself for a plastic-free Nagaland by banning the use of plastic in the state within six months.
“Together we can make a difference in reducing the use of plastics and contribute in protecting the environment and a better tomorrow,” Rio said.