Report

on

World Environment Day 5th June 2019

Venue :

Sankardev Academy, Hajo Road, Nalbari

Organized by –

Pollution Control Board, Assam

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Since 1974, World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated every 5th of June as an

annual event to raise the importance of the healthy and green environment in the

human lives , to solve the issues of the environment by implementing some positive

environmental actions by government, non-governmental organizations and individual

as a whole. The year 1972 marked the first major conference on environmental issues,

known as Stockholm Conference with a goal to address the challenge of preserving and

enhancing the human environment.

Celebrating the occasion of World Environment Day’ 2019, Pollution Control

Board Assam organized a programme at Sankardev Academy, Hajo Road, Nalbari,

Assam under the WED theme ‘Beat Air Pollution’. Central Pollution Control Board

(CPCB) has identified 5 (five) non-attainment city/towns from the state of Assam

based on ambient air quality data, particularly PM10 obtained from the year 2011-2015

under National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP). The cities which have

consistently failed to meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQMS) are

declared as non-attainment city. Nalbari is one of the identified non-attainment cities

from the State of Assam among others which include Guwahati, Nagaon, Sibsagar and

Silchar. Therefore, the venue at Nalbari was selected to mark the day, as per the

decision of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF& CC). To

celebrate WED’2019, key resource persons, school students, teachers of the schools,

nurses from hospital, local nature lovers were invited. Over 200 participants were

present in the event.

The event started with plantation programme by Shri Bharat Bhushan Dev

Choudhury, Deputy Commissioner of Nalbari which was followed by a welcome address

by Shri Jayanta Kumar Das, Assistant Executive Engineer, Regional Office, Guwahati,

PCBA. The invited chief guest Shri Bharat Bhushan Dev Choudhury, Deputy

Commissioner of Nalbari and distinguished guests Dr. Nipendran Nath Patowary, ex-

Principal of Assam Engineering College, Dr. Ram Prasad Bhatta, Principal, Sankardev

Academy, Prof. Bhudev Sharma, Deptt. Of Chemistry, Sankardev Academy, Shri.

Anirbaan Das, Senior Environmental Engineer, PCBA, Sailendra Prasad Sarma,

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Coordinator, Sankardev Academy, Nalbari and Shri Kulen Talukdar, Executive

Engineer, PCBA were felicitated by the Board officials. This was followed by a group

song presentation by the students of Sankardev Academy.

Dr. Ram Prasad Bhatta, Principal of Sankardev Academy presided over the

programme with a brief introductory talk. He welcomed the chief guest, distinguished

guests, resource person, students from various schools of Nalbari and other participants

invited to the programme.

Chief guest Shri Bharat Bhushan Dev Choudhury, Deputy Commissioner of

Nalbari mentioned the lack of awareness among the people despite celebrating World

Environment Day all over the world. In his talk he emphasized on the various efforts

made by MoEF&CC for encouraging awareness and action for protection of the

environment. He also stated that the consequences of environmental problems are not

realized immediately, hence the people are ignorant towards the significance of

protecting the environment. He stressed the importance of Life Cycle Assessment

(LCA) to assess the environmental impacts associated with all the stages of a product’s

life considering all steps, from manufacture, use and end of life and a declaration by the

producer regarding the products causing harm to the environment should also be made

accessible to the general public through mobile application. Encouraging sustainable

concept like Industrial ecology, sensitizing school children towards protection of

environment, inculcating ecological intelligence by all and adopting holistic approach

towards environment security were greatly emphasized by him.

Shri Jayanta Kumar Das, AEE, PCBA delivered a talk on the theme of Air

Pollution and the factors that led to incorporation of five cities from the State in the list of

non-attainment cities. He discussed the various sources contributing to the generation

of air pollutants like Oxides of Sulphur and Nitrogen, Suspended Particulate Matter

(SPM) and Respirable Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10), Carbon Monoxide (CO) and

explained their associated health impacts. He mentioned that dioxins and furans

generated from burning of plastics, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and pesticides

also contribute to pollution of air. Therefore, to compensate the adverse effects, he

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advised planting of indigenous tress like Peepal, Jamun and Bokul as steps towards

beating air pollution.

Resource Person Prof. Bhudev Sharma, Deptt. of Chemistry, Sankardev

Academy, Nalbari explained the various natural as well as anthropogenic sources of air

pollution. By understanding of different types of pollution, how it affects our health and

environment; he also encouraged everyone to take steps towards improving the quality

of air around us. After his lecture, a dance performance was presented by the students

of Sankardev Academy on the theme of environmental conservation.

Resource person Dr. Nipendra Nath Patowary, ex-Principal of AEC emphasized

the enormous need to spread environmental awareness in the context of successfully

addressing environmental problems. He explained how air pollution and climate change

are closely related, which can negatively impact our day-to-day lives, causing

respiratory illness and leading to days of missed work and school. He also highlighted

the adverse effects that plastic accumulation causes to the Earth’s environment and

motivated the school children to protect our Mother Earth through best environmental

practices.

Shri Anirbaan Das, SEE, PCBA mentioned the rising level of air pollution as one

of the biggest global environmental challenges at present. He also discussed the

National Clean Air Programme launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest&

Climate Change which sets a “tentative national target” of 20%-30% reduction in PM2.5

and PM10 concentrations by 2024, with 2017 as the base year for comparison in the 102

identified non-attainment cities of the country. The city specific action plans for the State

of Assam, involving various stake-holders to combat air pollution, have been already

prepared and submitted to CPCB for further approval.

The WED programme concluded with a Vote of Thanks by Shri. Hemanta Saikia,

PCBA and with a purpose to change our everyday lives to reduce the amount of air

pollution we produce, and prevent its contribution to global warming and its effect on our

own health. Plant saplings and caps were also distributed to students and all other

participants as a part of environment awareness programme.

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The persons involved to make this event a success are Shri Anirbaan Das, SEE,

Shri Kulen Talukdar, EE, Shri Pralay Das, EES, Shri Jayanta Kr.Das (II), AEE, Shri

Krishna Kanta Barman, AEE, Shri Hiten Sharma, AEES, Shri Karamjit Nath, ES, Shri

Jagat Deka, AE,Shri Sanjeeb Kakati, AE, Ksh. Ranjana Singha, ES, Shri Hemanta

Saikia, AA-I, Ms. Nabanita Sarma, JA, Ms. Kankana Choudhury, AA-II, Shri Bhaskar

Jyoti Borah, AP, Shri Moon Kr.Das, DEO, Shri Bikramjit Singha, JA and Shri Karen

Basumatary, DEO.

Pic-1: Plantation by Deputy Commissioner, Nalbari

Pic-2: Distinguished Guests on the Dais from left Dr. Nripendra Nath Patowary, Ex. Principal, AEC; Shri Bharat Bhushan Dev Choudhury, Deputy Commissioner, Nalbari; Dr. Ram Prasad Bhatta, Principal, Sankardev Academy, Nalbari; Shri Anirbaan Das, Sr. Env. Engineer, PCBA & Prof. Bhudev Sharma, Deptt. of Chemistry, Sankardev Academy, Nalbari

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Pic-3: Students from different schools attending the programme

Pic-4: Inaugural song performed by Students of Sankardev Academy, Nalbari

Pic-5&6: Glimpses of the audience present in the function

Pic-7: Group dance performed by students of Sankardev Academy, Nalbari

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Pic-8&9: Sapling distribution among the Students

Pic-10&11: Sapling distribution among the Students

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