Hotel Taj Gateway Marks ‘World Environment Day’
“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed. What we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another”. – Mahatma Gandhi
Mangaluru: World environment day is also known as the Environment Day, Eco Day or short form WED. It has been one of the great annual events for years which is being celebrated worldwide by the people aiming to protect the unique and life nurturing Nature on every 5th June. World Environment Day 2016 is celebrated by the people all across the world on 5th of June, but the Hotel Taj Gateway-Mangaluru and Government ITI for Women-Kadri Hills, Mangaluru celebrated a day earlier on 4 June at ITI premises.
Each year celebration of the World Environment Day is based on the particular theme decided by the United Nations to make the celebration more effective by encouraging mass people worldwide to hugely take part in addressing environmental issues on global scale. The theme of WED 2016 is “Join the race to make the world a better place”. On this day, an awareness programme on the importance of sustainability and conservation of water resources, for the students of this I.T.I.through power point presentation was conducted; Slogan Competition on WED was also conducted for the students of this Institute; few saplings were also planted in the ITI campus. This was also Initiated as an undertaking from the students of this Institute for a personal challenge aimed at formulating a new habit towards creating a greener planet.
World Environment Day (also called as WED) has been started celebrating as an annual event on every 5th of June since 1973 in order to raise the global awareness about the importance of the healthy and green environment in the human lives, to solve the environmental issues by implementing some positive environmental actions as well as to make aware common public worldwide that everyone is responsible for saving his environment and not only somebody, government or organizations working for it. World environment day annual celebration campaign was started to address the huge environmental issues like wastage and losses of food, deforestation, increasing global warming and so many. Every year celebration is planned according to the particular theme and slogan of the year to bring effectiveness in the campaign all through the world.
The programme began with invoking God’s blessings through a prayer song rendered by a student of the ITI institute, followed by welcome address and introduction of the guests by Compere Lokesh of ITI- The programme was inaugurated by lighting the traditional lamp by Peter Nirmal- General Manager of Hotel Taj Gateway, along with other dignitaries on the dais namely Roopa D Bangera- Area Ward MCC Corporator; Madhu S. Manohar Environmental Engineer Mangaluru City Corporation; Balakrishna -Principal and Shivakumar- Senior Faculty at Government I.T.I (Women), Mangaluru; and Vynatheya Bhagavan,Manager – Human Resources-Hotel Taj Gateway.
Peter Nirmal-GM of Taj Gateway addressing the audience said, ” WED is celebrated to make aware the common public about the environmental issues. Encourage common people from different society and communities to actively participate in the celebration as well as become an active agent in developing environmental safety measures. Let them know that community people are very essential to inhibit negative changes towards the environmental issues. Encourage people to make their nearby surroundings safe and clean to enjoy safer, cleaner and more prosperous future. We should see that our surroundings are polluted free, and we should also spread awareness about having a green environment and make our city clean and green”
Madhu S Manohar- Environmental Engineer at MCC stressing on “Every Drop of Water Counts” advised the students on “water conservation” and importance of sustainability through a power-point presentation. He said, “Water conservation encompasses the policies, strategies and activities to manage fresh water as a sustainable resource, to protect the water environment, and to meet current and future human demand. Population, household size and growth and affluence all affect how much water is used. Factors such as climate change will increase pressures on natural water resources especially in manufacturing and agricultural irrigation. The goals of water conservation efforts include: To ensure availability for future generations, the withdrawal of fresh water from an ecosystem should not exceed its natural replacement rate”. Various tips as to how one can conserve water was presented through this power-point presentation.
Addressing the students, Principal Balakrishna said, ” It’s nice to note that our institute partner Taj Hotel Group has come up this year with a unique project. In the past we have conducted projects like beautifying park, cleanliness drive- Swachh Bharath, and many other projects. I like to bring to your notice that you students are not keeping cleanliness in the campus-I see used chewing gum, chocolate and snacks wrappers, drink bottles etc littered every where in the campus. Effective today, you need to take a oath that you will not throw garbage in the campus. If you make up your you can do it and keep our campus clean. Let’s make our PM Modi’s dream of “Swachh Bharath” a reality with our active participation”. Corporator Roopa D Bangera and Vynatheya Bhagavan also spoke on water conservation, and urged the students not to waste water, but use it only when it is necessary.
In conclusion, it is nice to note that World Environment Day (WED) which is United Nations’ principal vehicle for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the environment is supported by organizations like Hotel Taj Gateway and Govt. ITI for Women. By observing WED, it will like a ‘people’s day’ for doing something positive for the environment, galvanizing individual actions into a collective power that generates an exponential positive impact on the planet.
The WED campaign is aimed at the well-being of humanity, the environment, and the functioning of the economy, ultimately depend upon the responsible management of the planet’s natural resources. Every Action Counts- WED is the opportunity for everyone to realize the responsibility to care for the Earth and to become agents of change. Let’s do it for the betterment of environment.