The International Earth Day was marked in different part of the city to raise the awareness about the environmental issues and climate challenges.
The theme of Earth Day 2012 is “one billion acts of green” which is aimed at encouraging individual involvement in creating awareness about the environment.
Walks, candlelit vigil, symposium and seminars were held by educational institutions and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to sensitise people about the Earth Day through various activities. Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue 1122) held “Earth Walk” at all its district headquarters. Earth Walk that commenced from April 18 and ended at April 22 disseminated information on atmospheric changes and needful steps inevitable to protect the earth.
Focus remained on the issues of population growth, water scarcity, power and electricity crisis, deforestation, air and water pollution, solid waste management, etc.
Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue 1122) Dr Rizwan Naseer said people needed to join hands to help control climatic imbalance, and
forests erosions
Officials of WWF and EPA stressed the need for fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife EPD official Naeem Shah said that “This Earth Day, it is time to mobilize the planet from the ground up to send a message that the Earth
won’t wait.”
According to the organisers, the theme focuses on creating awareness about the simple every day environment friendly acts such as switching off light bulbs or reducing car journeys that can have a huge positive impact on the environment.
The idea of an Earth Day was initially envisaged by Gaylord Nelson, a US senator, who witnessed a massive oil spill off the coast of California in 1969. In 1970, over 20 million people celebrated the first Earth Day. The significance of the day grew over the years and the Earth Day became a global celebration by the beginning of the 90’s.
WWF official Ayub Zia said it was not just a celebration but a call for action. “However, it is not that simple to find a viable solution for the current environmental issues. There has to be a paradigm shift in “our way of thought and the way we perceive our environment,” he added.
The LWMC also conducted a cleanliness activity and awareness walk from MAO College Chowk to Chouburji Chowk. OZPAK (Turkish partners of LWMC), City Traffic Police, The Urban Unit, Punjab University, Government College University, Kinnaird College for Women, and students of Lady McLagan School also participated in Earth Day celebrations with LWMC.
The purpose of this walk was to create awareness among citizens about issues pertaining to the earth and the measures to combat the dangers of pollution, waste and extinction of greenery in order to save earth and leave in to the next generation in a better shape. The company following the theme line of United Nations ‘Mobilise the earth’ gathered almost 200 participants who did leafleting in the areas of Chouburji, Sanda and Islampura for making the residents aware of their role as responsible citizens.
New and modern sweeping machinery was also deployed on the roads and in the streets so that people could have a firsthand information of the technology used to make Lahore clean. Ozpak also distributed waste-picking and mechanical sweeping schedules in the areas to make the consumers comply with the given time and make waste management process an easier one.
Officials of OZPAK were present along with their staff and the machinery including compactors, mechanical sweepers, mini-dumpers and wheelie bins. The areas of Chouburji and Sanda were cleaned and washed mechanically which was appreciated by the residents of the area.
Asif Iqbal, Atif Masood, Adnan Abbass and Memoona Arslan represented LWMC whereas Turan Kesik and Fareeha Shad were also present from Ozpak. The participants were carrying placards and banners with messages about cleanliness and citizen’s role in maintaining it. The participants also raised slogans in favour of a cleaner Lahore.
A camp was also set up in front MAO College where large number people representing different organisations and NGO’s arrived early in the morning to be a part of LWMC awareness move. During this walk, students of NCA also painted the nearby walls with Clean Lahore messages. The area residents expressed satisfaction over the fact that such awareness drives are becoming frequent in the city and sensitizing people on much debated issue of waste management is becoming popular idea to strengthen the operations of cleanliness.
