June 5: The Eco-club members of K. K. English School, Varthur, along with the students of Gov­ernment High School, Varthur celebrated the World Environ­ ­ ment Day in a different way. About 500 students took an oath to save and conserve nature. They all saluted the trees sit­uated on the school premises. All the students tied black bands on their mouth and silently marched towards Varthur Lake, which is highly polluted and formed a human chain to bring awareness and attention on the need to con­serve the lake. All the students gathered in the Government High School campus. Students from the spoke about the importance of con­servation of nature, water and lakes .

The Eco-club members of K. K. English School, Varthur, along with the students of Government High School formed a human chain to bring awareness among the public to conserve Varthur Lake on Monday-Express Photo	Varthur Lake

Schools urged to set up eco clubs

June5: "Protecting the environ­ment should begin from your home, your street, your locality and your city. You must treat the earth as your own and ensure that all your actions are environment-friendly'" said Science and Technology, Planning and Small Savings Minister Ramachandra Gowda at the World Environment Day cele­brations of St Joseph's Indian High School here on Monday. The Minister also distributed saplings and pamphlets bearing enviro- friendly messages to students and urged them to plant more trees. St Joseph's Principal Fr Melvin informed the dignitaries that his school had set up two eco clubs, with assistance from non Governmental organisations, nearly 6 years ago. The club members, he said, had conducted campaigns against the use of plastic and crackers. MLA Ne La Narendra Babu lauded the school for having set up eco clubs, and requested the authorities to include issues like rain-water harvesting in school curriculum. He also stressed on the need for Bangalore's citizens to take up rainwater har­vesting as the BMP had passed a law making it compulsory for new buildings to harvest rain­water. Babu added that solar power generation and garbage segregation were other issues that required awareness building.

Saveen Christopher, a 9th standard student of St Joseph's said, "I will help save the envi­ronment by planting more trees and preventing people from cutting trees." Another student Tom Mathew said he will try and use less plastic henceforth. The World Environment Day celebrations were organised by YMCA Task Group on Ecology and Environment. YMCA office bearers were present on the occasion.

Scouts and guides taking part in a rally jointly organised by Bharath Scouts and Guides and Eco Watch to mark World Environment Day on Monday-Express Photo	The girl cadets of Sri Bhawan Mahaveer Jain College NCC Senior Wing plant saplings on the occasion of World Environment Day

City celebrates World Environment Day

June 5: A series of programmes were launched to create awareness about the need of preserving the environment in Bangalore on the occasion of World Environment Day on Monday. Eco-Watch, an active Green organisation of City along with Karnataka Pollution Control Board marked the World Environment Day with Scouts and Guides. Urban Ecologist Suresh Heblikar, chairman of KSPCB Bhoomanada Manay, A K Varma, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Wild Life, Kondajji B Shanmukhappa, Karnataka Scouts and Guides Head, film personality Girish Kasaravalli, Cricketer turned politician Prakash Rathod and cartoonist Ponnappa were present during the celebrations. Speaking on the occasion, Heblikar pointed out that 17 per cent of the earth's land area is facing the threat of desertification during this century.

Between 1980to 1990, 16million hectares of forest had been destroyed. "Industrialisation is not the only cause for dwindling flora and fauna. Lack of public participation is also one of the reasons. Deforestation has increased soil erosion and improper management of water has doubled the speed of desertification," he said. A picture of the Great Indian Bastard was unveiled and a book on environment conservation was released on the occasion. Earlier, a parade was flagged off by Minister for Youth Services and Sports Alkod Hanumanthappa .