IMPHAL, Jan 16: The first ever environment youth summit of Manipur organized by North-East Centre for Environment Education and Research (NECEER), Imphal, was held today at Lamyaanba Shanglen, Palace Gate.
The inaugural session of the summit was graced by Th. Ibobi, project director of Loktak Development Authority (LDA), James Mayengbam, founder of E-Con, Mumbai, Pradip Phanjoubam, editor of Imphal Free Press, Dr. RK Ranjan, state coordinator of Bombay Natural History Society, and RK Sunita, junior scientist of Manipur Remote Sensing and Application Centre, as the chief guest, president and guests of honour respectively.
Speaking at the inaugural session, the editor of Imphal Free Press, Pradip Phanjoubam stated that environmental issues such as global warming, rise in sea-level, carbon emission etc. are major global issues which must be tackled carefully at every level.
There is need for active participation of all people, especially the youths across the world in the campaign for the preservation of the environment and its ecology. The environmental issues cannot be considered as mere local matter as degradation in the environment in one part of the world will affect other parts too in some way or the other, he said.
Pradip cited that rise in the sea-level in the coastal areas of Bangladesh might even affect Manipur which is very far away from the sea as well as located at a comparatively higher altitude, as the problems that will be faced by the Bangladeshis due to such environmental catastrophe may be extended to the eastern Indian states in search of their new habitat place whereby affecting the demographic pattern of these Indian states.
It is the collective responsibility of the people all over the world to preserve the environment for a better world. Moreover, the people should be conscious about the ecological balance which should be maintained by preserving different kinds of plants and animals including small insects, he said.
The preservation of wildlife should not be focused only to some high profile animals such as the Sangai or the Bengal Tiger, but it should also include other lesser known animals and insects as all life forms contribute immensely in the maintenance of ecological balance.
The project director of LDA, Th. Ibobi stated that the youths should play great roles in tackling the environmental issues. The youth summit on environment as such will make the youths of the state aware of various environmental issues and also motivate them to join the campaign for a “greener and safer†world.
Dwelling on the bio-diversity of the state, Dr. RK Ranjan stated that the North-East, especially Manipur is abundant in medicinal and useful plants. The people should explore the vast bio-diversity resources rather than exploiting them.
The Loktak Lake which has been enlisted as one of the important wetlands according to the Ramsar Convention should be conserved by the people of the state. The environmental issues should also be held equally important to social issues, he added.
Junior scientist RK Sunita asserted that the people should act locally and think globally to conserve the environment. The people should have access to advanced technologies realated to environmental studies and render help and support to make the earth- a safer and greener planet.
As a part of the youth summit, seminar and photography contest on environmental issues were also held in which large number of students participated fulfilling objectives of NECEER to create more awareness on environment to the people.
