World Environment Day is observed on 5^th June of every year. It is the United Nations day for encouraging, bring awareness and sensitize the mass to protect & conserve the Environment.

The day was incepted in 1974, since from day till now it is being observed globally in over 100 countries. This year the theme for the World Environment Day, 2019 is” Beat Air Pollution”.

It is shocking to hear” Approximately 7 million people worldwide die prematurely each year from air pollution, with about 4 million of these deaths occurring in Asia-Pacific. 90% people worldwide do not breathe the clean air; Air pollution costs the global economy $5 trillion every year in welfare costs and Ground level ozone pollution is expected to reduce staple crop yields by 26 % by 2030”.

“A person cannot stop breathing, but person can do something to improve the quality of air which we breath”.

On the day, across the world people expressed their concerns, views and take initiatives in a variety of ways to protect their mother earth and environment. World environment day is the people’s day, for doing something to take care of the earth, that something can be local, national or global. It could be an unaccompanied action or crowd involvement, everyone is free to choose.

Caritas India, a leading humanitarian organization in India, knowing the importance of the day, grabbed an opportunity to inspire the people through its various programmes/projects across to save the earth, create awareness on environmental hazards in the community to ensure that the coming generation will enjoy the beauty of nature and learn to preserve it.

In West Bengal, the children club members and vigilance committees’ members in both Lower and upper Fagu Tea Estate, Gorubathan in Kalimpong district, they themselves mobilized the fund to buy plant sapling for plantation.  The Chief Guest, Shri. Suman Tamang, headmaster, Upper Fagu Godam Line Primary School, appreciated the children’s initiative and extended gratitude to Anugalaya (ADSSS), an implementing partner for it continues support/ help to organize such events over the years. The upper Fagu sports club and Cultural association clubhouse together also delivered a short orientation programme on child rights and its protection. Approximately 130 participants participated in the event.

In West Bengal it was also celebrated in many other districts such as South 24 Pgns, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Siliguri (metro politician city), Paschim Midnapur, Nadia and Uttar Dinajpur.

The day was celebrated across India by CI and its partners at various level, the activities include: planting trees(saplings), cleaning drive, drawing competition for the children, awareness rallies/ meetings/skit, pasting posters of awareness in local market areas, distribution of plant sampling etc.

Caritas India with the help of local partners planted around 11,000 tree saplings to mark the day and at the end urge the administration, industries/factories, folks and individuals to be uniting to explore renewable energy and green technologies, and to improve air quality in cities, states, regions across the world”.