Chitral observes environment day

CHITRAL, June 6: The World Environment Day was celebrated in different parts of Chitral on June 5 with more realization and hope. The Chitral Heritage and Environment Protection Society held a program on the new theme of the year 2013: “Think, eat, save – reduce your footprints” at Government Centennial Model High School (Boys), while schools in Garam Chasma, Mastuj and Booni came out in collaboration with CHEPS to make their voices heard. While giving a background to the program at Chitral, Mr. Masood Anwar, Lecturer SBBU, invited Mr. Alhaj Muhammad Khan for sharing the objectives and mission statement of CHEPS in Chitral. On June 5, 2005 from Qasimandeh, Booni an initiative on environment started with the informal name of ‘Rehmat Capacity Building Center”. It was formally named as CHEPS in 2007. This organization started its environmental endeavors since 2007 in District tournaments, Qaqlasht and Boroghil festival to mitigate environmental challenges and countering pollution. It not only organized programs, seminars and environmental walks in both public and private sector organizations and institutions but also conducted seminars and environmental programs in prestigious institutions of the country. For the last 8 years, CHEPS formed 1800 cleanliness committees, 1034 environmental programs in Chitral. On its plantation campaign, 1500 variety of sapling were planted in different areas of Chitral including 6000 Plants of Russian Olive; CHEPS also forwarded its resolution to the district government and NGOs to mitigate pollution, environmental challenges and preventing deforestation. Mr. Akhtar Roomi, student of SBBU, spoke of the topic of environment. Speaking on the occasion Lecturer SBBU, Mr. Fahad Ali Khan appreciated the services and initiatives of CHEPS and said that environment is the heritage of the nation.  If someone does injustice with this heritage, deviates from his due responsibilities. Waste of resources, contamination and pollution has become the major challenge of the day. It would be better for all of us to do something better for environment. President Regional Council Mr. Afzal while speaking on the occasion said that unless we will mentally be clean could not be able to keep us clean physically. The confidence and understanding by virtue of our teachers have a key role to educate students in environment and mitigate environmental challenges. It is the time to instill honesty and sense of ownership in students. Mr. Wali Muhammad, Focus Program Officer, delivered a speech on environmental challenges and its impact on Chitral. While focusing on human induced causes and anthropogenic patterns of environment, he shared the study report 2007 by GLOF and impact of changing impact of environment in the form of flash floods and avalanches in different parts of Chitral. He also suggested possible ways to mitigate the challenges in the end of his speech. Chairman CHEPS, Rehmat Ali Jaffer thanked for the support of the people of Chitral and said, “I have initiated the struggle, you shouldered me and you all have your precious contribution for this cause”. Our Holy Prophet Muhammad have had a grand history of starting plantation campaign on different seasons, we should follow his footsteps. He shared a video of deforestation in Chitral for its mitigation in due time. Mr. Mansoor Ali, coordinator of CHEPS forwarded a vote of thanks to the faculty members and students of Government Centennial Model High School (Boys), Chitral, AKHSS, Chitral, SSBU and other distinguished participants. After the conclusion of the program a Cleanliness Walk was also held in Government Centennial Model School (Boys) Chitral and its vicinity and the garbage and trashes in that area were collected and were loaded to the tractor which was provided by Tehsil Municipal Committee Chitral town.]]>