Srinagar 06 June (KNS): IAS Officers Wives Association (IASOWA) Sunday celebrated the World Environment Day in collaboration with the Forest Department here at Chashmashahi.

On the occasion besides the President IASOWA, Amita Mehta and its members, the Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta; Commissioner Secretary Forest, Sanjeev Verma; Commissioner Secretary RDD, Mandeep Kaur; Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Mohit Gera; Director Ecology, Environment & Remote Sensing, Neelu Gera; Executive Director, National Mission for Empowerment of Women, Rashmi Singh; Manu Bhatnagar (W/o Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar, Advisor to Lieutenant Governor) and many other invitees by the association.

On the occasion while planting the tree saplings the Chief Secretary highlighted the significance of conserving the environment. He emphasised that each of us needs to be sensitive towards our environment and do our bit in safeguarding it.

He maintained that our educational institutions have an added responsibility of sensitizing the students about the importance of using Eco-friendly materials in their day to day lives. He applauded IASOWA for being so passionate about the important issue of saving environment. He urged them to pursue the cause more vigorously as it is worth the time spent on it.

Others also enumerated the advantages of planting trees, saving forests and eradication of environmental pollution. Each of the invitees besides the association members planted tree saplings to commemorate the day.

On the occasion the IASOWA President reiterated that the association is dedicated to work for the cause of saving environment from degradation. She mentioned that the association is going to hold awareness programmes and campaigns in future to create awareness among masses about the causes and preventive measures to check environmental degradation.

It was said that IASOWA is ready to carry out many more plantation drives and other cleanliness campaigns in association with the administration for the overall benefit of the society. It was further added that it is the endeavor of the association to work for the welfare of people especially the weak and vulnerable sections of society.

The day was celebrated under the theme‘ One Earth: Shared Future'. The association renewed its mission of working towards making the earth a better place to live. (KNS)