Those who know, and some who don’t, campaign for environment protection

Jamshed Town organises walk, but some participants are faintly aware of environmental issues.

KARACHI:

An environment awareness walk was arranged by Jamshed Town at Tariq Road on Monday to mark the conclusion of Environment Protection Week.

However, a participant of the walk knew that planting trees was good for the environment, but he did not exactly know how or why. It was not Farooq’s fault. He is the head gardener at a park in Jamshed Town since for the last 13 years but he is faintly familiar with the word ‘employment’. He said that his duties only involve looking after and watering the plants in the area designated to him.

Another participant Waseem also did not know exactly what the environment means. “Cleanliness, maybe” he muttered.

Jamshed Town celebrated the Environment Protection Week that kicked off on May 31 like all the other towns in the city on the directives of the Sindh Minister for Environment, Sheikh Muhammad Afzal.

Shouting slogans of ‘Better environment, better life’, almost 150 people marched from Liberty Roundabout to Allahwala Roundabout with placards in their hands. Town officials participated as well as the town’s gardeners who boasted that their town is greener than others - but were evidently unaware of environment protection mechanism and importance themselves.

But some knew exactly what they were campaigning for. Farhan, a Jamshed Town official, said that according to environmental rules, there should be at least one tree in a lane having 10 houses. Yet there are areas where there is not even a single tree even in the vicinity of 100 houses.

Giving a short speech, the environment minister highlighted that awareness campaigns and activities will contribute towards educating the masses. The protection of the environment is mandatory for a healthy society and this is possible with the participation of every citizen. He also proposed including environment protection as a subject in school curricula from next year.

During the Environment Protection Week, town authorities planted 5,000 trees in three days and also held a three-day test match to raise awareness.

A participant, who did not want to be named, criticised the environment ministry, saying that raising awareness with planting trees is not enough. “All that people know the environment is air or water pollution, which is only a fraction of the issues. We need to look at the [bigger] picture.

“With water levels rising and posing a risk to the metropolis, the local rivers like the Korangi River are being polluted day by day and people are actually suffering from disorders because of pollution,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 7^th, 2011.