SEIJOSA, “There cannot be a better day than Children’s Day to sow in the young minds love for environment, love for nature and love for Mother Earth,” said Chief Minister Pema Khandu while creating awareness on the ill-effects of global warming and climate change amongst the students of Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya, Seijosa here today in Pakke Kessang district.
Celebrating Children’s Day at VKV Seijosa, Khandu made best attempts to explain to the kids about the degrading environment owing to pollution and rampant destruction of natural resources resulting in global warming.
He said, “Today’s 14th November… by this time we used to be in our full winter clothes! But alas…we are still sweating! This is global warming.”
He also gave the instance of the Kameng river turbidity that has killed thousands of marine life in the neighboring district of East Kameng.
“The waters of Kameng river have turned turbid causing huge loss of marine life due to disturbances in the glacier from where the river originates. Such events are instances of climate change due to global warming which if not dealt with may wipe out life completely from the earth in the future,” Khandu explained.
He called upon the young students to rise up and stand for protection of ‘our’ earth, ‘our’ environment and ‘our’ forests and rivers.
“This is a very big concern. Therefore we adopted the Pakke Declaration in a Cabinet meeting held here – outside Itanagar for the first time – yesterday. Now it is up to you – the younger generation – to take forward the resolutions and contribute in controlling this catastrophe called global warming.”
The adopted declaration on climate change resilient and responsive Arunachal envisages climate resilient development through its 5 broad themes resting on 75 strategies.
Khandu said kids of preparatory and primary levels present may not comprehend the magnitude of the issue at the moment but asked the senior students and teachers to enlighten them during routine academic discourses.
The Chief Minister hailed Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya, Seijosa, one of the first seven VKV schools established in the state during the late 1970s, as an institute for churning out quality students who are serving the state and country in various capacities.
He appreciated the VKV Arunachal Trust for running about 41 schools across the state today after a humble beginning with 7 schools and still maintaining the quality of education that has become synonymous with VKVs.
While asserting quality education as mandatory, Khandu however insisted that students must not get disconnected with their respective cultural roots.
“We need to excel in education no doubt but we need to protect, preserve and propagate our culture. We should not forget our roots. In this globalized world we need to be in touch and well versed with our tradition, culture and language…the strength of Arunachal lies in our diverse culture,” he said.
To mark the occasion, Khandu unveiled the statue of Swami Vivekananda as a recognition of the VKV’s contributions to the area.
Later in the day, Khandu visited the archaeological site of Naksaparbat in Dissing Paso circle and attended a public meeting before inspecting the ongoing upgradation work on the Pakke-Seijosa road (62km) under NEC. He also inspected the work in progress for upgradation of the Seijosa community health centre (CHC) to a 20-bedded hospital, scheduled to be completed by next year.
In the morning, Khandu had attended the Annual Conference of senior officers and DFOs of the forest department at Pakke Tiger Reserve here.
