Aiming to create awareness among citizens, the environment wing of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation launched a flagship programme of certificate course named ‘Paribesh Yoddha’ to incorporate more and more youths in the process of saving nature.
To implement the programme, the KMC has roped in around 25 youths, who would lead the way to create awareness on environment and challenges of climate change and sustainable growth among the citizens of Kolkata. As learnt from sources, the youths would be imparted theoretical and practical knowledge on the environment, including subjects like waste management, carbon emission and so on by experts from eminent universities in the state.
According to mayor Firhad Hakim, the city, as per recent reports, has reached a vulnerable point in terms of environment. As pointed out by the mayor, the reports have predicted erratic weather conditions for the city, including storms and irregular rainfall patterns, bursting of clouds etc. As claimed by the mayor, it has already been late in saving the environment. “However, better late than never,” said the mayor.
Echoing the assertions, Professor Abhijit Mitra, who is working with the civic body on various environment programmes for Kolkata, said rising sea levels is a bigger threat than storms and heavy rainfall. The rising sea level near Kolkata is at the rate of around 3.16 mm per year, which is more than any other country of the world or even the average of 2.50 mm per year. Considering the alarming rate, the initiatives on mitigating environmental hazards in the city are the need of the hour, according to the expert.