HYDERABAD: The Daudpota Library Hyderabad on Tuesday observed World Environment Day 2018 in collaboration with students of competitive exam and volunteers of ‘friends of Lincoln Corner Pakistan’. The participants presented paintings with an aim to motivate the general public to save environment, acknowledge the importance of maintenance of environment and adopt essential measures for its protection. The World Environment Day occurs on June 5 annually on the call of United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), and is the United Nation’s principal vehicle for encouraging awareness and action for the protection of the world’s environment. Importantly, the United Nations Volunteers Executive Coordinator Olivier Adam tweeted “Plastic pollution is threatening our ecosystem and health. On the World Environment Day, join the global movement to reject single-use plastic, and refuse what you can’t reuse. We can all make a difference in protecting our only home”. The Indian cricket, Gautam Gambhir tweeted “I think instead of World Environment Day, let’s rename it as world survival day. May be then we’ll realize we are on the brink of our carelessness and greed-infused disasters. Just look at water crisis in shimla”. Meanwhile, Chhor Police Station Police Constable Narian Das Bajeer planted 75 trees to honour the World Environment Day. Anand Kumar, a journalist, expressed ‘deep sorrow’ with Daily Times and said that humans have devastated the natural habitat of other species living on the planet. He outlined the causes including deforestation, dismantled ecosystem and pollution that are the leading cause of deadly diseases in the world. “It is time to pay back and honour the glory of nature of 3rd planet of our solar system. In this regard, we should plant trees, reduce plastic usage, save water and take care of animals,” he remarked while adding that every step towards a comfortable life makes Mother Nature suffer. SU urges to ‘Go Green’ on World Environment Day Meanwhile, the University of Sindh (SU) held a splendid plantation ceremony at Institute of Plant Sciences to mark the World Environment Day. The SU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Fateh Muhammad Burfat was the chief guest of the event, who planted a sapling to inaugurate the ceremony. “Environment has become world’s greatest concern due to unbearable and significant rise in the temperatures,” he remarked while adding Pakistan has been critically affected by global climate changes. “We are celebrating this day because we want to raise public awareness about what I call ‘a silent killer and an enemy in guise’- the environmental hazards. We must own the planet we have inhabited, we must care for it by playing our role for its protection,” he further said. Dr Burfat stressed that unchecked industrialisation, deforestation, lack of public ownership and absence of political will are the prominent causes of environmental challenges we are facing today. He urged the law and policy makers to legislate effectively for safeguarding environment and take necessary measures for tree plantation. “I chanted the slogan of ‘Go Green’ from the first day I joined SU with an aimed to turn SU into an oasis. I am glad that we have successfully planted thousands of trees at the campus during one-and-a-half year” he added. Later, he also eulogised the contribution and efforts of Institute of Plant Sciences for turning the campus green. The Institute of Plant Sciences Director Prof Dr Rabia Asma Memon, SU Registrar Prof Dr Muhammad Saleem Chandio, Dr Shahabuddin Mughal, Dr Khaleel-u-Rahman Khonbhati, Dr Nek Muhammad Shaikh, Dr Riyaz Hussain Mari, Dr Lachman Das and notables were also present on the occasion. Published in Daily Times, June 6th 2018.