J-K: Vaishno Devi Shrine Board celebrates World Environment Day, distributes plants as souvenirs to devotees

Katra (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], June 5 (ANI): To promote environmental sustainability, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board introduced the eco-friendly practice of distributing plants as souvenirs to devotees on Wednesday, World Environment Day.
As part of the initiative, Anshul Garg, Chief Executive Officer, SMVDSB, inaugurated a sapling outlet called 'Vaishnavi Vatika' at the Niharika complex of the Shrine Board in Katra.
World Environment Day is celebrated annually on June 5, after it was established at the 1972 Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment.
Led by the United Nations Environment Programme, it is the largest global platform for public outreach to raise awareness and take action on urgent environmental issues -- the planet's most pressing environmental problems.
This year, the theme for World Environment Day (WED) 2024 focuses on land restoration, halting desertification, and building drought resilience under the slogan 'Our land. Our Future.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign on World Environment Day today.
PM Modi also planted a peepal tree sapling at Buddha Jayanti Park in Delhi.
PM Modi was accompanied by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav and Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena during the sapling planting.
The Spear Corps of the Indian Army also participated in the World Environment Day celebrations and launched a campaign encompassing a series of events focusing on land restoration and drought resilience under the slogan "Our Land, Our Future, We are Generation Restoration."
The events were conducted in Agartala from May 28 to June 1.
On May 28, a children's painting competition was organized with the theme 'Painting a Green Future,' in which a total of 33 children unleashed their creativity to showcase their messages of 'saving Mother Earth'.
World Environment Day has grown into a major campaign involving over 150 countries, with each year focusing on a specific theme to address critical environmental challenges.
The day serves as a call to action for governments, businesses, and individuals to engage in sustainable practices and make positive changes to protect our planet.
Activities range from local clean-ups and tree planting to educational events and policy advocacy, all aimed at fostering a deeper connection to the environment and promoting a collective responsibility toward its preservation. (ANI)