वन मंत्री ने ‘सुर्खाब आर्ट क्लब’ का किया शुभारम्भ

Talking Point
उत्तर प्रदेश के पर्यावरण, वन एवं जलवायु परिवर्तन मंत्री दारा सिंह चैहान ने गोमतीनगर विस्तार, लखनऊ में विख्यात कलाकार सुशमा कुमार द्वारा स्थापित व संचालित ‘सुर्खाब आर्ट क्लब’ का शुभारम्भ किया। इस अवसर पर उन्होंने कहा कि संयुक्त परिवारों में दादी, नानी के माध्यम से नई पीढ़ी पारम्परिक कलाओं से परिचित होकर इसे भावी पीढ़ी को संस्कार के रूप में विकसित करने में सहायक होती थी किन्तु एकल परिवार में यह परम्परा समाप्तप्राय हो रही है। इसके साथ ही वर्तमान समय में प्रत्येक व्यक्ति अपना लक्ष्य प्राप्त करने में इतना अधिक व्यस्त हो गया है कि दैनिक कार्यों से इतर पेणिं्टग व नृत्य जैसी रूचियां एवं शरीर को स्वस्थ रखने हेतु योग जैसी गतिविधियों से दूर होता जा रहा है। उक्त परिपेक्ष्य में पेणिं्टग, नृत्यकला व योग जैसी गतिविधियों के प्रति रूचि जागृत कर सीखने हेतु प्रेरित करने के लिए सुर्खाब आर्ट क्लब की स्थापना व संचालन एक अभिनव प्रयास है। मन्त्री जी ने सुशमा कुमार के प्रयासों की सराहना करते हुए सफलता हेतु शुभकामनाएं दीं। सुर्खाब आर्ट क्लब की संस्थापक सुशमा कुमार बहुमुखी प्रतिभा की धनी हैं। उत्कृश्ट कोटि की बैडमिण्टन खिलाड़ी होने के साथ ही कुमार स्वयं एक शौकिया व फ्री-लान्स कलाकार हैं तथा विगत 15 वर्षों में उनके द्वारा ‘सेव द वाईल्ड लाईफ एण्ड नेचर’, ‘सेव द टाईगर एण्ड नेचर’, ‘सेव द बर्ड एण्ड नेचर’ सहित वन, वन्यजीव व प्रकृति पर आधारित विभिन्न कला प्रदर्शनियों का आयोजन किया गया है। कुमार की पेणिं्टग्स को देश व विदेश के कला प्रेमियों से सराहना प्राप्त हुई है। सुशमा कुमार ने इस अवसर पर कहा कि उनकी संस्था का उद्देष्य क्लब के माध्यम से महिलाओं को प्रकृति, वन्यजीव, पोर्टेट सहित विभिन्न राज्यों तथा उड़ीसा की पट्टचित्र, राजस्थान की राजपूत, आन्ध्र प्रदेष की कलमकारी, बिहार की मधुबनी, बंगाल की कालीघाट, मध्य प्रदेश से गोण्ड एवं महाराश्ट्र की वोरली सहित विभिन्न राज्यों की पेणिं्टग की शिक्षा देने के साथ ही, सकारात्मक जीवन के लिए जीवन हेतु कौशल, नृत्य एवं योग में शिक्षित व प्रशिक्षित करना है। इस उद्देष्य की पूर्ति हेतु क्लब में प्रातः व सायंकाल लेडी कोर्स, पिं्रसेस कोर्स व क्वीन कोर्स आयोजित किए जा रहे हैं। 

Amrit Mahotsava celebrations to conserve nature start

Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsava is being celebrated across the country to commemorate 75 years of Indian Independence. Its programmes are being held by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India during 15-25 December, 2021 across the county on the theme “Celebrating Rivers of India” with the aim of ensuring maximum public outreach through public participation. In this connection, Uttar Pradesh State Biodiversity Board, in collaboration with Lucknow University, organised "Biodiversity Conservation Pledge, Nature walk and Tree plantation program” on the banks of river Gomti. On this occasion, Pawan Kumar Sharma, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife and Secretary, Uttar Pradesh State Biodiversity Board informed that on Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsava, Uttar Pradesh State Biodiversity Board would be organising "Nadi Utsav" with the help of WWF from December 23, 2021 to December 28, 2021. Under it, various awareness programmes would be conducted in the catchment area of Ganga, Ramganga and Kali rivers to aware the local community and people dependent on rivers for livelihood to keep rivers pollution free, water conservation and importance of preserving aquatic life. Dr Amita Kanaujia, Professor, Department of Zoology, Lucknow University and Coordinator, ENVIS-RP, Wildlife Institute, Lucknow University made students take pledge to conserve biodiversity. The students visited Lucknow University campus and identified biodiversity, flora and fauna species found on the university campus and recorded them. To keep the flow of Gomti river uninterrupted and pollution free, 15 Peepal saplings were planted in the Watershed area of Gomti river and awareness programmes were organised for biodiversity conservation. Students of Lucknow University and local residents participated in them.

Take steps for restitution of rivers Mahanadi and Brahmani banks: NGT

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the district administration to take steps for restitution of rivers Mahanadi and Brahmani banks adversely impacted by illegal extraction of minor minerals, soil, morum and earth to lay railway tracks in Kendrapara. A bench comprising Justice B Amit Sthalekar (judicial member) and Justice Saibal Dasgupta (expert member) directed the Collector of Kendrapara to ensure that there was no illegal excavation in the area in question. The Collector should take all security measures as might be necessary, including the formation of monitoring teams that should inspect the area regularly. Strict surveillance measures through satellite monitoring, as well as the installation of CCTV cameras in strategic locations, might be ensured. Four petitioners had sought the intervention of NGT after it was alleged that without environmental clearance, Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) extracted minor minerals and earth for construction of the 81 km Haridaspur-Paradip railway line which adversely impacted the banks of the two rivers. The petitioners alleged that contractors illegally procured soil, morum and earth for use in the construction of the bed of the Haridaspur-Paradip railway line without obtaining an environmental clearance certificate, order from tehsildars or sanction from any competent authority as per the Orissa Minor Mineral Concession (OMMC) Rules, 2016 and Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.  The NGT had entrusted National Institute of Technology (NIT), Rourkela with the task of conducting a comprehensive survey on the alleged unlawful activities along the river banks. In its report, the NIT team suggested restitution measures to mitigate the adverse environmental impact on the banks of Brahmani and Mahanadi. “The river banks are required to be stabilised with soil followed by plantation to prevent soil erosion. Lightweight grass with deep root system or other locally available natural species may be planted up to five metres from the bank crest which will help in preventing erosion. Lightweight vegetation with a spreading root system may be planted beyond this zone to facilitate the safe release of water without carrying soil particles. Besides, the land close to excavated riverbanks is required to be filled up by sand and soil to its original level,” the NIT report stated. Considering the observations of the NIT team, the NGT directed Kendrapara Collector to ensure compliance with the recommendations with regard to restitution measures in a time bound manner within four months.