World Environment Day may not be celebrated only on June 5th; it also must be celebrated after the day has passed. Observing the recently past global environment event in spirit, Columbia Asia, Ghaziabad, walkathon on June 10thwas a dual-pronged event. Over thousand residents from the city walked for a better health and planted saplings for a greener world.
Ghaziabad, June 13, 2018: Columbia Asia Hospital, Ghaziabad, is celebrating World Environment Day beyond the day as well. Taking an initiative to create mass awareness on the significance of saving nature while highlighting the current status of the environment, the leading tertiary care provider organized a walkathon in the city on the World Environment Day this year.
Covering a distance of 1 kilometer, and witnessed enthusiastic involvement from more than a thousand residents of the city, who walked the distance as well. Members of various walkers’ clubs in the city also participated in the event.
“Our endeavours are towards making environment concerns important beyond June 5th. The state of the environment in fact needs year round attention. Keeping pace with the rapid pace of urbanization, our generation is faced with multiple environmental challenges such as pollution of water, air, and land which is directly affecting health. However, the most intimidating challenge faced at the moment is probably keeping the green layer on the surface of earth intact. More than 50 percent of total tree cover on earth has disappeared due to concrete spread and activities what we see as modernization, and if the trend continues, the day is not far when green will be only limited in the color books. Lack of awareness about the adverse effects of cutting down of trees is directly proportionate to the irresponsible behavior by many. The more trees we have the better will be the oxygen levels in our environment, in turn, will ensure health for us and our next generation. Our initiatives should not be restricted only in planting more trees in our households and neighborhoods, a deliberate effort to make sure that we do not harm the environment will propel us to a better world to live in. Today’s walkathon is a small effort in the direction to initiate meaningful action around issues pertaining to our environment that need urgent attention, and needs to be put across to public and society at large” said Mr Atul Behll,General Manager, Columbia Asia Hospitals, Ghaziabad.
On a recently reported statistics by the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, the air in Ghaziabad and adjoining areas is more hazardous than the national capital, with PM 2.5 pollution levels found to be an alarming 382 per cubic meter. Besides vehicular air pollution, the industrial clusters in and around the city have been contributing ” generously” towards the emission of sulphur dioxide and other harmful and toxic gases and chemicals leading to further damage like land and water pollution.
“Today’s Walkathon focused on refining the concept of a green and healthy world in the minds of everyone to ignite a zeal for voluntary action in order to rejuvenate nature.With the effects of global warming and climate change so evident at the moment, there is no way we can underestimate the importance of planting trees and preserving the nature. We must understand that a better world can’t be taken out from Pandora’s box it has to be created through collaborative efforts, when individuals, institutions, and governments start walking hand in hand. To reduce the impact of greenhouse gases and restore a sustainable healthy environment, adopting concepts like green urbanism and arboriculture are a demand of the situation,” said Mr Atul Behll, General Manager.
After the walk was over, free saplings were distributed to the participants and members of local clubs to further enhance the yearlong greenification drive titled ‘Go Green Revolution 2030’. Columbia Asia Hospitals, Ghaziabad sincerely believes that the responsibility to be chamberlain for the environment can only be served with community initiatives at the grassroots level.
Corporate Comm India(CCI Newswire)
