Gangtok, Jul 8: Vehicular movement in Sikkim was halted for seven minutes on Monday as part of the ‘Paryavaran Parva’ to raise environmental awareness, an official said.
The Forest and Environment Department of Sikkim government organised the ‘Paryavaran Parva’ – ‘A Day for Mother Earth under the theme Leave a Green Legacy’, the official said.
As a part of the observance, the department halted vehicular movement across the Himalayan state for seven minutes from 11 am to 11.07 am, he said.
The Forest and Environment department is holding the two-week ‘Paryavaran Parva’ programme from July 1 to July 14, a state government statement said.
It said that the initiative aims to raise awareness of climate change and highlight the need to reduce carbon emissions. It also encourages the public to follow environment-friendly practices.
Secretary-cum-Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Environment Department, Pradeep Kumar said that Sikkim had taken the lead in environmental governance.
Kumar said the observance of seven minutes of vehicular halt focused on building public awareness on climate change, especially the role of vehicular emissions in global warming..
He stated that the programme provided an opportunity for people to show respect for nature and promote sustainable practices. He added that collective responsibility was needed to protect the environment and improve public well-being.(PTI)
