With the spirit of ‘Mission LiFE – Lifestyle for Environment’, NRL celebrated World Environment Day on 5th June 2023 at its Integrated Project site at Bogidhala Muga VGR at Sumoni, in association with the Sericulture Department, Govt. of Assam; BDO, Morangi; Morangi Mahavidyalay; Letekujan Gaon Panchayat; Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Golaghat; and officials from NRL and CISF Unit of Numaligarh Refinery Limited.
The celebration was graced by the Hon’ble Minister of Handloom and Textile, Shri U G Brahma; Hon’ble MLA of Sarupathar, Shri Bishwajit Phukan; Hon’ble DC of Golaghat Dr. P. Uday Praveen, IAS; MD NRL, Shri B J Phukan; CGM (Tech. Services), NRL Sri Bimlesh Gupta; CGM (HR & Legal) NRL, Dr. Kajal Saikia and Commandant of CISF Unit, NRL, Shri Prabhuram as Chief Guests.
Honouring its commitment to build “an India-led global mass movement to nudge individual and community action to protect and preserve the environment”, as was professed by the Hon’ble PM of India Shri Narendra Modi at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of Parties at Glasgow – a plantation drive was organised by NRL at the VGR premises after felicitation of the Chief Guests with mementos produced from the water-hyacinth integrated project initiated by NRL. While the dignitaries addressed the audience, sensitizing the masses to adopt a sustainable lifestyle and practices to address climate change and associated challenges facing our planet – the plantation drive followed suit with whole-hearted participation from all dignitaries and associated organisations, members of the CISF cadre, Students from Educational Institutes, members of local Self-Help Groups and the general public at large.
The plantation drive undertaken comprised planting of 5,000 saplings of the Som tree, in order to increase fodder availability for the Muga silkworms and thereby boost Muga Rearing Capacity of the VGR and achieve sustainability.
Additionally, 2,000 saplings of Arjun, Neem, Keseru and Borpaat trees were also planted in order to create a green-belt for protecting the silkworms from harmful pesticides used in the tea-gardens in the vicinity and to help curb pollution of air and soil, in addition to leveraging of medicinal properties offered by the plants. Furthermore, castor seeds were also sowed in furrows in the soil, to foster additional fodder for the silkworms – thereby realising and reaffirming NRL’s commitment to #BeatPlasticPollution, adopt #MissionLiFE and to prioritize #PrakritiKaKhayal for all days to come.
