Dharamsala/Surat: Green marathons, tree plantation drives, seminars, on-the-spot painting competitions marked World Environment Day in India on Tuesday.
In Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, the Tibetan Women``s Association organized a Green Marathon in which teenaged boys and girls participated.
Besides this race, scores of exiled Tibetan students spread the message of clean and green environment through attractive banners.
The President of the Tibetan Women``s Association (TWA), Tashi Dolma, said the marathon would encourage people to actively promote the concept of ``Clean and Green``.
"Today, we organised athletic marathon from the organisation and this is to show, to increase people``s awareness to save the environment," said Tashi Dolma.
Office bearers of TWA also mentioned that the main objective behind marathon was to create awareness among the masses about several environmental issues including global warming, pollution and climate change.
In Surat, Gujarat, local authorities joined hands with several NGOs to save the environment.
Surat Municipal Corporation officials moved a couple of trees that were obstructing the widening of roads and construction of flyovers.
Prayas Environment Team, an NGO, provided volunteers for the transplantation drive.
"We are trying to create mass awareness among the people and want to spread the message that if they find any tree creating obstruction, we try to shift that tree with the help of the local authorities," said Director of Prayas Environment Team, Darshanbhai Desai.
World Environment Day is celebrated on June 5 every year. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has been observing it since 1973.
The United Nations uses World Environment Day as a tool to spread awareness about the need to save the environment.
ANI
