From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Jun 5: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday lauded the concern and love of our ancestors in preserving environment and said they used to take care of trees and plant sapling if a tree had to be felled for any reason.

Inaugurating World Environment Day 2023 and presenting the Karnataka State Environment Awards at the Jnanabharathi campus, he said Environment and mankind are mutually connected.

"Man must live with nature. Our lives will be better if our forests are abundant which will in turn give us good rainfall and crops,’’ he said and pointed out that loving nature and mother earth is our duty.

"A healthy lifestyle is possible only if our environment is clean,’’ he said.

The World Environment Day is observed to create awareness and also to find solutions regarding the challenges faced. We are already facing natural disasters due to climate change which needs to be addressed, he said.

As plastic is hazardous to the environment, our government had banned plastic in 2016. Industrial waste, use of plastic, destroying forests must be stopped.

Judicious use of water will go a long way in protecting our environment, he said.

Our children must be guided to protect nature. As children always emulate elders, we need to show them the way, he opined.

Award winners

Manjunath H from south zone: Dr M D Subash Chandran from Western ghats and coastal zone, Dr M R Desai from North zone have won the individual environment awards.

Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bengaluru, Deviramma Vanasiri Trust, Hassan district from Western Ghats and coastal zone, Vanasiri Trust, Sindanur taluk, Raichur district from North Zone were awarded in the institutional section.

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Minister for forests Eshwar Khandre and other officials were present.