Media Release

Mangaluru, Jun 7: St Aloysius Industrial Training Institute on June 6 celebrated World Environment Day.

The programme commenced with a prayer song. The students welcomed the dignitaries with a welcome dance. Chief guest, Venkatesh- deputy range forest officer was chief guest of the programme.

Gyaral Milton Lobo, student of MMV trade extended a cordial welcome to everyone on behalf of the institution. Venkatesh inaugurated the programme by planting a sapling in a pot. After the inaugurating he said, “We are experiencing a change in the climatic pattern. Untimely and lesser rainfall, very hot weather, scarcity of clean air etc are the results of deforestation. The theme of this year’s Environment Day celebration is ‘beat plastic pollution’. Though plastic is necessary, we need to limit its use.”

At the programme, Fr Ravi Santhosh Kamath SJ was felicitated on completion of 60 years as Jesuit. Addressing the gathering Fr Santhosh Kamath said, “I am not a professional environmentalist, but I protect and love nature. I was born in a place surrounded by a dense forest. Early every morning I wake up and salute the trees. We must consider forests as temples. They are God's grace to us.”

In his speech he exhibited a glimpse of his multi-lingual ability that left the audience spellbound. Well known environmentalist, Krishnappa was also felicitated at the programme. Saplings were distributed to the dignitaries by Romius D'Souza, convener of the programme. The chief guest in turn distributed the saplings to the student council members. All the students under the leadership of the student council president Thilak, pledged to nurture and preserve nature. Slogans in support of nature echoed in the auditorium.

In his presidential address, Fr Eric Mathias SJ- director of the institution said, “Today, we felicitated two nature lovers who worship nature. Change cannot happen if slogans are restricted to words alone. We need to turn them into action. Due to the initiative of Salumara Thimmakka, people in some parts of Bengaluru, today get clean air. Plants and trees never live for themselves. They provide us clean air, fruit, shade etc. We should learn from trees how to lead a selfless life and serve
others.”

Vincent Mendonsa- principal and Roshan D'Souza- vice principal were also present at the celebration.

Students presented a cultural programme which concluded with the National Anthem.