Sinivit LLG in Pomio District joined the nation in commemorating the 50th anniversary of the World Environment Day (WED) on Monday, 5th June, at the Brown’s premises in Laup ward.
The program began with a 3-kilometre march pass from the LLG office in Sunam Ward to the Kadaulung junction in Laup Ward by students and teachers of Warangoi secondary and primary schools, Sikut and Rieit primary schools and LLG public servants, escorted by Warangoi police.
LLG president, Boniface Gerep, launched a two-day clean up program for all the 16 wards in the LLG.
The WED program coordinator and LLG Environmental Health Officer (EHO), John Piga, said no specific dates were set for the clean up program this week as it will depend on the individual wards.
The Conservation and Environment Protection Authority’s managing director, Alu Kaye, said this year marks 50 years since the first commemoration of the WED by the United Nations (UN) in 1973.
Stressing on this year’s theme of ‘Solution to Plastic Pollution’, Alu said humans are part of the environment thus, cannot exist without it.
He further said in the country’s attempts to address the effects of climate change and pollution, of which plastic comprises a big portion of, CEPA has formulated policies, such as the 2019 policy on the ban on use of plastics and a present draft of the Waste Management Policy.
Alu iterated that a collaborative effort is needed from all stakeholders to beat plastic pollution in the world and more so, in every community.
Representing the womenfolk of Sinivit LLG was Bertha Kamit, from the Women and Youth in Agriculture Organisation, who said everything starts from the family home, so parents must teach their children to be mindful of their waste or rubbish.
Each of the schools were presented 100 stumps of teak tree, supplied by OISCA International, as its representative, Gesley Rivan, explained the teak tree planting program, which was introduced into the province by the Australian Government.
As a hardwood, Rivan said teak is a generation tree that is fire resistant and termite repellant, and will provide a supply of premium timber.
He added that it is a good source of income for those opting to go into commercial farming of these tree species, given its trend of increasing market prices, with a present rate of K3,000 per cubic metre.