Awareness walk, sailing rally mark Environment Day

Chennai, Jun 5 (UNI) Planting of saplings, awareness walk and a sailing rally on the high seas off Chennai Harbour marked the observance of World Environment Day in Tamil Nadu today.

The Tree planting programme was launched by State Environment Minister T P M Moideen Khan.

Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's poet-daughter Ms Kanimozhi inaugurated an awareness walk at Marina in which Chennai Corporation Mayor M Subramaniam and Chennai City Police COmmissioner Ms Letika Saran participated.

The Tamil Nadu Sailing Assocation (TNSA) in assocation with Vestas Group, the world leader in wind power solutions, organised a sailing rally to mark the occasion.

About 20 sailors participated in the rally, about seven nautical miles from the Harbour. The fleet included four Olympic class dinghies, five Asiad class of Optimist dinghies and a couple of Ocean going Maxi 77s and two tiger launches, making it a total of 13 boats.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Joseph Chaly of Vestas Wind Technology, said that the the climate change as a result of increasing global warming started touching the lives of the people.

''We know the ill-effects of climate change as 12 years of the last 125 years were warmest years. In last 20 years, 1998 was the most warmest year and in the last one decade eight years were warmest. It will touch the people more badly if we do not take care of envrionment, he said.

Events like sailing rally, which are eco-friendly, would help in spreading awareness at every level.

Expressing concern about global warming due to melting of polar ice and receding of Himalayan glaciers, he cautioned that this would lead to rise in sea water levels and in some years down the line some countries could vanish from the globe.

Speaking after flagging off the rally, Mr Ninan Thariyan of Bennett and Coleman and Limited, said the companies were obsession with growth and development and did not care for environmental and pollution.

''Year after year, companies were only looking up to up their sales. The car manufacurers are vying with each other to increase their volumes contributing more to pollution problems. Rallies like these are a small way of creating awareness on environment'', he added.

UNI