Students paint and pledge for a litter- free Sikkim

GANGTOK, 30 May: As part of World Environment Day celebration, Tsomgo Pokhari Sanrakshan Samitee (TPSS) organised a painting and slogan contest for students of Gangtok schools at Hotel Tara Palace in collaboration with the Forests, Environment and Wildlife Management Department and WWF - India.
A press release informs that the contest organised in 3categories for Primary, Secondary and Senior Secondary students had the participation of more than 60 students from 18 schools from within Gangtok. The judges for the contest were Usha Lachungpa [Principal Research Officer, FEWMD], NT Bhutia [DFO Territorial Division for East District, FEWMD] and Priyadarshinee Shrestha [Landscape Coordinator, WWF India].
The theme for the painting and slogan contest was ‘Litter Free Sikkim’. TPSS has been working for conservation and management of the Tsomgo Lake which is the most visited tourist spot in Sikkim, and garbage is one of the key concerns for this high altitude wetland, the release mentions.
With over 3,00,000 tourists flocking to the lakeside very year, the amount of garbage generated is extraordinarily huge. Not only that, the entire highway leading up to the lake is also subjected to rampant littering by tourists who do not think twice about throwing garbage from the vehicle windows. All these areas are important wildlife habitats of some of the most interesting species of the state such as red panda, goral, serow, black bear and many beautiful pheasants.
Therefore the painting and slogan contest was organised by TPSS with an objective of sensitizing the tourists through these paintings made by the children of Gangtok Schools. Before the contest began, the children were also sensitized that the forests through which the highway passes by are home for many animals and that by throwing garbage people were disturbing their habitats.
The winning entries of the contest shall be prominently displayed along the Gangtok - Tsomgo highway to catch the attention of tourists travelling along this route to make them aware about the ill effects of littering, it is informed.
Speaking during the occasion, NT Bhutia who is also Chairperson for TPSS gave a short history of Tsomgo Lake and how tourism was initiated for improving the livelihood of the people, and how it has transformed over the years. Ms. Lachungpa addressed the students and encouraged them to practicethe habit of not littering and to have the courage to teach those who did not follow these habits.
At the end of the programme, all students signed with their handprints on a cloth banner to join hands for a litter free Sikkim, pledging not to litter and to make others aware about the same. Being part of the Zero Waste Himalaya, the entire event was organisedby TPSS following zero waste protocols, with no use of bottled water, disposable cupsor flex material.
The winners shall be announced and awarded during the World Environment Day program organised by FEWMD at Namchi on 05 June, 2014 and the paintings also displayed during the occasion. All participating students shall be taken on an educational tour of Tsomgo Lake sponsored by TPSS, FEWMD and WWF- India, wherein they will learn about the importance of the wetland, its biodiversity values as well as the functions of TPSS, the release further adds.