Combating climate change: Labour dept plants two lakh saplings

In an attempt to maintain environmental balance and combat climatic change,the Gujarat Labour Department has planted two lakh saplings in its industrial training institutes (ITIs) across the state. Coordinators have been appointed at the ITI level to manage and sustain these plantations,an official release said.

According to the release,State Labour and Employment Minister Vajubhai Vala and Minister of State Jashwantsinh Bhabhor appreciated the effort at a recent workshop on ‘Climate Change,Environment Management and Plantation in ITIs’ in Gandhinagar’. “Combating climatic change is an imminent challenge facing the human race,” Vala said,adding that the threat could be thwarted through large-scale plantations like Van Mahotsav.

The coordinators would ensure that each trainee at the concerned ITIs should adopt at least two plants so that Environment Management Framework (EMF) was implemented and desired results were achieved,the release said.

Senior officials of the department and other invited guests from institutions like Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT),Sardar Patel Institute of Public Administration (SPIPA),Centre for Environment Education and Nehru Foundation for Development,also spoke on the subject and suggested that not only ITIs,but industrial units in their vicinity should also be convinced to undertake plantation of saplings.