IMI holds session with students on climate change

Students with officials after the interactive session on climate change which was held at Model Christian College, Kohima on November 25.

Kohima, November 26 (MExN): IMI (Integrated Mountain Initiative) in association with Young Indians (Yi) Nagaland Chapter conducted an interactive session with students on climate change at Model Christian College, Kohima on November 25.

It was held under the ‘Meet your Legislator’ initiative on the theme ‘Taking Climate Change awareness to the People’ with Mmhonlumo Kikon, Advisor IT&C, Science & Technology, New & Renewable Enegy and Neichute Doulo, CEO, Entrepreneurs Associates (EA) and founding member of IMI from Nagaland as the panel speakers.

The session included an interactive session with students from St Joseph College, Jakhama and Model Christian College and Higher Secondary School, Kohima.

Neichute Doulo spoke about the importance of trees in the long term impact to the environment and stated that EA started the Tree for wealth Movement with the objective to make Nagaland the fruit hub in India and transform the economic landscape of the state.

He also pointed out that Nagaland has a lot of trees in spite of jhum cultivation for hundreds of years and encouraged the people to take care of our land and plant trees.

While addressing that the biggest impact to climate change comes from developed countries like the United States, every small region like Nagaland can play a part in reducing its effects.

He also recalled the flash floods in Nagaland a few years back and mentioned how EA played a role in controlling the effects in Kiphire district by starting the Rice for Trees Campaign wherein they donated 1 kg of rice for every tree that was planted.

Advisor Kikon highlighted the activities of the Nagaland government to support the climate change movement, while stressing that climate change is the responsibility of everyone and not just the government.

He said that “we have only one world and though we may think it's not our job or responsibility but it is everyone’s collective responsibility. At the same time, though we may not be producing as much waste and use as much energy as the west but we can play our part.”

The Advisor spoke about the initiatives of the Government in Solid Waste Management, as well as focusing on the initiatives to improve access to LPG and biogas. He recalled how he also joined politics because of Climate change as he was an environmental activist earlier. Talks were followed by an interactive question-answer session to the panelists. During the hour long session, the students touched on Deforestation, initiatives that the students can do to promote civic sense, promoting environmental awareness and concerns among the political leaders, roles of NGOs in the state vis-à-vis Climate change initiatives and the short term-long term impacts of the efforts they make today.

A painting competition was also organized amongst the students on the theme ‘Unchecked effects of Climate Change in Nagaland – Year 2030’. 1st Prize of Rs 3000 was won by Zurenthung Odyuo from Model Higher Secondary School and the 2nd prize of Rs 2000 was bagged by Thejavinuo Savi of Model Higher Secondary School while the 3rd prize of Rs 1000 was won by Zuben Kikon of St Joseph College, Jakhama.

The session was chaired by Ben Imchen and Rohan Abraham of Yi, Nagaland Chapter with introductory remarks by Yi Chair, Shukngam Shishak. Tree saplings were distributed to all attendees at the end of the programme.