The origin of World Nature Conservation Day is still unknown but the purpose of celebrating this special day on 28 July is to introspect on how humans are exploiting nature by all means. The day is to raise awareness and take measures to conserve mother nature as much as possible.
Talking about one such place that requires urgent attention and preservation is ‘The Okhla Bird sanctuary’ which is a home to about 350 species of birds. With more than 60 percent area filled with water bodies, the sanctuary attracts a number of migratory birds during winters and passage migrants during summers. While the UP government has claimed that it is taking all steps to protect it, the sanctuary is witnessing a record low turnout with every passing year.
As a result, a non-profit organisation Pararthya, a pioneer in the field, held a week-long awareness program celebrating ‘World Conservation Day’ in collaboration with Uttar Pradesh Forest Department. Conducted by Pararthya and HCL Foundation, approx. 100 volunteers extended their support by actively participating in the cleanliness drive supported by Viraaj Ventures and RealtyAssistant. All the volunteers were divided into six teams and each team was assigned the task to collect as much waste as possible. At the end of the day, the teams collected more than 1000kg of waste and the winning team’s efforts were acknowledged with prizes and certifications for their commendable efforts.
The awareness drive was also marked by the presence of children from various schools of Delhi – NCR, some differently abled children from NGOs, officials from the UPForestDepartment.With objectives like Environmental Protection& Sustainable Developmentthe platform restores symbioses between nature, wildlife and humanity by building a compassionate community of consumers, allies and advocates ready to take action. Combining the power of philanthropy and storytelling, Pararthya accelerates conservation efforts and scales community-led solutions all across the country.
Another prominent partner whose contribution made this initiative a massive success is Realty Assistant, founder Mr. Ankit Aditya Pradhan, who has proved to be an example while motivating many of us to do our bit in this endeavour. A true thought leader, philanthropist and a successful entrepreneur Mr. Ankit Aditya Pradhan has relentlessly been working to preserve the natural environment and wildlife through effective participation and contribution from the past few years.
Speaking about the initiative, he says, “We live in an era when urbanization and growth are sweeping the world at such breakneck speed that the need to maintain a healthy environment appears to have been overlooked. Companies must indeed adapt to changing urban needs to survive. However, it is also critical to recognize that progress should not come at the expense of disturbing ecological balance. Therefore, such initiatives are important to make people understand the importance of maintaining ecological balance and simultaneously promote sustainable living”.
Environment versus development is a long-standing argument that has acquired a lot of attention in recent years. Time and again, we have learned that the co-existence of nature and man is the only way forward and therefore, we must keep up with technological advancements while aiming to increase our green cover. Pararthya through their constant initiatives and efforts is ensuring to make this country a better place to live in. It has left an imprint by truly following the far-reaching quote by the father of our nation Mahatma Gandhi; ‘Be the change you want to see in the world’.
If you want to help out in order to make a difference in the world, you can join the team at Pararthya by getting yourself registered at www.pararthya.com