World environment day

3pm, 05-06-2024

I grew up in the green hills of Lower Subansiri in Arunachal Pradesh, surrounded by beautiful nature. The greenery was a big part of my life and taught me a lot about the world.

In Arunachal Pradesh, the sound of birds in the morning was like music, starting the day. The misty mornings showed me how everything in nature is connected. The big trees around me were like protectors, making me feel small but also teaching me to respect nature.

As a kid, playing outside was more than just fun. I learned about living together with plants and animals. The rivers flowing through the land taught me to keep going and to fit in with the world around me.

Today, on World Environment Day, I think back to those days. The hills of Lower Subansiri were like a big classroom without walls, where I learned to take care of the environment. Arunachal Pradesh, with all its different plants and animals, shows how amazing it is when we live in balance with nature.

Now, as we face environmental problems, what I learned as a child is very important. We need to take care of our natural world, just like the hills of Arunachal Pradesh have kept their beauty. We all have to make sure that the beauty of nature can keep inspiring and helping people, just like it did for me when I was young.

Let's promise on this World Environment Day to look after our planet, to learn from nature, and to give a healthier, more green Earth to the next people. We all come from nature, and we should look after the place that has given us so much.

Yazali was a little village hidden in the mountains of Arunachal Pradesh, where old traditions and new ways came together. It was there, in the peaceful land, that NEEPCO built its hydroelectric power project, showing that we can develop in a way that's good for nature.

Back then, only a few families lived in the village, and their lives were closely tied to nature. When NEEPCO's project started, it gently changed Yazali.

I saw the village change as I grew up. The mountains and rivers stayed the same, but the village started to grow in new ways. The power project was a sign of moving forward, but it still respected the beautiful environment.

The DPH colony was a group of homes on a hill in Arunachal Pradesh. It was named after the diesel power house on the hilltop that gave electricity to all the homes.

The homes were simple but nice. They fit well with the hill and the nature around. The people living there were like a big family, sharing and caring for each other.

For a kid like me, the hill was the best playground. There were paths around the power house that led to secret spots that only we kids knew. The power house was big and always running, making sure we had light and power.

Our homes in the colony were plain but nice. They matched the hill and the wild plants around us. We all lived like a big family, sharing and caring for each other.

For me, a kid back then, the hill was the perfect playground. There were secret paths near the power house that only us kids knew. The power house was big and always on, giving us the light and power we needed.

In the 1990s, my home state of Arunachal Pradesh was really beautiful and still quite new. It had just been made a state in 1987. At that time, many places in Northeast India didn't have enough electricity. We often used oil to run our generators.

In my village, Yazali, not having enough power was something we dealt with every day. The different areas on the hills had to share the little electricity we had. This often caused arguments. To solve this, we had load shedding, which meant we took turns having power. One night we'd have electricity, and the next night it would be the turn of the next hill.

This way of life became normal for us. When we had power, kids did their schoolwork, and families watched TV together. When it was dark, we'd see a sky full of stars. Those were the times for sharing stories and enjoying the fresh air of the mountains.

The lack of power was tough, but it taught us to be ready and do important things when we had electricity.

As a child, I loved the Milky Way and the stars. On clear nights, it looked like a bright river across the sky. I spent many hours finding the shapes of constellations and learning their stories.

These star patterns felt like friends with their own tales. Orion was like a hunter chasing something forever. The Big Dipper pointed north and helped people find their way. Looking at these stars made me feel connected to the big universe.

The stars and the Milky Way weren't just lights in the sky; they were like teachers for me. They made me want to learn and find out more about the world. I often fell asleep counting the stars outside my window.

Thinking back on these changes, I see a big difference between the green places where I grew up and the busy cities full of buildings. It's really important now to make our cities greener. We need to bring more nature into the places we live, not just to make them look nice but to keep our planet healthy for everyone in the future.

When I moved to Salt Lake, I loved walking alone in the East Kolkata wetlands. It was so quiet and peaceful there, very different from the noisy city. I could hear birds singing and leaves rustling. These walks made me forget my worries and enjoy the beauty around me. They made me feel really good.

But now, the wetlands are changing. I see buildings coming up and trash everywhere. The water is dirty, and the air is full of dust. This is bad for the plants and animals there and for the city's air and water.

Today, on World Environment Day, I think back to my days in Yazali, a small village in Arunachal Pradesh. It reminds me of the clean air and green land I grew up with. Yazali was a peaceful place that showed how we can live well with nature. It makes me think about how important it is to keep places like this safe for our Earth and for the kids who will grow up after us. 🌿🌏