Governor to flag off mini-marathon today

The Department of Environment, Science, Technology and Climate Change will celebrate World Environment Day on June 5 in collaboration with the Himachal Pradesh Police, the State Pollution Control Board and the State Council for Science, Technology and Environment.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Sushil Singla, IFS, Secretary (Environment, Science and Technology), said the celebrations aim to raise awareness and encourage collective action towards environmental protection.

“We celebrate World Environment Day every year on June 5 to promote environmental awareness and inspire action to protect our planet. It serves as a global reminder that safeguarding the Earth is a shared responsibility and not solely that of governments or organisations,” he said.

Singla said the theme for World Environment Day 2026 is ‘Inspired by Nature. For Climate.

For Our Future.’ To mark the occasion, the department has planned a series of events, including a mini-marathon, carrying the message ‘Run for a Clean Environment and a Chitta-Free Life’, an exhibition showcasing best practices in environmental management and the presentation of ‘Environment Leadership Awards’. Winners of the mini-marathon and award recipients will be felicitated during the event.

The mini marathon will be flagged off by Governor Kavinder Gupta, while the Chief Minister will honour the winners.

Highlighting the importance of sustainable waste management, Singla stressed the need to advance the principles of a circular economy across sectors such as solid waste, e-waste, biomedical waste and hazardous waste management. He said efforts were being made to maximise resource recovery from waste while minimising environmental impact.

“In this regard, a series of meetings were held with the agencies concerned, and efforts are underway to bring all stakeholders, from recyclers to ragpickers, onto a common platform.

This will not only provide incentives to ragpickers but also help prevent pilferage of waste and ensure its scientific disposal through authorised vendors,” he said.

As part of the nationwide World Environment Day celebrations, all regional offices have been directed to undertake plantation drives under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative.

The afforestation campaign is being implemented across the state in line with directions issued by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).