[Event Diary] Water conservation important for sustainable development
Special Reporter
The Gilgit-Baltistan has been bestowed with spectacular fresh water resources and home to variety of ecosystems including wetlands, glaciers, pastures, streams and rivers, which not only play a key role in sustaining life but also make the area a centre of attraction for people from around the world. But the important fragile water resources (wetlands) of the regions are generally degrading under a broad spectrum due to lack of awareness and illiteracy. The theme for world water day, 2012 campaign is “Water and Food Security”.
Considering its mission WWF-Pakistan under its Saving Wetlands Sky High Programme and Pakistan Wetlands Programme-Northern Alpine Wetlands Complex organized a mass awareness raising quiz competition event on the occasion of world water day, on March 27, 2012 amongst young students of the schools of both Ghakuch and Qurumbar valley, district Ghizer, so that awareness regarding the importance of water resources can be raised at grass root level.
Two students each from seven different schools (6th -8th) selected to participate in the quiz competitions held on water, wetlands and forest resources of Gilgit-Baltistan.
Participants gathered at Ghizer Public School Gahkuch before starting of the event. More then 150 students, teachers, community reps and line departments attended the day long celebration.
The quiz competition started at 10:00 am with the recitation of verses from Holy Quran by Ms.Samiya, Naat-e-Maqbool by Shahzia and welcome song by Urmal and her companions. Mr.Naseer Ahmad, coordinator for SWSH Programme, welcomed the participants and briefed WWF-P intervention in Gilgit-Baltistan and gave an orientation to the day celebration.
A questioner with answers based on general science and different aspects of natural resources topics distributed among school students prior to the event for preparation. After question and answer session an independent panel of jury decided on best group for 1st, 2nd and 3rd for winner awards. Group one, Central Asia Institute Immit got 1st position, Group two and Group three from FG girls high school Gahkuch and FG boys middle school Imit decided for 2nd position and Ghizer public school stated for 3rd positions respectively.
Winners and participants of the quiz completion were given trophies, badges and certificates of appreciation to memorizing the occasion. Wetlands information material packages were also distributed among the teachers, community reps, scorekeepers, timekeeper and judges of the quiz competition.
Mr Qamar Shezad. Deputy Commissioner Ghizer was the chief guest on the event. In his brief speech he emphasized on sustainable conservation and management of these fragile water resources to meet the need of presence generation with compromising the ability of future generation. He also inaugurated tree plantation campaign at Gahkuch Marsh land organized by WWF-P.
The event ended at 4:30 pm. with special thanks to the participants, organizers and school authorities for their contribution and support to make the quiz competition a successful event
