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Karachi, May 28, 2015 (PPI-OT): Under the environmental obligations of its CSR Program, Sui Southern Gas Company organised a “beach cleaning activity” at Sandspit in collaboration with WWF-Pakistan on May 27, 2015. The fun-filled activities unfolded at WWF’s Wetland Centre at Karachi’s beach of Sandspit.
A vibrant group of around 350 students belonging to six different government schools of Karachi were imparted quality environmental education that focused on engaging youth through team building exercises, environment awareness and arousing in them a sense of civic responsibility. The varied activities included informative sessions on endangered green turtle, cleaning of green turtle habitat, the beach; mangrove plantation and other eco-friendly activities.
WWF officials briefed these students specifically on the significance of marine life, mangroves, and environmental sanitation. They were educated about threats to biodiversity such as pollution, habitat loss and mismanagement of natural resources.
In a collective effort the students planted 400 mangrove samplings in premises of the Wetland Centre and also participated cleaning the garbage on the beach where hundreds of female turtles come for laying eggs and hatchlings. The area is considered as ecological important habitat for green turtle species. These students cleaned around two kilometres belt of the beach and ended up in collecting 60 bags of garbage.
While speaking to the students and the audience, Shahbaz Islam, SSGC’s Head of Corporate Communications appreciated the role of WWF in designing an appropriate environmental educational package for the students belonging to less privileged schools. He said that it is a positive activity that will not only provoke these students to take every step in protecting the environment but would also motivate them to go back and spread the word amongst their school fellows, friends, neighbours and family.
In his speech Asad Shahbaz, WWF’s Assistant Manager, Corporate Relations highlighted the role of mangroves forests in balancing the environment and stressed for saving the same as they are exposed to multiple threats. He said that these activities impact the lives of students as they learn about significance of forests, endangered species, pollution, sanitation, sustainable use of natural resources and other environmental issues. He thanked SSGC for always supporting the good causes.
KMC’s Director Education Mansoor Mirza said that such activities provide a rare opportunity to students of government schools to learn about environmental challenges confronting our nature. He said that plastic bags and wrappers thrown by people harm the turtle hatchlings and increase environmental degradation.
The simultaneous activities of four groups of students experienced four main modules of this activity that lasted for around five hours, leaving a new educated crop of young students who enjoyed every bit of their moments and affirmed to become an agent who would bring positive change in the society.
For more information, contact:
Inayatullah Ismail
Chief Manager (Media Relations)
Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGC)
Corporate Communication Department (Media Relations)
ST-4/B, Block 14, Sir Shah Suleman Road,
Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi
Tel: +92-21-99021773, +92-21-99021000
Fax: +92-21-99231662
Cell: +92-322-2225159
Email: inayatullah@ssgc.com.pk, info@ssgc.com.pk
Web: www.ssgc.com.pk