Taking cognizance of the vital role of the press in safeguarding nature, Ukhrul Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Laishram Gitla urged journalists to tell environmental stories that help spread the message of conservation and spark community action.
Awareness Program
She made the remarks while speaking at a one-day awareness programme on wildlife protection and conservation held under Vana Mahotsav in Ukhrul. The event carried the theme “Protect Wildlife, Preserve Nature, Secure Our Future.”
The programme was organised by the Ukhrul Forest Division, Forest Department, Government of Manipur, in collaboration with the Ukhrul District Working Journalists’ Association (UDWJA).
Tools of Change
Gitla told the journalists, “While thousands of citizens across the country are holding saplings in their hands today, you hold something infinitely more powerful in yours: the pen, the camera, and the microphone.”
She added that journalists can do more than report—they can plant ideas that grow into movements, explaining that a sapling becomes a tree, while a story can grow into a movement.
Why Press Coverage Matters
She said media coverage demystifies complex issues like climate change and biodiversity loss, and highlights the local importance of initiatives such as Vana Mahotsav. She also noted that journalists give voice to those who are often overlooked—grassroots activists, forest guards working in perilous conditions, and rural communities.
Digital Platforms
Gitla encouraged journalists to use digital platforms to make conservation engaging and accessible to younger generations, stressing that “nature does not have a PR agency. It relies entirely on the integrity of the press to tell its stories.”
Discussions and Lecture
The awareness programme featured discussions on wildlife protection measures and community-based conservation efforts in the district. Forest officials delivered a lecture titled “Conserve Wildlife Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow.”
Plantation Drive
On the same day, DFO Gitla led a plantation drive under Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 3.0 and Plant Trees, Save Earth 4 Mother as part of Vana Mahotsav 2026. Around 70 participants—including students from Oriental Naga Academy, forest department officials, and local journalists—took part, during which about 100 saplings were planted. Saplings were also distributed to students.