Earth Day Celebrated

dan_zemlje_od The Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning has marked Earth Day by numerous manifestations held throughout Serbia. Minister Oliver Dulić has participated in wild-landfill cleanup activity on Ada Huja in Belgrade. He invited all citizens, institutions, non-governmental organizations and companies to join a huge Serbia cleanup activity on 5^th June 2010.

- We call upon all citizens to give their contribution to environment by cleaning their surroundings. There are thousands of locations in Serbia similar to Ada Huja, where waste has been deposited for years. Owing to "Let's clean up Serbia" campaign, 60 per cent out of 4.600 landfills registered last year has been cleaned. Nevertheless, citizens continued to deposit waste at some of those locations - said minister Dulić.

He emphasized the need for changing habits and mentality and for reminding citizens every day of the importance of planet Earth preservation.

According to Palilula Mayor Danilo Bašić, Karaburma primary school students joined the campaign "Give Back Hope to Ada Huja", and it will be joined by university students, older population and parents. He added that recently a ramp has been placed at the entrance of Ada Huja in order to prevent the disposal of rubble and other wastes.

After visiting Ada Huja quay and the place where sludge is examined, minister Dulić attended a manifestation at the Republic Square, traditionally organized by the Association for the Support of Developmentally Disabled Individuals. Many children, actors and animators participated in the campaign "Live Together".

In continuation of the campaign "Green Towns of Serbia", 50 deciduous and conifer seedlings were planted on the town quay in Paraćin. The action was attended by Tatjana Pašić, Director of the People's Office of the President of the Republic, Milan Kinđić, Director of "Let's Clean up Serbia" Campaign, Ljubinko Rakonjac, Director of the Forestry Institute, volunteers for the people's office, students of the Biological Faculty, Belgrade and representatives of the local self government.

- We organized the campaign "Green Towns of Serbia" in order to increase green areas in towns and achieve European standards stipulating the minimum of 25 m²of green area per capita. As of today, Serbia will be richer by five thousand seedlings - said Tatjana Pašić, Director of the People's Office.

Director of campaign "Let's Clean up Serbia", Milan Kinđić, pointed out the Ministry's wish to send the message, on Earth Day, that everyone can do something good for environment and their place of living.

According to Director of the Forestry Institute, Ljubinko Rakonjac, the extent of forest resources in Serbia is not satisfactory and much effort has been invested in increasing it to 41 per cent.

The action of placing special containers for depositing metal, plastic and paper waste in Delta City shopping center was attended by the Ministry's state secretary Bojan Đurić. He reminded everyone of the importance of replacing plastic bags with biodegradable ones.

The Ministry marked Earth Day by holding public consultation on the issue of Draft Law on Geological Activity.