Virtual Panel Discussion “Nurturing Nature” on Environment Sustainability held

Hyderabad: FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) Hyderabad Chapter today organized a Virtual Panel Discussion “Nurturing Nature” on Environment Sustainability.  
 
The Panelists included Ms Samantha Akkineni, Actress; Ms Harichandana, District Magistrate and Collector, Narayanpet District; Ms Kavitha Mantha, Chief Curator, Sage Farm Café; Dr Sairam P. Reddy, Co-Founder & CSO UrbanKisaan. The Panel The discussion was moderated by Ms Uma Chigurupati, Chair Person FLO Hyderabad 
 
The lessor known passion about the Tollywood actress Ms Samantha Akkineni is that she has a love for farming, which she even turned into a profession.   She has been a strong advocate of micro-farming and hydroponics for growing vegetables. She has a huge fan following on her social media handles towards this end. 
 
Harichandana is a model bureaucrat. She is well known for her environment-related initiatives. She has gone beyond the call of her duty to environmentally secure the people. 
 
Her actions and deeps speak enormously that she is passionate about the environment and involved in issues concerning it. 
 
Ms Kavitha Mantha, Chief Curator, Sage Farm Café, Hyderabad’s first farm-to-table café is known very well for her work. Management Graduate from Cambridge University, Kavitha became a natural farmer and started growing their food. We are living in times where industrial chemicals are being used to grow the food we feed our children. We wanted to change that, not just for our kids, but for others too. She says. 
 
Sairam P. Reddy is the co-founder of Urbankisaan which builds vertical farms in India and sells the produce through hyper-local stores. We wanted to grow more than just fresh and nutritious food. We wanted to create a sustainable future for farming and feed the world in a way that is good for both people and the planet, he says. 
 
Interacting with the moderator Samantha said Pandemic opened up to many things. I have welcomed a lot of green into my home. It changed my whole perspective. I started growing my own food by using Hydroponic technology with 95% less water. I have become Vegan. vegan devoid of all animal products. I come from an Anglo Indian family, the meat-eaters. Giving up is a big change and I am enjoying it now, Samantha shared.  
 
I have also adapted to sustainable fashion. I started buying pre-loved fashion. When asked about three eco-friendly ways she wants people to get into is to cut down on non veg food, two buy only when necessary and try and grow a little bit of your own good, Samantha said. And added that I don’t want to leave barren lands to my children.  
 
When asked to describe her life philosophy in one word, Samantha Akkineni said, ‘be better. 
 
Giving her suggestions, Samantha said ‘no one is better than others. We are all on this journey together. 
 
Kavitha said Organic is a very abused and misused word. There is a lot of difference between organic farming and natural farming. She suggested that everyone should own a patch of land and grow own food. We are what we live, she said.  
 
Sairam Reddy said Hydroponics is the new technology that produces all sorts of vegetables without soil, but by using mineral nutrient solutions in aqueous solvents. Growing your food through Hydroponics use are saving a lot of food from wastage. 37% of the vegetables are wasted by the time they reach the market yard.  
 
Eating healthy alone is not healthy. The environment that you live in also matters a lot, said Hari Chandana.  She explained how people can participate in sustainable efforts. The governments alone can’t do it. She explained various measures taken up in her District Narayanpet. Almost all villages in the district now have garbage segregation bins, she explained.   
 
Giving her opening remarks and setting the context for the Panel Discussion, Ms Uma Chigurupati said “we all live in the house called earth, whose roof is our environment. We should be taking care of these two because our lives will be healthy and safe only when the earth is green and the environment is clean”.
 
Today June 5th is World Environment Day. We have planned this session, she shared. And added that living through the pandemic and experiencing Global warming, should be enough to wake us up to be environmental friendly. 
 
The Theme for this year is 'Ecosystem Restoration '. We should assist in the recovery of ecosystems that have been degraded by activities like pollution and deforestation. This is the time to conserve the ecosystems that are still intact; Uma Chigurupati told her 100 plus virtual audience.
 
The environment that we live in is very important not only for our health but for our survival, so there is a huge need for us to protect it. We should be reminded and teach the younger generation about how precious our environment is, what kind of restoration work we have to take up, Uma, the nature lover said. 
 
Keeping the importance of the day we have invited the distinguished panel members who will share insight on the preservation of nature. This power-packed session will explain Permaculture, Hydroponics, Recycling and Sustainable living 
 
This is our moment, Uma, who is very passionate about nature, said. We cannot turn back time. But we can grow trees, green our cities, rewild our gardens, change our diets and clean up rivers and coasts. We are the generation that can make peace with nature. Let’s get active, not anxious. Let’s be bold, not timid. On this World Environment Day, make a start. Kick the unsustainable products out of our lives, be a part of a restoration project, start speaking up for the environment.
 
Speaking on the occasion Ms Uma shared that FLOHyderabad launched an initiative “FLO Hyderabad Business League ''. As the name suggests, it will provide a platform for business networking. This time around five members who are in the profession of interiors introduce their firms,concepts and philosophies behind their projects.
 
The Chairperson announced that starting from 7th this month, we will commence distance education for the students of Zilla Parishad Girls High School of Parigi and kulkacharlamandal. This is being taken up aspart of our Community Outreach Program, she added. 
 
Soon we will be embarking on another ambitious initiative “FLO Hyderabad Empowerment League”. This initiative will facilitate start-ups or existing companies of members by providing different Incubation, mentoring and investment facilities.