ISLAMABAD - Speakers on Saturday stressed that environment must be included as a separate subject at all levels of education so that the new generation could be groomed according to the national need to combat environmental challenges. They expressed these views at an environment poetry session held at the National Language Authority (NLA) in collaboration with NLA, Development Communications Network (DEVCOM-Pakistan) and Pakistan Mountain Fest. Renowned poet Jalil Aali was the chief guest on the occasion, whereas the prominent poets of the twin cities of Islamabad-Rawalpindi including Ihsan Akbar, Sarfraz Shahid, Ali Akbar Abbas, Anjum Khaleeq, Veer Sipahi, Ghzazanfar Hashmi, Mahmooda Ghazia, Naureen Talat Arooba, Farah Deeba, Farzana Janan, Ali Ahmed Qamar, Fazal Elahi Bahar, Ali Yasir, Ali Akbar Natiq and others took part in the Environmental Poetry Recitation, and they recited their poetic verses on the theme highlighting the mountains role in keeping the life intact on the planet earth. Speaking on the occasion Iftikhar Arif, Chairman National Language Authority (NLA) said that the government must play its role to integrate the environmental conservation, sustainable development and awareness raising efforts all over the country. Our mountain communities are suffering from the climate change impact and we have yet to take up serious steps to avert the disasters he further noted. While appreciating the efforts of Development Communications Network, he said that the organisation was playing its role in mainstreaming environmental challenges in all the segments of society. Speakers on the occasion opined that the common people, particularly women, children and elderly ones in the marginalized communities were more prone to environmental hazards, which are increasing health risks to their lives. They said that the Pakistan Mountain Fest activities would involve people from all walks of life and different parts of the country. In this context three regional events have been planned for 2010 to promote and mainstream the issues confronting the mountain communities in South Asia, they further said.