Chandigarh kids dedicate their Saturdays to save the environment

While the world observes June 5 every year as Environment Day, children in Chandigarh have dedicated every Saturday to save and create awareness about the environment.

By Sunil Sharma

Chandigarh, Aug 8 : While the world observes June 5 every year as Environment Day, children in Chandigarh have dedicated every Saturday to save and create awareness about the environment.

As an initiative of the Environment Society of India, the awareness-cum-action programme to observe every Saturday as the `Environment Day' has been made mandatory for school students in Chandigarh.

Through this awareness programme each one is asked to plant a tree at least once a week.

The schools adopt the area around institutions like Environment Society of India, District Education Offices and NGOs to carry out field work such as cleanliness, tree plantation, vermi-compost pits, and campaign for banning plastics.

Environment related plays and painting exhibitions are also held.

It is commendable to see the future citizens take their jobs seriously.

Ishwar Singh, Director, Environment, Chandigarh, said: "It is not just a Saturday, everyday is an environment day. This monsoon season, we are not only involving educational communities - schools and colleges - but each individual to plant trees, because this is the period when the chances of survival of new saplings are the maximum due to natural rains."

The Environment Department plans to distribute 15,000 saplings free of cost to the people and 100,000 saplings to other greening agencies.

Singh says children are particularly roped in to make the best of their position in their families, so that the message of "Save Environment, save the Earth" reaches every household.

In Chandigarh, children have formed eco clubs, with attractive names like 'Gulmohar' to conduct awareness activities.

At a time when the world is crying foul over the dangers of global warming, it is indeed a small, but significant step towards creating awareness on saving the environment.

ANI