Nagpur: A journey of thousands miles commences with a small step!
Environment Protection is necessary, given the Planet Earth is grappling to cope with the menace of Climate Change. While the Governments across the Globe merely announce relief packages and sign-up Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to each other, on paper to enact their duties on ‘Climate Change’, sometimes a small push is enough to bring the change!
Inspired by a webinar session conducted by city based NGO Green Vigil Foundation, a school in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh (UP) have embraced the Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s (NMC) concept of environment protection, like Poornima Diwas, Save the Lake, De-choking trees and others. The students of Tiny Tot Group of Schools, Ayodhya have not only adopted these ideas, School’s Assistant Administrator Sushmita Dixit says but also created LED bulbs to save energy, adhering to the concept – “Electricity Saved, Is Electricity Generated!”
Green Vigil Foundation founder Kaustav Chatterjee and team lead Surbhi Jaiswal conducted a webinar last year and inspired students, teachers and faculty members of Tiny Tot Group of Schools, Ayodhya. The webinar encouraged them to adopt the Poornima Diwas concept to conserve energy.
On Poornima Diwas, the administration of Tiny Tot Group of Schools urged their students to switch off the lights of their houses. First time, kids enjoyed the full moon light. Kids were inspired by the moon; they enjoyed it and gave positive feedback to their teachers. Seeing this unique way of learning, even parents were also happy that their wards are connecting with nature. Going one step ahead, to save energy, the students assembled energy saving LED bulbs.
Tiny Tot Group of Schools have a Robotic Lab set up by the Neeti Aayog. The students usually build Drones, Remote Control Cars etc. However, after the interaction with Green Vigil Foundation founder Kaustav Chatterjee and team lead Surbhi Jaiswal, they created LED bulbs, in a bid to save engergy. Kids met the engineer of the Electricity Department here and presented the concept, they also discussed the ideas of Poornima Diwas which was appreciated by the electricity board.
Another concept they adopted was saving heritage trees. The students approached the District Forest Officer of Ayodhya and identified trees which are 100 years old and which the school wants to adopt. These students are alert about choking trees around the school; and the kids will be taking it up to the authorities to immediately de-choke the tree.
The second idea shared with the Tiny Tots Group of Schools, which is running on solar energy and is already involved in saving the environment, was ‘Save the Lake Ecosystem’ during idol immersion. Nagpur is erecting about 250 artificial tanks and barricading all lakes for idol immersion.
Notably, then mayor Anil Sole green signaled Poornima Diwas campaign in 2014. Every year NMC selects a square wherein members of Green Vigil Foundation appeals to citizens, residents, shopkeepers to switch off non essential lights for one hour, 8 pm to 9 pm and discuss with citizens the need and ways of energy conservation. The campaign saved 2,50,000 kgs of carbon emission. Due to this campaign, the international NGP Earth Day Network has awarded NMC and Green Vigil and the Prime Minister has also appreciated the effort.