GREEN SCHOOL AWARDS & WEBINAR ON POLLUTION FREE SWACCH CHANDIGARH ON INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE

Chandigarh: The 21st September 2020:
Today on international day of peace, Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee, Department of Environment, Chandigarh Administration and Yuvsatta-NGO, a Webinar on ‘Pollution Free Swacch Chandigarh’, organized presentation of Green School Awards to top five Schools of the city, who had done the most during COVID times to promote care for nature and environment through their Eco Clubs among the young students.
Sh. Debdendra Dalai, IFS, Director, Department of Environment & Vice Chairman, CPCC-Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee was the Chief Guest on the occasion. He presented the Green School Awards to Mrs. Seema Sharma, Principal, Govt. Model Sr. Sec. School, Dhanas, Mrs. Rajbala, Principal, Govt. Girls Model Sr. Sec. School, Sector 18C, Mrs. Pooja Prakash, Principal, KB DAV Sr. Sec. School-7B, Mrs. Monica Chawla, Principal, St. Joseph’s Sr. Sec. School-44D and Mrs. Ritu Bali, Principal, AKSIPS Smart School, Sector 41B, Chandigarh. The award carried a trophy, merit certificate and cheque of rupees five thousand to further promote Eco Club activities.
During the webinar Eco Club teachers of various Schools made presentations of activities and programmes on how they engaged their students to remain motivated, learn and same time care of environmental and issues related to nature be it planting trees/saplings, cycling, participation in various eco-awareness activities, saving water and energy, photography, cooking & eating nutritious food, making & distribution of cloth masks and many other stress bursting activities by connecting with nature.
In his address Sh. Debendra Dalai, IFS, while appreciating the efforts of School management, teachers and students for creating a better environment in the city shared that with lockdowns opening up slowly across the country, levels of air pollution are observed as going back up. He also said that on an average 12 lac people lose their lives annually across India due to air pollution. It is also the 3rd largest cause of morbidities in our country. He also asked that while the rest of us got a taste of healthy air quality during lockdowns, can this steer us towards a greater ambition for cleaner air?”
Raising the issue of single use plastic in the city Mr. Dalai further added that we stand at the junction of two diverging paths. One is a stop-gap solution that puts us solidly on track toward a not-so-distant future in which there is more plastic than people on earth. The other is a sustainable model of living and working that will benefit us long into the future – one that will create a healthier, more equitable and more liveable future for all. And achieve this aim the role of Eco Clubs in Schools is very important.