Meanwhile, in tricity schools, green Diwali is a hot topic

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 16

Amidst the SC ban on sale of firecrackers and the High Court’s crack down on lesser sale, private schools in tricity have been encouraging students to have green Diwali this time.

Reema Dewan, principal, Delhi Public School, Sector 40, said, “For the last 10 days we have been focussing on having a green Diwali. The beauty of a festival lies in festivities around it. The focus is on avoiding pollution causing firecrackers. We have involved parents also. Recently, I addressed about 500-600 parents on the issue.”

Hansraj Public School, Sector 6, Panchkula, has been insisting on green Diwali for the last many years at the school. “We administer a pledge in the morning assembly and senior children have also taken out an anti-cracker rally. At times one has to sacrifice small pleasures for larger interests. I am happy that the government is exploring possibilities of developing environment-friendly crackers,” said Jaya Bharadwaj, principal, Hansraj Public School.

St Xavier’s High School, Sector 20, Panchkula, has also been working for the last one week among the students. An activity week was celebrated to engrain the thought of pollution-free Diwali in the minds of the students, said the school. Speeches were delivered during the special assembly by teachers and students on the issue today. The entire school pledged for a pollution-free Diwal. A skit was also conducted. A slogan-writing and poster-making competition was also organised.

DAV Model School, Sector 15, Chandigarh, has also resorted to pledge by students, a street play was organised and a rally was taken out by students highlighting ill effects of crackers. The students were administered anti-cracker oath by the principal Anuja Sharma.

Principal of Gurukul Global School, Manimajra, Urvashi Kakkar, said, “The ‘Globalites’ in a bid to save the environment spread across the message of saying no to cracker through a special assembly and an awareness drive. They promoted that instead of burning the crackers and polluting the environment why don’t all elders and youngsters burn the evils inside them and spread the message of humanity to make this earth a better place to live in.”

PrincipalSpeak

For the past 10 days, we have been focusing on having green Diwali. The beauty of a festival lies in festivities around it. The focus is on avoiding pollution-causing firecrackers. We have involved parents also. Recently, I addressed about 500-600 parents on the issue. — Reema Dewan, principal, Delhi Public School, Sector 40

Panchkula school introduces reusable crackers to students 

“The school demonstrated and advocated the use of new electronic reusable crackers which are totally non-polluting and are smoke and residue-free. The children were also advised to abide by the High Court ruling on bursting minimum of crackers within the time limit of 6.30 pm to 9.30 pm,” said Reva Tewari, coordinator, The Gurukul, Sector 20, Panchkula.