Workshop on environmental awareness

Tribune News Service

Solan, March 17

Aimed at generating awareness about environment among schoolchildren, the HP State Council for Science Technology and Environment and Deputy Director of Elementary Education, Solan, organised a two-day training workshop on school environment audit for eco-clubs of Solan district. It was held in collaboration with the Centre for Science and Environment, Delhi.

As many as 72 participants from 24 eco clubs of various schools of the district participated in the workshop which was conducted under the Green School Programme.

The training workshop was inaugurated by Rakesh Kanwar, Deputy Commissioner, Solan. While addressing the gathering, Rakesh Kanwar stressed upon the need to adopt a proactive approach in conservation of environment.

He said the eco clubs in the schools could play an important role in sensitising the community on environmental issue like garbage management, water conservation and energy conservation. He said the district would cover all schools in a phased manner.

He urged the teachers that they should ensure their registration under the Green School Programme for school environmental audit. The finding of the audit will improve the environment status of the school.

Ravi Sharma, senior scientific assistant from the State Council for Science Technology and Environment , said under the scheme, students and teachers would be trained on five thematic areas — water, energy, air, land and waste.

“They will then audit the resources of each thematic area and the findings of the exercise will help the school management to manage the resources.

This exercise is being carried out by all eco clubs on a half-yearly basis and results are useful for trend analysis of the resources by the schools,” he said.

He said the end product of environmental auditing was a report card prepared by the school eco club quantifying its own achievements as well as identifying shortfalls that require awareness and attention.

Tarvinder Kaur Negi, Principal, DIET, Solan, welcomed the chief guest on this occasion.