CHENNAI: Rising sea levels, dwindling lakes and vanishing sparrows — environmental issues today are more critical than ever. NGOs, including Greenpeace, who raise their voices against certain types of development that they consider detrimental to the environment have recently been targeted by the Intelligence Bureau as having a negative impact on India’s economic growth. What is being done to bring about environmental awareness in children, including first generation learners in basic schools?
“Tamil Nadu is one of the first States to introduce eco-clubs in government schools, and there are now 8,269 eco clubs throughout the State,” says H Maleshappa, director, Department of Environment, Tamil Nadu.
The clubs conduct various activities, from tree plantation and cleanliness drives to more advanced activities like vermin-composting, rainwater harvesting and studying energy consumption. Apart from eco-clubs, there is the National Green Corps run by the Central government, conducting similar activities to help save the environment.
The department allocates a fund of `2,500 per year to Corporation and government-aided schools to conduct these activities, and have special events for World Environment Day, International Ozone Day and Wildlife Week. Teacher coordinators and district coordinators supervise the activities, including water auditing and waste segregation.
The director believes that children need to understand the root cause of the issues. “They need to understand the food chain. If they hear of tigers or leopards coming into a village, they need to understand that it is because of a disturbance in the ecosystem,” he says.
“If a child tells a mother what she can do to conserve energy, the mother will listen. Children can be the most effective communicators. Parents may take care not to use plastic bags if children tell them not to,” says Maleshappa.
To act as common resource centres on green issues, 37 environment information dissemination centres (EIDC) have been set up across Tamil Nadu, including one in Choolai, Chennai. These have charts, graphs, audiovisuals and a mini-library on subjects related to the environment.
“The success of eco-clubs is largely due to the dedication of the teachers and coordinators, and the children show a good response,” he says. The best performing schools get special awards and cash prizes.