HYDERABAD: It takes courage to let go the familiar and embrace the new. Acharya, Akhil, Gautam and Anuj are already in full swing to celebrate a Green and eco-friendly Ganesh Mahotsav. Representing Shantiniketan Vidyalaya, these students have made Ganesha idols using old newspapers. They believe that using newspapers instead of plaster of paris or clay, will help in reducing the pollution of water bodies greatly. The students spoke to City Express as part of the ‘Wow - Wellness out of Waste’ initiative taken up by GHMC, Ministry of Urban Development and ITC on Tuesday.
Students from various schools like DPS, Ushodaya High School, Meridian School, etc. also displayed their crafts for the WoW Clubs Launch at the entrance of the venue. These students made some wonderful ‘Best out of Waste’ crafts using everything that was possible to reuse, and came up with innovative concepts to explain their work and sell the idea of a greener and sustainable future.
They all were deeply connected to the need of the hour i.e. awareness about waste segregation at source and sustainable management of waste. The students are ready to reuse everything for all it’s worth for a better earth. The students have undertaken this as their ‘Student Social Responsibility’ and are going great measures to make others aware of this campaign. They have shouldered the responsibility of being the ‘change agents’ and to spread awareness in their neighbourhood.
ITC has taken the recycling and waste management education to schools by launching WoW clubs for school children. The event saw the participation of school students, teachers and principals of over 2,000 schools, subject experts, dignitaries from Government of India and non-governmental agencies.
The initiative aimed at spreading awareness about waste segregation and management through innovative methods like using separate colour bins for different kinds of waste, using clay dustbins, etc.
GHMC and ITC have joined hands to implement the campaign across the selected schools in Hyderabad by forming WoW Clubs and conducting creative activities aimed at developing appropriate knowledge, attitude, and behavior among children.
“We have launched the initiative primarily in schools because schoolkids are more disciplined and take much interest in these issues and spread it among their families and friends,” says GHMC Commissioner Janardhan Reddy. On the occasion, GHMC’s ‘Swachh Dhooth’ mobile app to encourage garbage separation was also launched.