THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Blending classroom learning with real-world application, the students of Government Model Boys VHSS, Attingal, have created an innovative atlas which is set to transform urban planning in Attingal municipality. The comprehensive document showcases how school students can contribute to local development, setting a model to the entire state and the country.
Moving beyond textbook-based learning, students actively engaged in fieldwork using GPS devices, satellite imagery, and scientific tools such as soil pH meters. They also utilised the ‘Mannu’ mobile application to collect detailed soil data. The student-led atlas features 26 thematic maps including soil pH analysis for farmers and flood vulnerability mapping for disaster preparedness.
The first-of-its-kind initiative is part of an academic master plan, ‘School Campus Shaping Learning Experiences: A Geographical Exploration’, aimed at taking learning beyond textbooks. By converting the school campus into a live laboratory, students engaged in hands-on studies covering soil, water, atmospheric, and local environmental resources, compiling their findings scientifically.
The study recommends creation of green corridors, promotion of rainwater harvesting, decentralised waste management, solar energy adoption, and strict regulation of construction in ecologically sensitive zones. Students from the first-year Humanities batch and NSS volunteers took part in preparation.
“The document carries essential ward-level data that will help the local body undertake development activities in a more scientific, efficient, and sustainable manner. Flood hazard and other vulnerabilities have been mapped by the students,” said Suresh Kumar S, the teacher who coordinated the study.
Flood risk mapping was developed with technical inputs from the Institute for Climate Change Studies and inspired by a UNICEF-supported initiative. It is expected to play a crucial role in disaster preparedness and infrastructure planning. Attingal municipal chairperson M Pradeep said the atlas is going to help drive governance and development of the municipality in the right direction. “It’s a comprehensive atlas and is definitely going to help the municipality undertake urban planning in a more scientific manner,” Pradeep said.
Key findings from the atlas underline the varied geographical nature of Attingal. While midland regions are identified as suitable for urban expansion, low-lying areas are flagged as flood-prone, requiring careful planning and wetland conservation. The study also highlights that most of the region has laterite soil suitable for construction, whereas alluvial and sandy areas must be preserved for agriculture and ecological balance.