CHENNAI: Thanks to the continuous efforts of students of 300 govt schools, close to five lakh saplings have been planted in Kancheepuram district in the past three years. Out of this, 35 schools were awarded for growing these saplings using the best practices by State School Education Minister KA Sengottaiyan on Saturday.
The ‘Green School’ movement, spearheaded by Isha foundation, was started in 2011 in collaboration with State school education department to increase green cover as well as inculcate awareness about the environment in school students. “Under the project, we have taught students how to create a botanical and herbal garden on their school premises. When they see the first few leaves sprouting, they realise they have grown a life. This prompts them to nurture the plants even more,” said a foundation member.
Priya M, a Class 9 student from Acharapakkam Girls Higher Secondary School, said, “Garden was an alien concept to us. We live in housing board tenements where there is no space to grow plants. Now, we have learnt how to properly grow a sapling. In the process, we learn a lot about their natural growing process too.”