The Hindu : Children's enthusiasm gives hope

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 07, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Children's enthusiasm gives hope

By Alladi Jayasri

BANGALORE, MARCH 6. The Courtesy Month observed by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) along with the non-governmental organisation, Eco Watch, in January was unusual in more ways than one. It was a revelation of the changing perceptions in different quarters about the state of the environment in a city that is pursuing development with enthusiasm.

Eco Watch, run by actor-environmentalist Suresh Heblikar, got schoolchildren to participate in an exercise that gave them hands-on experience in monitoring air quality using state-of-the-art technology. The programme saw batches of students at South End Circle, Ananda Rao Circle, M.G. Road, Richmond Road, and Yeshwantpur, expertly noting the readings of SO{-2}, NO, and hydrocarbons, and comparing them against the permissible levels, under the watchful eyes of officials from the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board. The idea, as Mr. Heblikar said, was to make the children aware of the different causes of pollution and what they needed to do about the problem.

"Catching 'em young" has been the catch phrase for over four decades, ever since the first Earth Summit, when "think global act local" was the buzzword. Although there is no estimate of how many of those who were "caught young" all those years ago have internalised the philosophy, Mr. Heblikar chooses to see a hope for the future given children's exuberant participation in Courtesy Month. According to him, children know that a walk from home to school and back is an invitation to the attendant ills of exposure to pollution. They can persuade their parents to help reduce pollution by choosing public transport.

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