Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Bonding with nature

For the 20 lakh children studying in various schools across the State, celebrating World Environment Day on June 5 will also mean an attempt to get into the coveted Guinness Book of World Records. They will mark the occasion by planting 20 lakh saplings in their respective neighbourhood on a single day hoping to get into the record book.

Titled `My Tree Project,' the novel initiative aimed at engendering a love for the environment in the minds of children will be organised jointly by the Department of Education and Forest.

As part of the programme, the department has come up with `My Tree,' a school diary for children.

The diary lists some of the significant environmental and social events in the world such as Bhopal gas tragedy, World Habitat Day, World Ozone Day, biographies of noted environmentalists, political leaders and social reformers.

There are also a number of assignments on various topics, which the students can undertake as a part of their academic studies over the year.

Children from class V to IX studying in various Government aided, unaided and recognised schools will be involved in the tree-planting project.

As part of the project, each student was given a choice of 25 different species of saplings from which they could select one.

The selected sapling could be planted on the premises of their home, neighbourhood and public places. It will be the responsibility of the students to take care of the sapling for at least a year. If a sapling gets destroyed within a month, another one will be provided.

According to the Directorate of Public Instruction, the idea of the project is to kindle a feeling of love for nature in the minds of the students. The children should imbibe the spirit of the project and plant a tree in their mind before embarking on the task. This will make their relationship with nature long-lasting.

Representatives of local bodies will be entrusted with the task of monitoring the implementation of the project in their respective areas.

In addition to this, there will be an organising committee in each school, sub-district, educational and revenue district.

The directorate is planning to include the project as a part of the continuous evaluation programme in schools.

Sangeeth Kurian

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Good show by CBSE and ICSE students in city
Three students commit suicide
Three-day notice for encroachers
Bonding with nature
CPI(M) bid to slow down eviction drive: DCC president
Call for steps to mitigate climate change impact
VS remark regretful, says Pinarayi Vijayan
Kerala Tourism starts demand survey
Man held on charge of escaping from jail
Children's film festival begins on Saturday
Cancelled bus services to be resumed
No disparaging remark made: Sudhakaran
Making an assessment
Training
In Thiruvananthapuram Today

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu