The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Eco clubs reach out to students

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

Eco clubs reach out to students

Staff Reporter

At least 3,500 schools to be covered

The clubs have been formed to
create environment awareness among students.

KOCHI: The Eco Clubs are reaching out to more children in the State.

The clubs were formed under the National Green Corps, the students’ environment movement organised by the Ministry for Environment and Forests and the Kerala State Council for Science Technology and Environment, for creating environment awareness in students. This year, the authorities are planning to open clubs in more schools.

In the initial phase, 1,400 Government schools were covered under the programme. The initial target was 100 schools in every district. From planting of saplings to solid waste management programmes and using the children for environment protection activities, the programme would create a new awareness in students, said Kamalakshan Kokkal, principal scientific officer of the council. The students of upper primary, high school and higher secondary classes were included in the programme.

The authorities would include more schools this year and the target was 250 schools in a district. With the revised target, at least 3,500 schools would be covered in the State and the financial assistance would be enhanced. The annual assistance would be raised to Rs.2,500 from the existing Rs.1,000. The State-level inauguration of the inclusion of new schools would be held in Thiruvananthapuram on July 19. Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan would inaugurate the programme at Punnamood Higher Secondary School, Pallichal. The district coordination committees headed by the District Collectors were put in charge of the clubs in each district. A teacher-in-charge would lead the eco clubs in each school.

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