The Hindu : Kerala News : NSS camp on at Kakkodi

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Saturday, Dec 29, 2007
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Kerala

NSS camp on at Kakkodi

Staff Reporter

Students from other States taking part in camp

Volunteers take up cleaning of Thachira Neerthadam
Noted ecologists taking classes at camp

Kozhikode: The cooperation of the local people in Kakkodi grama panchayat near Kozhikode is turning to be a refreshing experience for the students attending the 10-day NSS South India special camp being held here.

There are around 20 students attending the camp from outside Kerala, including those from the States of Tamil Nadu, Maharastra and Karnataka. Altogether there are 100 students, including 50 students of Government Law College, Kozhikode and 30 students from Universities in Kerala.

The camp members are involved in the cleaning of Thachira Neerthadam, a wetland system of over four acres located in Moottoli in Kakkodi village. Thachira Neerthadam is made up of three lakes, Thacira, Ambalachira and Parothadam, which are linked together and which drains into the Akalaa Puzha at Chelapram. The whole Neerthadam was weed-infested, unclean and polluted. The unique feature of this cleaning venture is the cooperation of `Thachira Neerthada Samrakshana Samithi,’ (TNSS), Kakkodi grama panchayat and students, teachers and other organisers of the camp. Kerala Prakruthi Samrakshana Ekopana Samithi is also cooperating with the venture.

“Our idea was to make this venture as a model of cooperation between NSS students, local people and local body, all of them joining hands to clean and sustain water bodies. TNSS and panchayat authorities will ensure that the cleaned water body does not get polluted again. We have cleaned up to four acres by now. The cleaning work will continue on Saturday and the whole pond would be cleaned by the end of that day,” said Asswen Anandan, camp coordinator.

The NSS Regional Centre, NSS Unit of Government Law College, Kozhikode, and NSS Department, Calicut University, are the organisers from the NSS. Sobhindran, president of the Samithi is the camp director.

Noted environmentalists and eminent personalities, including Sugatha Kumari, Devendra Sarma, director, National Biodiversity Board and Kaithapram Damodaran Namboodiri, lyricist, took classes at the camp.

Benoy Viswom, Forest Minister, visited the camp on Friday. A documentary film was also being made on the camp to highlight the cleaning up of and conservation of water bodies.

The camp will conclude on Sunday.

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