Anti Pollution Day observed in AP

“Bhopal Gas Disaster is 30 years old. After having taken the toll of more than 7000 people directly and affected the health of more than 3 lakhs people, the day stands as strong testimony of what would happen with gross negligence of safety and environment on the part of industry. Mythyl Iso Cyanide leak which caused this disaster also reminds us of the harm that can be done by industrial chemicals and gases if they are not properly contained. The accident reiterates the need for adopting stringent waste management methods as the hazardous remnants of the accident are still lying in Bhopal.” This was the theme for the Anti Pollution Day programme conducted across the state today by the 2500 National Green Corps schools which have observed 2 minute silence in their school assemblies..

Later in the day the cultural troupes trained by the NGC Prakrithi Mitra students presented the street play on protecting the lakes and water bodies from pollution, encroachment and change of land use. Biodiversity conservation, forests and water conservation are linked to each other. They need to be addressed in an integrated manner understanding the interdependence. Another cultural performance in Palle Suddhulu format raises issues relating to both ground and surface water availability and distribution. Borewell water is impossible without the percolation of water into the ground through the percolation tanks. Community utilsing the tank soil sediments which are nutrient rich for the agriculture and soil enrichment is the main theme of this cultural item.

Copies of the scripts along with audio visual equipment for making the presentations have been provided to the students who will make presentation in the bus stands, railway stations, fruit vegetable and grain markets. Trained student teachers are also going to train the student cultural teams from 150 colleges of education in the state later this month after giving performances in their respective colleges. NGC expects that reaching environmental education to the schools through these students who belong to colleges of education will have lasting impact and would internalize environmental concerns among the schools and school students. Folk Artists Vallampatla Nageswar Rao and J Vijaykumar trained these students.

150 Student Teachers from 20 District Institutes of Education and Training along with Colleges conducting Diploma in Education have participated in the training programme. These students will be presenting these cultural items on environmental conservation especially focused on water and trees in their communities in their respective districts from tomorrow.