World Environment Day – How Mukti Support Schools spend it

World Environment Day should not be a particular day of the year. In the perspective of our relationship with the nature, our dependence, our survival, development and sustenance, we should convey our gratefulness to her every day for providing us with life opportunity .But, we human beings are forgetful in nature. Thus this celebration of Environment Day may be thought of as Celebration of reminiscence of our duties and determination to protect and preserve the Environment for our future generations. This celebration is important because it reminds us of the urgent need to address the environmental challenges that we face today. Climate change, deforestation, pollution, and the loss of biodiversity are just a few of the pressing issues that demand immediate attention. The only habitable planet in our solar system is at a critical crossroads, and it is up to us to take action.

Mukti always envisions life in a different way. Besides School curriculum of education, it believes that education also comes from knowledge about life challenges and to learn combating them. The Education team this year intends to spread the purpose of celebrating Environment Day keeping the above perspective in mind. It is true that, the effects of global warming on the island of Sundarbans have been profound and alarming. The habitats of these islands are suffering largely, but awareness generation about the problems and causes are different and it is need of the hour. UNO has selected Removal of Plastic Pollution as theme for celebrating Environment day this year. Combining the local issues and global theme the team planned for the program.

The team met with all its members to explain the plans, along with delegating duties. A flyer, was designed by the team as per our theme referred above, for the day.

In MSS, most of the students come from remote villages. Even at this tender age, they have already come across few environmental challenges, but have seen their parents compromised with the situation, thinking it to be their destiny. Teachers in MSS discuss with them in detail about the environmental threat, the changes of major parameters conducive for healthy living, so that they can relate those with their life experiences. They are becoming aware and understand that we are standing at a pivotal moment in history of civilisation, where every decision we make, every action we take, can have a profound impact on the future of our planet. The choices we make today will shape the world our children and grandchildren inherit. The future citizens of the country are getting aware to raise questions, would the predecessors leave them a planet on the brink of collapse, or would they be remembered as the generation that turned the tide and secured a sustainable future? Under Mukti’s umbrella,students are learning to identify the problems, raising voice against the policy maker and making people aware for seeking solutions or at least trying for it.

Environment Day was celebrated in all 65 MSS over five districts of the state. We are delighted to find the spontaneous participation of students and teachers. More than 85% was the average attendance of students in all MSS even in this scorching heat which prevails for last few weeks in the state.

The Elocution competition was arranged for students from classes 7 to 10. The competition was held both in English and in their mother tongue Bengali. We appreciate that students spoke their voices in front of others for a good cause, for their right to live in better environment. As they came out and broke through the inertia, it turned out that they are no less than any privileged students of Private schools. Our students who took part in elocution competition spoke on following topics related to environmental issues.

i).The Effect of global warming in the island of Sundarban

ii).Island Ghoramara is already under water, what about other such islands there?

iii). ‘ My father is farmer, but salinity of water is so high that no cultivation was possible this year”.

iv).Mangrove- a treasure and a protection to the island people, are facing threat against existence

v).After Ayla, Amphan, Covid economy of Sundarban is totally devastated- cottage industry was ruined, use of cheaper plastic materials increases and it is polluting everything severely.

Vi).Plastic use and throwing away plastic everywhere, is disturbing aquatic ecosystem.

vi).Thrown away plastics everywhere creates plastic pollution and it is affecting ecosystem of the Island Sundarban.

vii).Thrown away plastics causes clogging in drains and canals leading to manmade flood during rainy season.

Viii). Is there any such division of good and bad plastics?

ix).Global warming has led to loss of Biodiversity in the Islands of Sundarban – who are responsibie?

x). The world’s largest mangrove forest and a UNESCO declared World Heritage site is losing its characteristics – we must act to save it.

“We all know that Global warming is the root cause of the ruin of our environment. Global warming in turn is caused from huge power generating plants, other Industries and limitless cutting down of trees. The burning of fossil fuels produces green house gases, which blankets earth to trap the Sun’s heat. In addition to it due to deforestation, the absorption of Carbon di oxide by forest become less and less day by day, and the temperature of earth goes on increasing . This situation can only be rectified by plantation of more and more tress.” – this was the message for our students of Classes 5

and 6. The enthusiastic Classes 5 and 6 drew pictures of green earth and plantation of saplings. At the end of drawing and painting , all of them planted many saplings surrounding the schools and the localities.

The pictures drawn by them will be displayed in the class room walls, and also on the outside walls of the classrooms in respective MSS . This would help in awareness generation for the local passer by and to the guardians of our students as well. Pictures below show how the innovative young minds were involved in the program during celebrating of Environment Day. The Teachers provided them with a piece of chart papers to each of the students in Classes5 & 6.

A the end of whole program, students enjoyed a small tiffin given to them. The celebration left a positive feeling an World environment Day as rally bearing the flex and the MSS banner moved through the village path.

We end with quoting Rabindranath – “বাতাস জল আকাশ আলো , সবারে কবে বাসিব ভাল, হৃদয় সভা জুড়িয়া তারা বসিবে নানা সাজে !”