Kumar MadhukarChandigarh, July 12:- Taking another step in the direction of Swacch Chandigarh Mission, the Municipal Corporation, today launched “Swachhata Ki Paathshala” an awareness campaign in the schools of city here today. Ms. Anindita Mitra, IAS, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Chandigarh launched the campaign from Govt. Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 16.
Aiming to impress upon young minds the importance of sustainable waste management and preservation of the environment, to ensure that the future generation inculcates good practices, to reach out to parents and other adult family members through children so that families can together adopt good practices, the Municipal Corporation started its outreach program today.
While sharing the concept, the Municipal Commissioner said that all schools of city beautiful including private schools, students from 6th to 12th, shall be addressed during the assembly. This way the Municipal Corporation shall be able to reach out to almost each and every household in Chandigarh, said the Commissioner.
Starting from the Govt. Model School Sector 16, where school children were given lessons on waste segregation at source level, ban on single use plastic and home composting etc. During the workshop interactive sessions, real life examples, demonstrations through videos, quizzes and pledges were held.
The Municipal Corporation decided to implement the same in all other schools of the city beautiful, said the Commissioner. She said that the idea is to catch them young. Children have proven to be very strong carriers of social messages especially ones related to attitudinal change. Hence through children, MCC plan to bring the change, said the Commissioner.
The Commissioner said that there were several hygiene related problems that prevail in slum areas due to lack of garbage segregation and piles of trash that rot in one corner. So spreading awareness on sanitation is the need of the hour and children are the best Swachhata Agents. Also adults get influenced when children are the ones who are teaching them good sanitary habits, she added.
During the campaign, a video presentation has also been held about the different components i.e. segregation of waste at source, ban on single use plastic and home composting besides taking the swachhata pledge. The school children were taught best hygienic practices in a fun and interesting way. They taught to implement sanitation values in their lives before teaching it to others.
In addition to the sessions, a Swachhata Module is being developed which can be shared by every class teacher with students, a home composting challenge has been thrown, students have been asked to check their dustbins before the garbage is handed over to the garbage collector, pledge has been taken to consciously avoid plastic products.
