Chandigarh: Mehr Chand Mahajan DAV College for Women, Chandigarh, under the aegis of Mass Mobilization Campaign for raising awareness about Mission Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE), organised a host of activities within the campus and adopted villages. The Mahatma Gandhi National Council for Rural Education (MGNCRE) Cell of the college organised an awareness session on ‘Solid Waste Management Technology through Biogas and Composting’ with the primary objective of promoting the concept of effective waste management techniques among the youth. In this session, the students of the college were made aware of the scientifically adopted techniques within the campus focussed on waste management. The students were given on-site information about the process of the Biogas plant and its working and how the food waste of the entire college canteen and mess is processed in the Biogas plant of the college, which is further used for cooking purposes, saving money and promoting sustainable development. The students were also apprised about and shown the process of composting followed by the college where in the green waste of the campus is fed into the compost pits. The Eco Club of the college- Parivesh, in collaboration with the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) Cell of the college conducted an online awareness programme about Mission LiFE in the adopted village Badheri. During the programme, the students of Government Model High School, Sector-41, Badheri were motivated to adopt a ‘Lifestyle for the Environment’ by saving water and energy, reducing and reusing plastic, eating healthy and sustainable food, and saving wetlands and ponds. Awareness about economical use of water was generated through a play, the importance and need for protection of wetlands was demonstrated through an animated video and pledge to save the environment. In another event, the Eco Club ‘Parivesh’ in collaboration with UBA Cell organised an awareness programme in Government Senior Secondary School, Maloya. The event started with a pledge wherein everyone pledged to protect the environment and also to motivate their family and friends to save the environment. This was followed by ‘Just a Minute’ competition on the topic ‘Steps to conserve energy’ in which 30 students participated. The students were also shown a video on Mission LiFE, followed by a discussion on the existing environmental issues and ways to save our mother Earth. The Eco Club, in collaboration with UBA Cell, also organised environment related activities in Government Primary School, Village Buterla. Firstly, a pledge for the protection of the environment was undertaken by the students as well as the faculty members of the school. The second activity was to create awareness about the environment among school students by showcasing the videos about Mission LiFE. Thirdly, a quiz on ‘’How to save environment’ was organised in the school. In another activity based on the theme ‘Reduce Waste
Recycle and Reuse old newspapers and magazines’, the students of the college were told about ways in which newspapers can be used for making paper bags, decoration pieces, pen stands etc., thereby converting waste into reusable products. The Swachhta Committee (Commerce) of the college conducted a donation drive of cloth bags for the non-teaching staff of the college. The Swachhta Committee (Commerce) also carried out an awareness drive in the college campus on the ill-effects of plastic. The students prepared posters on the theme and spread the message of going eco-friendly by using non-plastic products like cutlery and their own water bottles.
Principal Dr. Nisha Bhargava expressed appreciation for this endeavour to provide the youth the knowledge, values, commitment and skills needed to protect and improve the environment. She reminded the youth of their immensely significant role in conserving the environment and ensuring a sustainable future.