Kolkata, 12th August, 2022: Leading schools from across eastern India took part in a major initiative in the form of a competitive challenge launched by SwitchON Foundation towards curbing air pollution and taking climate action.
The initiative was launched at a webinar organized on the occasion. Leading principals and teachers from various schools joined the initiative. Also joined by esteemed individuals like; Dr. Dipanjana Maulik, Senior Environment Engineer, Department of Environment, Government of West Bengal. Kumar Manish Arvind, CCF-cum-Project Director, Department of Forest, Environment and Climate Change, Jharkhand, Ranchi. Dr. Deepanjan Mallik, Principal Scientist and Head CSIR NEERI. Smt Karuna Singh, Country Director, EarthDay Network.
Eminent Schools from West Bengal like Shri Shikshayatan School, Sri Academy, Birla High School Mukundapur from Kolkata, Eastern Railway High School, Durgapur, AB Model School Barrackpore and from Jharkhand schools like Firayalal Public School, Chiranjeevee Public School, Kairali School from Ranchi joined the launch.
As part of the program, winning schools will get awarded with solar rooftop power plants, rainwater harvesting kits etc. The Clean Air Youth Leaders Program initiative aims at making students aware of the clean air and environment related hazards we are facing and giving them an idea of practical environment-friendly activities that they can take up even in their own homes. The aim is also to make future generations aware of the urgent need for attention to both clean air and the environment.
Acknowledging that access to clean air has recently been recognized as a human right and following 29,000 children globally calling on the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) to acknowledge their right to clean air, our Clean Air Youth Leaders Program supports children, school goers, college students and health professionals to advocate for clean air.
Speaking at the occasion Shri Vinay Jaju , MD SwitchON Foundation said; “We are happy to launch the programme, through this children and young adults will be empowered to take positive action by sensitisatizing the citizens, mobilizing the media, policymakers & stakeholders. Additionally, they will deal with the problem by launching city-specific actions that focus on the problem of air pollution in their neighborhood. The mobilization of educational institutes will help them take up activities with their students, which would motivate the younger generation to nurture environment-friendly habits.”
- “Children are the most vulnerable to air pollution and are completely dependent on adults. At the same time, they truly have the potential to become agents of change for cleaner air quality in the city.” Dr . Deepanjan Majumder, Principal Scientist and Head, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) – NEERI.
- Deteriorating air quality is a major problem. Demonstrating this is difficult as air pollution is often not easily visible. This initiative is carefully crafted to help our young citizens take on the mantle of awareness leading to action so that air which is vital for living becomes less polluted. Smt Karuna Singh, Country Director,Earth Day Network India.
- Indian youth festival is a festival to create awareness among youth regarding nature and nature conservation. Our youth needs to be motivated to protect the green planet on which we are living. – Mr. Niraj Kumar Sinha , Principal, Firayalal Public School
- Today’s unwanted conditions of global warming and climate change are actually the result of tampering with the nature by us humans and not by anyone else, to enjoy more and more facilities. Now every citizen will have to try to avoid this. Intelligent school and college students can play their part in the campaign to save the earth and rejuvenate nature by switching from fossil fuel powered motorcycles/scooters to cycles. Best wishes to everyone. -Kumar Manish Arvind , CCF-cum-Project Director, Department of Forest, Environment & Climate Change.
Media Dossier
Contact: Vinay Jaju | M: +91 9331178105 | Email: VJ@SwitchON.org.in
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