The divisional administration Kashmir has asked the authorities in Directorate of School Education Kashmir and the Director Colleges to adopt and maintain water bodies as a part of extracurricular activities.
The instructions were issued by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Pandurang Kondbarao Pole while chairing a review meeting regarding Plastic waste management Cell.
The Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, directed Directors of School Education and Colleges to ensure that educational institutions adopt and maintain the water bodies for cleanliness. “The chair appreciated the efforts of schools and colleges for cleaning the water bodiesand sanitation process, read the minutes of the meeting.
Further, the Director Education Kashmir was instructed to issue an order for the adoption of four to five water bodies by high schools and higher secondary students and staff for their cleanliness.
“Apart from the water bodies, the schools have also been asked to adopt the chowks and public parks. If there are no water bodies, then public parks or chowks shall be adopted,” the document reads.
Also, the schools have been asked to start plantation drives as well. In the meeting, the colleges were specifically given the responsibility of cleaning Dal Lake. The divisional commissioner asked the Director colleges to coordinate with Lakes Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA) to clean the famed water bodies.
“Director Colleges J&K shall continuously deploy 20 volunteer students for Dal cleaning for 15 days. A schedule shall be furnished to VC LCMA,” Pole in the meeting said.
The divisional commissioner Kashmir has also asked the school eco-clubs to update their activities on the education department website.
“The activities of the school eco-clubs shall not be limited within school premises instead outside as well viz, sanitation of wetlands, canals, public parks. Personal officer DSEK shall coordinate with the Pollution Control Board in this regard,” Pole said in the meeting.
In the meeting, the directorate of School Education Kashmir informed the chair that the directorate has constructed composite pits in 247 out of out of 379 higher secondary schools.
The divisional commissioner however directed the department that the composite pits in rest of the High and Higher Secondary Schools should be completed at an earliest. “Besides, the photos with Geo-Tagging should be shared with office of the divisional commissioner,” read minutes of the meeting.
Notably, around 121532 students from around 10728 schools along with 77990 teachers participated in the cleanliness drives organised by the Directorate of School Education Kashmir during the past few months.
Notably, active participation by schools and colleges in ecological activities is a popular trend in European countries where students are taken for an outing to a lake or picnic spot to inculcate in them sense of responsibility towards clean environment.