A REPORT ON NGC ACTIVITIES IN TAMILNADU DURING 2004-2005 National Green Corps (Eco-clubs): An Overview We all know that we are part of the environment we live in. The solution to many environmental problems lie in our attitude towards environment. Be it awareness to keep our surroundings clean or the realization to conserve natural resources by re-using and recycling wherever possible, they all are attitudinal. On the surface, it looks simple; but changing the attitude of one billion people is not going to happen overnight. The best way to attempt to bring about a change in the attitudes in the society is through children. They have no vested interests; they are impressionable; they are our future. They are the single most important influence in any family. With this realization the Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India decided to launch the National Green Corps Progarnme (NGC). Government of India started the NGC Programme in the Tenth Five Year Plan. The objectives of this National programme are to educate children about their immediate environment to impart knowledge about the intricacies of the eco- systems, through field visits to instill in them the spirit of scientific inquiry into environmental problem and involve them in the efforts of environmental conservation. The NGC programme was successfully launched in 29 districts of Tamilnadu during 2002-2003. But the Department of Environment was one of the pioneers in starting eco-clubs in 1260 schools spread over all the districts of Tamilnadu within the State Government fund even before NGC programme came into being. The Master Trainer for each district and teacher coordinators for 100 schools in each of the 29 districts were selected by the respective chief educational officers. Another 50 more schools from each district were added during the year 2003-2004. The new Krishnagiri District was added subsequently. Presently there are NGC Eco- clubs in 4350 schools in all the 30 districts @ 150 per districts. This apart the State Government funded eco-clubs are functioning in 1000 schools. The total number 1 of students enrolled in these activities is over 2.50 lakhs making it a massive student environmental movement in the recent times. The main objective of NGC is to create Environmental Consciousness in the young minds to make TamilNadu clean and green. The children are involved in nine major activities under this programme. This include: a) Keeping the school campus clean. b) To segregate the solid waste and compost biodegradable waste. c) Recycling of paper and plastic waste d) Tree Planting e) Rainwater Harvesting f) Conducting Environmental rallies on World Environment Day, Ozone Day, etc., g) Conducting Environmental quiz, essay, oratorical and painting competitions on environmental conservation h) Conducting nature camps i) Activities towards conservation of air, land, water, forests and biodiversity The State Level Steering Committee and District Level Monitoring Committees have been constituted. The State Level Steering Committee has met six times so far and reviewed the progress of the scheme. The Members of State Level Steering Committee are as follows: 01. Secretary to Government, - Chairman Environment & Forest Department, Government of Tamil Nadu 02. Director of School Education, Chennai, - Member 03. Member Secretary, - Member Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, Chennai 04. Director of Collegate Education, Chennai - Member 05. Director of Elementary School Education, Chennai - Member 06. Director, C.P.R. Environmental Education Centre - Member Chennai 2 07. Programme Officer, Centre for Environment - Member Education, Tiruppur 08. Head Department of Environmental Sciences, - Member Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore 09. Director, Centre for Environmental Sciences, - Member Anna University, Chennai 10. Director, Department of Environment, Chennai - MemberSecretary Activities performed under the scheme: The field activities undertaken include Nursery raising, Tree Planting, Solid Waste Management, Rain Water Harvesting, Cycle Rallies, Awareness Campaign and Nature Camp. Several environmental competition and enviro exhibition were held as a part of NGC activities. Training on Bio-diversity was given to selected NGC teacher coordinators and students by Dr.K.M. Mathew at "Anglade Institute of Natural History", at Kodaikanal over 56 participants, were trained in the said training programme between 16th and 18th February 2004, which also included a Nature Camp. World Environment Day was celebrated on June 5, 2004 in a grand manner. An awareness rally was conducted from the Panagal Building to the Periyar Science City involving 300 NGC students. The school children performed an excellent cultural programme on this year's World Environment Day Theme "WANTED! SEAS AND OCEANS - DEAD OR ALIVE?" at the TNPCB Pavilion at the Science City. The NGC students were also taken around the Planetarium subsequently. Locally relevant materials, posters and stickers have been printed in regional language and distributed to the NGC schools. 3 One day Training Programme for Master Trainers and District NGC Co-ordinators was conducted at Coimbatore on 10th September 2004. Two workshop was conducted for NGC Teacher Co-ordinators of Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts on Biodiversity Conservation at Guindy National Park, Chennai on 5th and 6th October 2004 A one day training programme was conducted to all Chief Educational Officers of Tamil Nadu in the Directorate of school education on 14.12.2004. Dr.S.Balaji,I.F.S, Director of Environment, gave a presentation and clarified the queries raised by the participants. Refresher training to the Teacher Coordinators of all the 150 schools of Chennai, Tiruvallur, Sivagangai, Trichi, Vellore, Theni, Tirunelveli, Virudhunagar, Villupuram, Nagapattinam, Ramanathapuram, Thanjavur, Cuddalore, Dindigul, Namakkal, Karur and Kanyakumari districts were conducted during 2004-2005 An awareness trial to appreciate rich coastal diversity was organised by the Department of Environment along the coastal area from Nallur - Marakkanam to Tindivanam over 60 kms to reenact the epic trial of Sirupanatrupadai a Tamil Poem written 1800 years ago. Hundreds of NGC students took part in it. Awareness Against Burning Of Tyres During Bhogi Festival:- Anti-tyre burning campaigns have been conducted by the NGC students of various schools in Chennai city during Bhogi day celebration during January 2004 and 2005. All the student eco- club members of 20 schools in Chennai District were participated in the “Smokeless Bhogi Campaign” 2005 between January 10 and 12 of 2005. 4 Financial Assistance: Year No of schools Amount Released 2002-2003 288 5 Rs 14,42,500 2003-2004 4350 Rs 43,50,000 2004-2005 4350 Rs.43,50,000 Monitoring: Monitoring of NGC activities was done through selected District Eco-club Co-ordinators/Master Trainers in all the 29 districts. They have done extensive monitoring visiting each school and getting a factual report on the functioning of NGC in all the schools in the district. Besides the officers of this department interact with the Chief Educational Officer's, District co-ordinators, Master Trainers and Teacher Co-ordinators through refresher training programme. Conclusion: NGC has grown into a Mass Movement in Tamil Nadu. Over 4350 schools are covered under NGC and Eco-clubs in Tamil Nadu. There are 2.00 lakh children enrolled in these schools. As a part of eco friendly action programme, schools have established Rain Water Harvesting and Vermi Compost Pits in their schools. Several specialised programmes for selected teacher co-ordinators were organised during 2004-2005 to enhance their understanding and capability in environmental conservation. The State Steering Committee on NGC had given valuable guidance to make NGC more effective among the school students of Tamil Nadu. The challenge is nervertheless enormous but our relentless work continues till achieve the objectives. 5 MINUTES OF THE FIFTH MEETING OF THE STATE LEVEL STEERING COMMITTEE OF NGC HELD ON 23.07.2004 …. AGENDA ITEM NO.1: CONFIRMATION OF THE MINUTES OF THE FOURTH STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING The State Level Steering Committee (SLSC) confirmed the minutes of the last meeting as there were no exceptions. AGENDA ITEM NO.2: REPORT ON THE FOLLOW UP ACTION ON THE PREVIOUS MINUTES The SLSC was informed about the disbursement of grant and issue of certificates to NGC schools through the Chief Educational Officers (CEOs) of 29 districts and the training programme proposed to be taken up during July 2004. The Director of School Education was requested to include monitoring the NGC activities in schools as an agenda item in the monthly review conducted by CEO and also report the outcome at the time of review by the Director of School Education every month. The Director of Elementary School Education has been requested to send proposal for giving training to selected block resource centre coordinators on environment. AGENDA ITEM NO.3: DISBURSEMENT OF GRANT The SLSC agreed to the proposal of releasing grants through the concerned CEOs of the districts as done during 2003-04, once the grants are received from the Government of India. AGENDA ITEM NO.4: FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO MONITOR NGC ACTIVITIES The SLSC approved the enhanced compensation from Rs.5000/- to Rs.7500/- to the District Coordinators or Master Trainers for monitoring the NGC activities in 150 schools in each district during this year. AGENDA ITEM NO.5: PROVIDING ARM BANDS The SLSC approved sending proposals for an amount of Rs.9.00 lakhs to Government of India for providing green arm bands to 1,80,000 NGC students at the rate of Rs.5/- per arm band. 6 AGENDA ITEM NO.6: PROVIDING NOTICE BOARD TO SCHOOLS SLSC approved sending the proposal for Rs.18.00 lakhs to Government of India for providing 4500 notice board/name boards for NGC schools @ Rs.400/- per board. AGENDA ITEM NO.7: TRAINING TO TEACHER COORDINATORS Government of India had provided Rs.25,000/- per district last year to provide training for teacher coordinators at the district level. Now, there are 150 teacher coordinators in each district.