By Ashish Rajkumar Sanglikar
PUNE, JUNE 28, 2018: Don Bosco High School and Junior College, Pune organised a seminar entitled 'Where there is greenery, life prospers' for the teachers of Green Alliance in preparation for the commencement of the new academic year.
Father Bosco D'Mello, the Prinicpal, introduced Father Savio Silveira, the Vince Provincial of the Salesian province of Mumbai and also the Director of Greenline. The seminar began with a video clip 'Man' by Steve Cuttis. The teachers were asked to reflect on the video clip and share their views.
Father Silveira then spoke about the ecological crisis facing our planet. He stressed the urgent need to protect the planet. "It is human beings who are to be blamed for the ecological imbalance and natural disaster," he said. Father Silviera also spoke about e-waste, climate change, all kinds of pollution, bio-diversity threats, health issues and habitat loss.
The teachers were further divided into groups and were asked to discuss and chalk down the problems faced by citizens of Pune. Teachers then reflected on how their schools and colleges contribute to the environmental problem of the city.
Lack of waste management, indisciplined traffic, litter along the road, poor maintenance of roads, noise and air pollution, excessive use of private vehicles for transport, use of plastic and plastic made products, increasing e-waste, increasing migration and illegal acquisition of green lands were some of the common problems faced in Pune.
After discussing the problems, teachers were asked to prepare an action plan, highlighting five major issues that the teacher - with the help of management and students - would like to take up and solve during the course of the academic year. These will be surveyed and supervised by the elected coordinators from among the teachers who will further report it to concerned authorities. Parents will also be involved by explaining it to them at Parent Teacher Association (PTA) meetings.
Father Silveira further requested the teachers to pledge themselves individually to protect the environment in a smaller way through their own concern. The teachers in turn pledged to reduce the use of plastic, controlling wastage, conserving electricity by switching off the lights and fans when not in use and taking care of personal gardens on terraces.
Leo D'souza, supervisor of the Jr. College, then presented a token symbolising love and appreciation on behalf of the institution and concluded the seminar.
"When I was informed of Green Alliance as the topic of the seminar, I knew it's going to be on environment and seriously I think we have been engaging ourselves too much into discussing but it's time to implement now and surely we teachers are going to take it up seriously and the changes will be noticed during the course of the year," Amit Williams, a teacher from the Junior College, said.
Another teacher, from the primary section, Arati Katore, added, "I could relate to the water related issues as I have small baby at home and being ignorant of water safety my son and we are falling ill every time. But when Father Savio pointed out of sewage water entering the drinking water, I am going to look into cleaning drinking water and also educate others about it."