“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”

Awareness is the first step towards a greener, healthier and more developed society. Keeping this objective in mind Auxilium Convent School, Dum Dum organised a Cleanliness Awareness Drive, on 19 July 2024 intending to transform the society into a “developed” one. It was organized by the sisters, teachers and students of the school, and also the members of the Salesian family joined in this venture (Past pupils, cooperators, and ADMA).

The troubling condition of our green planet is evident all around us. The need of the hour is no longer words, but actions. The commencement of the drive had begun on the day when Principal Sr. Aruna Kispotta, the Environment Club moderator, Ms. Mow Das Roy, the club president, Shreyanshi Poddar accompanied by Sir Phalguni sought permission for this initiative from the North Dum Dum Municipality Chairperson, Shri Harendra Singh and sought assistance from the Officer in charge of the police of North Dum Dum Police Station for safe and successful completion of this drive. Following this, the Environmental Club initiated and coordinated a poster-making and slogan-making activity amongst the school students to make the awareness drive more impactful. The students made placards depicting themes of cleanliness, saving water, planting more trees and saying no to plastic.

On the 19^th of July, 2024, the students of classes VI to XII initiated a walk in the locality to speak out against the ever-prevalent indifference meted out towards our environment. The large group with about 750 members were segregated into four groups and they proceeded to four different directions to raise awareness and spread the message of the drive. The awareness walk commenced at 8:30 am and went on until around 10:00 am

Group 1, walked through the streets of Kumar Para, Modern Park, Kamalapur tank, Digla Road, to Jessop Gate motivating the residents by reciting slogans: ‘Save water, save Earth’, ‘Go Green Live Green’, ‘Keep the area clean’ etc. The interviewers interrogated the locals regarding their contributions to the environment and the orators eloquently gave a speech on how to reduce the use the plastic and protect the environment, instead of exploiting it.

Group 2, took a route which passed through Gorabazar, PK Guha Road, SP Mukherjee Road and Barwari Tala to Jessop gate. Throughout the journey, they shouted various slogans like “Pedh lagao, desh bachao”, “Save water, save life” and “Jal hi jeevan hai” and held up placards encouraging and motivating the local population to foster cleaner personal and public practices. The students were enthusiastic throughout this walk.

Group 3, covered the street starting from P.K Guha Road, Debonair restaurant, and SBI bank and reached Jessop Gate. On the way, students shouted out slogans like ‘Save earth, save humanity’, ‘Go green, live green’, ‘Keep our earth green and clean’, Use dustbin’, ‘Keep the city clean’.  The importance of protecting the environment was conveyed to everyone and the students while moving towards NC Mitra Road also spread awareness about the usefulness of water. Then the force moved to the Post Office Road, where the locals were motivated to foster social responsibility.

Group 4, passing the municipality hospital and the shops surrounding it, the students conveyed their ideas through various impactful slogans in Bengali and Hindi, which were made by the students. Some students had taken the responsibility to raise awareness among the shopkeepers about not using plastics, saving water and keeping our earth green and clean. Walking through the residential colonies and marketplace not only helped the students to spread awareness among the fellow residents and pedestrians, but also made them realize their goal, about keeping their localities clean and green.

All the groups reached their final destination, the ‘DhobiyaPukur Park’, where inspiring speeches were delivered by the president of the Past Pupil Association, Ms. Sangamitra Bhattacharya, the teachers and the students, spreading awareness about the entire initiative.  The campaign was concluded as everyone joined in to sing the National Anthem. The pedestrians and local population were encouraged and motivated by this social motive.

A special thanks to Municipality Chairperson Shri Harendra Singh and Officer in charge Dum Dum Police Station for their cooperation and support for the protection and safety. 

The students expressed their sincere gratitude to Sr. Superior, Sr. Principal, the sisters, teachers and the school authority for organizing such a motivating awareness drive, which not only fostered awareness about the burning social issues, but also initiated a step towards a greener, cleaner and healthier tomorrow.

Reported by Ms. Sayantika Mondel and Shreyanshi Poddar

Auxilium Convent School Dumdum Inspires Community to Embrace Green Practices