‘Focus on water management, and other environmental issues’

In the social structure, the world of academia consisting of schools, colleges and universities is at its core. It is its imperative task to teach the future generation to understand its import right from the beginning to encourage the practice of sustainable development.

At Himalaya Public Sr. Sec. School, Rohini, we are much awakened towards its needs and to make the students understand and practically develop a vision towards it.

Among the various Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the UN, we have chosen to address environmental sustainability and the sustainable management of water. To set an example before the young generation, which really needs to be made aware and sensitized, we began with our water conservation programme way back in 2019 and we are committed to use each drop fruitfully in every regard to commit ourselves to use all the sources available.

We created nine water tanks underground to collect rain water which is profusely available during the rainy season and each water tank is well attached with thick pipeline fixed and installed on the rooftop with filter nets to safe guard the water source from being contaminated with the soil particles.

The whole campus uses this water sagaciously for different purposes after observing the cleaning process and most importantly it is helping to restore the receding underground water line. This has been a role model for the students’ parents who have been sensitized often enough to be influenced and many have been found reporting that they have made the same construction individually and have also installed it in their respective residential complexes by sensitizing the RWAs.

This is where I feel extremely delighted as it has offered a scope to the community to replicate it to help sustain the water line underground and help boost the much receding water line.

At school, we don’t allow a single drop of water go waste emanating from the air conditioners working at school to be used in gardening and for cleaning purposes. I feel extremely proud to put on record the whole endeavour has directed to develop and enhance a participatory approach based on community.

During the last academic session, before the onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic, the children also went on to take part in the Yamuna cleaning campaign showing their environmental concern for the sustainable development. The school also has several other goals as the part of the sustainable development associated with educational goals. One of it is self-defence mechanism being taught to girl students regularly in association with Delhi police department.

Even during the pandemic, the police department made customized videos to train the students virtually. The school trains the children to find ways to safeguard themselves and also to reach out to help others. The techniques to adopt in times of disaster are taught to children with live demonstrations with the help of NDTF team every year.

The plantation drives are taken very seriously at school and the children plant saplings not only within the premises but also in the vicinity. The work will continue in future with the same spirit as the work and the efforts have been lauded enough by different esteemed bodies such as DJB, Delhi Sahodaya School Complex and CBSE.

Aruna Sivaraj is the Head of School, Himalaya Public Sr. Sec School, Rohini. The views expressed are personal.