Students from eight schools collected mango seeds, 15,000 of which were handed to a nursery on Saturday.
Some of these schools participated in a programme on Saturday to raise awareness about pollution.
A group of students from Bhavan’s Gangabux Kanoria Vidyamandir spoke about alternatives like using steel bottles instead of plastic ones. Students of National High School (CBSE campus) gave a presentation on how to counter pollution by reducing, reusing and replacing plastic as much as possible.
An NGO that works for the environment and engages schoolchildren for the cause was behind Saturday’s initiative.
The NGO, Vinisha, in association with NR Iyer Memorial Education Society, which runs National High School (CBSE campus) and National High School (WBBSE campus, celebrated Vanamahotsav 2023 at Uttam Mancha. The theme: “Green the earth and beat plastic pollution.”
“We need the collective effort of children, teachers and parents, else we cannot win the battle single-handedly,” said Ramesh Chandran, founder of Vinisha.
On Saturday, about 100 students and many teachers and parents turned up.
Vinisha had initiated a programme in schools asking children to collect seeds of mangoes after eating the fruit. A large number of students came back after the summer vacation with seeds, cleaned and dried.
The response was encouraging from schools like Our Lady Queen of the Missions School Salt Lake, Birla High School Mukundapur, Bhavan’s Gangabux Kanoria Vidyamandir and St Francis Xavier School, said Chandran. “When we spoke to our students about the initiative of collecting seeds, they showed a keen interest,” said Sister Sherly Sebastian, principal, Our Lady Queen of the Missions School, Salt Lake.