Visitors observe a model at the exhibition at Gyan Niketan in Patna on Tuesday. Picture by J Prakash

Patna, Feb. 1: School students in the city took up cudgels for the nature today.

The eco club of Gyan Niketan started a two-week-long nature awareness prgramme, on the theme: “Save bio-diversity: live with nature, live for nature.”

The event, being held on the school premises, was inaugurated by S.C. Chaudhury, the chief conservator, forests, Muzaffarpur.

“It is heartening to see students come forward and take responsibility to protect the environment. The message to save the environment can be spread through them,” said Chaudhury.

He added: “The challenge at present is to protect the environment as well as the ecological balance. If we do not take proper care of the environment, the situation will worsen.”

Nihit Anshu, a Class X student, spoke on bio-diversity. The speech, narrated in the form of a short story, discoursed on how man has become the greatest threat to nature.

“Man is the biggest threat to nature. The ecological disasters we are facing are all the results of human folly. The world can be only saved by eco-friendly remedies,” said Anshu.

Inter-school events such as poster making and skit competitions were also organised.

Purushottam Kumar, a student of DAV BSEB, emerged the winner in the poster-making competition. Vicky Kumar and Divyanshu of Gyan Niketan stood second and third respectively.

The hosts, Gyan Niketan, won the skit competition while DAV BSEB was the runner.

In the model-making competition, Ananya, Priya, Kashyap, Ruhee, Twinkle and Preeti of DAV BSEB emerged winners. Ayush and Ashit of Gyan Niketan came second while Abhishek Kumar of the same school came third.

A number of students displayed various models to protect the environment at the exhibition.

“The exhibition was an eye-opener for me. I did not know that even our simple actions can lead to such ecological damage,” said Anita, a visitor at the programme.

Vikash, another visitor, said: “Such events must be organised regularly to spread awareness about our environment. We often do not realise how our actions affect the ecology. We are responsible for protecting it.”