Patna: Patna mayor Sita Sahu inaugurated a sprinkler system at the Tarumitra organic farm on the eve of World Earth Day celebrations on Saturday.
Tarumitra director Father Robert Athickal said installing the water sprinkler at Tarumitra's farm was a step towards water conservation with the help of solar energy on the two-acre organic farm of the organisation.
"Installing sprinkler system in agricultural farms has become the need of the hour as it helps irrigating major areas with low quantity of water while it also promises high yield," said Father Robert. He added that Rotary Chanakya's Sumit Aggarwal had sponsored the sprinkler system.
Around 150 students from 20 institutions participated in the celebrations to mark World Earth Day, including students from Radiant International School, Mount Carmel High School, Notre Dame Academy, St Xavier's College, Don Bosco Academy and others.
Former Miss India semi-finalist Pranati Prakash, a city girl and an alumnus of Notre Dame Academy, also took part in the celebrations with students. Speaking on the occasion, Pranati said: "Nothing can surpass the beauty of nature and hence we should protect our natural resources by using them judiciously."
Students from West Champaran district planted a Mahogany sapling on the Tarumitra premises. Students from all over Patna brought fistful of rice grains and plastic bottles for making eco-plastic bricks and bird feeders.
Students sang and danced, performed skits and displayed posters on the theme of plastic free-Bihar and save Mother Earth.
Sita Sahu, the mayor of Patna, said students as well as elders need to take collective responsibility of taking care of natural resources.
Jaya, a student of St Joseph's Convent, Bettiah, was of the opinion that growing trees won't help in extending the green cover so efforts should be taken worldwide to save water, electricity and energy. Sanskriti Singh Chauhan, a student of Christ University, Bangalore, said as part of the gurudakshina to Mother Earth, people should switch over to renewable and alternative sources of energy for reducing the level of pollution which was rampant far and wide.
Gurudakshina refers to the tradition of repaying one's teacher or guru after a period of study or the completion of formal education, or to spiritual guide. This tradition is one of acknowledgment, respect, and thanks.
Tarumitra officials, including Margaret Molomoo, Shashi Darshan, DN Prasad, Fakhri and others were present on the occasion.
Earlier, the students led a march to the Panchavati forest area of Tarumitra and performed aarti and applied chandan and tika to the trees there.
