Ranchi, Jan. 31: Students of DAV Shaymali took part in an essay competition on the importance of conservation of oil and natural gas on Monday, which was organised by the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited.

The youngsters prescribed the use of alternative sources of energy like water, solar energy and biogas to let off the pressure on oil and natural gas. Most of them also pointed out that care should be taken to switch off the lights and fans in a house before retiring.

?If you are travelling a short distance, why don?t you walk instead of using a car. That way, there will be less emission of poisonous gases like carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. This in turn would minimise the increasing pollution which is choking the city now,? was the opinion of Md S.Akhtar, who won the first prize in the English category.

A person from one locality should not drive off alone in his car but instead take other people along with him to conserve oil. ?People should make maximum use of buses. This is one the way to conserve oil? he said.

People should be made aware of the importance of conserving energy through pamphlets, seminars and rallies.

Prashansa, who wrote in Hindi, said people are gradually waking up to the need to protect the environment. In many cities, the government has encouraged the use of CNG as an alternative fuel. Sixty students from Class VI to X took part in the competition. Prashansa, Surabhi and Shreyans were declared winners in the Hindi category while Arpita and Tarunika were the other winners in the English section. The judges were teachers of the school Atushi Ghosh, Anita Verma, Vinita Kumari, Saimu Yunus and Yasmin Noori.

Vice-principal of the school S. Choubey, however, pointed out that organising rallies and seminars alone cannot bring about a change in people?s attitudes towards conservation of oil. He cited the example of Japan, where people are given an allowance if they opt to walk rather than use their cars.