Guwahati: Gauhati University boarders are practising what they preach - celebrating Diwali in an environment-friendly way.

Today, they not only used earthen lamps to light up their hostels but also collected money to donate food, slippers and saplings to a local orphanage. Altogether 42 students from the university and two students from LCB College were part of this Green Diwali celebrated at Children Home Orphanage of Indian Red Cross Society at Lankeswar, Jalukbari. The programme was initiated by Rupkonwar Jyoti Prasad Agarwala AT 8 Boys' Hall of the university.

"Instead of spending on firecrackers, we decided to spend the money on the children of the nearby orphanage. We had planned to collect Rs 50 from each of the 44 students representing various hostels of the university," said Dul Das, prefect of the organiser hostel. The participating hostels were RCC 2 Girls, RCC 3 Girls, RCC 5 Girls, RCC 6 Girls, AT 2 Girls and AT 6 Boys' Hall.

The students spent the morning with 15 children of the orphanage, about 3km from the university. Various programmes, such as recitation, mime, songs and storytelling were also organised to impart lessons on people's responsibility towards nature.

"All the participating hostels celebrated the day with Stop Crackers and Pollution Free Environment theme by not bursting firecrackers in and around each of our hostel campuses. When it comes to pollution, Guwahati is not far behind other cities like New Delhi and Mumbai. It is considered the most polluted city in the entire region."