Ecotiva Club of
Don Bosco College along with YUVA, a youth centric organization in Panjim and Forest
Department had organized a plantation drive at Campal, Panjim. Raghuvir Mahale,
founder of YUVA, motivated the Don Bosco College students to participate in his
ongoing massive plantation drive in various parts of Panjim and surrounding
areas. This green initiative was co-ordinated by Don Bosco College’s Ecotiva
club teacher in-charge Glenda Mascarenhas with the help of Environment
secretary, Saif Ali Khan. The aim behind this initiative was to raise awareness
among the youngsters and encourage them to plant trees in their surroundings.
Student of Don Bosco
College planted total 21 saplings of different trees such as Mango, Chiku,
Jamun, Almond, Tamrind etc were planted by over 80 students in presence of Uday
Madkaikar, Mayor of Corporation of the City of Panaji, Raghuvir Mahale,
founder-Yuva), Akhil Prabhu Verlekar, Yuva Secretary, Shashank Sukhthankar,
Yuva Treasurer, Diksha Shetye, Ladies Representative, Nilesh Naik, Deputy Range
Forest Officer, Sanyog Pednekar, Forest Guard, Shantaram Naik, Advisor-Yuva, Dr
Cedric Silveira, Don Bosco College Principal, Glenda Mascarenhas of Ecotiva
Club, faculty members Twinkle Fernandes, Shreesha, Valerie and Environment
Secretary of College Saif Ali Khan were present.
Forest Officials
helped students in naming the saplings and also educated them on how to add
manure and plant the saplings for better growth. Raghuvir expressed happiness
as students were very much receptive and curious about plantation. They
promised to organize similar plantation drives in more schools and open areas
for a greener Goa.
Udant, a Non
Government Organisation in association with Rotary Club of Panaji and
Pro-Active Goans organized a Tree Plantation program to celebrate ‘School Tree
Day’. The program was organized with an objective to bring together the
students from the Integrated Education Complex, Cujira – Bambolim to give back
to the environment by planting trees in the school complex.
The program held at
The Rosary High School also included a prize distribution ceremony to
felicitate the winners and participants of the Slogan Writing Contest held
previously, in which students from four schools namely; The Rosary High School,
Dr KB Hedgewar High School, Ezekiel Methodist School and V Dempo Higher
Secondary School participated. The winners were awarded with trophies and
participation certificates.
Dr Manoj
Prabhudessai, a keen environmentalist from the Pro-Active Goans was the Chief
Guest for the event, while Mariana D’Souza, a Range Forest Officer from the
Social Forestry Department, Campal was the Guest of Honour. Sarita Carvalho,
Headmistress of The Rosary High School along with her staff was also present
for the same.
Addressing
the students, Dr Prabhudessai stressed about the importance of conserving trees
for our survival. Thereafter, Mariana appealed to the students to ‘Adopt a
tree’ in their locality and take charge of nurturing them. The Tree Plantation
program concluded at the Ezekiel Methodist School, Bambolim where the
enthusiastic students along with the guests planted saplings of jackfruit,
tamarind, badam, amla etc. The students have pledged to ‘adopt’ these trees and
have also taken up the task of caring for them.
