7th CLEAN-India Meet, 2004

INTRODUCTION

The 7th Annual CLEAN-India Meet was held from 9^th -10^th Feb 2004. The CLEAN-India MEET is an annual event which provides a forum for CLEAN-India members across the country to interact and voice their concerns about the state of environment in their respective cities/towns. 

Over 400 students from member schools of Delhi and also from Kodaikanal, Dindigul, Kurnool, Pondicherry, Mysore, Bhopal, Varanasi, Ranikhet, Amreli, Aurangabad, Muzaffarnagar and Pune participated in the 7^th CLEAN-India Annual meet.

7th CLEAN Meet, Chief Guest,
Ms. Sheila Dikshit

Dr. Ashok Khosla, President, Development Alternatives, gave the welcome address.

Hon’ble Chief Minister of Delhi, Smt. Shiela Dixit graced the occasion by being the Chief Guest for the second day.

The meet is organised to:

• Provide a forum to the CLEAN-India members to share their experiences and learnings.

• Expose new member schools to the activities of CLEAN-India programme.

• Impart training to enable students to implement solutions for environment action.

• Serve as a tool for environmental awareness where the community as a whole, including academia, government officials & media.

On the first day of the meet, Workshop on “Concern for Animals” for the NGO coordinators & teachers was conducted by Mr. Anirudh Mukherji from Wildlife Trust of India. The workshop helped to sensitise the participants on the issues like trade of animals, biodiversity, including plants, animals & birds, their importance to the ecology of an area.

Two workshops were conducted for students namely using TARA mini paper recycling and on making different products from the recycled paper.

Then there was a Visit to Uppal’s Orchid Hotel – the Ecotel Hotel where the participants got an opportunity to catch a glimpse of the various environment initiatives taken by the Hotel, like rain water harvesting, vermicomposting, and water reuse & energy efficient technologies.

On the second day of meet there was Display on various environment initiatives taken by CLEAN-India Members.  The displays showcased various solutions to environmental problems like paper recycling, vermicomposting, city farming, medicinal plants & their use and water harvesting.

Then there was a Formation of Human Chain to say "We Care and We Act."  Participating students designed and made Placards, posters and banners on the themes of “Safe water for all", "Clean air", "Eco festivals", "Managing wastes" and "Save our trees". Holding the banners and placards, they formed a human chain along a stretch of Lodhi Road.

Smt. Sheila Dikshit, evinced a keen interest in the placards with messages and slogans coined by the students forming the Human Chain. The students at the various stalls explained the selected theme and shared their concern for specific environment problem and solutions.

Presentation on Solid Waste Management Module:  Realising the urgent need for managing our solid waste locally, CLEAN-India has a community based Solid Waste Management system in a few localities of Delhi. Students from Amity International School, Saket shared their experience of initiating community based Solid Waste Management in H Block Saket.  Shri Rakesh Mehta, Municipal Commissioner, MCD assured full support from his department in initiating similar solid waste management programmes across Delhi.

Ms. Naini Jayaseelan, Secretary, Environment launched the CLEAN pages & handed over the first copy to the CM.