10th CLEAN-India MEET,January 2007

 The 10^th annual CLEAN India meet was held in Bangalore on the 18^th and 19^th of January 2007. It was a platform for CLEAN-India network schools and centres to exchange views and ideas and share their experience. The meet was spread over two days.

The meet highlighted the achievements in the past decade and the impacts created on ground through the role played by our youth, especially school children, in bringing about a change in the environmental conditions of our cities and towns. The programme having covered parts of south, central and west India would now like to increase its reach to eastern and north-eastern India and also focus on rural areas. This programme has been instrumental in converting 1 million children into eco citizens of the country; children who care for the earth and have pledge to protect it.  

18^th January 2007

On the first day an awareness campaign was organised for the general public on “CLEAN CITY BANGALORE IS IN OUR HANDS” in the morning in association with Saahas (a local voluntary organisation) at three different locations, viz. Forum mall, MG/Brigade road and Commercial Street. Around 50 participants took part in the event at each location. 17 outstation centres and 9 Bangalore Schools participated in CLEAN-India Meet viz. Jhansi, Varanasi, Sagar, Udaipur, Nagpur, Amreli, Trivandrum, Nammakal,  Kodaikanal, Pudukottai, Madurai, Dindigul, Nagercoil, Kurnool, Mysore, Pondicherry and Kochi and from Bangalore schools Innisfree House school, GEAR Innovative International School, St John’s High School, DPS South, St Josephs Indian High School, NKS School, Bethany high School, Bishop Cotton Girls School, Chinmaya Vidhalaya and Sri Vani High School        

A walkathon along with a band, a signature campaign and awareness creation through posters and slogans was carried out at MG/ Brigade road and Commercial Street. Children shouted slogans urging the public to carry their own shopping bag, stop burning waste, reduce waste etc. followed by a signature campaign

At the Forum mall the students of Innisfree House School and GEAR Innovative International School performed street plays.  The plays focused on themes - carry your own shopping bag, segregation of waste, prevent littering and the need to work with the government for better management of waste in Bangalore. A signature campaign was also held.

These signature campaign sheets will be given to the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) and Karnataka Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) in the next week and Saahas and DA will extend their cooperation to continue the awareness campaigns.  

In the afternoon a film on the “Great Indian Bustard” made by ECO Watch (an NGO founded by Mr Suresh Heblikar) was screened for the outstation centres. Mr Harish Bhat from Indian Institute of Science who has been actively involved in spreading awareness and conserving the bird addressed the group and discussed how CLEAN-India could be involved in creating awareness on the majestic bird which is on the decline and nearing extinction in the country.   

The group was later taken to the Karnataka State Level Energy Park, which was set up by the KREDL with an aim of providing information, and education on energy related issues through entertainment and exhibits.  

19^th January 2007

The main event was held on the second day at Bal Bhavan, Cubbon Park. Around 225 students from Bangalore and around 50 students from outstation centres (both south and north India) participated in the event. The main event was presided over by the Chief Guest Honourable Justice Saldanha (Retd.) and Guest of Honour Mr. Suresh Heblikar (noted environmentalist and filmmaker). 

The day began with various competitions for Bangalore as well as outstation students namely street play, quiz, painting, slogan writing and display

For the display there was a separate competition for Bangalore and outstation centres. Each school and centre was given a stall to display models and posters. The street play and quiz competition on the environment was held for five teams from Bangalore schools who qualified for the finals. The painting and slogan writing competition was open to both Bangalore schools and outstation centres.

Soon after the completion of the various competitions the Chief Guest and Guest of Honour arrived and walked through the display’s put up by the Bangalore schools and outstation centres. They interacted with the students and centres.

The programme then began in the auditorium with an invocation by the students of Sri Vani High School. Col Katju welcomed the dignitaries on stage as well as all the CLEAN-India centres and schools. This was followed by presentations on a few good improvement actions initiated by our CLEAN partners in their towns. CLEAN Amreli (Eco friendly Holi), CLEAN Varanasi (Community Jal –Tara Filter), CLEAN Dindigul (City farming) and CLEAN Kodaikanal (Community based composting) presented their actions to the audience.

The Chief Guest the Honourable Justice Saldanha (Retd.) and the Guest of Honour Mr. Suresh Heblikar then addressed the children and urged them to carry on the good work. After the encouraging words of the special guests the students of Sri Vani High School who were the winners of the street play competition held earlier performed on stage.  Students of Innisfree House School then sang a song on the environment. This was followed by a musical concert by Allan Rego, which was one of the attractions of the programme. Mr Rego specializes in songs for children and soon had the entire audience (young and old) on its toes.

The Honourable Justice Saldhana (Retd.) and Mr. Suresh Heblikar then distributed the prizes for the various competitions and Best CLEAN-Centres and Best CLEAN Schools. The programme concluded with the vote of thanks by Chaya.

Before the vote of thanks every student showed passion for environmental awareness and action and took a pledge.  

The Pledge:
                          I, a CLEAN – India child, pledge to do my bit, caring for the earth
                          Reducing my consumption
                     Reusing and recycling wherever possible.
I vow to teach my friends, my family and my community
How to conserve and how to cherish the earth

I, a CLEAN – India child, pledge allegiance to nature and all its creatures
Taking action to protect against any wrongdoing or harm done to them
While providing alternatives solutions for their well being
I, pledge my dosti to the environment, and promise to be its best friend throughout my life

 List of Prize Winners

BEST CLEAN-BANGALORE SCHOOL

Based on the yearlong performance and support as well as the performance in the various competitions SRI VANI HIGH SCHOOL and INNISFREE HOUSE SCHOOL bagged the award.

BEST CLEAN-India OUTSTATION CENTRE

Based on the yearlong performance and the initiation and sustainability of the community action programmes, CLEAN KODAIKANAL (South), CLEAN VARANASI (Central) and CLEAN AMRELI (West) bagged the award in their respective zones.

A special appreciation award was given to CLEAN DINDIGUL for their exemplary work in community actions.  

BEST DISPLAY

Bangalore
Theme - ‘Eco-City – Sustaining Bangalore’s Resources for the Future ‘. A practical design and vision for Bangalore city by 2012.

1^st Prize – St. Joseph’s Indian High School, Bangalore

2^nd Prize - Innisfree House School and Bishop Cotton Girls High School, Bangalore

3^rd Prize – Sri Vani High School, Bangalore 

Out station Centre

Theme - “CLEAN-India programme -a foundation for an eco-city in the future”. A practical sustainable design and vision for your town/city by 2012 with CLEAN-India initiatives as a foundation.

1^st Prize  – Sagar, MP

2^nd Prize - Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala and Jhansi, MP

3^rd Prize – CLEAN-Amreli, Gujarat

STREET PLAY

1^st Prize – Sri Vani High School, Bangalore

2^nd Prize - St. Joseph’s Indian High School, Bangalore  

QUIZ

1^st Prize – Innisfree House School, Bangalore

2^nd Prize - GEAR Innovative International School, Bangalore

PAINTING

Theme - Melting Ice – a Hot Topic (climate change)

1^st Prize  – Navwant Thakur (St. Joseph’s convent, Sagar)

2^nd Prize - Bhavana (Montessori high school, kurnool)           

SLOGAN Writing

1^st prize  – Sai Sumaja (St. John’s High School, Bangalore)

2^nd Prize - Siddarth (Kendriya Vidhyalaya, Kochi) 

Special mention

Karthik Bharadwaj for participating in the International Children’s Conference on the Environment held in August 2006 at Malaysia. 

Prateek Shetty and Suhas Keshavamurthy for participating in the Global Environment Youth Conference held in December 2006 at Dubai.

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