School kids resolve to make trees their friends at a meet to mark Earth Day

Senior Correspondent

NewsBits.in

BHOPAL: Students of city-based Seven Hill School on Saturday resolved to make trees their friends to help save earth and reduce pollution. They were speaking at an event organised by Child Rights Observatory, Madhya Pradesh in partnership with UNICEF to mark Earth Day.

The school children’s resolve came after understanding the challenges of climate change. Around 100 students from four schools were present at the meet. Speaking on the occasion, President Child Rights Observatory, Nirmala Buch, said that climate change impacts children and their rights.  The change is happening constantly and it is time for us to understand about it; help spread and take steps to reduce pollution.

“Children can be strong messengers of change to help mitigate challenges of climate crisis,” she said.

Dr. Nidhi Sharma, Deputy Director - Climate Change for Human Health, Madhya Pradesh Department of Health spoke on the need to engage children on the issue of climate change. She also elucidated about the three Rs - reduce, recycle and reuse. She interacted with children on the impact of climate change on human health and answered their queries. 

Anil Gulati Communication Specialist, UNICEF, Madhya Pradesh said that the climate crisis is a crisis of child rights. Climate change poses a threat to children and young people’s health, nutrition, education, development, survival and future potential. He also said that it is time we realise the impact of pollution of air, water and soil, which is having an impact on our lives and environment.

He stressed the need to focus on waste management. P. K. Nandi, Director General, National Centre of Human Settlement (NCHSE) spoke to children on the climate chanage, explained to them impact of climate change, how things have changed in last decade, increase in levels of carbon dioxide in air due to human activity and steps one can take to reduce air and water pollution.

He also spoke on the types of soils around us. Rashmi Saraswat and Raghuraj Singh, member Child Rights Observatory were present at the meet along with principal, teachers, and students of the participating schools. On the occasion 'soap bank' was started by children and teachers of the Seven Hills School to be used by the children and also managed by them. They also resolved to donate soaps to needy around the school.