CHENNAI: If there is anything more inspiring than an individual who is passionate about the environment, it is the heart-warming enthusiasm of a group of young school children exhibiting the will to save our planet from further damage. Madras Nalla Madras, organised by the British Council and Krish Art Productions and Roots and Shoots, was the third in a series of events conducted on the World Environment Day — an effort to sensitise people on the importance of working towards environmental conservation. Conducted by Arun Krishnamurthy, India coordinator of Roots and Shoots, an international non-profit organisation that involves young people in eco-conservation programmes, the event emphasised the need for urgent action to save the city’s much-damaged environment. Addressing a group of volunteers from local schools, Arun spoke of the projects planned to breathe new life into the city’s biodiversity and the importance of responsible and informed action. “It isn’t enough to plant a sapling,” he said. “It is crucial that one knows when the sapling is to be planted, when to remove the tree guard, and which species is native to the area.”The unique initiative aims at identifying issues that need to be addressed in specific areas. One of the many conservation measures planned is Sparrow Species Reintroduction, an effort to revive the dwindling bird population affected by the radiation of cell phone towers. The project invites volunteers to build bird nests and provides bird feed, while informing them of other specifications such as the presence of colourful trees and the amount of sunlight necessary. The project also calls for people to volunteer at the local zoos, in which animals are routinely abused and live in miserable solitude; each individual is encouraged to adopt an animal and observe it over a weekend. Lamenting the shrinking of the Pallikaranai marsh caused by rampant development, which in turn has led to the disappearance of marshland birds, Arun also spoke of future lake clean-ups, where volunteers, armed with gloves and a bag, walk around the periphery of the lake, cleaning it of garbage.The event highlighted the need to care for stray animals, and urged the audience to stop the use of plastic bags and end the patronage of large retail chains and irresponsible producers who have effectively contaminated water bodies and destroyed the environment. Reiterating the need to wear clothes containing eco-dyes and the importance of recycling and composting, Arun also recommended the separation of bio- and non-biodegradable wastes.Chennai, home to 98 lakes, three rivers, backwaters and a beautiful coastline, is also geographically significant as it attracts migratory birds, which contribute to the city’s rich wildlife. It is imperative then, that an effort be made to protect the eco-system, and the event raised awareness of the scale of the dangers that large development and increasing pollution can cause. “There is no value in education if you cannot take care of your environment,” said Arun. “To be able to say ‘I’m greener, and therefore more human’ is exciting; there is nothing more gratifying than seeing the sapling you’ve planted grow or a nest you’ve built being visited by a sparrow.”The event repeatedly stressed on the need to replace the celebration of World Environment Day with a realisation of the steps to be taken to contribute to a cleaner, more tolerant world in which humans and animals can co-exist peacefully. Coordinators for each project to be undertaken were chosen from among the young audience, who were clearly infused with fervor and the drive to make a difference, to transform namma Madras into nalla Madras.(A lake clean-up is being organised on June 18. To volunteer, contact [email protected])
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