As environmental concerns take centre stage, individuals and groups are coming forward with initiatives for a cleaner and healthier world.
Members of the College of Engineering Thiruvananthapuram (CET) Cycling Club (CCC) in a bid to promote cycling on campus and give publicity to the college’s annual tech fete ‘Drishti’ (from March 17-19) went on a bicycle ride from the campus to Shanghumughom on Sunday morning.
The CCC was formed in the wake of death of CET student Thasni Basheer after she was run over by a jeep on campus in 2015. Plans to implement the green protocol on campus gave an impetus to the club’s launch, and on March 10, national cycling coach Usha inaugurated the CCC. Its logo was released by Sreekaryam ward councillor Latha Kumari. A cycling bay with space to accommodate nearly 50 bicycles was also launched.
“The aim is to develop a cycling culture on the college campus, as seen in the IITs,” says CCC co-founder Gopikrishnan. The motto of the CCC, which is affiliated with the Indus Cycling Embassy, is ‘Go Cycling Go Green.’ The college students are not allowed to bring vehicles to the campus, though faculty members are. The ride named ‘Ride of generations’ was also to urge faculty members to not bring vehicles to the campus and opt for eco-friendly bicycles.
Taking part in the ride, along with 20-odd students and members of the Indus Cycling Embassy (ICE), a collective of cyclists in the city, were a few alumni of the college. Seventy one-year-old Narayanasree Panikker, an Electrical Engineering student from the last batch (1965-70) of the five-year integrated course at the college, was among those who pedalled to Shanghumughom on Sunday. “If I can do it, everybody can,” says Mr. Panikker about cycling.
Cycling will also be the theme of a giant installation the CCC plans as part of Drishti.
