Despite a complete absence of activism in the rural student community, there is still hope with regard to safeguarding the environment as the level of awareness in that section is comparatively high. Lack of practical knowledge would not be a debilitating factor if the students get to realise they can contribute much towards protecting the environment at the individual level.
The immensity of their awareness about their surroundings was exposed at an essay and drawing competition conducted by the Kagaznagar Forest Division in Kumram Bheem Asifabad district on September 2 in connection with the International Vulture Awareness Day. Students from different schools in Kagaznagar town came up with excellent drawings of vultures, besides writing essays reflecting their deep knowledge on the issue.
Awareness programmes for protecting the Bejjur vultures (Indian vulture or long-billed vulture or Gyps Indicus), which falls under the Kagaznagar Forest Division, are being taken up at villages and at schools since 2015. These programmes that include lectures, slides and video shows, have been a part of the vulture conservation programme taken up by the Bejjur forest officials led by Range Officer M. Ram Mohan. “In due course, the students have to know about the role of the scavenger bird in our environment. They have also come to know what biodiversity is and how it’s an essential part of our ecosystem,” observed Ravikanth Manchiryana, a wildlife biologist and researcher at the long-billed vulture conservation area.
Mr. Ravikanth, however, underscored the need for practical awareness on environment within the student community. “If the students are equipped with practical knowledge, they will be in a better position to understand the importance of environmental protection,” he pointed out.
“We do engage our students in attaining practical knowledge on environment,” said Hanock Kumar, principal of Vivekananda Junior College, Kagaznagar. “We take our students to forests nearby as well as on long trips to places where they get to appreciate different aspects of the environment,” he added to drive home the point that his students have good awareness on the environment.
