Twenty-four engineering students of Jeppiaar Institute of Technology (JIT) who are National Cadet Corps (Army wing) pedalled all their way from Chennai to the memorial of former President APJ Abdul Kalam in Rameswarm creating awareness of global warming and rainwater harvesting.
After launching the fifth cycle expedition of JIT in Chennai on September 7, the second and third year students ended the expedition at Kalam memorial near here on Saturday, covering total distance of 1,124 km, traversing through Vellore, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Erode, Coimbatore, Karur, Thanjavur and Karaikudi.
The students pedalled about 100 to 140 km a day, sensitising the people to the dangers of global warming and the need for harvesting rainwater by raising slogans, distributing pamphlets and screening documentary films.
ADVERTISEMENT
The students were accompanied by M. Karthik Raja, Assistant Prof and NCC caretaker, and Army Officer Subedar S. Kalaivendan.
The students stayed on school and college premises en route and screened documentary films, using LCD projector at public gathering places in the evenings.
“The response was good throughout the expedition and the global warming concept was new to the people, especially villagers,” Mr. Raj said.
ADVERTISEMENT
They ended the expedition after paying homage to Mr Kalam at his memorial, he said. JIT Director Marie Wilson, Principal L.M. Merlin Livingston and Lt Col Sunej V, Commanding Officer, flagged off the expedition.
JIT, which was committed to social causes, began the first cycle expedition from Chennai to Velankanni in 2012 focussing on global warming. In the second expedition, also from Chennai to Velankanni, covering more areas, they focussed on cancer awareness, he said.
The third and fourth expeditions were taken from Chennai to Kanniyakumari in 2014 and January 2017, respectively carrying themes of female infanticide and cancer awareness and organ donation and save water campaigns, Mr Raj said.
Fourteen students, who took part in the fourth expedition, joined the fifth expedition, he added.