A boy from a rural school in the district and tribal girls who are members of Green Ambassadors drove home the message of environment protection at a meeting organised by the AP Pollution Control Board on Friday evening.
E.V.V. Rajith of Sri Prakash School at Payakaraopeta in the district wanted to practise what he preached. “I was interested in farming and I met officials of the Agriculture Department seeking their guidance on raising Aswagandha (herbal) plantations. They suggested that I raise a kitchen garden. I grew tomatoes and other vegetables in the vacant land near our apartment,” he said.
“I am a columnist for ‘Green Climate’ and I also conduct awareness programmes against smoking, driving after consuming alcohol, and preventing water wastage,” he said, and before concluding he had a question for the gathering: “The police conduct drives to check drunk driving. In the first place, why should liquor sales be allowed?”
The gathering had no answer. Then someone quipped: “The government wants revenue”. A woman from the audience retorted: “The government cannot play with the lives of people for the sake of revenue.” The Green Ambassadors sang songs on the importance of saving forests, preventing pollution, and hazards of axing trees.
DLSA Secretary R.V. Nagasundar, who participated as chief guest, called for a change in the attitude of people towards environment. Joint Chief Environment Engineer B. Madhusudhan Rao spoke.
