Feature

Consciousness to revive our environment
Students of Viqarunnisa marks its significance

Anurata Prabha Hridi

Plants are a vital source of our existence and survival onearth. They provide us with oxygen, food, wood, and medicine. But it really hurts when we find that number of trees and plants are gradually decreasing. Realising this alarming state, the students of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College, Dhaka organised a day long human rally along with other activities recently to observe the Environment Day. The students from class VII to class XI joined together to make the day a success.

The over use of chemical fertilisers and insecticides in land reduces soil's fertility at an alarming rate. Moreover, when these harmful chemicals get mixed with water, it causes death of aquatic plants and creatures and therefore affects on ecological balance. Industrialists out of greed are filling up large portions of rivers, knowing that rivers are a vital part of our existence. Similarly, because of the emission of Chloro fluro carbon (CFC) at a large scale, our present atmosphere is at stake. Hybrid crops enhance our production but on the contrary forces the extinction of our natural crops. So it is time for the young people to make a change, to relieve the grievance and pain of mother earth.

The event kicked off as students formed a long human chain surrounding the whole campus at Bailey Road, Dhaka. They seemed to be determined indeed to lessen sound pollution as they held their fists tight and chanted slogan, 'No more sound pollution' whenever any vehicle honked horns in the streets. Later, a huge procession was brought out by the students and the teachers with a vow to resist pollution countrywide. The motto of the rally was, 'Save rivers, save the country' (Nodi banchao, desh banchao).

The little artists of the school took the teachers and the students in awe as they portrayed their imagination and reality about the catastrophe of our environment into the canvas. There was an art exhibition too arranged by the students of different classes where wide range of paintings including river encroachment to indiscriminate knocking down of trees was displayed. Wall magazines published by the students of Bangla and English schools were also inaugurated by our principal, Prof Rokeya Akhter Begum. End of the day trees were sown in the school premises.

Prof Rokeya said, "Currently, there has been much hue and cry over global warming but no one actually cares for planting trees. There must be enough trees to absorb CO2. The woodlands are being diminished for various purposes, and simultaneous use of petrol and diesel has caused havoc in the environment. So in this vulnerable period, students have to come up and do their part to save the nature".

Shamim Jahan Ahsan, Assistant Headmistress of the senior section said, 'We have to revive and nourish our affection for natural resources to rescue them from further disasters. We should change our outlook first before advising others'. Lailun Nahar, a teacher of Biology also reiterated that without an inner spirit we cannot work for our nature.

People have to be made aware of the disastrous consequence of pollution and this cautiousness can only come from true education. Our government needs to be prudent and general people should come forward with their willingness and dedication. There should be strict laws on proper materialisation for saving this planet and retrieve the lost glory of our nature.

(A student of class X of VNSC)