Environment Education Bus Pilot Launch

The Environment Education Bus was launched in Bharuch on May 9, 2005 at Shaktinath Mahadev Temple area, by Shri Rajiv Topno, IAS, District Collector, Bharuch. Shri Rajiv Topno in his speech emphasized the benefit of the project in the area and appreciated the initiative taken. About 300 people from the surrounding area visited the bus at the event.

Coordinating Agency

GEPC power plant and Bharuch Jaycees are the coordinating agencies for the Bharuch district.

Environment Education Bus activities

After the launch of Bus in Bharuch, it is visiting different places in the districts mainly focused on the villages (as the schools are closed due to the vacations). In a short period of (May 10- May 20) 10 days, the bus visited to the 11 villages in the district and 3 places in the city wherein about 5000 people have taken benefit of it.

Visits to villages

Environment Education Bus visited seven villages of Bharuch district. The Bus activities were followed by the discussion with the villagers about the problem they face at the village level. The problems discussed were mainly water, sanitation and energy. Around 3100 villagers visited the bus. Street play and some environmental songs were taught to the children whom the children enjoyed most and promised that they will perform it in their schools and also at the social village gatherings.

I.T.I. College

The Environment Education Bus visited I.T.I. college of Bharuch wherein about 60 people including students and staff members took a look of the EE Bus. Besides exploring the EE Bus, quiz contest, discussion sessions and film shows were organized on the day.

Jaycee Expo Public Fair

The Environment Education bus was taken to the public fair organized by the coordinating agency, Bharuch Jaycees. During the two days stay of Bus at the fair, the general community visited the bus.

Feedback/ suggestions from students and general community

The students as well as the teachers and general community have responded very positively to the bus as it has a different approach to learning. Some of the students during discussion expressed that this program has created a sense of ownership not only for themselves & their families but also for the society. Now they will put efforts to keep clean their schools, houses, surrounding and will also try to save energy and water.  The teachers and other school staff expressed their views that this type of programs helps children to evolve a healthy attitude towards understanding environment and nature and thus in the future they will grow up to be caring and sensitive to take collective actions.

The teachers and school management also expressed their feelings of setting up the resource centre at their respective schools. They have also requested the volunteers to assist them in developing it.

In the villages also, the bus received a very positive response from the general public. Some of the old people expressed that this mobile resource centre is a need of today at every place as it helps people understand what the environmental issues and how one can tackle them to have better immediate environment.

Mobile Resource centre is very essential to reach to each part of the society to create environmental awareness, feelings expressed by some of the organizations. Visitors from Old Civil Hospital expressed that this programs has a capacity to generate a greater sense of involvement to be more responsible towards conservation of environment.