In a first-of-kind event, a children’s nature and environment festival was held at Thatyur, Jaunsar Tehsil, Tehri Garhwal district in order to celebrate wildlife week. Titli Trust, Dehradun and Prakritik Paryavaran Avam Madhu-makhee Shodh Sanstha, Bangsil organised the event with support from ONGC. A total of 150 children from classes 7 to 9th standard from 7 schools enthusiastically participated in the event.
The participating schools were Junior High School, Jogiyada, Sri Guru Rama Rai Public School, Degree College, Kiran Jyothi Siksha Sadan, Kanya Madhyamik Vidyalaya and Saraswati Vidya Mandir from Thatyur and Government Inter Colleges from Bangsil and Bhuwan.
The event included an essay writing and poster making competition with nature and environment as the theme. Held prior to the event, more than 350 children submitted entries for each event. On the day of the event, the children participated in a nature quiz, skit competition and a lok Geet competition.
The themes for the skit competition were “Pahadi Kheti Ko Bachao” (Save Hill Agriculture) or “Jungli Janwar ko Bachao (Save Wild Animals). The theme for the lok Geet (local song) competition was nature and environment. Kanya Madhyamik Vidyalaya and Kiran Jyothi Siksha Sadan stood first and second respectively in the skit competition.
In the lok Geet competition, Kiran Jyothi Siksha Sadan and Kanya Madhyamik Vidyalaya from Thatyur stood first and second respectively. Virendra Pundir, a local social worker inaugurated event in presence of local teachers and Mussoorie Forest Division personnel.
Chief Guest Dr Dheeraj Pandey, DFO, Mussoorie Forest Division, distributed prizes to the students. Arun Prasad from PPAMS compered the entire event while Anchal Sondhi and Sanjay Sondhi from Titli Trust provided support for all the events. Unlike urban cities, where there are no dearth of environmental programmes, this event, the first time an eco festival was being held in a rural locale like Thatyur, helped children, who live close to forests, and whose daily lives are dependent on forest resources, to understand the importance of conserving their resources for future generations.