Guwahati: To address the rising environmental challenges stemming from rapid urbanization in Guwahati, the Assam Pollution Control Board (APCB) in collaboration with Aaranyak, a leading environmental organization of Northeast India, has launched the project ‘Pollution Abating Schools in Guwahati’.
The inception workshop for this initiative was held on October 31 at the APCB Conference Hall. Delivering the inaugural address, Dr. G. K. Misra, Member Secretary of APCB, emphasized the importance of civic participation in pollution control and environmental conservation. He announced that APCB plans to extend this pilot initiative to more schools in the near future, calling it a significant step toward creating a cleaner and greener Guwahati.
The programme forms part of an umbrella scheme of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India, aimed at mitigating environmental pollution across the country. Dr. Misra also encouraged students to adopt simple yet impactful eco-friendly habits in their everyday lives.
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Jayanta Kumar Pathak, Assistant Director of the Environment Education and Capacity Building (EECB) division of Aaranyak, said the initiative seeks to cultivate environmental responsibility among school students, aligning with the national Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) campaign. He acknowledged the support of Samagra Shiksha Assam in promoting environmental and sustainability education.
Dr. Simanta Kalita, Senior Consultant at Aaranyak, presented a roadmap for the project and shared findings from a Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) study conducted among Guwahati school students on pollution abatement.
Earlier, Kanteswar Kalita, Senior Planning & Research Officer, APCB, in his welcome remarks, highlighted the need to nurture positive behavioural change among young learners through experiential learning. He praised Aaranyak’s continued efforts in fostering community-driven environmental awareness.
The workshop saw participation from students, teachers, researchers, and officials from Dakshin Beltola High School, APCB, and Aaranyak. The event was moderated by Geetashree Sharma, Tikendrajit Gogoi, and Dr. Kakoli Das Kalita of Aaranyak.
The initiative marks a collaborative step toward empowering the next generation to take the lead in pollution control and sustainable living in Guwahati.
