Now, surprise inspections to monitor school students' contribution to green cause

From next academic year, students will have to prove whether they are doing their bit to protect the environment. Ecofolks, a Mumbai-based organisation, in collaboration with the Maharashtra State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) will be carrying out a surprise inspection in city schools to check what they have been doing to preserve nature.

The organisation that spreads the message of ecological awareness and green livingu00a0will be holding its fifthu00a0

environmental inter-school competition, where schools from across the state willu00a0participate.u00a0"Our representatives will visit participating schools, interact with students about what they have done to safeguard the environment.u00a0

We will also see whether the school has taken any eco-friendly initiative. Depending on the activities we'll give points to the school and grade it on certain parameters," said Gajanand Patil, city organiser of in Pune. In the city, about 26 schools have been registered so far for the competition.u00a0

"It helps as students try to understand what they should do to preserve the environment. We plan to visit schools throughout the year and will offer lectures to students of Std V, VI and VII. We have notice a steady growth in the numbers of schools participating in the competition in the past five years," Patil added.

The schools will also have to hold drama competitions where themes will be based on environmental issues such as saving the tigers.u00a0Later, the competition will be also be held in Mumbai, Nagpur, Aurangabad and Kolhapur from where around 90 schools from each centre are expected to participate.u00a0