CUJ extended its Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ activity to village Rahya situated in the neighbourhood of the upcoming campus of the University, yesterday. Senior officers of CUJ including Registrar, Jit Singh, Dean Students Welfare, Prof. N.R. Sharma, Dean, School of Life Sciences and Head, Department of Environmental Sciences, Prof. H.S. Sehgal, and Assistant Registrar, Ajay Sharma held a meeting with the village Panchayat in the Panchayat Ghar, where the Sarpanch, Dr. Khajoor Singh, Panches, and prominent local residents including R.S. Jamwal, and Gunwant Singh were present. Dr. Gurpreet K. Sehgal, Associate Professor, Departmet of Environmental Sciences was also present on the occasion.

Prof. N.R. Sharma briefly described various activities of CUJ including the involvement of local schoolchildren, and villagers in the cleanliness drive by holding various functions and awareness programmes. Prof. Sehgal brought forth the ill effects of using polythene bags, and deforestation on the environment and ecological balance. He appealed the villagers not to use polythene bags, as these stay in the environment for ever and choke our water bodies, animals and birds. Use of biodegradable materials like paper- and cloth bags for carrying articles is eco-friendly and should be promoted, said Prof. Sehgal adding that we must teach our children to follow these practices. Prof. Sehgal also emphasized the need for planting trees as they consume toxic carbon dioxide and release much required oxygen gas informing that the faculty of the department of Environmental Sciences will conduct various awareness programmes for the villagers including school children. The problem of solid waste management was also discussed. The Registrar informed that the University will soon install the direction sign boards. He said that the villagers were lucky to have the University coming up in their area as it will provide them and their children many educational and employment opportunities. The Sarpanch of the village gave many useful suggestions including the concept of TOPT (teach one to preach ten) which can spread the message of cleanliness and keeping the environmental balance in an effective and fast manner. He also suggested making pooled fund or a kind of service tax for carrying out common community cleanliness activities.

The meeting ended with the formal vote of thanks proposed by Prof. Sharma and the expression of gratitude by the Sarpanch and other members of the Panchayat who assured the University of All Help in making the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan a great success.