“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed- ― Mahatma Gandhi”

PRACTICE: 2 1. Title of the Practice: Jagat Kalyan through Environmental Awareness Green Campus
2. The Objectives:
‘Jagat Kalyan through Environmental Awareness’ represents the welfare of the world through tree plantation, herbal gardening, flower gardening, community awareness against arsenic pollution of drinking water, and another environmental protection program. Different social Institutions are functioning within the world atmosphere. The activities of these Institutions have an impact on the welfare of the World. College is a small unit of society and has a great role in the welfare of society. In our institution, different plans for environmental issues have been taken to minimize the environmental crisis which in return helps to minimize the world’s environmental crisis. In this way, our plan of environmental awareness will be helpful for ‘Jagat Kalyan’. The ‘kalyan’ or ‘welfare’ not refer to assistance programs sponsored by our college for needy individuals and families, including schemes, such as food stamps, health care assistance, and unemployment compensation but it has a wider scope for environmental awareness, environmental protection and environmental sensitization. Environmental awareness means being aware of the natural environment and making choices that benefit the earth, rather than hurt it.
3. The Context:
Our main focus behind this ‘Jagat Kalyan through Environmental Awareness’ program is to ensure the sustainability of sufficient water, a pollution-free environment, and other resources for our future generation. Domkal Girls’ College is located under the jurisdiction of Domkal Municipality. Though, the college is in an urban area most of the students come from remote village areas. It is our responsibility to aware our students about the environment. Environmental awareness is having an understanding of the environment, the impacts of human behaviors on it, and the importance of its protection. In the following context, this practice has been considered for the welfare of society:
• Fossil fuel Drilling: our dependence on fossil fuel is a global addiction that affects every aspect of the world. Oil spills and offshore drilling poison marine life, oil drilling (on land) suffocates the Earth, and the combustion of fossil fuels adds to the increased atmospheric CO₂, which in turn causes the progression of global warming and ocean acidification.

• Deforestation:
Millions of acres of forest are cut down for industrial benefits, such as large-scale farming, oil mining, and the production of paper goods. Deforestation causes wildlife and biodiversity extinction because the loss of habitat threatens many species’ existence.

• Production of Plastic Goods -
Currently our society creates a great deal of waste and much of that waste consists of plastic. This waste ends up all over the globe in both land and water. Not only is plastic waste an issue, but the production of plastic is also dependent on fossil fuel combustion.
• Arsenic Pollution- Groundwater is the major source of freshwater in Murshidabad District in West Bengal for meeting the requirements of domestic and agricultural purposes. Arsenic contamination in groundwater is a serious problem in different districts of West Bengal, particularly in Murshidabad. Raninagar I, Raninagar II, Domkal, Nawda, Jalangi, Hariharpara, Beldanga I, Suti I, Suti II, Bhagwangola I, Bhagwangola II, Behrampur, Raghunath Ganj, Murshidabad-Jiaganj, Farakka Samserganj, Lalgola and Beldanga II block in this District are arsenic prone area. The impact of arsenic on human health is slow but dangerous; therefore, it is called a slow poison. Long-term exposure to arsenic may also cause cancers of the bladder and lungs. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified arsenic and arsenic compounds as carcinogenic to humans and has also stated that arsenic in drinking water is carcinogenic to humans.
4. The Practice:
Our Institution has taken different programmes to protect the environment and sustain its natural resources. The different activities have been taken by the college to protect the environment. We involved our students in different environmental-related programmes so that they could be aware of environmental-related issues. These programmes are-
a. The solid wastes of the college canteen and college are used in vermicompost pits to generate compost which is used in the gardening of the college.
b. The tree plantation programmes within the college campus have been taken in different times of the year.
c. Herbal garden initiatives have been taken within our college. The students of the NSS unit planted different herbal trees at several phases of time.
d. We have distributed two plants to each blood donor for social foresting.
e. During the rainy season we collect the roof rainwater in the pond and use it later during fire drills, washing the roads, and gardening purposes.
f. We are using the wastewater from our canteen for the watering in the garden.
g. The college has organized different projects and organized seminars on environmental-related issues.
h. The e-waste of the college is managed properly by our college.
i. We installed LED facilities in the classroom, office room, etc.
j. The college has installed solar panels on the roofs of the arsenic-free water trunk.
k. With the help of the State government, we have installed arsenic-free water trunks within the college campus.
l. We motivated our students and staff to use either bicycle or battery-powered vehicles.
m. We restricted our staff and students from entering in the college with automobiles.
n. Seminars have been organized in our college for the students to augment awareness of arsenic toxicity in drinking water.
o. Periodical water testing of tube-well water of all the wards of Domkal Municipality has been done.
p. A mass awareness campaigning programme has been organized by the NSS unit to aware the public about the arsenic problem.
5. Evidence of Success:
This programme encouraged our students to learn how to keep our environment healthy. In their personal life also, they planted trees on their land. They used the herbal as a medicine to remove their health problems. The students acknowledged the bad effects of arsenic through drinking water and keeping in mind the bad effects of arsenic, they are aware their family members use arsenic-free water in daily life. It is generally believed that women are more concerned about the environment than men because women are potentially more environmentalists than men due to biospheric orientation. As our college is a Girls’ College, therefore, our students are more concerned about the environment. The different evidence is enclosed herewith as follows:
a. Vaccination drive 2021 held on i. 4th and 5th October 2021,ii. 12th and 13th November 2021
b. Periodical reports of water testing of the community tube well for drinking water.
c. Student-teacher interactive sessions are held on 05/06/2023
d. Parents- students and teachers’ meetings are held on 24/11/2022 & 15/12/2022
e. Still photo of vermicompost pit
f. Rainwater reservation pond is structured within in college campus.
g. The herbal garden is structured within the college campus.
h. Tree plantation programme held on 20/07/2022.
i. Still photo of wall magazine on environment issue published half-yearly.
j. Plantation of Herbal Tree dated 09/01/2023
6. Problems encountered and Resources required:
In the present situation, there is an arsenic problem in the remote village of West Bengal as well as the adjacent area of the college. The problem of arsenic in groundwater is common in vast areas of West Bengal putting millions of people living in those areas at risk of arsenic. This is a great public health problem that has been accepted as a natural calamity. Adequate measures must be taken for its prevention without any wasting of time. We have financial constraints for testing the water samples. Moreover, we have no expert resource parsons who will advise our students regularly to keep safe from this problem.