The various environment related programmes for this academic year of Green Army, the environment cell of Christ College were inaugurated by Dr K Shiva Shankar, retired professor and head of Agronomy/ Forestry, University of Agricultural Sciences on July 4 with a tree planting programme in the campus.

Speaking on the occasion, Shiva Shankar emphasised the need for students to work towards water conservation and prevention of air pollution. He said that it is imperative that students should inculcate a culture of learning about nature if we have to protect our surroundings from degradation.

Antony P U, head of the department of Zoology and student leaders Malavika Thirukode, Poornima Saikumar and Noormi Mohammed spoke on the occasion.

Green Army is a student initiative to spread the message of environmental conservation and adventure among the youth through various activities like seminars, workshops, padayatras, adventure treks, nature camps, ecology week celebrations and house-to-house campaigns.

The group has already organised programmes like 'Pulse Water Campaign' to prevent wastage, misuse and overuse of water in households in residential layouts in association with various government departments like Pollution Control Board, Lake Development Authority, Bangalore Development Authority, Karnataka State Biodiversity Board, BWSSB and NGOs like Green Peace, Teri, Project Agastya etc.

Over the years various Residents' associations in Bangalore also joined students to address issues in urban ecology such as water pollution and conservation, civic hygiene and sanitation.