JOIN USRam Prasad Naskar, a 35-year-old Geography teacher from the nondescript village of Subhash Gram in West Bengal, is out to educate the people about the ill-effects of pollution and global warming, albeit in an unconventional manner. He is touring the nation on his bicycle to create eco-awareness.
Naskar, who teaches at Sripur Siksha Sadan High School in Sonarpur, reached Bangalore on Thursday and met the officials of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB). “As a Geography teacher, I realised that people do not understand the devastating effects of global warming. There is a need to create environmental awarenesss among the masses,” he told Deccan Herald.
As part of his campaign, Naskar has travelled through Ranchi in Jharkhand, Raipur in Chhattisgarh and Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh. It has taken him a month to travel a distance of 2,000 km and he plans to finish his tour in six months time. “Fortunately, I have not encountered any trouble so far. My only challenge is spending nights. I look for cheap lodges, Dharamshalas or dhabas on highways. If I’m unable to find accommodation for the night, I sleep on the roadside,” Naskar said.
He aims to travel to all capital cities in the country, where he will meet officials of the state pollution control boards and impress upon them to fight against global warming with a strong eco-protection policy. The teacher has spent Rs 18,000 on his tour so far, and constantly runs short of funds. Despite such setbacks, the gritty Naskar is confident of completing his mission.