A science teacher of Government High School in Malali in Mangaluru taluk has been silently creating a revolution in water conservation and groundwater recharge by creating awareness among her students.

The students, in turn, turn water conservation lessons learnt in school
into a reality, by digging percolation pits and implementing rainwater harvesting techniques back in their houses.

Speaking to DH, Padmasri Rao said, “I have been doing this for the last four years. After I attended a workshop on water conservation in Mangaluru taluk panchayat four years ago, I decided to put my knowledge into use by creating awareness among children.”

Water conservation

“There is lack of space in the school to take up water conservation methods. Over 200 percolation pits have been dug by the children. I have fixed a yearly target of 250 percolation pits for all these years. For those students who cannot dig up percolation pits in their houses due to paucity of space, I give them practical lessons near the school ground where they dig percolation pits,” she explained.

Supriya, a student of the school, has dug 20 percolation pits in the surroundings of her house with the help of her father this year.

“To motivate children, I have also announced prize for those who dig the highest percolation pits as well. Even parents have responded whole heartedly to the initiative.”

“A few children also have dug percolation pits in their neighbourhood.

“After digging the percolation pits they send photographs of the same to me,” Rao said.

Handwritten newspaper

A handwritten newspaper titled “Jaladarivina Yashogathe” is brought out at the end of academic year wherein students write their experiences on the activities related water conservation, stories and poems.

The activities have made the students realise the importance of water as a few had even experienced severe water crisis during last summer. The wastage of water too has reduced, she said. “This year, I have created awareness on rainwater harvesting by showing them the model which I have adopted in my own house. Accordingly, three students of class 9 have already implemented the rainwater harvesting methods in their houses by allowing water to get stored in the water tanks. As water is supplied to the school by the gram panchayat, we have requested the panchayat to implement rainwater harvesting method in the school itself,” said Rao.

Plastic hazards

To create awareness on the ill-effects of plastic on the environment, Rao said, “I have started creating awareness on the same from this academic year. In fact, students have stopped using pens made of plastic. Instead, they have created their own paper and bamboo pens for use. They no longer dump plastic waste haphazardly.