Students of the Government Primary School at Kholpe rehabilitation colony have documented the biodiversity of Sal village in a booklet, an initiative that has drawn praise from Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
Student-Led Documentation
Sanket Naik, project coordinator, told TOI that students participated in field visits where they collected information on wildlife, sacred groves, trees, and water bodies. “They have developed an intimate relationship with these elements. They will digitally document it, establish a library, and create awareness among locals, aiming for protection and conservation through the biodiversity register,” he said.
School Activities and Campaigns
Headmaster Dhaktu Patil said the school, with partner organizations, also held plantation drives, bird and butterfly watching, Nakshatra Van activities, anti-plastic and anti-firecracker campaigns, seed ball drives, and environment award campaigns, with experts conducting sessions and practicals.
Praise from Officials
Bicholim’s assistant district educational inspector, Leena Kalangutkar, praised the joint effort by students, teachers, and parents in preparing the biodiversity register of Sal village, which would aid researchers studying the area’s ecological wealth.
Ecological and Cultural Heritage
Advocate Devata Manerikar (Umarye), who volunteered for the work, said Sal, spread over 1,069.5 hectares, is an agro-horticultural village known for pulses, millets, vegetables, fruits, and tubers, and has a strong tradition of eco-theology. She added that folk deities such as Madyat, Jathar, Datsakhal, and Babaro, represented by indigenous tree species, have historically protected the area’s trees, creepers, shrubs, and water bodies.
NEP 2020 Implementation
Vivekanand environment awareness brigade president Chandrakant Shinde said the school has effectively implemented NEP 2020-linked activities fostering scientific temper and innovation.
The booklet, documented by primary school students in Kholpe, has garnered praise from CM Pramod Sawant.
