Millennium Post (Kolkata)

Hakim vows plantation of 25 lakh trees over next 2 years, urges people to travel more in metros

- OUR CORRESPOND­ENT

KOLKATA: The School Education department is reconstitu­ting the Safety Security Committee in the schools across the state to curb child abuse and immediate redressal of any complaint related to bullying or sexual harassment.

The ball has been set rolling in Kolkata schools with the department already holding an orientatio­n ses-sion for headmaster­s and teachers so that they can create necessary awareness among students in their respective schools.

“Instructio­ns were issued in 2017 for constituti­ng such committees but under the present circumstan­c-es, we have felt the need for revamping such committees and prioritisi­ng them,” a senior official of the department said.

The office of the District Inspector of Schools in Kolkata has identified 69 schools in the city and have asked them to come up with a concise Safety Plan.

“The plan is meant for proper monitoring of the schools throughout the year that includes checking the electrical wirings and other infrastruc­ture from time to time, plan for quick rescue operation or evacuation in case of any emergency or natural calamity affecting the school etc,” the

KOLKATA: Speaking on the occasion of World Environmen­t Day, Mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporatio­n (KMC) Firhad Hakim said that the civic body will plant about 25 lakh trees in and around the city while saying that parking fees were increased to curb vehicular pollution.

KMC on Monday organised several events for spreading awareness towards conserving the environmen­t. Hakim said: “Every year we celebrate this occasion on June 5 amid heavy rainfall. This year, we are observing it in searing heat with a temperatur­e of 40 degrees Celsius. This clearly shows how the climate pattern is changing and if we don’t take cues from this, we will be heading for destructio­n at a greater pace.”

He said that the municipal commission­er of KMC, Binod Kumar has already spoken to several agencies for spaces where trees will be planted.

“We will plant about 25 lakh trees over two years, both in the city and adjoining areas. We will plant trees along the EM Bypass. Plantation will also be carried out in Dhapa where space has been carved out after we began the bio-mining process. Letters have been sent to both Port and Railway authoritie­s for plantation along the banks of the Hooghly River. Plantation will also be done from Dakshinesh­war to Belur Math where we are taking the help of Howrah official added.

Once these schools come up with their respective plan, the department will frame up a concise plan and circulate the same among all 1,546 schools in Kolkata.

The awareness related to different aspects of safety security will cover students from class V to XII.

The schools will also take up awareness for the prevention of dengue soon after it opens after summer vacation.

They will be holding rallies with students, doing postering and similar activities. The move is meant for educating the students so that they can pass over the message among their family members too.

Once these schools come up with their respective plan, the department will frame up a concise plan and circulate the same among all 1,546 schools in Kolkata

Municipal Corporatio­n,” Hakim said.

In the wake of the recent withdrawal of hikedup parking fees, Hakim said that the KMC had increased the fees so that vehicular pollution can be brought down in the city.

“Our chief minister Mamata Banerjee had once taken a pledge to make Kolkata look like London. This she said in connection with the plan to increase metro railway connectivi­ty in the city, an idea borrowed from the London Tube. Once the metro project in the city is completed, we would urge people to travel in this undergroun­d transport system, leaving their cars at home,” he said and added that there are a lot of talks about trams being a green transport but in present times and days to come, it is the metro that will be our green option.

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