Form Five’s Field Trips “Because
normal human activity is worse for nature than the greatest nuclear accident in
history.” ― Martin Cruz Smith
And this is what the students of
Form 5 got an essence of through their field trips last week.
As they are
inquiring into pollution; the types; the causes; the impact; and our
responsibility towards controlling it, 
they were taken for two field trips with
the support of Sweccha, an NGO. The first was along the course of the Yamuna
through Delhi and the second was to the Ghazipur landfill.
they were taken for two field trips with
the support of Sweccha, an NGO. The first was along the course of the Yamuna
through Delhi and the second was to the Ghazipur landfill.
The Yamuna Walk was a simple way
to demonstrate the drastically 
harmful ways in which the city, its dwellers and
its industries pollute and damage a water body. The children were familiarised
with the origin and course of the river and its historical and mythological
context. They were taken to three points along the river’s course, beginning at
the Wazirabad Barrage and moving on to Sur Ghat and finally, Kutsiya Ghat. The
collected water samples at the first and the last points were clear indicators
of the alarming aggression with which the residents of Delhi pollute the river.
The trip ended with the children taking a boat ride to enable them to see the
activities on the banks along either side of the river.
harmful ways in which the city, its dwellers and
its industries pollute and damage a water body. The children were familiarised
with the origin and course of the river and its historical and mythological
context. They were taken to three points along the river’s course, beginning at
the Wazirabad Barrage and moving on to Sur Ghat and finally, Kutsiya Ghat. The
collected water samples at the first and the last points were clear indicators
of the alarming aggression with which the residents of Delhi pollute the river.
The trip ended with the children taking a boat ride to enable them to see the
activities on the banks along either side of the river.
The experience at the Ghazipur
landfill was beyond anything that the children might have imagined. We had
taken necessary precautions and were required to wear clinical masks before
entering the site.
As they got off the bus, they were shocked to be faced with
imposing mountains of garbage. They were further surprised when they learnt that
this was just one of the three landfills operational in Delhi. What began with
children getting excited at spotting familiar waste such as empty packets of
crisps, soft toys, bags, shoes and even a belt, soon turned into disgust on
seeing animal parts strewn around. However, they also learnt that the
government is taking some positive steps wherein this waste will soon be used
to generate electricity.
Both the trips were a reality
check for the children and some of their reactions indicate that they are
beginning to realize that each one of us is contributing to the waste disposal
which is polluting the environment.
There were reflections at different points
of both the trips wherein some of them said that they need to bring in a change
by beginning to reduce the waste they produce. The visit to Sweccha’s
manufacturing unit, ‘Green the Gap’, gave them an insight into how waste can be
recycled or reused in creative and useful ways. We hope that this is a
beginning to the change that these children can initiate and that it will
sustain.
