Colleges told to set up centres on environment, road safety

The higher education department has directed colleges across the state to set up nature and traffic interpretation centres, which shall educate students about issues pertaining to environmental degradation and road safety

The higher education department has directed colleges across the state to set up nature and traffic interpretation centres, which shall educate students about issues pertaining to environmental degradation and road safety. These centres will also introduce action-based programmes for students in the two fields.

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In a letter shared with principals of all government colleges on Wednesday, the department of higher education said that while the traffic interpretation centre was aimed at creating awareness about growing road accidents, the nature interpretation centre shall educate students about various environmental issues. It is mandatory for all students to register for both the nature and traffic interpretation centres, which will operate out of a common room.

“In India, pollution and environmental degradation have reached alarming dimensions due to deforestation and industrial development without adequate environmental safeguards. This creates an urgent need to generate awareness among students. The aim of establishment of the traffic interpretation centre is to instil in the minds of people that road safety is as important as any other survival skill,” said an official, associated with the project.

College heads said that the centre shall work towards motivating students to develop an interest in road safety and environmental issues through various programs and would have both online and offline presence. Colleges will be getting virtual reality (VR) sets and other resources to help students ideate on projects through these centres.

Dr Satyamanyu Yadav, principal of Government College in Sector 9, said that the new centres were aimed at providing students with a platform through which they could contribute towards society in a constructive manner. “The government is keen on reviving a conversation about nature and road safety through these centres. The idea is to put in place a mechanism through which students can imbibe knowledge about road safety and environmental issues. The centres will further give them a chance to develop solutions for tackling various issues around road safety and environmental degradation,” said Yadav.

He said that students will be connected through WhatsApp groups and online resources will be shared initially due to social distancing concerns. “While we will initiate work on the campus soon, online engagements and activities will start first since many students are not visiting the college for physical classroom sessions,” said Yadav.

Virender Singh Antil, principal of Dronacharya Government College, said that the college would involve faculty from the geography department to spearhead the nature and interpretation centre. “We will be allocating a common room on the college campus where both these centres will be set up with necessary resources. In all likelihood, faculty from the geography department will be roped in for carrying out the various activities and programs that need to be implemented for creating awareness among students,” said Antil.

Hemant Verma, deputy director (coordination), higher education department, said that the initiative is primarily aimed at raising awareness about issues of environment protection and road safety. “Students need to be aware of these issues so that they can take proactive steps and be sensitive to their surroundings,” said Verma.