Awareness and Plantation Drive at Chuna Bhatti, Kirti Nagar

STEP BY STEP

▪ Total Volunteers = 12

▪ Total Saplings Planted = 20

▪ Amount of Garbage Cleared = 20 KG (approx.)

▪ Locals Involved = 60+

Step by step the ladder is ascended. - George Herbert

Our meetups usually happen in mornings. But this one was a bit different. We held this one in afternoon to gain maximum interface with the locals. Fortunately, we had the blessings from weather god who kept it quite pleasant for us.

We were about 12 including six students from Ramjas College who were quite excited in their maiden drive with us. But when it comes to excitement, none can beat kids! Ever since we have embarked upon our most ambitious mission yet, we have been regularly interacting with the local kids to learn about their aspirations when it comes to this park.

One thing clearly came out. They all wanted plants that bear beautiful flowers and those that could attract butterflies. And they even assured us to take care of them! But there was a challenge.

The reason why we are calling it our biggest social campaign yet is simple. It’s too complex to induce mass behaviour change. Thus, we are taking it one step at a time by carefully evaluating our available options, giving momentum to locals’ interest, and physical and social design of this slum cluster.

Even as we progress with our awareness campaigns, we figured that the gate of this park is a little too wide to allow some of the locals to park their carts inside along the very walls where saplings have been planted in the past. Understandably, none of them survived under those footsteps and wheels.

We worked with the locals to reduce the width of this gate to only allow entry of people and not of carts. Now our saplings can be a bit safe! So, this drive really involved the high voltage kids planting harshingar (night jasmine) and hibiscus saplings. Both have medicinal properties. And harshingar is known to emit a pleasant aroma at night. And it does affect us positively!

Some of these kids even pledged to throw their garbage in the dustbin. The locals seemed elated with this yet another forward movement. But we still have a long way to go up the ladder.

Let’s do our bit for our city’s environment. Join us! http://wmtc.org.in