GUWAHATI, Nov 6 - As a part of the Government of India�s �swachhata� movement to realise Gandhiji�s dream of a clean India, the Central GST Commissionerate here organised an awareness campaign for �Green Diwali � Clean Diwali � Safe Diwali� with special involvement of school children, a press release stated.
The aim of this awareness campaign was to make the younger generation a part of the movement to make our nation clean, pollution-free and healthy.
Under the campaign, in addition to spreading the message through banners, handouts etc., schools were urged to organise pledge by students on the theme, poster competition on the topic �Noise and Air Pollution-Free Diwali� etc. The winners would be given cash prize and certificates after the declaration of results on Diwali day. NGOs and destitutes were offered flowers and sweets.
The Commissionerate also sponsored preparation of colourful clay diyas by specially-abled students of an NGO named PASS (organisation for welfare of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities at RK Mission Road, Birubari) and presented a Diwali gift of a LED TV.
These colourful clay diyas along with other clay diyas were distributed among school students to encourage them to maintain the traditional touch to the celebrations.
The schoolchildren were informed about the Supreme Court�s verdict on a plea filed by three children � Arjun Gopal and others � wherein some guidelines for celebrating Diwali in an eco-friendly manner were issued. An appeal made by a large number of environmental groups to curb air and sound pollution and protect children, the elderly and ailing people, besides animals, was also shared.
There is a clear general consensus in the society about the ill effects of the way we have started celebrating this festival of joy. Now, what is needed is a wider spread of the message and tangible action on the ground to mitigate the situation, which is absolutely possible through collective means, the release concluded.
