DC inaugurates Don Bosco College organic farming demo hub in Galwang-Chidekre
A group of 52 NSS volunteers of Don Bosco College, Tura escorted by Suraj Pradhan, the NSS Co-ordinator visited Babadam village 7th August 2018, to create awareness among the people about cleanliness and making the village Open Defecation Free. The volunteers were equipped with awareness pamphlets made available by the Tura Municipal Board.
Leading the way were District Commissioner, West Garo Hills Shri Ram Singh, Fr. Bivan R Mukhim, Principal, Don Bosco College Tura, Rheny A Sangma, Jevelline A Sangma and Sister Mariola of Don Bosco College.
Embarking on this mission, the NSS volunteers left the college by bus at 6.30 a.m. and on reaching the Babadaam market area, spent nearly three hours collecting garbage and empty bottles. The D.C. advised the students to collect all the plastic for using of making roads in Tura, whereas the empty bottles would be sent to the bottling factory for reuse.
Killing two birds with a single stone, the DC also inaugurated the organic farming venture of Don Bosco College, Tura at Galwang-Chidekre by planting trees helped by the NSS volunteers. In a bid to add value to the efforts of the farming community in the neighborhood, Don Bosco College has adopted this village. Financially supported by the IBDLP, a local self-help group ‘Chik’asin’ has set up a demonstration hub to propagate organic fertilizer ‘Azolla Pinnata’ in a big way. This bio-manure will be used as fertilizer for a community nursery and later for cattle-feed and poultry feed as well. Shri V. Valentin, Project Officer, IBDLP addressed the students on the need to hone their employability skills so as to promote and encourage the efforts of the local community. Sister Mariola gave a brief summary to the students on the concept of organic farming and how it could be a boon to Garo hills if accepted on a war-footing.
The D.C. left no stone unturned to separately address the Market Committee at Babadaam, the teachers of the local government school and the student community about working at sustainable development. He said these cleanliness drives would die a natural death unless we understood why we were doing what we were doing. Speaking to the teachers of the government school, the Deputy Commissioner urged them to reflect on the sacredness of their profession. “Don’t educate these children to merely become school teachers or construction contractors but to think big. Motivate them to become at least the Deputy Commissioner or Engineers.”
Addressing the Market Committee, the Deputy Commissioner challenged them to ban all plastic wrapper packed junk snacks and promote locally prepared healthy snacks like banana chips.
Fr. Bivan R Mukhim, Principal Don Bosco College, expressed his indebtedness to Shri Wallis Sangma, the headmaster of Henry Frassy School in Chidekre for providing space and support for the NSS volunteers.
