Express News Service, New Delhi, Tue Nov 24 2009.

In Delhi, students are now front-runners for a cleaner and greener environment. This young brigade is mobilising support and whipping up opinion on climate change.

And when the United Nations Climate Change Conference at Copenhagen takes place on December 15, students will be closely watching the decisions made there.

At the inter-school environment quiz QryptiQ, (The Indian Express was media partner), at Sanskriti School, Chanakyapuri, where participants from more than 15 schools across the Capital took part, teasing questions on the environment captured everyone’s attention. The event was organised to “improve the knowledge base of participants as well as the audience”.

Shubhro Mukherjee, a Class XII student at Sanskriti and the president of the environment club of the school whose members are known as Green Brigadiers, said, “We would like to bring all Delhi schools together so that we can form a group of youngsters — Green Coalition.”

The idea to form a coalition was originally floated by Delhi Greens, an NGO, and Sanskriti is the first partner in the project. But the students are keen not to make it look drab and boring. “We want to make it cool, we don’t want any essay contests or drawing competitions on environment,” said Nita Ganguly who conducts environment programmes for the school. “The idea is that it should appeal to youngsters.”

At every correct answer, meanwhile, fists were pumped, and cheers rent the air as the audience clapped and the charismatic quiz master, Ajay Poonia, tried to make the competition more interesting.

A group discussion and a panel discussion were also held.

“The project — Delhi Schools Green Assembly — will work towards not only making schools environment-friendly but also encourage sharing of knowledge among peers and foster a sense of responsibility and far-sightedness in the youth of Delhi,” said Ganguly.

Nayan Agarwal and Samiran Mukherjee of DPS RK Puram were handed the winner’s trophy by Sanskriti School principal Abha Sehgal.

The show ended with a thrilling performance by Sanskriti students singing a song composed by them on the lines of Michael Jackson’s ‘Earth Song’.

Click here to read this article on the website of Indian Express.