Launch :

The project to Develop a community participative model for scientific management of municipal solid wastes in EKW was launched in Hyatt Regency on 21 st December 2011 in the presence of Principal Secretary, Dept. of Environment, Govt. of West Bengal - Raj Pal Singh Kahlon.

The programme started with the students of Class XII of Sukanta Nagar Vidya Niketan High School taking an oath to protect the environment of East Kolkata Wetlands, guided by their teacher Mr. Uttam Kumar Chottapadhay. An introduction of the initiative was made by Mr. Marc Lorenz General Manager followed by a brief note form Mr Biswajit Roy Chowdhury, Secretary, Nature Environment & Wildlife Society. The principal secretary Mr. Raj Pal Singh Kahlon Commented on the importance of EKW as a Ramsar Site and appreciated the need and designs of such projects and assured all kind of help from the Government. Ms. Ajanta Dey , the project director of Nature Environment & Wildlife Society stressed on the participatory approach and the necessity of a new paradigm of public-private-NGO engagement in the complex dynamics of our society. Mr. Animesh Kar, Project Co-ordinator (R &D) explained the project in brief through a PowerPoint presentation. Leading press and electronic media came to cover the event.

Project :

Hyatt Thrive, the company's global corporate responsibility program has a key component - Hyatt Community Grants, to support one of Hyatt's four philanthropic pillars – Environmental Sustainability, Education & Personal Advancement, Economic Development & Investment, or Health & Wellness; Hyatt Regency Kolkata has awarded Nature Environment & Wildlife Society (NEWS) with a significant grant to further the organization's efforts in Environmental Sustainability.

Hyatt Community Grants encourages hotels around the world to identify and nominate local nonprofits for funding consideration through Hyatt Hotels Foundation. The program builds on Hyatt's belief that no one better understands a community's most pressing issues – and their solutions – that those that live and work there.

“We are honored to support Nature Environment & Wildlife Society (NEWS) and their valuable contributions to our community,” said Mr Marc Lorenz, General Manager- Hyatt Regency Kolkata. “It is a top priority for us to be active participants in our area, and Hyatt Community Grants gives us the great opportunity to give back to the local organizations that do so much for our city.”

“Receiving this grant is a great honor, and we are thankful that Hyatt Regency Kolkata nominated our organization to be the recipient of this generous donation,” said Biswajit Roy Chowdhury , Secretary , Nature Environment & Wildlife Society . “We know this grant will go a long way in helping us achieve our goals of Project”

Project outline:

Develop a community participative model for scientific management of municipal solid wastes in EKW

Implementing tasks:

•  Surveys to understand the existing waste disposal practices and build a scientific management plan on it

•  Building campaigns among the different stakeholders like Community at household level, Municipal waste collectors, buyers of wastes, fishermen's co-operative, School children, Local clubs, Shopkeepers, Hyatt green team and NEWS team

•  Aware and generate action in developing segregation techniques at community household level

•  Establish linkages between identified stakeholders

•  Spread awareness and explore generation of entrepreneurial activities e.g. vermicomposting, bio gas, jute bag, paper bag making etc.

•  Build mutual trust and confidence with the community

•  Uphold the social and environmental commitment of Hyatt Regency

•  Health monitoring camps at two stages to identify the change

•  Project the viability, sustainability for replicability of the model at policy level in the form of a publication/film

Student's participation in Forest Awareness

Nature Environment & Wild Life Society (NEWS) had arranged for a sit and draw competition among the school children of Nafargange high school, Sunderban. Around 300 students of standard 5 & 6 attended this competition. The Programme started around 12 noon. The students were accompanied by their school head master and few school teachers. In the beginning of the programme an introductory speech was given by Mr. Biswajit Roy Chowdhury, Secretary of NEWS. He talked about our environment and specially the critical condition of Sunderban and also the importance of Mangrove forest and how to protect them. After his speech two members of NEWS, Poritosh Giri and Barnita DasGupta interacted with the children regarding their view on their environment and they took oath to protect their environment specially to protect the mangrove forest which is very essential for the sunderban region. Somnath Mondol of class 5 took oath to protect his environment by protecting the mangrove forest, Anirudha Das of class 6 promised not to throw garbage and pollute his environment.

After the interaction was done the NEWS members distributed the drawing sheets and stationaries (pencil, sharpener, eraser, scale, and crayon set) among the students. Two topics were suggested to the students, they were “Amar Sunderban Amar Pran” (My Sunderban My Life) and “Bonyo Prani Amader Bondhu” (wild animals our friends). The drawing competition started at 12.30pm and ended at 1.30pm. The children were very excited and drew beautiful pictures. After the competition ended chocolates were gifted to them.

Awareness and conservation of Environment among students of
East Kolkata Wetlands at Sukanta Nagar Vidya Niketan High chool Organized by NEWS,TOI, and Garnier

Goal - the main motto of this programme was to createawareness among the school
student regarding their environment.

Take Care Take Charge Programme was conducted by Nature Environment & Wildlife Society (NEWS) in partnership with Times of India and Garneers among students of three school children of East Kolkata Wetland, Sukanta Nagar Vidya Niketan High School, Choker Bheri Prathamik Vidyalaya and Chai Navi Prathamik Vidyalaya.

The Chief Guest, Mr. Shibendu Dey, Head Master, Sukanta Nagar Vidya Niketan High School and Mr. Niranjan Sardar, Teacher in-charge, Choker Bheri Prathamik Vidyalaya extended their inspiring words on Environment and its Importance. The NEWS team comprising of Mr. J.R.B Alfred, Vice President NEWS, Retired Director ZSI, Mr. Biswajit Roy Chowdhury, Secretary NEWS, Mrs. Ajanta Dey, Project Director, Dr. Manas Ranjan Roy, Joint Director Chitaranjan Institute Cancer Institute, Mr. Pintu Kar, Project Coordinator and a few volunteers.

Mr. J.R.B. Alfred gave an introductory presentation on wetland and its biodiversity. Mrs. Ajanta Dey conducted an interactive session on World Environment day. Mr. Pintu Kar showed a short films on EKW and highlighted its importance as a Ramsar site and Biodiversity and Management – Glorious Green and Beyond and he also showed Practical demonstration on Environmental quality parameters (Water, Soil, Air) testing.

Dr. Manas Ranjan Roy and his team conducted pulmonary function test to check the student’s lungs condition. This test included height, weight, and blood pressure of each individual student. Dr. Roy also conducted skin allergy test through question and answer format.

The students planted hundreds of plants under the guidance of the NEWS team. The students enjoyed and learned from the posters displayed highlighting environmental importance and the problem it is facing.

The day concluded with the children getting encouraged by the programme conducted by NEWS and they understood their responsibility towards their mother nature and they took oath to protect their environment. Kartik Gayen, one of the standard four student took oath to protect his nature by not polluting it and by planting more trees, Monisha Bar of standard four also took oath to not to use plastic material and control pollution and save our earth.