Berhampore Girls’ College

Title of the Practice: Eco-friendly Environment of the Campuses
The Context:
Ever since its inception in 1946 the Berhampore Girls’ College with two campuses, located in the heart of the city of Berhampore, has been rendering its services by emphasizing upon the creation and maintenance of greenery. Following the path paved by the great personalities who have spearheaded the institute, the college is still thriving for the maintenance of the eco-friendly environment in the institution and it is considered as one of the basic objectives. Today deforestation is one of the greatest concerns in India. It has endangered the eco-system and enforced many species to the path of extinction. Keeping this ever growing problem in mind, the College has evolved an interactive approach and adopted necessary measures for the maintenance of eco-friendly environment of the institute. The rapidly developing human civilization has developed some new concerns that we hardly faced even before some decades. Some sort of physical measures have also been adopted to face the emerging problems of uncontrolled use of non-biodegradable element of plastic, hazardous bio-degradable wastes, e-wastes etc. Apart from these, a garden of diverse flora surrounded by some trees of rare species is also properly maintained by the college. The old hostel campus with a small piece of Shalkunja, is also maintained with care.

Objectives of the Practice:
To create an eco-friendly environment and to conserve the extinct variety of trees with the maintenance of the diversity of plants in the campuses.
To ensure sustainability of academic environment seen in relation to the conservation of a green outlook of life.
To take initiative for Energy Conservation in the form of utilizing more solar panels.
To continue the social ethos of tree plantation.
To create an internal mechanism for proper waste-management.
The Practice:
The objective of eco-friendly environment is being promoted by the joint venture. The Department of Botany, “Basudha Eco-Club” and the NSS Unit of the college are committed primarily to discharge the responsibility in a planned way. Sometimes, Berhampore Lions Club, West Bengal Forest Department and Alumni Association have joined hands in this regard. The present practice is the outcome of the following initiatives:

The Monitoring System:
Department of Botany, “Basudha Eco-club” and the NSS Unit of the college looks after the conservation of the green environment of the campuses. A full time gardener is always taking care of the campus. The Campus Maintenance and Beautification/Green and Environment Conservation Committee is careful to keep the campus attractive. The Department of Botany carries out the responsibility for naming and numbering of trees in the campuses.

Plantation of Trees in the Campus:
The plantation of trees is a regular practice of the institute. The college has taken initiative for the conservation of trees of rare varieties. The “Basudha Eco-Club” and NSS Unit of the college organize tree plantation programmes, cleaning programmes in the college campuses. Tree plantation programme is also organized on the occasion of World Environment Day and Arannya Saptaha and different programmes on environmental issues are also organized to sensitize the girls in a scientific way. Keeping in mind the fact that quite a large number of indigenous mango varieties are on the path of extinction in Malda and Murshidabad district, our institution attempts to preserve at least some of the rare varieties of mangoes by the process of plantation in the two campuses.

Conservation of Energy:
For the proper utilization of solar energy, Solar Panels have been installed in the campus. The old set-up of electrification of the main building has been supplanted and furnished with new wires and modern instruments. A large number of low power consuming tubes have been installed. A smoke free and noise free Kirloskar Green Generator has been installed. The faculty members are more careful to make the students aware of the proper and controlled use of electricity in the college building.

Internal Waste Management:
The volunteers of the “Basudha Eco-Club” and the NSS Unit of the college take special care to keep the campuses pollution free. The non-biodegradable hazardous wastes are collected and kept away from the campuses with the help of Berhampore Municipality. The biodegradable wastes are dumped in the vermin-composting units. The day-to-day wastes are managed with the large size bins set up in both campuses. A Dump-pit has been set up by the Zoology department for the animal wastes.

Obstacles faced/Problems Encountered:
The major problems confronted by the institute are:

The institution needs a vibrant monitoring system.
Lack of awareness with regard to the new environmental problems created in course of time among the students.
The institution needs to have more involvement of different governmental agencies for environmental up-gradation of the campuses.
Modern science-specific measures are more expensive.
Non-availability of sufficient fund required to maintain the two big campuses.
Evidence of Success:
The campuses are privileged by quite a few rare and royal varieties of mangoes.
The luscious green environment shadowed with varieties of trees and many old and gigantic trees remind always about the glorious tradition of the college.
The medicinal garden called “Madhumali Veshaja Uddyan” in the campus.
Students’ overwhelming participation in the different programmes on environmental issues and their healthy cooperation and coordination is always seen with the regard to the proper maintenance of the greeneries.
Necessary paved ways and sitting arrangements are set up to enjoy the campuses.
Resources Required:
Availability of necessary fund for the implementation of the plans.
Separate resource is required for the Hostel Campus.
Advice of the experts is needed from time to time.