32 families participated in the exercise that taught them how to raise the issues with the authorities
Imagine getting 32 families from the city to wake up early on a Sunday morning and then be asked to take up six crucial environment issues affecting the city.
The families, which included children aged four to five years, not only completed the task successfully, but also wrote letters of complaint to various government agencies. The exercise was part of an activity organised by Know Your Environment (KYE) organisation that works on engaging children in extracurricular activities aimed at developing their skills.
"We had a bird watching session for the children at Sewri jetty recently where we noticed the garbage strewn at the creek, and pollution due to boats anchored there. While discussing these issues with marine enthusiast Pradip Patade, our resource person, we realised how as citizens we had simply become mute spectators and had not even protested," shared Kavita Shivdasani of KYE. She added that it was there that they decided to organise an activity where these children and their families could not only witness issues related to environment first-hand, but also learn how to take them up with government authorities in a suitable manner.
Knowing well that to engage people the activity had to be competitive, the duo planned an 'anti-treasure hunt', where each family was given the task of visiting six problem spots between Cuffe Parade and Sewri Jetty. These included the menace created by pigeons at GPO Kabutarkhana, the problem of illegal parking, repairing of fishing boats at Sewri Jetty, encroachment on mangroves at Ganesh Murti Nagar in Cuffe Parade, the problem due to construction of the Metro, pollution in the sea opposite the Air India Building, and issues caused by potholes.
The families had to take photographs of all the issues at the locations, and even click a selfie of the entire family with the 'problem' in the frame. After that, they were expected to draft a short complaint letter about the problem stating how it was affecting the city, email it to the authorities concerned, and then reach the designated spot.
Nepean Sea Road-based Nivedita Doshi, who won the activity by completing all the tasks first along with her husband Parin, children Evana and Krishay, called the event an eye-opener. They said they had been unaware of the seriousness of some of the issues they documented. "We were shocked to see the encroachment close to mangroves and how pavements were being taken over for Metro construction work. One thing is certain that the next time we see an issue, we will surely not walk away, but click pictures and take the issue up with officials," said Doshi, adding that it was a good lesson for every child who was part of the activity.
"The response really was heart warming and we were delighted that the basic idea we wanted to communicate through this activity got delivered in the right sense," said Patade, who himself has been documenting the marine life of Mumbai.
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