SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Sept 5: The students of IIT Indian School of Mines (ISM) for the first time visited discarded slums of coal city and apprised the residents especially girls about significance of cleanliness, hygiene, sanitation and environmental conservation for healthy life.
The contingent of 70 students were clubbed in two groups. One group of 30 students reached Koranga basti under Centre of Social Mission (CSM) staff coordinator Babita while another squad of 40 members under Mahesh Mahto entered Malhar Basti for execution of programme of cleanliness/awareness drive.
The programme ‘Swachhata Pakhwada’ is being observed as per the direction of union ministry of education in IIT ISM. The students associated with IIT ISM Centre of Societal Mission (CSM) and its various wings including Karma Jyoti (KJ), Fast Forward India (FFI) have joined the campaign to carry out the task fixed by the union ministry of education.
The head of CSM Prof Sanjeev Anad Sahu (associate professor department of mathematics) said that as part of the drive, both the groups of students in their respective selected slum distributed sanitary pads among girls/women and apprised them about menstrual hygiene.
Professor Sahu said a similar drive will be conducted next Sunday on September 11 at Lahbani Basti and Dhaiya Middle School, Dhaiya and added that they will also carry cleanliness drive in selected hostels and plantation on next Saturday and Sunday (September 10 and 11 as part of the drive),
The sanitary pads that were distributed in the slums were donated by IIT (ISM) students , Institute Staff, officers and faculty members during the donation drive carried out on September 1 at various locations of IIT (ISM) including at Main Canteen, Central Library, Mini Mart, Rosaline Hostel and Amul Parlour.
Students coordinator Deven said all the volunteers (students) along with some sanitation workers of IIT (ISM) were armed with protective gears like gloves, masks , the brooms and sacks to carry out sweeping and garbage collection”
Bhavya Jain, the student coordinator of Karma Jyoti said the beneficiaries of the sanitary pad donation drive at both the locations took keen interest in deliberations with them as part of awareness during which students apprised them about the various facts about mensturational hygiene.
