Update on Environment Education Center
We thank you very much for the $8,000 KFI sent last fall to promote environment issues, enabling hiring Dr. Rajamanikam and his wife Lekshmi R. during the Spring Semester this year. They were given an office, worked with the Maintenance Deparment, participated in recycling and other activities, and presented in some classes and assemblies, etc., a big contribution to our functioning as a “Green School.”
As regards extension activities in Kodaikanal community, we had listed some expected quantifiable achievements, and we hereby report on them. Dr Rajamanikam spent full-time as follows:
1) Number of schools, hotels, others, that installed recycle bins and conducted good use training
We have installed sustainable solid waste management systems in 18 schools, 11 hotels, and 3 gated communities in and around Kodaikanal, by June 2018, which are functioning OK.
2) Number of schools, hotels, others, which invited presentations about recycling, showing interest
22 schools, 3 higher education institutes, 13 hotels, 4 NGOs, and 8 gated communities invited our presentations and outreach demonstrations, which were done. These have to be followed up
3) Number of wards or household areas in town that have begun recycling waste
We have been working informally with several individual households; 3 wards of Kodaikanal town are interested in working with us. This should be done through proper channel so Kodaikanal Municipality has to give government order for working with these wards; but as elections have been long delayed (because of death of the previous Chief Minister), there is still no elected Municipal Council Chairman nor ward members.
4) Quantity of recyclables collected and processed, and its estimated percentage of all town waste
Around 27 tonnes of dry-waste has been recovered through KIS initiative from these schools and hotels in Kodaikanal, which is only some 2% annual waste generation rate. But the Municipality still has no policy or budget for separating recyclables from trash. We are awaiting elections for the Municipal Council to be elected, and meanwhile we deal with the state-appointed Commissioner. Fortunately, he has assigned an old building and location where recyclables are now sorted by an agreed agent working with us.
5) List of environment-related projects undertaken by KIS students with advice of these experts
– Composting bins on the campuses now where they can bring home and dorm organic trash
– Sorting of recyclables in the 2 Recycle Centers—many students do this for their service hours
– Cleaning up around different parts of Kodaikanal
– Distribution and sale of cloth shopping bags to replace plastic
– Asking tourists in vehicles to give over their throw-away plastic junk
– At school student functions, use of drinking fountains or good bottles instead of disposable cups
– All students now have good water bottles, and throw-away plastic bottles are banned on campus
6) Number of KIS classes or groups in which the 2 experts made presentations and advised
Frequently worked with Grade 5 to 12 students on solid waste management and biodiversity conservation.
7) NGOs and other civic organizations in which KIS and the experts made substantial contribution
Worked frequently with Kodaikanal Rotary Club, Kodaikanal United Christian Youth Federation, PCK Women’s group, Kodai Smile Group, and Palani Hills Conservation Council
Ms Lekshmi R. was assigned by the Principal to write environment curricula for grades 6 through 10, which has taken considerable research and consultation. This now has to be integrated into the already busy Middle Years IB program and other activities. Also, Ms Lekshmi has been working to generate overall ideas about Environment for KIS, as requested. And lately she has worked on identifying laboratories, greenhouse, landscaping, etc for the proposed Environment Education Center.
This school year Dr Rajamanikam and Lekshi are regular KIS salaried staff, and the new KFI funds requested and sent are for helping to set up educational aspects of the new Environment Education Center.
Budget:
KFI gave $8,000 for Dr Rajamanikam and Lekshmi for last semester. Lekshmi has been working to finish her PhD in Pondy University so was absent for some time, so there is a balance, which has been added to the new KFI funding for this semester:
New KFI fund for Environment Center etc ($12,050) Rs. 808,675
Balance from KFI fund for last semester 96,558
Total for Environment Center this semester Rs. 905,233
Clarence Maloney
KIS Volunteer for Environment
August, 2018
The jammed-packed container was unloaded with the help of KIS students; and now the hospital staff has the huge-but-enviable task of unpacking and distributing the supplies and equipment. The packing list is beyond extensive – everything from knee braces to medical reference books to orthopedic screwdrivers to infant warmers/oxygen masks to voltage converters. KIS students, staff, and the entire Kodai community will benefit from this project for years and years to come.
Many thanks to all of those whose vision and hard work made this happen, most notably Dr. Jeetu Nanda, past KIS Council Member and past KFI President; Corey Stixrud, KIS Principal and Interim Chair, Van Allen Hospital; Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach; Kodai Friends International; and Mr. Jayachandran, Dr. Senthil Kumar and Mr. Biju Mathews at Van Allen Hospital. This was truly team-work at its best.