MANGALURU: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appreciated the efforts of a government school in Malali village of Bantwal in Dakshina Kannada district for a special initiative successfully implemented by its students to conserve water and protect rainforests.A project was launched in 2016 with students digging up around 250 water percolation pits and also building five kattas ( check dams across rivers and streams) in Gurupur village, about 20 km away from the city. K Padmashree, a science teacher in the school, was the inspiration for children, who after the completion of their project, wrote to the Prime Minister. The initiative in 2017 began right before the summer holidays, when 128 students were introduced to water conservation and rainwater harvesting. Students are motivated to dig at least one small percolation pit near their houses. Later, children click pictures and send it to the teacher.The Prime Minister, in an official communication, congratulated the children after going through their achievements in conserving water and rainforests. “Dear students of Govt High School Malali, thank you for sharing your thoughts and suggestions. Your concern for society at such a young age is really appreciable. I wish you move ahead in life with positivity and achieve success,” Modi wrote in an appreciation letter dated June 28.Padmashree told TOI that the children of the school had sent a report to the Prime Minister, suggesting that more schemes should be implemented to increase the rainforest cover across the nation. “The Prime Minister has responded to the suggestions sent by our students immediately. He has appreciated the children and wished them success. In fact, students had prepared a detailed report with photographs of percolation pits they dug and kattas built by them. The report was sent to the Prime Minister in the last week of May,” Padmashree said.Briefing about the activities taken up by the students, the teacher said the school has fixed a goal of digging 250 percolation pits and one or two kattas every year. “Children have successfully dug 250 pits each, and constructed kattas in 2016 and 2017. Similarly, we have planned to dig 250 pits and construct kattas this year too. There are 142 students in classes 8, 9 and 10 this year. We have imparted knowledge on various water harvesting methods in them, and requested them to dig percolation pits in their respective localities,” she added.

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