NSS 7 Day Special Camp (17 Dec - 23 Dec, 2009)
A Seven Day Special NSS Camping Programme was inaugurated by Sh. Bikram Singh Rana, State Liaison officer (NSS), Chandigarh Administration at Government College of Education on 17 December 2009. Dr. (Mrs.) Harsh Batra, Principal of the college, presented the welcome address and congratulated the NSS volunteers for coming forward for the cause of social service. 150 NSS volunteers are taking part in this week long programme.
While addressing the NSS volunteers Sh. Bikram Singh Rana stressed that this camping programme will go in long way to improve the life skills and personality of the volunteers. He also dwelled on the importance of the community outreach programme during such camps. Mrs Poonam Bansal, NSS Programme officer presented the schedule of the various activities to be undertaken at the adopted village Kajheri. The core issues to be addressed are health, hygiene and sanitation. Villagers will also be educated to work for the eradication of social and environmental problems by various activities like street play and rallies etc. NSS volunteers were made aware about the waste management project and method of composting to be undertaken at village Kajheri during this camp by Mr.Vijay Phogat, NSS Programme officer. Dr.Anurag Sankhian, NSS Programme officer proposed vote of thanks.
On the second day of the camping programme volunteers were taken to the adopted village Kajheri. Working on the waste management project they made compost pits in the ground of Government High school, Kajheri to manage the waste. They segregated the waste materials in the school campus to be layered in the compost pits.
In the afternoon session Dr.Meenal Thakare, Assistant Professor, Department of the Community Medicine, GMCH-32 conducted awareness programme on Health, Hygiene and sanitation in context of swine flu. She spoke on the underlying causes, outbreaks, transmission phases, current situations and preventive measures of the swine flu. A documentary was also screened showing the method of washing hands and collection, storage and transportation of the patient samples. Volunteers’ queries were also addressed.
On the third day of the programme volunteers visited the adopted village Kajheri. Volunteers interacted with the members of the community and made them aware about the need and importance of the waste management in eco friendly ways. They also collected the waste from households, restaurants, road sides etc. The collected waste was segregated and then layered in the compost pits already dug by the volunteers in the Government High school, Kajheri.
In the afternoon session NSS volunteers were sensitized to the problems faced by the people with special need like orphans, physically challenged and senior citizens. They were divided in three groups and visited Old Age Home, Sector 15, Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity Home, Sector 23 and Blind Institute, Sector 26, Chandigarh. They interacted with inmates and distributed fruits and eatables.
On the fourth day of the camping programme a poster making and slogan writing competition was organised on themes like Health and Hygiene; Social problems like alcoholism, smoking and drug addiction; AIDS and blood donation. In the afternoon session open house discussion on the topics ‘Impact of Global Warming’, 3 R s (Reducing, Recycling & Reusing) of waste management’, ‘Use of Polybags’, ‘Problem of Female Feticide’ and ‘Problems related to Old Age Care’ was organised. NSS Volunteers came up on the stage and presented their views and suggestions on the given topics. The participation was enthusiastic and good intellectual thoughts and solutions to the problems were brought to the fore.
On the last day a valedictory function was organised to mark the closing of the camp. Prof. M. S. Bains, NSS Programme Coordinator Panjab University, was the chief guest of the occasion. Dr. (Mrs.) Harsh Batra, Principal of the college, presented the welcome address and gave a brief account of the activities undertaken by the NSS volunteers at village Kajheri. Prof. M. S. Bains exhorted volunteers to work for the development of the society and dedicate themselves to the service of the underprivileged. He laid stress on generating national integration and suggested volunteers to follow the path shown by the father of the nation, ‘Mahatma Gandhi’.
NSS Programme officers, Dr. Anurag Sankhian and Mrs. Poonam Bansal presented the camp report. Sh.Bikram Singh Rana, State Liasion officer (NSS), Chandigarh Administration was the Guest of Honour on the occassion. The Prizes to the volunteers were also distributed. NSS Volunteer Mr. Satish Kumar (Roll Number 101) was awarded Best NSS Volunteer trophy. A variety of performances were staged by the NSS volunteers. A group dance item, Bhajan, skit patriotic songs, Poems on NSS, Punjabi folk dance and stand-up comedy item were presented. The importance of education was brought home by a short skit. Mr.Vijay Phogat, NSS Programme Officer proposed the vote of thanks.