Health Issues of the People of Howrah District
On May 20, 2017, a health awareness camp was organised at Howrah district by the World Health Organisation. Some volunteers were chosen, who from then on, visit each house, every month to remind people to get their children vaccinated. People now follow their instructions and keep their surroundings clean to avoid certain diseases. The volunteers distributed water purifiers at a cheap rate so that people could use it to get pure water. The mosquito-repellant sprays are used every month and mosquito-nets are now used to keep mosquitoes away. If the volunteers arrange a blood donation camp every month it could help the people in need. Also, a free health checkup camp could be arranged for further health improvement of the people of the locality.
Annual Sports Event in Our School
The annual sports day of our school (St John’s Diocesan Girls’ HS School) was held on February 15, for the junior students at the school grounds. The event for the junior students started at 9:30 in the morning with a relay race. Next was the tricycle race and the last one the junior students had was a treat to watch. The junior ones’ had to run through the track wearing long gowns without falling even once. The juniors enjoyed the fun sporting events a lot, while the visitor’s race involving the parents remained the highlight of the day. At the end of the programme, Chief Guest Sourav Ganguly gave away the awards to the winners and the class teacher of each class distributed a box containing candies, a chocolate pastry, an orange, and two vanilla cream filled wafer biscuits to every pupil of her class. The event turned out to be a joyful one with a smile on everyone’s face.
Magic Show
On Friday, November 18, our school authority invited a magician to surprise the students of the school with a magic show. The magic show was a gift to the students from the school authority as the school won the award for Best Discipline School in Kolkata for the year 2015. The magic show was organised in the school’s open-air theatre. The show went on for 2 hours, from 12 to 2 p.m. The first magic shown by the great magician was pulling out of a rabbit from his hat which was absolutely empty when he wore it. The spectators were pleasantly surprised. He showed exciting magic tricks one after the other and ended the show with a message to the awestruck students that, ‘Practice Maths well and you can do magic too as it is nothing but a game of calculation’. The show was immensely appreciated by all.
Observation of Teachers’ Day in our School
Our school celebrated Teachers’ Day on September 5, on the auspicious occasion of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s birthday. A cultural function was organised by the students of Class XI and XII. The function took place at the school auditorium and it began around 12 in the afternoon. The function started with a dance performance by the students of Class V, followed by a musical arrangement by the school’s music band. The students of Class X exhibited their talents through mimicry of the teachers which, the teachers felt, was a treat to watch. The students ensured that the teachers enjoyed every minute of the event. A musical chair competition was organised for the teachers. Teachers were felicitated with a certificate for various categories like The Most Energetic Teacher, The Most Polite Teacher, The Best Dressed Teacher, etc. The teachers were delighted by the eventful function. We celebrated the day to pay our tribute for the effort put in by our teachers towards our development.
A Cleaning Drive Organised by our School
Last week our school organised a cleaning drive in the immediate vicinity of the school. Two weeks back, a notice was put up on the school notice board seeking active participation from students. The adjacent area of the school covering the streets, pavements were chosen for the cleanliness campaign. The students of the school participated in the programme. The students who participated in the programme swept the streets and the pavements. Students participated in a huge number in the noble cause to ensure that our surroundings remain clean and clutter-free. The participants distributed leaflets containing instructions on how to keep the environment clean to the common people. Everyone appreciated the initiative taken by our school.
Poster Making Competition
On the occasion of Saraswati Puja, our school organised a poster making competition on the theme of ‘deprived childhood’. The participants were the students of Class XI. The competition was held at the school gallery hall. The competition started at 4 p.m. after the school hours. The students were given instruction to draw the poster on a sheet of A3 size paper within the time limit of one hour, using only the colours black, white and red. The students were given liberty to use any medium such as colour pencils, crayons, watercolours, oil pastels, sketch pens, etc. to make the posters. The event was thought-provoking and was received with great enthusiasm by all. Winners were chosen by a team of judges on the basis of their skills in drawing, effective colour application and above all making the poster visually attractive and meaningful. The first prize was bagged by a poster which showed a tiny sapling bent and withered due to the lack of water-symbolised by an empty watering can. It was a black and white picture with a slogan in stark red-‘Don’t deprive the little ones’.
Poor Attendance on Annual Sports Day
Our school organised its annual sports event on Feb 6, this year but the attendance was poor compared to that of other years. Bad weather was the reason for such poor attendance. The weather was cyclonic and the students who stayed afar could not attend the event. Quite a few events had to be cancelled due to shortage of time. The Bishop of Kolkata was supposed to inaugurate the function but as he could not turn up our principal had to perform the inaugural ceremony. The relay race of the ex-students’ and the guardians’ race had to be called off to finish off the programme in time. Many hurried back home without collecting their food packets owing to the worsening of the weather. Those food packets were later distributed among the poor children of the locality.
Literacy Drive Programme
Recently our school organised a ‘literacy drive’ to spread education among the poor and distressed residents of the locality. The class IX students of our school took part in the literacy drive. The respective class teachers of the four sections helped the students to prepare for the ‘drive’. Old books, unused stationery items like pencils, erasers, pens, scales, sharpeners, colour pencils were collected from students of all classes. The proceedings of the ‘drive’ started with the speeches by some students who discussed the need for education. The students also interacted with the parents of the deprived kids and encouraged them to send their children to school. Later the old books, stationery items and food packets were distributed among the deprived kids.
Visit an Old Age Home
Recently your local club came up with the idea of visiting an old age home in the city and I being a member of the club committee got the opportunity to be a part of the noble cause. As I was entering the old age home thought it would be gloomy inside and only sad faces would be seen. But to my surprise, I saw all the aged people were engaged in some game or the other and the atmosphere was rather cheerful. Some were playing chess, some ludo, and many were simply chatting with one another. While interacting with an old lady, I realised that people are not always unhappy at old age homes. The old lady told me that her children stayed abroad and there was no one at home hence, she decided to stay in this old age home where she would enjoy the company of others. Later we distributed mobile phones to each of the borders of the home which we bought with the money from the club fund so that they could stay updated and connected to their dear ones. I will always cherish the warmth I received from those elderly people.
Celebrating World Environment Day
Through June 5 is officially declared as World Environment Day, our school celebrated it on June at the school compound. The celebration started 7 with our principal planting a sapling followed by a speech about how all of us should put our best feet forward to reduce environmental pollution and make living better. After that, the students of pre-primary and primary sections were given a sapling each for plantation. They were assisted by the senior students. A sit and draw competition on the theme of ‘Mankind and Nature’ was organised with the participants divided into four groups according to their classes. Later the senior students staged a play through which they addressed issues like the dumping of garbage here and there, deforestation, wastage of water and energy. Thus our school celebrated a significant day in a beautiful manner.
Relief Camp for Earthquake Victims
Our school conducted a relief camp for the earthquake victims in Kathmandu, Nepal, where I was chosen as one of the team members among many. Immediately after we reached the spot, we set up a tent with a banner which read ‘Relief Camp’. Soon the afflicted people started gathering with the hope to find some help. We provided different kinds of foodstuffs like puffed rice, packets of biscuits, fruits, packets of milk powder, packaged drinking water, etc. Inside our camp, a team of 3 cooked meal for the victims with rice, cereals, vegetables, contributed by the students. We also set up a counter to distribute medicines, blankets, torches, and other necessary goods to the distressed and the needy people.
Musical Evening Organised
Our school organised a musical evening on February 26 at the Rotary Sadan. Admission to the musical event was by invitation only. The function started at 5 p.m. with our school anthem sung by our respected teachers who were accompanied by the school musical band. Next there was a classical song performance by some students of class XI and XII who were trained vocalists. After that was the performance of the man who was the main attraction of the evening. It was time for Rupankar to take the stage, who happens to be an ex-student of our school. He sang some beautiful Bengali folk songs and a number of Hemanta Mukhopadhyay hits. The show ended with the performance of our school musical talents who won hearts by singing some popular western numbers. The musical evening had a rejuvenating effect on everyone present there.
Educational Tour Conducted
Our school conducted an educational tour for the students of Class VIII. It was a five-day tour. We were taken to Dooars for our trip. 35 students were accompanied by a team of 15 teachers and 5 security guards. We boarded the Darjeeling Mail on February 4 night and reached New Jalpaiguri the next morning. The train journey was comfortable as well as enjoyable. Throughout the journey, we chatted and played antakshari. From New Jalpaiguri, we hired a bus for Dooars. The bus journey was also very exciting. We put up at a cosy hotel in Dooars. We were awestruck by the beauty of Dooars. The combination of tea gardens, forest and the River Teesta makes Dooars an enthralling place. We went for a wildlife safari where we spotted herds of deer, one-horned rhinos and elephants. We reached New Jalpaiguri on February 7 afternoon from where we boarded the Uttarbanga Express and reached Kolkata on February 8 morning. The trip was both educative and fun.
‘Safe Drive, Save Life’ programme
Last Thursday, that is on January 4, our school participated in the ‘Safe Drive, Save Life’ programme organised by the Howrah Traffic Police. The students of class VII gathered in the school compound and from there started for Howrah Maidan at 8.30 in the morning on a bus provided by the Howrah Police. The students were in school uniform and wore caps with ‘Safe Drive, Save Life’ monogrammed. A team of five stood at the signal holding placards of big sizes with instructions of safe journey written on it. Other students discussed the importance of observing traffic rules and announced through the loudspeaker that it is very essential to wear a helmet while riding two-wheelers and it is unsafe to crossroads with earplugs on.
Wall Magazine on Foundation Day
On February 10, the students of the 10th standard exhibited the wall magazines they prepared on the occasion of the school’s foundation day. One of the wall magazines contained a picture of the founder of the school, Mrs Angelina Margaret Hoare, a brief account of her life, the date of foundation of the school and a picture of the school as it looked back at that time. Another one contained the school anthem, “Make me a channel of your peace and the school prayer, ‘Our Father thou art in heaven’ along with a picture of the statue of St. John—the Baptist installed on the school campus. The third one was the best which contained pictures of all the principals and all the awards won by the school and its students, and also the picture of the ‘DIO’ shaped grass.
Fund Raising Programme for the Flood-Affected People
My school participated in a fundraising programme for the flood-affected people of South 24 Parganas. Students of class VIII, IX and X took part in the programme. The students who took part in the programme were divided into eight groups. Each group consisted of five members. Leaflets describing the devastating flood of South 24 Parganas were handed over to the eight teams. Each team was accompanied by a teacher. The teams went around different parts of Kolkata. Each team member was assigned a particular role. All of them performed their job with full sincerity and the fundraising programme was a huge success. It was a satisfying experience for the forty team members as they knew that the money obtained from the programme would be used for the welfare of the flood victims.
A Science Exhibition
Several schools jointly organised a science exhibition in our locality on May 12. All participating schools reached the spot by 8 a.m. and arranged their stalls by 9 a.m. The exhibition hours were from 10 in the morning to 5 in the evening. 8 schools participated in the exhibition. The exhibition comprised of innovative working models and experiment-based projects. The exhibits by different schools on various topics related to Green Energy, Innovation in Transport, Communication, Agriculture, Technology, Bio-Diversity, Community Health, Environment and Mathematical Modelling were indeed eye-openers. Visiting the stalls was a learning experience for me and I was really impressed by the novel ideas.
A Football Match
Football is perhaps the most popular game in the world. Last Sunday an interesting football match was held in our locality. It was played between two well-known teams of South Kolkata. The players of one team wore a red jersey while the players of the other team wore a green jersey. I supported the green team. The game began at 10:30 a.m. Both the teams were equally strong and thus it turned out to be a nail-biting match; with each team fighting neck and neck with the other. Despite playing an attacking game there was no goal scored in the first half. After the break, both the teams started playing again with renewed energy. On the 20h minute of the second half, the green team was able to score a goal. There were loud cheers of joy among the supporters of the green team. It will always remain as one of the most memorable 90 minutes of my life.
Farewell Ceremony
A farewell ceremony took place at our school on January 30, 2018, around 4 in the afternoon in the honour of our beloved English teacher Mrs Dasgupta. The ceremony started with the speech of our principal who spoke about the contribution of Mrs Dasgupta in producing many brilliant students. After that, we, the students, spoke how she helped in our all-round development and spoke of the motherly affection we received from her. Then Mrs Dasgupta took the stage and gave a heart-warming speech and thanked everyone for giving her the best time of her life in the years she was associated with the school. Next, she was given a collection of gifts both by the teachers and the students. The ceremony ended on an emotional note.
RoadSide Food Stalls-A Menace in Disguise
Every day while returning from school I see a large number of students gathering near the roadside food stalls. I never feel like having anything from those stalls as I fear that the utensils, which are used to keep cooked food, might not have been cleaned for days. The two or Kadai, in which items are fried, might never have seen the soap and scrubber. The place where the basic ingredients are collected and prepared before cooking are unhygienic and dirty in all aspects. The people who prepare the food wear soiled clothes and do not maintain any personal hygiene. Water used for cooking or washing is often from roadside and unfiltered. Thus I feel roadside food stalls are a menace in disguise.
Participation in Kanyashree Utsav
The West Bengal Government organised the “Kanyashree Utsav’ on August 14 at Nazrul Mancha. Our school participated in the programme. The event was inaugurated with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp by our Chief Minister. Then 50 girl students were felicitated for their outstanding achievement in varied fields. After that, prizes were distributed by the Chief Minister to three best schools and three best colleges of West Bengal for their contribution to the Kanyashree scheme. Then it was time for our school to perform a dance to a song of Rabindranath Tagore and recite poems which deal with women. After that, another school sang songs of Nazrul Islam. A speech by the Chief Minister on women’ emancipation marked the end of the event.
Book Launch I was a Part of
I have recently been a part of a book launch at the Apeejay House. It was the launch of Durjoy Dutta’s 12th novel “Our Impossible Love”. The Chief Guest for the book launch was Durjoy Datta himself. A huge number of people gathered at the book launch to get a glimpse of their favourite author. Durjoy Datta after unveiling the book spoke about his latest release. He said that it is a 289-page book and that the story revolves around Danish Roy and Aisha Paul. When someone from the press asked about the theme of the novel, Dutta said, ‘sometimes love walks in when you least expect it to’ is the underlying theme and added that it is mainly meant for the teenagers as the book deals with the problems and crisis of teenage life. The launch got to its end with Dutta distributing signed copies of his book to a selected few.
Inter-School Exhibition before Puja Vacation
Our school organised the Inter-School Exhibition just before the puja vacation. The exhibition was a three-day affair. Different schools took part in the exhibition. The exhibition hours were from 10 to 4. Students of class XI and XII from various renowned schools participated in the exhibition. The students displayed their creative, scientific and aesthetic talent through their innovative projects. After undertaking intensive research work the participants put together their models meticulously. Beautiful paintings, work of art and craft adorned the tables and walls of the Exhibition hall. The Inter-School Exhibition was a huge success and was a learning experience for the visitors as well as the participants.
Witnessing Indo-Pak Match
Yesterday I witnessed a one-day cricket match between India and Pakistan at the Eden Gardens. The match started at 10 in the morning after India won the toss and chose to bat first. Tendulkar and Ganguly were the opening pair. Every time a boundary was hit, the 1,00,000 spectators roared in praise of the pair. Tendulkar was bowled by Shahid Afridi at the 32nd over after he made 107. On his dismissal, Yuvraj took the crease with Ganguly. At the end of 50 overs, India score was 347 at the loss of one wicket. Ganguly was 183 not out, while Yuvraj made a quick 57 in 32 balls. After the break, Pakistan took the field to bat. Misbah-ul-Haq and Salman Butt were their openers but they were dismissed in the first and fourth over respectively by Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra. Then came Shoaib Malik who hit 97 but wickets fell one after the other from the other end and the match ended with India beating Pakistan by 84 runs. It was a spectacular experience.
Show Arranged for ‘Kiran’.-an Orphanage
A cultural programme was arranged by ‘Unmesh’, a band famous for its folk songs and voluntary work, for the blind kids of ‘Kiran’ yesterday. ‘Kiran’ is an orphanage run by Mr SK lyer. It is a peaceful shelter for 23 blind unfortunate children whose parents are incapable of raising them up. The programme was held at Netaji Indoor Stadium. 1500 audience witnessed the cultural programme anchored by Arjun (Television actor). The programme started with the inaugural song by Shakuntala Shah and ended with Unmesh’s famous song ‘Tarar Khonje’. The local MLA Mr Rajat Banerjee donated 2,00,000 rupees for the orphans. A total amount of 6,70,000 rupees has been donated for the solemn purpose of eye operation of the kids of ‘Kiran’.
School Boy Kidnapped from School Bus
A 12-year-old schoolboy of our locality is kidnapped in front of his schoolmates and bus driver at the gunpoint. Lansdowne’s Angshu Ghosh is a student of Class VII in Shree Academy. Yesterday he was returning from school, as usual, laughing and playing with his friends. The school bus stopped to drop Pritthish at Minto Park when 2 hooligans forcefully entered into the bus with a gun in hand and carried Angshu away with them. The bus driver was enquired by the police. He said, “Those two had masks on their face like that of doctors during the time of surgery, so I could not see their faces and won’t be able to recognise them if shown.” Surprisingly no phone call has been received by Angshu’s parents demanding a ransom for Angshu. The police is trying to find clues but is not yet successful.
Metro Collapsed on May
Kolkata Metro Railway Services collapsed yesterday owing to a technical fault. The sudden breakdown caused serious panic among the passengers. The passengers were trapped inside the tunnel till 12pm They were extremely angry with the authorities for such disturbance at such a busy time when everyone was either going to school or to the workplace. Metro Railway authorities apologised for the inconvenience caused to the passengers. A daily passenger Sulagna Sen said, “It’s terrible to spend two hours in a collapsed train that too inside the tunnel and I could not reach office in time!” She added, “The metro technicians should be more careful in their work to avoid such situation in future.” The Metro Railway Services offered a money back to the passengers. Another passenger Ananda Pal remarked, “Money back is no remedy for such disturbance and harassment.”
Earthquake Quavered the City of Bhuj, Gujarat
On July 13, people were shaken out of their sleep by the heavy clattering sound at around 3 a.m. The devastating earthquake that hit the city measuring about 7.5 on the Richter Scale was almost on the same level as the historic one in 1986. The calamity struck the city vehemently as its epicentre lay in the coastal region of Rann of Kachchh. Many houses collapsed and many lives have perished in this earthquake. Over 56 dead bodies have been removed from under the debris. Electric poles, telephone wires are uprooted. 356 people who are seriously injured are under medical treatment. Panic is prevalent throughout the ravaged city. The air is torn by painful cries of loss and dread. In the press conference, the District Magistrate has declared his earnest assistance in this miserable situation. A huge amount of relief has been despatched to the spot by the Chief Minister of the state.
Fire at Shantinagar Residential Complex, Salt Lake
On April 15, the Shantinagar Residential Complex at Salt Lake, Sector-III caught fire owing to some cabling fault. Yesterday, around 2 o’clock in the afternoon, the watchman noticed flames coming out of the balcony of the third floor. Before he could alert the residents of the complex, the fire, augmented by the wind, rose to flames. The sudden fire alarm surged panic through the people and the children. Fortunately, all inhabitants could make a safe escape from the building before the fire spread. The men somehow managed to transfer the gas cylinders to the opposite building. The fire brigade came to the spot and brought the fire under control. The fire was reported, caused by a short circuit in the cable of the telephone tower placed on the terrace.
A Furious Cyclone Strikes Bay of Bengal’s Coastal Belt
On May 23, a furious cyclone swept across the coastal belt of the Sundarbans and its adjacent areas. The fishermen were warned and alerted by the Meteorological Department not to venture out for fishing. The cyclone moved towards Odisha and Jharkhand at a speed of 120 km per hour after destroying the entire Sundarban area. 140 persons are reported to be dead in the total coastal belt excluding 220 missing persons. Most of them are presumed to be dead. Gosaba being the worst affected area, is entirely under debris. The asbestos roofs are blown away by the violent wind. The Sundarbans lies tattered and its people who have survived the tragedy, recount their loss of family and materials. The State Flood Relief Committee and many other voluntary organisations are busy carrying out the relief operation. The cry of the helpless children, men and women has split the sky of the Sundarbans.
Kolkata is in Knee-Deep Water
Yesterday, on August 12 afternoon, Kolkata and its adjacent areas were flooded by heavy rain accompanied by thunder and lightning for over an hour. The rain was reported to be caused due to a depression in the Bay of Bengal. Belgachia, Kidderpore and the other low areas of the city were water-logged causing disruption of communication. Tram services had to be suspended due to stagnation of water at MG Road, and the Burrabazar area. Buses plied but they had to change their routes. Regular passengers like servicemen and students were the worst sufferers as auto and rickshaws were unavailable. As a result of the poor sewerage system, streets are still water-logged in some parts of the city.
A Fair Organised by Our School
Our school organised a fair named ‘Milan Mela’. An unbelievable number of people gathered to visit the fair on February 5. Many stalls were built by the edge of our school’s playground, and at the centre, a stage was erected. Students of junior classes showcase their skills. Some dance, some sang, while some other students recited poems. A booklet was published by our school containing the story of its glorious journey. A total of 250 articles were exhibited in our school gallery. All of these artworks were made by the students of our school. Many visitors took great interest in them and even bought those articles. Students were divided into groups of five and each group was given the responsibility of a stall. The food stall, where students sold sandwiches was so crowded that another group of students had to go there to manage the customers. A shop where sweets were being sold also pulled a lot of crowds. People were waiting in queue to buy homemade ‘Rosogolla’, ‘Payesh’, ‘Halwa’, ‘Barfi’, etc. Many ex-students of the school came with their families to enjoy the fair. Some of these ex-students are well-known personalities at present. They donated a good amount of money for the school’s welfare. The popularity of the school is quite evident from the flow of visitors throughout the three days. Our school was elegantly decorated with light and flowers on the final day when our Chief Guest arrived at the closing ceremony. The Commissioner of Police was our Chief Guest, who coincidentally is an ex-student of our school. He gave a short speech and praised us for the amount of effort put in to organise and manage a fair so systematically. A total of 1,75,000 rupees was collected by various means. On the whole, the fair was a grand success.
A Visit to Chennai
My father was going to attend a seminar in Chennai when I decided to accompany him. We put up in an ordinary hotel whose manager and staff were very gentle and polite. I had a bit of difficulty in understanding their language but they were so helpful that no miscommunication took place. The next day we went sight-seeing. We visited Madurai, where we saw the famous Meenakshi Temple. The fascinating beauty of the temple left an unerasable impression in my memory. Inside the sanctum, we saw excellent mural sculptures that portray South Indian dance postures of elegant shapes. These artworks depict various aspects of man’s life through description and designs in an artistic way. Next, we visited Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari. The Vivekananda Rock Memorial houses a statue of Swamiji. Everything in Chennai is very beautiful and well-maintained. We returned to Kolkata with a pleasant memory of Chennai.
‘Arohan’ Celebrates Children’s Day with Slum Children
November 14, the birthday of India’s first Prime Minister, Mr Jawaharlal Nehru, is always observed, with great enthusiasm in ‘Arohan’. This year “Arohan’, a club of Belgachia, decided to celebrate the occasion by doing something different. The club-members thought to pay this great personality a tribute not by merely singing songs or talking about his ideals, but by doing something that will give him real honour. They decided to follow Nehruji footsteps. As a result of this thought, ‘Arohan’ on his birthday gathered twenty-six slum children who had a day to remember. It was a day of fun and laughter. The kids enjoyed car-rides and food at a very popular restaurant. At the end, the kids were given gifts, balloons, chocolates and an abridged version of Jawaharlal Nehru’s biography.
Rescue Operation: An Eyewitness Account
I rushed to the spot as soon as I heard the news that a two-storey building has collapsed on the road. The old house was declared ‘dangerous’ by the Corporation five years ago, still, some people stayed there as tenants. The dilapidated house collapsed as a result of a violent storm that struck the city last night. The police ran a rescue operation with a team of 18 men and some volunteers also helped them. They found people from under the debris with a lot of effort. When the rescued people indicated anything the policemen and the volunteers ran to retrieve them. It took the whole day to carry out the rescue operation. Two boys were rescued alive but in a seriously injured condition. The dead body of a man was found. Two women of that building were at their relative’s house, so they were of danger.
Celebration of Rabindra Jayanti in Ananda Academy
It was Rabindra Jayanti and a grand cultural programme was organised in Ananda Academy to celebrate the day. The classrooms and the school gate were decorated with beautiful flowers and bright lights. The programme began with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp by the Chief Guest. An inaugural song was sung by a group of students. The headmaster of the school delivered a speech on Rabindranath’s contribution to World Literature, The speech was followed by an impressive lecture by the Chief Guest. Then a dance performance was executed by the girls of class XII. Thereafter a short play ‘Dakghar’ was enacted brilliantly by the students of class X. The audience gave them a huge round of applause for their excellent acting skills. The show ended with two Rabindra Sangeets that were sung by the teachers of the school.
Free Health Checkup Camp for Children
A free health checkup camp for children was organised by an NGO named ‘Spreading Smiles’ on January 20. The large playground of Netaji Sporting Club was the venue. Child specialist Dr Riddhi Sengupta was invited to attend the children. The doctor arrived at 8 a.m. with his assistants and cartons of medicines. A long queue of small children could be seen beside the front gate of Netaji Sporting Club. Around 8.30 a.m. the checkup programme started. The volunteers of the NGO along with the doctor and his assistants conducted the programme beautifully. All of them managed the unceasing flow of crowd with ease. Each child was examined properly. Free medicines and food packets were distributed among the children. Local MLA Mr Pradip Ranjan Dutta came to visit the health camp at around 10.30 a.m. He appreciated the effort of the NGO members and expressed his gratitude to Dr Riddhi Sengupta and his team. Children along with their parents visited the health camp hill 4.30 in the afternoon. This initiative of ‘Spreading Smiles’ NGO brought a smile on everyone’s face.
Inter-School Debate Competition
Last Friday Lake Town United Club organised an inter-school debate competition. Six schools of Lake Town area took part in the competition, our school being one of them. The subject of debate was—Is television an effective tool in building the minds of children? There were six teams and each comprised of two members. The organisers gave instruction to the teams regarding what to do and what not to do. The debate was exciting and interesting as all the teams seemed to have done proper homework. Swami Atmasthananda of Ramakrishna Mission and the Principal of Rammohan Kendriya Vidyalaya were on the judge’s seat. S M Bose Memorial was declared the winner at the end of the debate session. They were awarded a cheque of Rs 10,000 and medals by the judges.
Annual Prize Distribution Ceremony in our School
Every year on December 24, our school organises the annual prize distribution ceremony. This year the day was observed in a grand manner. The school premises was decorated with Christmas trees, multiple strings of lights, scented candles and wide ribbons as it was also Christmas Eve. The event commenced with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp by our Principal. Then the main programme started. Students were called up on stage one by one to receive their prizes from the hands of the Chief Guest. Padmaja Bhattacharya, a student of class X, won the prize for the ‘Best Student of the Year 2017′. When requested to say a few words to her juniors, she delivered an impressive speech stressing on the point of becoming a good human being. She also expressed her gratitude towards her teachers and parents for their immense cooperation. The prize distribution ceremony ended at 7 p.m. with the Christmas Carol Jingle Bells’.
Air Pollution Awareness Campaign
An air pollution awareness campaign was organised at Maidan by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on May 15. The whole ground was adorned with colourful flags and a stage was constructed at the centre of the ground. The state’s health minister inaugurated the campaign. Booklets were distributed for free to pedestrians to make them aware of the causes and effects, of air pollution and the process to reduce it. Dr Sunil Pal was the Chief Guest of this campaign who elaborately discussed the ill-effects of air pollution. He pointed out the fact that the chloro-fluoro carbon (CFC) is making holes in the ozone layer of our biosphere. The ozone layer prevents the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun from coming to the Earth. These rays are very harmful to live beings as they can cause skin cancer and other dangerous diseases. Rates of other harmful gases like Carbon-monoxide (CO), Carbon-dioxide(CO), Sulphur dioxide (SO) are highly increasing in air. These gases damage people’s heart, lungs and other respiratory organs. Dr Pal proposed many ideas to prevent air pollution. The campaign ended with a few children reciting a poem of Sukanta Bhattacharya.
Rampant sale of cut fruits
Cut fruits which are sold at various parts of the city are posing serious health hazards. Intestinal diseases are on the rise due to rampant sale and huge consumption of cut fruits. In some cases, the consumption of cut fruits proves to be life-threatening. Last Saturday, five people died in a State Hospital due to diarrhoea. Around seventy-five people including twenty children are suffering from diarrhoea and other stomach related problems and are admitted in different State Hospitals. Strict action has been taken by the health department officials to stop the sale of cut fruits. A number of guidelines have been given by the health department officials for the common people.
Visit a Book Fair
Last Friday, I visited the 42nd International Kolkata Book Fair. This year the venue of Kolkata Book Fair was Salt Lake Central Park. The Chief Minister of West Bengal inaugurated the fair on January 30 and it went on till February 11. This year the theme country was France, which is the centre of culture of Europe. Many notable national and International publishers took part in the book fair. Apart from them several budding publishers also participated in the fair. A part of the Central Park mela ground was allotted to Little Magazine publishers. A podium was constructed at the centre of the mela ground where interactive sessions between eminent personalities were held all thirteen days. People gathered in huge number to have tasty snacks served at the mela food stalls. All together the 42nd International Kolkata Book Fair was a grand affair.
Outbreak of Dengue
With the onset of the summer season, some cases of Dengue have been reported from northern parts of Dumdum. Six persons including two children are admitted in different hospitals in Dumdum. Doctors have identified the symptoms as Dengue Fever. Health department officials are looking into the matter. Meetings between health department officials and local councillors are being conducted at regular intervals. The residents of these areas are also conducting rallies to make the general public aware of the symptoms of Dengue and how they can protect themselves and their families from the bite of the mosquito named Aedes Aegypti. Different hospitals have set up free health clinics where patients can come and take necessary suggestions from doctors, absolutely free of cost.
Miserable Condition of Roads
The condition of roads in our locality is miserable. The roads are broken at many places. Driving cars, bikes and other vehicles are becoming increasingly difficult. The roads are filled with pits and ditches which cause frequent accidents. During monsoon, the condition becomes worse and there is a traffic problem on the roads. The students and office goers face problem to reach their workplace on account of heavy traffic. The residents are in deep distress and immediate action needs to be taken. The concerned authority should look into the matter and take necessary steps to mend the roads. Ample street lights should be installed at required places so that pedestrians can walk properly and the roads should be repaired without further delay to run vehicles smoothly.
Interview of an eminent poet of Bengal
I was assigned the job of interviewing the eminent Bengali poet Joy Goswami, by my school. It was a great opportunity and challenge for me to interview a poet of such repute. So, I started preparing for the interview beforehand. While going through his creations I came across some of his notable works like ‘Protnojeeb’, ‘Aleya Hrod’, “Unmader Pathokromo’ etc. I also learnt that he has been awarded the Ananda Purashkar in 1989 for ‘Ghumiyechho, Jhaupata?’ and the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2000 for his anthology ‘Pagli Tomar Sange’. The duration of the interview was an hour and within such a short span of time, he shared his experiences and answered my questions. On the whole all it was a very enriching experience.
Mission Nirmal Bangla
Mission Nirmal Bangla is a mission under West Bengal Government which aims to reduce overall mortality and morbidity rate by lessening chances of water-borne diseases. The mission also targets at bringing down the ratio of girl children dropouts from schools due to lack of proper toilet facilities. The agenda of Mission Nirmal Bangla is to make the quality of life better in villages by promoting healthy and hygienic practices. The main objective of the Mission is to convert all the villages of West Bengal into Open Defecation Free villages by October 2, 2019. Thus, through Mission Nirmal Bangla the Government of West Bengal is striving to improve the sanitation practices in the villages of West Bengal
Ban Plastic Bags, Save Environment
Last week a round table discussion was held in our school on the topic “Ban Plastic Bags, Save Environment” in which renowned environmentalists, teachers and students took part. The panel consisted of six students chosen from class X, XI and XII, noted environmentalist Rakesh Mitra and Nisha Gupta and six teachers of our school. All fourteen members of the panel discussed the damaging effects of plastic bags. They highlighted various points through which they described in detail how plastic bags disturb the ecological balance of Nature. Environmentalist Rakesh Mitra and Nisha Gupta suggested that plastic bags below 50 microns should be banned due to its non-disposable nature and in its place carry bags made out of eco-friendly materials should be used.
Seizure of Crackers by Police
Last Wednesday police officials carried out a search operation in the cracker factory beside Burnpur fish market and confiscated 25 bags of banned firecrackers. Owner of the factory Mr Ravi Ahuja was arrested for manufacturing and selling banned crackers. The police sealed the gate of the cracker factory and all the workers of the factory were taken to the police station for further investigation. The local residents organised a rally through which they protested against the growth of such illegal factories which are posing a serious threat to their lives. They also requested the police officers to take strict action against such illegal factory owners.
Celebration of 150th Birth Anniversary of Sister Nivedita
Our school organised the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Sister Nivedita on October 28. Sister Nivedita was a pioneer in girls education and worked for improving the health and lifestyle of the poor people. She was a dedicated social worker. The programme commenced with the speech of our Principal. She narrated the achievements of Sister Nivedita. The students of the primary section garlanded the framed photo of Sister Nivedita. Then the students of class XI and XII spoke about Sister Nivedita’s association with eminent personalities and her devotion for the betterment of the impoverished section of society. At the end of the programme, our Principal donated 1,25,000 rupees to an orphanage named ‘Jyoti’.
