Youth brigade on right track

NEW DELHI- Following the panel discussion on the threat of climate change, the message of quick action for mitigation strategies seemed to have gone down well with students who were part of the forum discussions. It was a pleasant surprise for most that the children, students of city schools from Class IX to Class XI, were well aware of the raging issues related to global warming and their interactions with experts were pertinent and to the point.

Parth Singh, a class X student of Amity School, questioned panelists on issues of tribal rights and the man-animal conflict. ���Based on personal experience, I have been travelling to several tiger reserves and have seen the condition in which they are- I realise a major cause for conflict is eradication of forests. I realised we all have our spheres of influence and if I can change the mindset of even a few people around me, I believe I would have made some positive difference,��� he said.

Sarah Chatterjee, a class XI student of Vasant Valley School, agreed that preservation of natural resources was extremely important and this needed controlled consumption. ���The seminar was extremely informative and clarified a lot of issues for us. With each speaker having a different perspective on same issues, we got an in-depth view of several points,��� she said.

Based on the various views aired during the discussions, the students asked for clarifications on several technical points as well. Ashwika Kohli, also of Vasant Valley, wanted to know who the actual beneficiaries of large amount spent on infrastructure development were. Another student asked for elucidation on the issue of development versus climate change.

Kushagra, a student of Mira Model School, added: ���Similar seminars should be organised more often. Having had the opportunity to interact with experts at such close quarters cleared many of our doubts. We have been involved in several environment issues at school level and this forum only added to our perspective.���

Medhavi Arora, a class IX student of Amity School, agreed wholeheartedly with him. However, she did add that the picture painted by the panelists was extremely depressing. ���From what I have heard today, it seems we are in a really critical situation. The only saving grace is that we have solutions and need to implement them,��� she said.