A visit to Dalmia Vidya Mandir in Odisha is akin to a practical demonstration on environmental education. The school in Rajgangpur, Sundergarh district, does not just teach its students to plant trees, segregate waste before disposal and conserve water and electricity, but has also put in place infrastructure that allows them to do so.
Since 2019, the school has set up 10 “green projects” using various innovative solutions. One such is a seesaw pump installed in the playground that uses lift technology and the playful energy of children to draw groundwater. A rainwater harvesting system is also in place to replenish the groundwater. Another project is the bamboo skill centre, made from wooden mats, split bamboo and dried grass, where students learn the traditional craft of bamboo weaving and make planters, bottles and lamps. There is a hydroponic garden for students to grow plants through soil-less practices, solar panels, and “smart” garbage bins with an RFID (radio-frequency identification) card read-er that detects the nature of waste thrown in the bin and sends alerts to avoid overflowing.
All the projects were initiated under the supervision of Raghvendra Kumar Dwivedi, who joined as the school principal in 2018. “I have worked at seven to eight schools since 1992 and introduced plantation drives for students. At Dalmia Vidya Mandir, I saw the scope to expand the drive. The school’s chief executive Rosetta Williams was also keen to introduce some initiatives,” recalls Dwivedi.
“Since Sundargarh is known for bamboo crafts, we first set up the bamboo skill centre. Then we brought in a version of the smart bin, which had three separate compartments for different types of waste and sensors to alert us when they were overflowing,” says Dwivedi, adding that each project is spearheaded by a team of teachers.
“With these systems in place, the school offered a first-hand experience of sustainable living. The school's reliance on the conventional sources of electricity had greatly reduced,” says Varanasi Sai Srikara Sasank, a former student who was involved in the projects.
In 2020, Dalmia Vidya Mandir’s projects received the “Green School Award”, with a Rs 4 lakh cash prize, from the Indian Green Building Council, part of the Confederation of Indian Industry. Dwivedi, who is now with Delhi Public School, Mahendragarh, in Haryana, says he strives to introduce such initiatives in other institutions.
This was originally published in the 1-15 May, 2025 print edition of Down To Earth