Youth brigade takes green mission forward in Patna

Patna: Five years ago, seven enthusiastic scholars from Patna University’s geography department came together with a vision of improving their city’s environment. Nishant Ranjan, Aditi Roy, Mala Sinha, Priyadarsh Kumar, Ranjan Kumar, Ritik Kumar and Sriza Suman formed a group called “environment warriors” and launched their mission with a sapling plantation drive on the university campus.What began as a small student initiative soon drew in many more like-minded youths. Today, over 150 students and young people from across Bihar are part of the group.As eco-activists with a passion for conservation, they not only plant saplings at different locations across the state but also work to foster wildlife-friendly habitats and promote biodiversity. Their efforts are directed towards protecting nature, increasing green cover and conserving natural resources.“As concerned citizens we recognise the importance of preserving our natural surroundings and the diverse species that thrive within it. With our primary focus on saving sparrows and promoting plantation wherever possible, we are steadfast in our mission to create a sustainable and harmonious coexistence between humans and nature,” team leader Nishant Ranjan said.He added that the group has developed six herbal parks at different educational institutions, including the Indira Gandhi National Open University regional office, Maulana Mazharul Haque Arabic and Persian University campus, Patna College campus, Saidpur complex of Patna University, National Institute of Technology Patna, the Patna University zoology department and the Govt Higher Secondary School at Nabiganj in Siwan.These gardens, maintained by volunteers, feature plants ranging from peepal, neem, babul and banyan to shammi, gulmohar, soapnut, hibiscus, gooseberry, lemon grass, insulin, papaya, brahmi, curry plants and other medicinal species. The idea is to familiarise students with medicinal plants and encourage research on their uses. The group also motivates campus residents to adopt plants and care for them as part of wider conservation.Nishant added that volunteers collect rare seeds such as sitaashok, putrjiva and kailashpati, raising plants from them. Some of these seeds are displayed at exhibitions in different cities from time to time.The group has also taken several other initiatives, including bird conservation by setting up 40 ‘dana pani banks’ to provide food and water for birds, especially during summer, and distributing free artificial nests to encourage bird conservation. They provide cloth bags to shopkeepers to discourage the use of polythene, conserve water by repairing leaking roadside taps, and conduct awareness campaigns.Recently, they have begun developing butterfly parks in suitable areas and conserving trees older than 50 years as ‘heritage trees’, Nishant said.