Nirma students observe forest day, plant saplings

The students of chemical engineering at Nirma University celebrated World Forestry Day on Sunday by planting around 250 saplings of Jamun, Neem, Saptakarni and Chinibadam among other plants in their campus. The event was part of Chemozale, an International level techno-management symposium to be organised on March 26 and 27.

The event 'zero carbon footprint event' with a theme — go green or die young is an attempt by the university to counterbalance their carbon footprint. 

The event saw the presence of SK Nanda, principal secretary Environment & Forests Department and principal chief conservator of forest Pradeep Khanna.

Nanda appreciating the efforts of the students suggested that the university can take up an initiative to set up a botanical garden of specially carbon sequestrating (trees that absorb CO2 more) trees. He also asked them to have dedicated space of around 2-3 acres for planting Bunyan trees.

The total CO2 emission in the two day event will be around 30.2 tonne and same amount of CO2 would be absorbed by the trees planted by the students in the campus, said Sanjay Patel, faculty advisor, ChESA.

Swapnil Agarwal, president ChESA, said, "Carbon footprint is something which is known to very few people. So through this event we want to spread a word of awareness about the growing levels of CO2 which leads to global warming."

Nirma has also organised a painting competition for municipal school students.