The Uttar Pradesh government has mobilized its education system for a large-scale environmental awareness campaign coinciding with World Environment Day on June 5. With this year's global theme targeting plastic pollution, the state's Directorate of Environment has mandated all 75 districts to implement student-centered activities under the slogan "End Plastic Globally."
At the flagship event in Lucknow's Regional Science Centre, Aliganj, children will demonstrate environmental stewardship through innovative methods. The programming includes 12 street play performances by school groups depicting plastic's impact on river ecosystems, 45-minute expert-led workshops on sustainable alternatives, and a 100-foot collaborative art installation made from recycled materials. Nearly 5,000 students from 30 Lucknow schools are expected to participate in the main event.
Director of Environment Sushant Sharma confirmed that 22,000 government schools statewide will simultaneously host local activities. "Each institution will conduct three core elements - a pledge ceremony against single-use plastics, creative competitions, and practical demonstrations of waste segregation," Sharma stated. The initiative builds on the state's existing plastic waste management program that has collected 1.2 million metric tons of plastic since 2022.
Deputy Director Shruti Shukla outlined the competition framework: "Students from classes 6-12 can participate in three categories - poster making using eco-friendly materials, 3-minute extempore speeches on circular economy solutions, and model displays of upcycled products." Winning entries will be featured in a traveling exhibition across 18 divisional headquarters through July.
The campaign extends beyond schools, with 147 registered NGOs coordinating community clean-up drives at major water bodies including the Gomti, Ganga, and Yamuna rivers. Urban local bodies will distribute 50,000 cloth bags in market areas during awareness walks led by National Service Scheme volunteers.
Environmental scientists from Lucknow University will conduct special sessions explaining the 100-year degradation cycle of plastic products through microscopes and interactive displays. The state horticulture department has allocated 25,000 saplings for student-led plantation drives, with monitoring mechanisms to track sapling survival rates for six months post-event.
This coordinated effort represents Uttar Pradesh's largest youth mobilization for environmental action since the 2023 climate education initiative that reached 3.7 million students. District magistrates have been instructed to submit detailed participation reports by June 10 for statewide impact assessment.
