The National Green Corps (NGC) programme introduced by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), Goverment of India is aimed at spreading environmental awareness among school children by involving them in various environment-related activities. Children constitute the most significant fragment of our society. As the foundation for developing responsible citizens begins in the school years, young children are at an ideal age to start learning about environmental issues. By participating in environmental activities under NGC programme, the children would very easily acquire the basic knowledge, skills and values that promote environmental responsibility.

In order to coordinate the implementation of the National Green Corps programme in the state, a State Steering Committee was constituted. There is another committee in each district i.e. District Implementation and Monitoring Committee (DIMC) headed by the District Magistrate to oversee the implementation of the programme at the district level. So far, the DIMC have been constituted in the districts of Kolkata, Hooghly and Purulia.

The West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) is the State Nodal Agency for the implementation of this programme in our state. Paschim Banga Vigyan Mancha, a non-government organisation has been implementing the programme on behalf of WBPCB. In the year 2002-2003, a total of 1900 schools belonging to 19 districts of the state were included under the NGC programme. In 2003-2004, the number of schools was 2850 (with the addition of 950 schools) and in 2006-2007, the number of NGC schools in West Bengal has exceeded to 4750 (with the inclusion of 1900 more schools).

NGC Programme in West Bengal

Sl. No. Name of the District Renewed No. of Eco-clubs No. of New Eco-clubs Total No.of Eco-clubs
1. Bankura 206 42 248
2. Birbhum 162 78 240
3. Burdwan 202 211 413
4. Cooch Behar 118 20 138
5. Dakshin Dinajpur 131 10 141
6. Darjeeling 139 32 171
7. Hooghly 152 184 336
8. Howrah 163 68 231
9. Jalpaiguri 110 40 150
10. Kolkata 201 163 364
11. Malda 112 41 153
12. Murshidabad 154 82 236
13. Nadia 96 117 213
14. North 24 Parganas 202 338 540
15. Paschim Medinipur 166 153 319
16. Purba Medinipur 176 110 286
17. Purulia 100 30 130
18. South 24 Parganas 171 159 330
19. Uttar Dinajpur 89 22 111
  Total 2850 1900 4750

Click here to view the district wise school names (2006-2007)

Every NGC school has an eco-club. Each of such eco-club has around 50 children, who have joined voluntarily. The children are given theoretical inputs about environment as well as involved in hands-on activities, which helps to cultivate a sense of caring and appreciation for the environment. Each eco-club is being supervised by a teacher-in-charge, selected amongst teachers of the school on the basis of their inclination towards environmental issues. There are one/two Master Trainers in each district to assist the teachers-in-charge for smooth functioning of the eco-club activities.

On World Environment Day this year, the State Board had initiated a campaign for the protection of environment, forests and wildlife, which is being jointly coordinated by the Departments of Environment and Forest. The main target group of the campaign is the students of the eco-clubs of the schools covered under the NGC programme. In order to implement the campaign at the district level, the existing DIMC have been expanded to form an Expanded District level Implementation and Monitoring Committee for carrying out the various school-related activities of the campaign.

Photo gallery of the activities of NGC schools during 2002-2003. Click here

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