Himachal’s Top-5 Rolling in Wins!

A few weeks back, on World Environment Day, five schools from Himachal Pradesh have been awarded the 2023-24 Chief Minister’s Rolling Trophies for their ‘green’ initiatives. These trophies are given away every year by New Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment’s (CSE) Green Schools Programme (GSP), and are presented at a ceremony organised by Himachal Pradesh Council for Science Technology and Environment (HIMCOSTE).

With schools in Solan consistently practising environment-friendly measures over the last few years, the district was adjudged the best district in the state. Three out of the five award-winning schools are from Solan.

Prabodh Saxena, Chief Secretary, Government of Himachal Pradesh, gave away the awards.

The awards are given every year by CSE – one of South Asia’s leading environmental research bodies – in association with HIMCOSTE. The two organisations have been working together for almost a decade for furthering environment education in the state.

CSE’s Green Schools Programme is an innovative initiative that encourages schools and their students and teachers to audit the environmental practices within their campuses, and strive to improve on them.

The winning schools

• Government Senior Secondary School, Bhatian in Solan has been honoured with The Changemaker School Award in the Yellow to Green category. This recognition highlights the school's commitment to environmental improvement and serves as an inspiration for educational institutions throughout the state.
• Government Senior Secondary School, Bhont in Shimla has received the GSP Best Newcomer Award for its outstanding practices across the GSP Audit sections, demonstrating its potential as a leader in regional sustainable development.
• Pinegrove School, Dharampur in Solan has been awarded the GSP Waste Warrior Award for its exceptional waste management practices, setting a benchmark for other schools to follow.
• Government Senior Secondary School, Didwin in Hamirpur earned the GSP Land Manager Award for its notable efforts in land conservation and management, showcasing its commitment to sustainable land use.
• M.B.S.S.S., Nalagarh in Solan was recognised with the GSP Solar 30 Energy Manager Award for its initiatives in harnessing solar energy and promoting renewable solutions, underlining its role as a pioneer in sustainable energy and carbon emission reduction.

Says Neeraj Kumar, Programme Manager, Environment Education, CSE: “Himachal Pradesh has been participating in the Green Schools Programme for 13 years, and we now have more than 800 schools from the state involved in our environment education programme. In 2023-24, 94 schools from the state completed our GSP audit, marking the second highest number from any state in the country. All the winning schools serve as exemplary models for other schools in the state.”

The GSP-CM’s Rolling Trophy was instituted in 2017 to recognise schools which participated in the GSP audit, with the aim of encouraging students to become environmental managers and instil values and conscience towards bettering the environment.

What it means to be a Green School?

A green school may include, but is not limited, to the following. 

• A window to floor ratio (WFR) of more than 5 per cent.
• Majority of the population using sustainable and non-polluting modes of transport (public transport, e-rickshaws, cycling, walking, etc).
• Maximum use of energy-efficient lighting to conserve energy and use of alternative sources of energy – the GSP Audit encourages schools to minimise the use of conventional lights without compromising over sufficient lighting for students.
• Maintain a high green cover inside and around the school campus along with greater biodiversity by planting native species of plants. 
• Serve only cooked meals (avoid packaged foods) to ensure healthy food consumption.
• Harvest rainwater and treat wastewater.
• Segregate waste at source efficiently and dispose of responsibly – recycling of at least 90 per cent of the waste is recommended.
• Wet waste composted; waste should not be burned.

For more on the event and the programme, please contact Neeraj Kumar: 9716281849, neeraj.kumar@cseindia.org