PANAJI
Student outreach on sustainability practices and solar power systems featured prominently in a study by students of Goa Institute of Management (GIM) while working in the villages of Morlem and Harvalem.
As part of the ‘Give Goa Project’ community outreach programme, GIM students are working along with villagers of Morlem and Harvalem in the hinterlands of the State, to develop a roadmap for sustainable development of the village, with specific annual actions and targets over a five-year period.
“The project which is focussed towards creating a sustainability blueprint for the village involves identifying needs of villagers, community engagement, mapping data, analysis, identifying funding opportunities and more,” explained Prof Vithal Sukhathankar, Associate Professor and Faculty Guide on the project.
Student outreach initiatives to educate young minds about sustainable practices, including judicious use of natural resources, waste segregation, water usage and energy saving methods, are at the core of the programme.
Explained GIM student Sonali Sahoo, “When we met local authorities, schoolteachers and villagers in Morlem, we realised that children and adults alike were unaware of basic waste segregation practices and awareness on natural resources.”
“Climate change is a global issue being addressed across counties. We felt we needed to educate young minds on sustainable living practices and educate children on respecting nature, avoid wastage of any kind, reduce use of plastics and keeping surroundings clean.”
The team working on the Harvalem project received similar findings during their assessments and joined into the efforts.
Said a student, Jonathan Fernandes, “The students were extremely smart and eager to learn and engage but lacked practical knowledge about sustainability.”
Together, the GIM teams planned contests, art sessions and fun interactive workshops for the children in Morlem and Harvalem to drive home the point on sustainability.
Added another student, Shruti Chandra, “The residents were very accepting to suggestions regarding sustainability practices wholeheartedly. Panchayat representatives and school authorities, especially the headmistress, came on board with our plans and offered whole-hearted support to the initiative.”
The students also recommended the creation of a localised grid connected solar power system to meet some of the energy needs of the villages and surrounding areas.
Said Michelle Barretto, “The average use of energy in each household in the village is estimated to be relatively low. Power outages are frequent, especially during monsoons. These two reasons warrant the effectiveness of the proposed idea. As far as profitability is concerned, the initial investment will be fairly high, but will be lucrative in the long run.
The student lead team discussed the solar project concept with the local panchayats and with Goa Energy Development Agency (GEDA) to discuss the feasibility of solar panel installation on the roof of the Morlem panchayat building. The students went a step ahead and also contacted dealers and received the cost estimate which was presented to authorities concerned.
Commissioned by GIM’s Centre for Excellence in Sustainable Development, the programme also documents the current scenario of the village on various parameters like demographics, economic parameters, electricity consumption, water sources and consumption, waste management, natural ecosystem, and other relevant parameters.
At the end of each year, the student group share a hand-over to the next batch of students ensuring continuity. The faculty guide stays constant during the 5-year period.
