Media Release

Puttur, Dec 9: The Ministry of Human Resource and Development, Government of India, has identified St Philomena College, Puttur as one of the best performing institutions with green smart campus among 69 higher educational institutions in India. The college has been focusing on cleanliness, waste management, water conservation and water management.

St Philomena College has been constantly making all the necessary efforts in executing the guidelines of MHRD in the sphere of Swachhta on and off the campus. The efforts in promoting Swachhta in villages and making open-defection free Indian villages, have been recognised. The college has stood at 4th place in Karnataka. The students of Social Work and the members of NSS, NCC and Eco Club were actively involved in organising various programmes and creating environmental awareness among the rural mass. This has been well appreciated and placed on record by the MHRD.

The MHRD in its handbook of Institutional achievements in ‘Swachh Campus Ranking 2019’ recorded the efforts of St Philomena College along with other 68 higher educational institutions. The members of Swachhta Committee of the college Vaija M, Praveen Prakash D’Souza and Abhishek Suvarna have participated in the award ceremony organised by MHRD at Prajnan Auditorium, AICTE, New Delhi on December 3, 2019.

The correspondent Fr Alfred J Pinto, campus director Dr Antony Prakash Monteiro and principal Leo Noronha expressed their happiness for receiving Swachh Campus Recognition from MHRD.

Brief outline of Swachhta by college

The idea of Swachh campus has been a usual practice in the college since its inception. Twenty-six acres of sprawling campus has been utilized extensively. The management has taken necessary steps in the campus to maintain hygiene and promote cleanliness initiatives. The college trusts in the belief that 'cleanliness is next to Godliness'. The clubs and associations like NSS, Eco club, NCC, Youth Red Cross unit, Rovers and Rangers, Students’ Council, Consumer Forum and Social Work Departments are organising activities to promote Swachh Campus awareness among students, staff and the public.

Efforts are made to keep the campus tidy, clean and green. The college conducts green audit once in five years to gauge the use of different environmental factors like water consumption, electricity consumption, solid waste management, water resource managements in its campus.

In-campus Activities

The college has adopted the strategies to segregate the waste of the campus into different categories - bio-degradable waste (food waste, garden waste and paper), recyclable waste (paper, glass, plastic, metal etc.), inert waste (construction and demolition waste, dirt, rocks and debris) and hazardous waste (e-wastes, paints, chemicals, light-bulbs, pesticides). Waste is collected and removed by the Municipal Corporation. The college has installed vermi-composting unit where the organic waste is used for vermi-composting. The Institution seeks to attain carbon neutral status by reducing and avoiding carbon emissions. Managing waste of all form to clean the campus is given utmost importance by the institution.

Extent of greenery at college campus is above 30% of total campus area. There are about 2000 plants of 132 types, such as Silvstaenia Mahagoni, sandalwood, teak, mango, jackfruit, areca and coconut trees, making the campus most serene. Adding to these, there are many fruit bearing trees and medicinal plants. Well maintained lawns and gardens at the entrance, hostel premises, near priests’ residence are beauty to behold. The college also has a separate botanical garden. There is dedicated staff for the maintenance of lawns and gardens. NSS, Rovers and Rangers, Student Union and Social Work students are planting new plants every year during Vanamahothsava programme. Around 46 varieties of fruit saplings have been planted within a span of two years.

The college consists of two separate hostels for men and women. Well-furnished hostels with modern amenities cater the needs of the students. Adequate number of well-ventilated and maintained toilets are available in the campus. Twenty-four-hour water supply is available from five tube wells. Recharging mechanism of tube wells has been adopted. The rain water collected is stored and used in toilets. Water connection is also availed from Municipal Corporation. The clean drinking water facilities are installed in the Campus. Utmost care has been taken in the Campus to save each drop of water. “Save water” is the dictum of the institution.

Off-campus activities

The college has taken the initiative to conduct swachhta programmes to create awareness on cleanliness and hygiene among public. The college has decided to identify the areas in and around Puttur, Kadaba, Madikeri and Beltangady taluks. Scientific survey has been conducted by the faculty members and students of PG and UG departments of Social Work, NSS, NCC and Eco Club. Accordingly, villages like Peraje, Uravalu, Aryapu, Kadaba, Narimogeru, Bannuru, Sampya, Uruvaalu, Kodimabaadi, Kadaba have been chosen for the Swachhta activities. The college has conducted cleanliness related Jathas, Abhiyanas and activities in these targeted community areas with the help of panchayats, NGO’s, panchayats, self help groups, schools etc. The college has also organised health camps for the community and people have also benefited from the camp immensely. Students were involved actively in home visits to create cleanliness awareness, especially dengue, malaria awareness programmes. They distributed pamphlets to create awareness as well as guided the public to keep their homes clean and hygienic.