Al-Kshema Dhama Launched at SAC

The management of St Aloysius College recognises that forests, coasts, water bodies, groundwater and biodiversity are all important prerequisites for life on this planet and sustainable development. St. Aloysius College is also conscious and committed to the environmental issues regarding the protection, conservation and sustenance of natural resources. Before going further into the details of the launch of AL-KSHEMA DHAMA, an Eco-Friendly Park, let’s know more about the other TWO Eco-Friendly projects taken up already by St Aloysius College in the past.

The First one is the Mother Teresa Peace Park, where under the shade of plenty of trees, there is an open-air theatre in the Main Campus of the College which is named after Mother Teresa. The space, known as ‘katte’ was named after Mother Theresa on 3 September 2016 to commemorate the canonization of Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkata. This space provides an opportunity for students to exhibit their talents in the cultural as well as the academic field. Students are actively engaged in participating in various competitions and talent shows after the regular class in this space.

At this Park, the millingtonia hortensis (akasha mallige) creates a carpet of white, fragrant flowers every morning. Students enjoy studying under this tree. The gnetum ula is described as a “living fossil” by a college student. The tree has conical bunches of flowers. It grows on other trees. The trees have plates with the names of the researchers and students who have contributed to the development of the tree. These are painted regularly to motivate the students and researchers to keep up the good work. Mother Teresa Peace Park has an avenue with over 100 trees created by tissue culture at Dr Kupper’s biotechnology lab in St. Aloysius College.

The next is the Al-Vana, an endeavour to realise such a lofty objective. Al-Vana – an Arboretum – with an expanse of about 1.5 acres is maintained as a mini biodiversity spot on the campus with its natural flora and fauna. About 150 plants belonging to 70 different species are maintained in this Arboretum. Among these, three species belong to RET category. The floristic components with a good canopy and topography is favourable for the enrichment of the species.

The entire college is involved in the go green project. Organic waste is managed efficiently through a vermitechnology programme. Efforts are made to control carbon dioxide by maintaining a clean, green pollution-free campus. Al-vana serves as a focus for reforestation and soil conservation efforts in the area.
ow coming to the AL-KSHEMA DHAMA, which was blessed and inaugurated by Fr Melwin Pinto SJ-the Rector of St Aloysius Institutions, and Rev Dr Praveen Martis SJ-the Principal of St Aloysius College, Mangaluru speaks volumes about how a thrash filled area, including old furniture, office equipment, other waste dumped in a barren land, got an extreme-makeover, with an initiative taken by Environmentalist and Green Activist Arjun Mascarenhas, along with College Eco-Warriors, is a Hell turned into a Heaven or Haven for students to relax and enjoy the beauty of Mother Nature.

Eco warriors have put all their efforts into creating the al shama dama from plucking out unwanted plants to plotting all varieties of lush green plants they have put their heart and soul into creating the space that we have now, cleaning all the smallest bits of plastic to turning a plastic bottle into pots of beautiful paintings an incredible job was done by all the warriors who didn’t mind dedicating their time nor their effort whenever and wherever it was required. Around 60% of the waste gathered in the spot earlier has been recycled and used in creating the new Eco-Park.