Scientists and students of the ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), organised a cycle rally on campus early Wednesday morning. The event saw enthusiastic participation from around 250 students, faculty members and staff, all pedalling together to promote the vision of a cleaner, greener and healthier academic environment. Newly elected Student Council of NDRI office bearers coordinated the organisation of event.
The eco-rally was led by Dr Dheer Singh, Director of ICAR-NDRI, who flagged it off. The participants covered a 5-kilometer route spanning the interior of the sprawling campus, raising awareness about the benefits of cycling for personal fitness and environmental conservation.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Singh highlighted that the initiative aimed to serve a three-fold purpose: improving the overall fitness of the campus community, minimising personal and institutional expenditure on medicare through active lifestyles and drastically lowering the institute’s carbon footprint.
As a testament to its commitment to institutional climate action, ICAR-NDRI has already imposed a strict vehicular ban for undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) students within the campus premises. The administration is currently implementing a total ban on fossil-fuel-powered vehicles across campus in a phased manner. Leading by example, Dr Singh and several senior officials have adopted bicycles for their daily internal commute, effectively reducing fuel expenditure while actively helping the institute earn carbon credits.
The rally concluded with a collective pledge by the faculty, staff and students to adopt eco-friendly transit methods.
