Pedal power to spread environmental awarness

CHENNAI: Cyclists from Andhra Pradesh urged educational institutions to conduct a bicycle rally as part of their programme during celebrations such as Annual Children’s day. This will lead to an increase in the awareness on pollution among students.To spread awareness about the environment, Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board and Active Bicyclers Association have been organising a cycle yatra across India. Thirty students of Acharya Nagarjuna University are participating in the yatra, planning to pedal from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. In the first phase which started in January, they travelled from Vijayawada to New Delhi.Now in the second phase, they are pedaling from Vijayawada to Kanyakumari.The participants were felicitated by South Indian Telugu Welfare Association in Chennai on Saturday.Flagging off the yatra near Kilpauk medical college, Dr C M K Reddy, Vascular Surgeon, said that 50-60 per cent of diseases are mostly caused by laziness. He said, “One must do exercise every day, failing which invites muscular and digestive problems, pain in knee etc.” He added that people are usually worrying about the pollution in environment, but they forget to think of pollution in their body itself.So only possible way to get rid of most diseases is exercise. “Cycling is the best option one could easily choose to do,” advised Dr Reddy.Cyclists will be holding sign boards displaying awareness slogans. They were issuing pamphlets to passers-by on the road and meeting heads of various organisations to stress the importance of cycling and public transport. On their way, cyclists will also discussing the issues with principals of schools and asking them to conduct cycle rally during celebrations.“Students should be instructed of traffic problems in schools. Therefore, they would resort to cycling when they grow up.The people of our country should realise that using public transport for commuting is the only solution to traffic congestion,” said V Satyanarayana, who is coordinating the yatra.Spreading the message on clean environment, need for using public transport, and emphasizing the importance of cycling and pollution control across Tamilnadu, the second phase of yatra will end at Kanyakumari, by the last week of this month. It would finally be completed after finishing the third phase trip from Srinagar to New Delhi, which is planned for next month.

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