Green Picnic Mission

About the event

The Green Picnic Mission (GPM) is a name that most nature lovers and enthusiasts from Durgapur and adjacent areas can relate to easily. The program was initiated in 2016–2017, under the name of Durgapur Barrage Cleaning Campaign, under the banner of erstwhile Birding Durgapur. A brainchild of our founding member and Governing Body member Nirjhar Banerjee, GPM is a culmination of a movement that started with only five nature enthusiasts and bird lovers — Milan Kanti Mandal (DFO, Durgapur), Kamol Raha, Abhijeet Sett, Nirjhar Banerjee, and Sagar Adhurya — during 2016–2017. Initially undermined, this project turned out to be a grand success in 2017–2018, when the number of participants skyrocketed to around 82.

The need for such a campaign arose out of the immediate need to educate picnickers about the ill-effects of use-and-throw plastic and thermoplastic utensils and their improper management, uncontrolled playing of DJ microphones, stampeding on nests of river-bank birds built on sandbanks, and several other nuisances.

Barrage Cleaning Campaign 2017–18

The campaign itself is part of a Citizen Science and Innovation Project undertaken by the then Biodiversity of Paschim Bardhaman. It was rechristened Green Picnic Mission from 2017–2018 on account of the multipurpose goals set to be achieved via this program. The objectives now included not only cleaning picnic sites but also creating environmental awareness among picnickers, which in turn would yield long-term results in other areas as well.

We feel fortunate in having the patronage of West Bengal Pollution Control Board (Durgapur regional office), Durgapur Forest Division, The New Horizon Institute of Technology, Durgapur Government College, and Durgapur Snakes and Wild Lovers during GPM 2017–2018. The program was also modelled in Howrah, Cooch Behar, and Purulia districts of West Bengal, with some local modifications.

Barrage Cleaning Campaign 2018–19

In 2018–19, for the first time the “Green Picnic Mission” term appeared under the emergence of a new group WINGS (Wildlife Information and Nature Guide Society). In this year, Wildlife Conservation Murshidabad joined as a new partner.

Barrage Cleaning Campaign 2019–20

WINGS became a registered society and our full name is Durgapur Wildlife Information and Nature Guide Society. Being a registered society we are not facing the biggest problem of approaching administration. This year we launched our program for all three days at Maithon Dam, Deul Park, Durgapur Barrage, and Nachan Dam on 25th, 31 December and 1 January. In addition to previous organisers, FOCUSS the Pride of Durgapur and Amra Kajan Nature Club joined hands with us to make the venture a success.

As promised by our Hon'ble Sub Divisional Magistrate Sri Anirban Kolay, there was Green Picnic throughout the Durgapur subdivision. An administrative meeting including WINGS representative, Divisional Forest Officer, EE (WBPCB), EE (DHW), DMC, BDO of all blocks, ADPC and BDO Barjora was organised at SDM office to enforce the Green Picnic Mission throughout the subdivision. Decisions were taken towards the ban of plastic and DJ box in picnic, construction of biotoilet at picnic spots, temporary biodegradable plate-glass stall, etc.