Mysuru: There is more than just a grain of truth in maxims that speak about the abilities of children, and the case of the four-year-old boy from Mysuru,
Ishan Chetan, who is spreading awareness among shopowners in the city to steer clear of
plastic bears it out.
Fascinated with wildlife coupled with an unbiased perception of the environment, Ishan, along with his mother’s assistance has been visiting commercial establishments, trying to make them see the merits of using cloth and paper bags in lieu of plastic. As he plods along, doing his bit to save the environment from plastic pollution, Ishan has dreams of meeting Prime Minister
Narendra Modi one day. His sole request to the headman is this: A blanket ban on plastic across the country.
Ishan started his odyssey through the many alleyways and thoroughfares of the city only a month ago, but has visited 110 stores already – most of these shops are located in Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Road, Terresian College Road, Dr Rajkumar Road, Alanahalli, Siddartha Layout, Kuvempunagar, etc. Unwilling to restrict himself to the borders of the city, Ishan decided to visit the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) Dam, where he interacted with tourists and vendors, informing them about the harmful effects of plastic.
Son of Shruthi Chetan, assistant commissioner at the commercial tax office, Ishan distributes paper bags to all the shops he visits. It was his mother who instilled the sense of
ecological awareness in Ishan, starting at the age of two.
“I would tell him about the achievements of small kids, and point to what they had done. I also taught him songs, chants, rhymes using a tab, which he has used very productively. I started teaching him about the need to conserve the environment when he was around two-and-a-half years old. I would take him to Karigatta, where the environmentalist Ramesh has done a stellar job in protecting the greenery there. Once Ishan saw people watering plants, he followed suit,” Shruthi told TOI.
Pointing out that what Ishan was trying to do was asking others to emulate the eco-friendly exercises they practiced at home, Shruthi said, “At home, we do not waste water, and when others visiting are seen doing it, Ishan would ask them not to. I then showed him a video of a cow succumbing to death after eating plastic. Disturbed, he asked me how we can eradicate plastic, and I told him that advising shopkeepers to stop distributing it would help reduce its use.”
Shruthi said that that her son had saved money in a piggy bank, which he used to buy paper bags to distribute to shops in the city. Undeterred by the lack of a positive response from a few shops, Ishan continued with his mission.
“Plastic is harmful to animals, and pollutes the environment. The use of plastic also leads to various health problems, and that is why I have started this campaign. I want to meet PM Modi, and request him to ban plastic in India,” said Ishan, who visits around three to four shops daily once he is done with his classes.
Bhagya, who owns a cosmetic stall at the Mall of Mysuru, was among those who was motivated by Ishan’s campaign against plastic. “We are spellbound by his concern for the environment at such a tender age. He explained the ill-effects of plastic very well. He has inspired me to switch to paper bags,” said Bhagya.
Praise has also been pouring in for young Ishan from government agencies. Deputy director of the women and child welfare department Radha said, “It is surprising to see a four-year-old boy initiating such an awareness campaign. He is an inspiration to many people.”
(By R Uday Kumar)
