Punjab bags top honors in green schools programme for second year in a row

Bathinda: For the second time in a row, Punjab has bagged the ‘Best State' and ‘Best District' awards under the Green Schools Programme by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Punjab received these accolades for its leadership in fostering a culture of environmental consciousness. The Green School Programme (GSP) by the CSE aims to make school campuses environment friendly and students environmentally conscious.
Across Punjab, 11,917 schools registered for the programme, with 7,406 successfully completing the audit, representing 84% of the 8,831 schools audited nationwide. Of 345 schools across India selected as Green Schools, 196 — 171 govt and 25 private schools — were from Punjab. Hoshiarpur district emerged as the top-performing district in India, with a record-breaking 1,945 schools completing green audits, the highest from any district nationwide.
The number of Punjab's Green Schools have grown remarkably from 70 in 2023-24 to 196 in 2024-25, showcasing the state's unwavering commitment to sustainability. This transformation was driven by the department of science technology and environment, Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST). In 2023-24, 4,734 schools from the state submitted their audit reports. Among these, 70 were rated ‘green', while Sangrur district bagged the Best District Award with 503 submissions.
The awards will be conferred during the Green Schools Awards ceremony on Feb 4 at New Delhi. This distinction highlights Punjab's initiatives in fostering environmental sustainability and awareness among school communities, claimed the PSCST.
The Green Schools Programme, spearheaded by CSE, is a nationwide initiative that encourages schools to conduct rigorous environmental audits and transform their campuses into models of sustainability. These audits evaluate resource use and identify areas for improvement across six key domains: air, energy, food, land, water, and waste. By participating in these audits, schools gained actionable insights to optimise resource management and reduce their environmental footprints.
PSCST's role in ushering in a new green revolution in Punjab's schools through the Green Schools Programme deserves commendation. By equipping schools with tools and knowledge, PSCST cultivated a culture of sustainability and environmental responsibility among students, teachers, and administrators, said department officials.
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