3 tech-savvy kids campaign against the noise nuisance

Trio maps city decibel levels, prepares tables based on their findings

MUMBAI: When 11- year- old Sahil Parab stepped out with his parents on the last day of Ganeshotsav celebrations to witness various processions heading towards immersion sites, he could not stand the noise.

He asked his father for his smartphone, opened a noisemeasuring app and found that the decibel levels were touching 100dB. “The loudspeakers and DJ’s sets sent vibrations through my body, while drunk people were dancing all around me. It felt like I was partially deaf,” said Parab adding, “I showed my parents the readings and persuaded them to head home.”

The growing noise levels had been a concern playing on his mind even before the Ganeshotsav began. To bring forth the need to turn down the volume, Parab, along with two 12 year olds – Harsh Mhadadlkar and Anirudh Chowdhury – recorded noise levels of 12 locations during Dahi Handi and 10 locations during Ganeshotsav.

The children – all residents of BDD chawl in Lower Parel – took up the task as part of a research project guided by Reniscience Education, an organisation that works with children outside the classroom.

“These children prepared tables and recorded noise levels during the morning, evening and night. We were surprised with their findings,” said Sangita Kapadia, their teacher from Reniscience Education.

The trio also met Sumaira Abdulali, convener, NGO Awaaz Foundation, to learn how to use noise meters. “We put together a set of questions for Sumaira ma’am and wanted to know how noise meters are used. We also asked her about how the city has been divided into silence and residential zones and how complaints can be filed at police stations,” said Mhadadlkar.

Implementing the format they read in newspapers, the trio took down readings in their notebooks and compared them to what was published over the 10 days of the festival. “We downloaded a decibel meter application on our teacher’s phone and found that noise from dhols, DJ sets and loudspeakers measured high on the meter,” said Mhadadlkar.

Abdulali explained to them how noise complaints could also be filed online on various social media websites. “These children have the ability, interest and enthusiasm to do something even the police could not. They have set an example of how citizens can be proactive,” said Abdulali, adding, “I am very impressed with them and hope to mentor them in future.”

In the coming week, the boys will accompany volunteers from the NGO to take noise readings during the 10-day Navratri festival.

Source: The Hindustan Times dated 12/10/2015

Maharashtra Government Resolution dated 7th October 2015 for the Celebration of Vachan Prerana Din on 15th October, 2015

Maharashtra Government Resolution dated 7th October 2015 for the Celebration of Vachan Prerana Din on 15th October, 2015

https://www.maharashtra.gov.in/Site/Upload/Government%20Resolutions/English/201510071739196521.pdf

Analysis

Students in the city and surrounding areas can leave their school bags at home next Thursday , when schools across the state will observe Vaachan Prerna Diwas or Reading Day as per a government order.

The decision to celebrate October 15, the birth anniversary of former President of India A P J Abdul Kalam, as Vaachan Prerna Diwas in schools across the state was made by school education minister Vinod Tawde soon after Kalam's death on July 27. In a government resolution issued on Wednesday , the state asked all students from Class III to VIII to read non-academic books in school, and instructed schools to host book exhibitions, implement gift-a-book programmes, introduce students to well-known authors from around the world, and hold discussions on books. The government has said that almost Rs 6 lakh is available for the programme.

Going a step further, the office of the deputy director has asked schools in the Mumbai region to also allow students to leave their bags home on the day . “Kalam's writings are an in spiration to students and youth. These activities will help students develop an interest for reading, which is sorely lacking. So we created the `school without bags' plan for that day,“ said B B Chavan, deputy director, Mumbai region. Suggested activities for schools in Mumbai include inviting authors, literature and other subject experts, reading a book that is not a school textbook and teaching students how to read out loud. “There should be no kind of pressures in class this day and a positive environment should be created. This way , students can read what they like and have fun doing it. Only then will the programme be a success,“ said the circular issued by Chavan.

Schools have also been advised to dedicate time on a specific day every month for reading, host book fairs, organize meets for teachers and keep the school library updated. They should also award students and teachers who read the maximum number of books.

However, with exams just round the corner, schools are not sure if they can have activities throughout the day .“Our oral and practical exams begin next week, so we might not be able to dedicate the entire day for these activities. We will, may be, conduct them for some time during the day . The idea of celebra ting such days is school is great,“ said Freny Mehta, principal, Alexandra Girls' Institution, Fort.

Chavan said the plan is not rigid and schools can make adjustments as required.

Last year, all schools in the city's south zone marked November 21as No-Textbook Day . A brainchild of Chavan, schools had hosted various activities such as book reading sessions, interactions with authors, newspaper reading and making and book review discussions during school hours. There was participation of more than 430 schools. 

Suggested Timetable

Period 1 - Importance of the Programme

Period 2 - Invite an author, artist, actor or other Subject experts

Period 3 -  Teach Students techniques to read out in class or in public

Period 4, 5 - Students must carry to school a book of their choice and read out

Period 6, 7, 8 -  Students must read the books

Period 9 - Feedback Time

Active Users for the Month of September 2015

All the below mentioned students are eligible for one extra card for the month of October 31, 2015:

Sr. No.	Member	No's. ofTransactions
1	RISHABH TIWARI	27
2	SHRADDHA SHINDE	23
3	SARVESH NARKAR	22
4	ASHOK MORE	21
5	VENEEZA CARDOZO	21
6	NEVIL JEEVAN	20

SE Diploma Director Admission Students

Please Note .......

SE Diploma Director Admission Students are requested to return back their Library Cards for 
BAR CODING before 24th September 2015.

MOSAIC 2015

MOSAIC 2015 was celebrated on September 16, 2015.

The MOSAIC Commitee - 2015

Following Topper's are eligible for Scholar's Card

FE - Sem II

1 NAIK NEHA JAGDISH 10

2 D SOUZA RIESL ROY 9.78

3 DCOSTA RAVEENA MARIAN CYRIL 9.78

SE INFT - Sem IV

1 41052 Kate Prachi Tukaram Shila 9.11

2 41069 Mishra Prachi Atul Ranjana 8.96

3 41041 Ghotgalkar Mitali Sanjeev Vaishali 8.71

SE CMPN - Sem IV

1 42051 Furtado Sweenal Jerold Sunita 9.86

2 42005 Asha Elza Jacob Mary 9.29

3 42027 Dhongade Aakash Sunil Anita 9.21

SE ExTC - Sem IV

1 43033 D'Souza Rhea Felix Cherryblossom 9.57

2 43032 D'Souza Natasha Hippolito Lorna 9.5

3 43065 Kaintura Aradhana Jabbar Singh Ranjana 9.43

TE INFT - Sem VI

1 61083 MIRANDA SEAN STANLEY PANZY 9.2

2 61003 ADARSH ASHOK SUNITA 9.08

3 61049 GHAGARE AKASH SAYAJI SHAILA 9.04

TE CMPN - Sem VI

1 62081 PANDIT POOJA DIVAKAR POORNIMA 10

2 62026 TIWARI RISHABH RAJESH REKHA 9.83

3 62083 PEREIRA LARISSA VIJAY SANDRA 9.67

TE ExTC - Sem VI

1 63020 CREADO STEFFI REKKY ANITA 8.29

2 63096 NAYAL NEHA BHUPENDER SINGH GANGA 8.04

3 63093 NADAR MELWIN BRANDON CLEMENT JOSEPHINE 7.89

TEACHERS’ DAY CELEBRATION

TEACHERS’ DAY CELEBRATION

(Contributed by Achilles Rasquinha, GS 2015-16)

WHEN:   September 5th, 2015

    In India, Teachers’ Day has always remained a day filled with celebrations and joy for teachers’ within all institutions, nation-wide. And so, St. Francis Institute of Technology’s newly elected Students’ Council left no stone unturned to make the day for their teachers, a memorable one.

        While the teaching and non-teaching members of the staff remained busy in their meets and discussions for the day, our student-volunteers ensured to pull them out of their busy schedules and gather them into groups, for a morning surprise awaited them. Teachers were then engaged in a healthy battle to bag as many chocolate bars they could, based on the questions put forward by our volunteers. We’ve ensured that volunteers leave no one behind, even teachers who reside in isolated rooms all alone, in order to join into the game filled with fun and frolic.

        While volunteers entertained our teachers upstairs, little did they know that an event organized was been given its final touches, downstairs. And so did it begin at 2:30 P.M, in the Assembly Hall. We believed to have lived with the theme of the event which ensures that each teaching and non-teaching member of the staff receives at least one chocolate for the day, if not many, which is why we had volunteers placed at the entrance with two baskets filled with toffies for our teachers to pick one as they took their seats.

        Prachi Kate, our newly elected Cultural Secretary introduced our guests for the event – our teachers. We had Lenryl Sequeira, a student of the third-year, perform beatboxing, a skill what he described to the audience gathered at large as, “a person who makes weird noises with his voice”. With beats echoing till the edge of the Assembly Hall, Lenryl sure did introduce a new form of art, unbeknown to all. He, along with Achilles Rasquinha, sang out some melodious hits as well. Next, we had a dance performance by Naithika Shetty, a student belonging to the third year, and her dance group of second-year students, providing yet another taste of art form and entertaining the audience gathered at large.

        Savvy Sequeira, the newly elected Sports Secretary introduced the highlight of the event – “SO YOU THINK YOU’RE AN SFITIAN”, an entirely enacted game show hosted by Achilles Rasquinha for 16 teachers, divided into teams of 4, contesting for an ultimate prize. Teachers rushed to catch their seats placed on the podium as soon as voluntary participation was declared. With rounds divided into as follows – LEVEL F.E., S.E., T.E. and B.E., teachers’ went through a set of questions related to simple observations around the campus, and “MINUTE TO WIN IT!” games in each level, wherein the objective was to score maximum number of points based on the task to be performed. Little did the audience know, that a day before the event, as the received their invites, was a number tagged below it. We used these numbers to pick out members from the audience, who then could try answering the questions flashed on the screen along with the contenders seated at the gaming arena and win a prize. With jokes, laughs and heat of the game filled within the Assembly Hall, our teachers ended up with smiles throughout the event. Akash Dhongade, the newly elected Technical Secretary ensured that the game goes smooth with his support, ranging from LIVE projections, to hospitality.

        With the game over, winners declared and snacks being served by our volunteers, Mitali Ghotgalkar, the newly elected Women’s Representative of the Students’ Council, gave out her message and thought with respect to the gifts for our teachers to be received. Each teacher was given a tulsi sapling, which denotes how they’ve come to help us students grow into a plants of holiness and strength. We had teachers thanking students for making their day, truly a memorable one.

All were merry.