Mangaluru: Demonstrating how textbook knowledge can be translated into meaningful action, students of Carmel High School at Modankapu in Bantwal taluk have dug percolation pits during the monsoon to conserve rainwater.Under the guidance of the school’s Hasiru Bhavishya Parisara Sangha, the initiative has been carried out for the past seven years to instil environmental awareness and water-conservation values among students. Every year, students dig percolation pits near their homes, on the school premises, along roadsides, on hill slopes and in other suitable places to help rainwater seep into the ground.Roshan Pinto, mentor teacher of the school’s environment club, said the students had dug more than 1,007 rainwater percolation pits over the past seven years, including 180 this year. “The initiative reduces rainwater runoff, helps recharge groundwater and mitigates water scarcity during summer,” Pinto said.The club conducted its pit-digging campaign from June to Aug. While some students received help from their parents, many independently dug standard-sized pits measuring 3ft x 2ft x 2ft during the monsoon holidays and submitted photographs to their mentor teachers.The project was undertaken as part of the practical science curriculum, enabling students to apply their theoretical knowledge of rainwater harvesting while learning valuable life lessons, Pinto said.All participating students were recognised, while those who dug the highest number of pits were specially honoured by headmistress Sr Veera. The awardees included Royston Lobo, Jeevan Kumar, Sohan D’Souza, Elvina Barboza, Shamanth Acharya, Adithi Rao, Likhitha, Shamanth K, Preeval Carlo and Akshitha.“The students’ efforts play a crucial role in recharging underground aquifers and maintaining ecological balance, earning widespread appreciation from the community. Each pit can hold and percolate approximately 340 litres of water every time it fills. Collectively, the 180 pits dug this year can help recharge up to 61,200 litres of water at a time,” Pinto said.Student Adithi Rao said, “Over the past three years, I have dug 68 percolation pits around my house with support from my parents. By allowing rainwater to recharge groundwater instead of letting it flow into rivers, we can help address water scarcity.”
