Gujarat school motivates students to use bicycles

Porbandar (Gujarat), July 25 : In an unique initiative to motivate individuals for reducing dependency on petrol-driven vehicles, a Porbandar school in Gujarat has made it compulsory for its students and staff to use bicycles to come to school.

The objective of the school known as Bharatiya Vidyalaya is to enable individuals to discourage spending money on petrol in the wake of increased petrol prices. The step is also hoped to help everyone maintain a good health.

As per a directive issued by the school administration, no school buses or vans and motorbikes or scooties (mini-scooter) should be in sight in school premises on Thursdays and Saturdays. Everyone should use bicycles on these days.

Students and staff members of Bharatiya Vidyalaya now arrive in the school riding bicycles in place of petrol-driven two-wheelers.

The rule is abided by even the school principal, who himself uses bicycle on these two days. He believes that this initiative to make bicycle compulsory for all will help people to save money spent on petrol.

"Because of petrol price rise in the city and the country, we wanted the students to save money spent on petrol. This programme has been initiated for students and for the school staff including the teachers. This sends out a good message to the students and they have to come on bicycles on Thursdays and Saturdays," said Mayur Joshi, Principal of the Bharatiya Vidyalaya in Porbandar.

Students, who earlier used to arrive on motorbikes or scooters, are happy with the school's directions. They are enjoying the bicycle ride.

"We used to come on scooters to school but now we come by our bicycles everyday in spite of the school administration expecting us to come only for two days. Cycling helps our body to work out. We can also save money on petrol, which is a good thing," said Sonal Parmar, one student. By Divyesh Vayeda

ANI