Students create two Guinness World Records, take pledge of non-violence towards environment

In a unique homage to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary, young students from Delhi and NCR created two world records on Wednesday -- the largest number of assembly and lighting of solar lamps and environmental sustainability lessons to the largest number of students at one place.

Union minister Prakash Javadekar congratulated all students, saying they had made solar lamps with their hands and hearts.

The first world record was in the category of environmental sustainability lessons to the largest number of students at one place with close to 5,000 children participating, an official release said.

The second record was of the largest number of assembly and lighting of solar lamps, it said.

The number of participants in the solar lams record is more than 5,000 and an exact number will be released by the officials from the Guinness Book of World Records who were present at the event, the release said.

Javadekar, while speaking at the event, called for creating one's own oxygen bank by planting at least seven trees during one's lifetime.

The minister expressed happiness over the fact that 79 countries have become members of the International Solar Alliance. He also administered the oath of non-violence towards the environment to all students.

Speaking on the occasion, Power Minister R K Singh said the world is facing a serious threat from climate change and everyone should take the pledge to leave a better world for our future generations.

He further said that the future world will be a world of the producer and not a world of the consumer as every home will produce power from solar energy.

Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Anand Kumar expressed happiness that so many students took the pledge of non-violence towards the environment, and said that there couldn't have been a better tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.

He also read out the prime minister's message for the occasion, in which the PM highlighted the pivotal role that solar will play in fighting climate change.

A book titled 'Energy Swaraj' was also released and a short film on environment was screened for the participants.