St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai Teams Up with OPPO India for E-Waste Awareness and Sustainability Drive

 

Mumbai: “OPPO India”, in collaboration with the “All-India Council for Technical Education” (AICTE), has extended the second phase of its ‘Generation Green’ campaign with an e-waste awareness drive at St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. This marks the college's recognition as an 'Eco-Conscious Champion Institute', promoting sustainable e waste management practices. The campaign, initially launched to promote green internships, has reached over 9,000 students across India, with 5,000 selected for internships.

The focus of the second phase is on educating youth about the growing problem of electronic waste, including discarded items like mobile phones, chargers, batteries, and wires. The event saw participation from students of St. Xavier’s College and nearby schools, who engaged in creative activities like Nukkad Natak, freestyle rap, poetry, and poster-making to emphasize the importance of responsible e-waste management.

Mr. S.V.R. Srinivas, IAS and CEO of the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, attended as Chief Guest and emphasized the urgency of managing e-waste in urban centers like Mumbai. He applauded OPPO's initiative for raising awareness among the youth, whom he identified as key drivers for change. The campaign aims to reach 10 lakh youth by the end of 2024 through Green Pledges, activity-based awareness sessions, and e-surveys.

Mr. Rakesh Bhardwaj, Head of Public Affairs at OPPO India, highlighted the success of the campaign, with over 2,00,000 Green Pledges made and 460+ interns from St. Xavier’s already engaged. He reiterated OPPO’s commitment to supporting India's Net-Zero vision by empowering youth to adopt sustainable practices.

A report from UNCTAD noted that between 2010 and 2022, India saw the highest global growth in e-waste generation—163%, driven by increased usage of screens, computers, and small IT equipment. This underscores the importance of campaigns like ‘Generation Green’ in tackling this issue.

Dr. Rajendra Shinde, Principal of St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, emphasized the college’s dedication to sustainability and plans to onboard more interns and partner with NGOs to enhance environmental awareness. The collaboration between OPPO India and AICTE is managed by 1M1B (One Million for One Billion) and aligns with the upcoming NIRF 2025 Sustainability Rankings, promoting green practices in educational institutions.

For more information or to join the movement, visit iamgenerationgreen.in.