With an aim to inspire students to become fine citizens, Haryana's School Education Department has kicked off a special programme called 'Joyful Saturday', under which children studying in government schools, learn and then spread awareness about social and relevant activities every week.

Following the same, nearly 10 lakh such students will help to aware the people about vector-borne diseases (infections transmitted by the bite of infected arthropod species, such as mosquitoes) including dengue, malaria chikungunya and others.

Children studying in Class VI to XII will participate under the statewide awareness campaigns to be held on coming Saturday when nearly 5-6 students in a group visiting their respective localities to spread awareness among the locals about the causes leading to the said diseases and the strategies for prevention and control such diseases.

Speaking to The Statesman, Additional Chief Secretary, School Education, Haryana, PK Das said, "Under our Joyful Saturday programme, students are taught about some social and useful activities every week and for this week, awareness on vector-borne diseases has been chosen as like every year, prevailing of these diseases could be a major problem in coming months too."

"With the help of the Health Department, the students in government schools have been educated about these diseases, causes of leading to it, symptoms and strategies preventing such illness. Now it's their turn to aware the people residing in their surroundings in getting aware on all these topics. The main focus will be on the districts falling under the national capital region (NCR) as it remained the most affected region last year too," he said.

The official further stated that the initiative inspiring students for conducting such social activities under the 'Joyful Saturday', has been taken to inspire the students to become good citizens.

Earlier, the students of government schools have successfully launched similar awareness campaign regarding harmful effects of tobacco use and this will continue in future too, he said.

Around 21 lakh students are enrolled in nearly 12,000 government schools in Haryana, out of which about 10 lakh are expected to participate in the said campaign.