(Campus Community Partnership)

Formal inauguration of the center took place on Saturday, 10 AM, 14th August 2010, at Cardinal Pdiyara Hall, SB College, Changanacherry.

Berchmans center for extension activities is the center for community service of St Berchmans College, Changanacherry started to extend academic support to the society around. The center has initiated a novel programme ‘Sustainable Home’ for proactive involvement of the academic community towards environmentally safe development of the general at large in Changanacherry Municipal area. The aim is to help develop model families in the society, which will act as catalysts to transform the general community towards sustainable progress and development through their generous involvement.  Such a transformation is currently essential to meet the environmental challenges such as global climatic changes, resource depletions, energy scarcity, food security, consumerist life styles and the associated environmental health hazards. Irrespective of the economic status, all people have to change towards a sustainable life style. A limit to need is inherent in solving problems of environmental crises.

Under this scheme, every year the college is committed to adopt 100 families in the Changanacherry Municipal area for equipping them to act as leaders of ‘sustainable home’ in their society. The first group of families selected is those of the ‘Sahrudaya Residence Association’, Vazhapally. Members of this association are registered with the center to provide them knowledge and experience in becoming ‘sustainable homes’ by extending the entire academic facilities of the college. Academic supports include environmental awareness, energy management, organic vegetable farming, and the like. After their association with the SBECA for one year, each of the selected family is expected to influence a minimum of 10 families around towards similar transformations to sustainability. They will be getting the support of the center as and when they require in future as well.
Water quality analysis for public was performed throughout the year. Residents in and around Changanasserry benefited from the programme.Our Lab is reapproved as B Grade consultant laboratory by kerala Pollution Control Board.

Vermicompost was supplied to the public and to the college campus through the UGC Ecofriendly Waste Management Project under the Department of Zoology.

Core Committee for SBECA                                    
Prof Job Josep (Coordinator)                                                          
Dr J G Ray                                                                                                  
Prof. Renji Mathew