Maharaja Agrasen College Initiative for Shouldering Ecological Responsibility by Conserving Heritage (MAC INSERCH) is a society comprising of teachers, members of the non-teaching staff and students who voluntarily wish to be members. The following are the members of the society:

Patron: Dr. Sunil Sondhi (Principal)
Members:
Dr. Niraj K Singh, Associate Professor of History
Dr. Sangeeta Mittal, Associate Professor of English
Dr. Pratibha Rai, Associate Professor of Business Economics
Dr. Nibedita Khuntia, Assistant Professor of Biology
Mr. A N Abbasi, Admn. Office
Dr. Shirin B Raina, Associate Professor of History
Ms. Saumya Shukla, Assistant Professor of Economics
Ms. Puneeta Agarwal, Associate Professor of Commerce
Dr. Ritu Kohli, Associate Professor of Political Science
Dr. Anju Agrawal, Associate Professor of Political Science
Dr. Amit Pundir, Associate Professor of Electronics
Dr Geetika J Saxena, Associate Professor of Electronics
Dr Natasha, Associate Professor of Electronics
Dr Vandana Soni, Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Dr Swami Nandan, Assistant Professor of Physics
Mr Rakesh Kumar, Assistant Professor of Economics
Mr Yogeshwar Singh, Assistant Professor of Journalism
Ms Rachita, Assistant Professor of Journalism
Ms Vandana Kumari, Assistant Professor of Electronics
Ms Sangeeta Yadav, Assistant Professor of Electronics
Mr Dharmendra Mahto, Assistant Professor of Electronics
Dr Pravira Sethy, Assistant Professor of Political Science
Ms Priya Gupta, Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Dr Prasannan, A R, Associate Professor of Mathematics
Dr Jiran A Meitei, Associate Professor of Operational Research
Ms.. Chhavi Bhatnagar, Assistant Professor of Electronics

Objectives:

• To create awareness about environment among the college community through environment education
• To sensitize the society about environmental hazards through various mass contact programmes.
• To use different media including films, audio, visual and print,, theatre, drama, posters, seminars, workshops, competitions, meetings etc. for spreading messages concerning environmental conservation.
• To encourage the college community to plant more trees and protect them not only in college but also in the neighbourhood
• To bring out at least one publication of academic and research material as well as a report of achievements and agenda for future
• To generate awareness among the college community about the importance of heritage through visits to various places of historical and heritage importance and liaison with heritage management bodies like INTACH, National Museum, National Museum of Natural History and the like.

Office Bearers:

• Coordinator: Dr. Niraj K Singh
• Co-coordinator: Dr. Amit Pundir
• Secretary: Dr. Sangeeta Mittal
• Jt. Secretary: Dr. Nibedita Khuntia
• Treasurer: Dr. Pratibha Rai

Activities of MAC INSERCH hinge around three broad areas:

• Environmental action programmes like tree plantation drive, cleanliness drive, environment awareness and sensitization drives like campaigns in the college and the vicinity through posters and banners, marches and runs, street plays etc.
• Organization of seminars and workshops on various issues of environment like ecological degradation, biodiversity and climate change, threats to flora and fauna etc.
• Creating an awareness about the importance of heritage through visits and historical walks to various monuments, interaction with national and international bodies like INTACH, National Museum, National Museum of Natural History, UNESCO etc. , regular screening of documentaries on the various aspects of heritage etc.

The activities of MAC INSERCH are divided into following categories:
Category Teacher Incharge
Recycle and Reuse related activities Dr. Niraj K Singh
Green Initiative Ms. Puneeta Agarwal
Energy Conservation Dr. Amit Pundir
Heritage and Culture Dr. Sangeeta Mittal


MAC INSERCH was launched by Sh. Keshav Chandra, IAS, Secretary, Department of Environment and Forests, Govt. of NCT of Delhi, Dr. B C Sabata, Senior Scientific Officer, Govt. of NCT of Delhi and our principal, Dr. Sunil Sondhi on August 27, 2011.Making a humble beginning in 2011 with a daylong plantation drive in the college planting over 300 saplings, today the college boasts of a green campus with more than 100 species of plants. Over a period of five years, we have been able to plant over 1500 saplings many of which are timber trees like Arjuna, Neem, Teak, Ashoka, Palas/Dhak, Pipal, Banyan, Pilkhan, Kadamba, Amaltas, Kachnar etc. The College has set up a vermi-compost pit to meet the natural manure requirements. We have a paper recycling plant on the rooftop which also houses a terrace garden, aesthetically developed to keep the temperature of the lower floors under control. Several activities for the betterment of environment are planned for the forthcoming sessions including tree plantation during the monsoon season, cleanliness drive in and around the college campus and Vasundhara Enclave. We are planning to rope in Govt. of NCT of Delhi and MCD in these activities of the students.

MAC INSERCH has been instrumental in supporting the endeavour of departments of History, Economics, Business Economics, Biology, English, Political Science and others in the organizing of national conferences on Biodiversity and Climate Change for past four years. The First National Conference was held in 2013 on the topic Biodiversity and Climate Change: Today and Beyond in which keynote address was delivered by eminent environmental activist Sh. Rajendra Singh, the Waterman of India and prestigious Magsaysay award winner. The Second National Conference was held in 2014 on the topic Biodiversity and Climate Change: Habitats and Cultures. Third National Conference was held March 2015 on the topic Biodiversity and Climate Change: City and Environment which was inaugurated by Sh. Manish Sisodia, Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister, Govt. of NCT of Delhi and the keynote address was delivered by noted environmentalist Sh. Manoj Mishra of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan fame. The Fourth National Conference was held in February 2016 on the topic Biodiversity and Climate Change: Interdependencies in Nature – Pressures and Policies. The Keynote Address during this conference was delivered by noted Gandhian Environmentalist Sh. Chandi Prasad Bhatt and Sh. Ashish Khetan, Vice Chairman, Delhi Dialogue Commission graced the occasion as Chief Guest. The Fifth National Conference on Biodiversity and Climate Change was held on February 16-17, 2017 on the topic, Conserving Heritage: Natural Resources and Cultural Wealth. The Chief Guest for the Conference was Dr. B R Mani, Director General, National Museum and Vice-Chancellor, National Museum Institute, Delhi. The Keynote address was delivered by Dr. Ram Boojh, Programme Specialist, UNESCO, Delhi.

As a run-up to the Conference on Biodiversity and Climate Change, MAC INSERCH organizes a workshop for the students and staff on the importance of terrace gardening where many students and staff members participate in gardening activities. On the same day a Soup and Salad Party is organized for the staff on the terrace in order to highlight the importance of organic food.

MAC INSERCH has successfully conducted the Tree Audit of the College and has suitably placed name tags (Botanical and Common names) on the plants. It has also placed a dedicated Notice Board (2nd Floor) where information relating to environmental as well as heritage issues are regularly displayed.

In 2017-18, the activities of this body started from the Orientation Day itself with a plantation drive by the new batches and their departments. MAC INSERCH also organized plantation drive on various occasions of importance in association with civil society and institutions of Vasundhara Enclave. Dr B. C. Sabata, Sr. Scientific Officer, Govt. of NCT of Delhi, Sh. Rajeev Kumar, Councillor, Dallupura, East Delhi MCD and Dr Faiyaz Khudsar, Scientist In-charge, were among the dignitaries who supported our cause with their gracious presence. MAC INSERCH lend a hand in various activities of NSS such as Diwali Mela, Agrasen Baroji Help Initiative (ABHI). MAC INSERCH concluded the session with the 6th National Conference on Biodiversity and Climate Change held from 8-10 February 2018

In order to generate a sense of awareness about our heritage among the college community, MAC INSERCH has been organizing various heritage walks in and around Delhi including visits to Humayun Tomb, Hauz Khas, Qutb Minar and Lal Qila, Ghalib Ki Haveli, evening trips to the monuments restored and maintained by the Govt. of NCT of Delhi. Outstation tours to historical monuments include visits to Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Jaipur and other adjoining areas. We also organize student visit to some of the ecologically fragile zones like visit to Jim Corbett National Park, Sariska Tiger Reserve and Bharatpur Bird Century. The objective here is to acquaint the students with real experiences with various aspects of our cultural heritage as also nature.

At the end of the academic session, student volunteers who participate actively in activities in various environmental and heritage related programmes are suitably recognized and awarded with certificates. From the forthcoming academic year, students would be invited to register themselves with MAC INSERCH who would act as Friends of Nature and Heritage. At the end of three years of their stay in the college, their services would be duly recognized at relevant forums.

MAC INSERCH currently functions from Room No. 232. Interested students can contact us atmacinserch.du@gmail.com



Contact details:
Dr. Niraj Kumar Singh, Coordinator, 9999022085
Dr. Amit Pundir, Co-cordinator, 9811067874