Bhopal, Feb 15 (IANS) More than 20,000 students of Navodaya schools in Madhya Pradesh will lend their mite for conserving the varied bio-diversity of the state.

The children selected as 'Jaiv Sanrakshan Doots' (bio-conservation ambassadors) will make other kids aware of the region's bio-diversity and motivate them to conserve it.

The campaign was started by Navodaya Vidyalaya, Ratibad in Bhopal district Sunday and launched by Secretary Biodiversity and Biotechnology Jabbar Dhakwala.

Most of the students of Navodaya schools are talented children and from rural background.

In the next academic session of Navodaya schools, which begins from April 1, about 100 pits will be dug in every Navodaya school where students taking admission in Class 6 will plant saplings of rare species.

For the next seven years, these children will nurture the saplings planted by them. The children whose saplings grow successfully will be taken on a tour of important destinations related to bio-diversity.

Several programmes including a workshop, drama competition, quiz competition, poster- making competition and painting competition were also organised during the campaign.

Dhakwala, who saw students expressing deep understanding of bio-conservation, said this next generation has the ability to do something extraordinary in the field of bio-conservation which is important since the existence of the entire humanity depends on it.