Characters:

Students: Deepak, Dana

CEO of Opal Constructions, Mr. Paul
Second-in-command, Ms. Amal
Journalist, Deepak’s sister
News Presenter
Dana’s father
Protesters

(A public park. Students in school uniform are planting trees. Two

students are talking.)
Deepak: What sort of tree is this?
Dana: I have no idea. We can ask.
Deepak: (sits down) I’m tired.
(Dana hands him a wrapped biscuit. Deepak eats it and throws away the
wrapper.)
Dana: What are you doing? Throw it in the dustbin!
Deepak: There isn’t a dustbin.
Dana: Well, keep it in your pocket till we get back to the school building. Today
is Environment Day, after all.
Deepak: Sorry. Force of habit.
(Dana remains in thoughtful silence for a while.)
Dana: I wonder if everyone has the same habits.
Deepak: That’s rather obvious. (He gestures to the litter lying here and there.)
Anyway, Class VIII is participating in a trash cleanup tomorrow.
Dana: Well. Did you hear about the new project Opal Constructions is
beginning?
Deepak: Where is it?
Dana: Next to the river.
Deepak: The river? (laughing) No way. It always overflows in the rainy season.
Only the forest near it prevents the river from flooding the city.
Dana: The question is, will the company keep the forests?

(A large office building owned by Opal Constructions)

Mr. Paul: Has the work for our new project in Navi Mumbai started?
Ms. Amal: No, sir. We will have to clear a bit of forest on our land to get the
required area. As today is June 5, it is unsafe to start now. We should start
tomorrow.
Mr. Paul: All right. Make sure the construction starts as soon as possible.
(A classroom setting. A student Mina is crying. Deepak & Dana are
standing by.)
Dana: What happened?
Deepak: You know Mina lives near the river, right? Her water supply comes from
the river. But Opal Constructions is dumping toxic waste into the river, which is
not only illegal but has caused her little brother to be seriously ill.
Dana: We can’t let the project go ahead.
Deepak: How can we stop it?
Dana: We can always try. Let me talk to my father. He is a legal adviser to the
Home Office. He might have answers.

(A house. Dana is talking to her father)

Dana: Father, isn’t dumping toxic waste into rivers illegal?
Father: Yes, of course it is.
Dana: Can’t the Opal Constructions project be stopped?
Father: If you can prove they are the ones polluting the river.
Dana: How do we do that?
Father: I will look into it.

(Opal constructions)
Ms. Amal: Sir, we have received a notice from the government to submit all
details of our toxic waste management system.
Mr. Paul: Well, submit it to them.
Ms. Amal: According to government regulations, our system is inadequate.
Mr. Paul: It’s the government. Just find out who the officer in charge is and, um,
ensure he is not too strict.
(Ms. Amal nods)

(Deepak & Dana in a classroom)

Dana: The CEO of Opal constructions was let off by the government with a
warning.
No punishment.
Deepak: We can’t let this go ahead.
Dana: How can we succeed where the government has failed?
Deepak: Why do I feel they weren’t really trying?
Dana: What do you suggest?
Deepak: In any democracy, you need people power. Public pressure, if you will.
Dana: How do we build public pressure?
Deepak: We might seek a little help from my sister. Her work might help us.
Dana: Where does she work? An NGO?
Deepak (grins): A news agency.

(Dana’s house)
Father: It’s been two weeks since the Opal constructions incident, and here I
find it in the newspaper.
Dana: What is it?
Father: A journalist (Deepak’s sister) has been digging into Mr. Paul. She has
some important facts here.
Dana: (reading) She has been busy.
Father: She has not quite been able to gather facts about the incident with the
government, but she has proved beyond doubt that they have been polluting
the river. She has also interviewed an expert about how the clearing of the
forest will speed up soil erosion and increase chances of flooding. It’s sparked
protests all over the city.
Dana: They’re petitioning Mr. Paul to stop. There’s going to be a massive rally
near his project. And some of his workers have gone on strike.

(Next day, Opal construction site. Deepak, his sister, Dana and her
father watch massive gathering)
Protesters: Save the river, save the forest! Cancel Opal Constructions!

(Inside office)
Ms. Amal: The protesters demand we cancel the entire project.
Mr. Paul: That is out of the question! Millions have gone into it!
Ms. Amal: They want us to replant the forest and set up a toxic waste
management system, if we don’t back off.
Mr. Paul: The waste management system is expensive.
Ms. Amal: The government is getting involved. Again. And they’re a lot more
serious, with all the publicity.
(Mr. Paul sighs)

(News broadcast)
Presenter: The CEO of Opal Constructions issued a statement saying that the
project will be redesigned so as to not encroach the essential forest area. The
forest area now belongs to the municipality and is public property. The
protesters are taking initiative to replant the forest. A minor company has been
contracted to dispose of their toxic waste. People who have been affected by the
water will receive compensation.
(Opal construction site. Buildings are being built in the distance. In the
foreground, people are planting trees)
Deepak: This again.
Dana: I told you. It was worth a try.

(All characters stand in a line and say-)

Environment is no one’s property to destroy; it’s everyone’s responsibility to protect.