``We have so much pollution around us. In the air, water and noise, we have to do something about it,'' chirps 10-year-old Saumya, filling a deep red into the apple she has drawn in the drawing of a tree. The statement, a cliche for most adults, reflects the concern the school children have about environment. Ask satirist Jug Suraiya, a judge at the painting competition, on what will he look for while rating the paintings and he replies, ``I will look at their involvement, their concern for the environment and how they express it. Iwill focus more on their sincerity rather than their execution. The fact that they are young does not meant they don't understand the importance of environment. After all, one does not need to be taught to breathe,'' he feels.

Or, if you need further proof of the maturity of the participants, sample the slogan accompanying a painting by 12-year-old Preeti Jaiswal from Apeejay School. ``Polybags are the biggest ghosts. Kill them,'' she wrote. ``The phrase captures the essence of the fears which the children have. And this is more a rule than an exception,'' says N K Ranga, another panel judge. ``The level of comprehension is great. They are all originals. They may be a little raw in conception, but there is a certain clarity in the symbols used to depict green issues,'' says the veteran cartoonist.

The show was sponsored by Hyundai, a company relatively new to India, which calls it a natural progression of its commitment to the cause of raising awareness for better environment. Hyundai Corporation runsone of the largest hospitals in Korea, in Seoul. The state-of-the art hospital has the most advanced gadgets and treatment facilities for the public, funded by the Hyundai Foundation. They donated their first Euro II compliant model to the Panchwati Green Movement to help them with their anti-polybags movement. In Sriperambdur, Hyundai has opened a small primary health centre.

What makes the company think green? ``We do it because we feel that it is the right thing to do. We have a long term commitment to the community in which we live. The environment concerns the future and children are our future. If they are made aware of the costs of development at a young age, they will develop a culture for conservation. They need to know where do we stand and what should be done,'' says B V R Subbu, director, Marketing and Sales, Hyundai Motor India.

Does the company have a core corporate social responsibility statement? ``We have no policy statement announcing our commitment to social causes. But we are onecompany which has its heart at the right place,'' says Subbu. The first five Santro models were auctioned and the proceeds went to the Army, Air Force and Navy wive's welfare organisations. ``When we built our plant in Chennai, we provided an effluent treatment facility with manufacturing standards far ahead of what the government had asked for. Our products too have the highest quality standards. All these are a reflection of what we think,'' claims Subbu.

A surprise face among the celebrity judges was cricketer Manoj Prabhakar. But Prabhakar explained his presence with a soft corner for children. ``I came here because the competition was for school kids. Kids occupy a special place in my scheme of things. Also polythene bags are an environmental horror and we can counter them only with a public campaign. A known face can help get some attention towards it,'' he feels.

The four winners were Gunjan Sethi of Lady Irwin School, Niranjana Madhavi of Sanskrit School, Pankaj Navriyal of Sant Guru Ram RaiPublic School, and Ketaki Sharma of Mother's International School.

But the last word on the need for such an event came from Marina Torchia of the Panchwati Green Movement, ``Slogans aside, we can improve the environment only with a strong will. It is tough to transform the attitudes of grown ups. It is much easier, if we begin at the school level,'' she says.