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Chapter – 8 Education and Awareness Chapter-8 Education and Awareness – To ensure training and man-power Environmental Education, Awareness and development in environment education; Training and Introduction and objective – To mobilize people’s awareness for preservation and conservation of The environmental damage already inflicted environment. due to alarming on-going population explosion, rapid movement towards Progress of Activities Undertaken under major urbanisation and industrialisation, increasing programmes needs of energy and fast scientific and National Green Corps (NGC) Programme technological advancement cannot be – It is a well-established and recognized fact reversed unless there is collective thinking, will that the children can be catalyst in and effort. These call for public awareness promoting a mass movement about the and participation for bringing about an ensemble of the environmental issues. attitudinal change and finally restricting Being future citizens, inculcation of attitude further damage to the environment. Effective and environmental oriented behaviour i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f e nvi ro n m e n t a l amongst them can bring about management and conservation programmes depends on education, awareness raising tremendous change in the society. It is in and training in the relevant areas. Without an this backdrop that the Ministry has understanding of how to conserve natural embarked upon a major initiative for resources and the compelling need to do so, creating environmental awareness among few people would be motivated to participate children by formation of a National Green actively in programmes on environmental Corps (NGC). Children are triggers for a conservation. Environment education and chain reaction, making a difference at the awareness thus assume critical importance. local and community level which in due The ‘Environmental Education, Awareness course lead to awareness at city, State, and Training’ is therefore an important country and global level. In less than six scheme of the Ministry for enhancing the years, that the programme has been in understanding of people at all levels about the operation, it has been catapulted into a relationship between human beings and the mass movement of children for environment and to develop capabilities/skills maintaining and preserving the to improve and protect the environment. This environment. During the year (up-to scheme was launched in 1983-84 with the 31.12.07) 83372 eco-clubs were following basic objectives supported across the country. No. of eco- – To develop educational/teaching clubs set up from 2002-03 to 2007-08 materials and aids in the formal education (upto 31.12.07) is given in Table-16. sector; NGC Programme is implemented – To encourage non-governmental throughout the country through State organizations, mass media and other Nodal Agencies. A list of such Agencies is concerned organizations for promoting given in Annexure-VIII. environmental awareness among the – A training programme for Master Trainer/ people at all level; Teacher-in-charges of Eco-clubs has been – To promote environment education formulated for whole country with cost through existing educational/scientific estimate of Rs. 10.90 Crores as per details /research institutions; given below 171 MoEF Annual Report 2007-08 National Green Corps Programme, the Ministry has brought out a wall calendar highlighting the message of the programme and focusing on environment significant events. Each leaf of the calendar is expected to inspire the young minds of the Eco-club members to contribute in creating nature and environment awareness in the country. Copies of calendars were distributed to all Fig.60 Eco-club guide delivering lecture to its the Eco-clubs across the country. members during a seminar on environmental protection and conservation National Environment Awareness Campaign • No. of Master Trainers to be trained (NEAC) 2476 – Environment protection and improvement • No. of teacher-in-charges of Eco-clubs is a task of such a magnitude that no 125333 Government, or group however resourceful or knowledgeable, can Training of the Master Trainers has already accomplish it successfully without been launched in current financial year. involvement of masses at large. Thus, Among the conventional modes of mass efforts are required to effectively spread communication, radio is the most potent awareness on environmental issues across medium to reach out to largest number of the country. In order to arouse people’s target groups with information and messages concern and awareness towards the concerning their lives and environment. environment National Environment Considering the coverage of the radio, which Awareness Campaign is also launched is more than 80% of the geographical area each year since 1986. and population of the country, the Ministry has decided to produce and broadcast – This programme was continued during this through Directorate of Advertising and Visual year with the main theme as ‘Biodiversity Publicity, two sponsored weekly radio Conservation’. The following sub- themes for action components were considered for programmes of half an hour and 15 minute financial assistance: duration over CBS stations and FM stations respectively of All India Radio. • Wetland conservation – In the furtherance of the objectives of the • Medicinal plants • Biodiversity as an indicator of environmental quality • Role of community in biodiversity conservation • Biodiversity and pollution abatement – In this campaign, NGOs, schools, colleges, universities, research institutions, women and youth organisations, army units, government departments etc. from all over the country get associated in organising and conducting awareness Fig.61 No. of eco-clubs supported 172 Chapter-8 institutions and other professional bodies visited the library for various information required by them from time to time. In order to provide online access to the users, the library records were computerised. Seminars/Symposia/Workshops Universities/Professional bodies/Technical Institutions and other R&D organisations are Fig.62 Number of participating organizations very responsive to the programme as is in NEAC programme raising activities followed by action evidenced by the increase in the number of activities. Nominal financial assistance is proposals being received by the Ministry. provided for the purpose by the Ministry. Thrust areas as identified under the programme are under review and being – During the year, 9938 organisations were associated with campaign and were expanded to include more new areas. provided financial assistance under the Proposal to enhance the monetary ceilings for scheme through concerned Regional events at District, State, National and Resource Agencies (Annexure-IX). International levels is under consideration to expand the outreach of the programme both Library geographically and demographically. During – Library is the documented repository of the the year, about 53 (as on 31.12.07) Ministry for dissemination of information organisations were provided financial in the field of environment and its assistance by the Ministry for conducting associated areas. It has a collection of over seminars/symposia/workshops etc. 25,000 books and Technical reports etc. Besides, the library also receives more Mass Awareness than 50 national/international journals With the objective of spreading environmental covering diverse areas of environment. awareness and facilitating better compliance Being the scientific Ministry, Library is one with environmental regulations, the Ministry of the richest documentary bases for has formulated a Media Action Plan (MAP), scientific journals in the field of environment and its associated areas. under which the following major activities were supported/sponsored during the year – The library performs an important role in the planning, promotion, implementation – Telecast of 22 episodes of ‘Bhoomi’ and coordination of the Ministry’s including ‘Best of Bhoomi’ a half an hour objectives by providing timely access to weekly environmental television magazine relevant and comprehensive documentary on Doordarshan National Channel and information to its users viz. officials of the distribution of 1000 sets of 12 CDs each Ministry, external organizations (both containing ‘Best of Bhoomi’ episodes to governmental and non governmental) nodal agencies and district coordinators research students, decision makers etc. of the National Green Corps (NGC) – Apart form the technical books, journals, Programme for onward distribution and proceedings etc. the library also procured screening in various schools covered by a wide range of journals, books both in NGC Programme. Hindi & English during the year. Research scholars from various organisations, – Telecast of 42 episodes of “Sarokar”, a 15 minutes weekly environmental television 173 MoEF Annual Report 2007-08 Table-16. No. of Eco-clubs established since launching of the NGC Programme States/UTs No of Eco-clubs 2007-08 2006-07 2005-06 2004-05 2003-04 2002-03 Andaman & Nicobar Islands 100 Andhra Pradesh 5750 5750 3900 3900 3900 2800 Arunanchal Pradesh 525 Assam 3450 2300 Bihar 7200 5266 5700 5700 Chandhigarh 113 112 110 150 100 Chhattisgarh 3932 4000 2373 2400 2400 1600 Dadra & Nagar Haveli Daman & Diu 44 Delhi 1600 1500 1500 1500 1150 Goa 500 441 300 300 200 Gujarat 6500 6250 3750 3750 3750 2500 Haryana 5000 2850 2750 2750 1900 Himachal Pradesh 1693 1800 1800 1800 1200 J & K 2100 Jharkhand 3300 3150 Karnataka