Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Jan 4: As many as 632 institutions across the state have been selected to participate in the National Environment Awareness Campaign (NEAC) — 2014-15 by the Center for Environmental Studies (CES).
The campaign aims to raise awareness about rapid climate change and saving the environment. The 632 institutions that have been selected from the 962 applications received by CES will prepare projects on the theme of ‘Land degradation and drought’ for which they will be provided a grant up to `30,000.
“Rapid climate change has become a cause of concern not only for a single group or area but the world in large. We have initiated this campaign to reach out and work unitedly for the beautification of nature,” said Prof Sailabala Padhi, director CES.
“Various organizations, including government and private schools, colleges, and voluntary organizations, have sent their ideas on measures to improve their environment. The organizations were chosen on the basis of their ideas by our selection panel from Chennai,” said Bharat Jena, project coordinator CES.
Last year, CES had received 858 applications and the panel had selected 528 organisations to carry forward the project on the theme ‘Biodiversity conservation’. “We are happy that the number of applicant comparatively increased this year. Everyone should do their bit for the environment. It is necessary for all of us to preserve our natural resources and habitat to let future generations thrive,” said Padhi.
“Drought is a sensitive issue, particularly for Orissa. There is an urgent need to address it and extend the idea to the ground level to tackle the problem for which we have chosen drought as this year’s theme of NEAC” remarked Padhi.
