:::Welcome to Nature Foundation:::News

Nature Foundation (India) Programmes

1. “GYAN KIRAN”, where the street children will be initiated into the world of “Education”.

• “GYAN KIRAN-I” was inaugurated by Sh. Rahul Dev .CEO, CNEB a leading T.V. channel on 16th oct 2008
• “GYAN KIRAN-I” was blessed by Shri. Rajendra Singh “The Magsaysay Award Winner 2001” on 29th November 2008.
• “GYAN KIRAN-II” was inaugurated by Ms.Monika Kshatriya the noted T.V. news presenter on 20th Dec, 2008.

2. Say no to Plastic bags Campaign: -

Say no to Plastic bags Campaign was launched on 18th/December/2008 at “Mashabriya” Hotel Ashoka at New Delhi. Celebrities like Padmashree Shovana Narayan, celebrated painter Gopi Gajwani, renowned cartoonist Sudhir Tailang, Punjabi pop star Jassi, present & past Ambassadors and celebrated painter Mr. Naresh Kapuriya appreciated the idea and proudly held the bags for its launch. It is estimated that one cloth bag used for daily purchases substitutes at least 1500 plastic bags.

3. Bring Nature Closer Home (Way to attract birds):

• India is home to approximately1240 species of Birds.
• Of this 82 are under threat of EXTINCTION.
• Most critical are: Pink Headed Duck, Himalayan Quail, Siberian Crane and Forest Owlet.
• About 300 species of Birds visit the Indian subcontinent during winter.
• Some of these like Golden Oriole, Cuckoo, Barbet, Sunbird and Mynahs can be seen in the Delhi zoo.
• ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION /DEFORESTATION IS TAKING A HEAVY TOLL ON BIRDS IN METROS.

NATURE FOUNDATION HAS DESIGNED “BIRD-HOUSE” which facilitates bringing Birds closer to you & your family.

4. Cultural programme (“Indradhanush 2009”):

Nature Foundation (India) is organizing a “Cultural Event”— called “Indradhanush 2009”—a live concert by Avnindra Thakur and Sangeeta Thakur on 3rd January 2009, Saturday, from 6 P.M. to 10 P.M. at Indira Gandhi Kalakendra (Noida Authority Auditorium).

5. Nature Foundation (India) has been invited by “NIT TRICHY PRAGYAN 2009” to conduct a workshop on ‘Environmental Awareness’ in Feb 2009.

Enviornmental News

Assessment of damage caused by Plastics to the Environment :-
	The Government has taken action to assess the damage caused by plastics to environment. A monograph entitled “Plastics for Environment and Sustainable Development” was published in 2003 by the Indian Centre for Plastics in the Environment, Mumbai and the Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology, Chennai, an autonomous institution of the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, which comprehensively assesses issues concerning Sustainability of plastics as materials and their impact on the environment. Plastics are generally chemically inert. However, the indiscriminate littering of plastics and environmentally unsound recycling practices have the potential to cause adverse impacts on environment and health. The Government of India has notified the Plastic Manufacture, Sale and Usage Rules, 1999 amended 2003 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. As per these rules, manufacture, stocking, distribution, or selling of carry bags made of virgin or recycled plastic which are less than 20 x 30 cms in size and 20 microns thickness is banned. These rules also prohibit use of recycled plastic bags and containers for storing, carrying, dispensing or packaging of foodstuffs. Further, units manufacturing carry bags or containers made of virgin and recycled plastics are required to register with the concerned State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) or Pollution Control Committee (PCC) prior to the commencement of production. As per information provided by State Pollution Control Boards, the States like Maharashtra, Punjab, Chandigarh, Kerala, Meghalaya and Goa have laid down stricter norms than prescribed with regard to thickness of plastic bags, viz. 50, 30, 30, 30, 40 and 40 microns respectively.

Water Pollution in Ganga and Yamuna :-
	Conservation of rivers is a dynamic activity with the ever increasing pollution load due to increase in population. Review of the strategies of conservation policy and identification of additional towns and rivers is a continuous process. Water being a State subject, it is the responsibility of State Governments to create proper sewerage infrastructure to prevent pollution from entering the rivers. Central Government only supplements the efforts of the State Governments by providing one time grant for capital works for identified polluted stretches of rivers. The National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) presently covers pollution abatement works in the polluted stretches of 35 rivers spread over 164 towns in 20 states in the country at an approved cost of Rs.4793 crore. Ganga and Yamuna are among the major rivers covered under this Plan. A total of 667 schemes for abatement of pollution in rivers Ganga & Yamuna have been completed so far resulting in creation of 1704 mld (million litres per day) of sewage treatment capacity at an expenditure of Rs. 1431 crores. With the pollution abatement works completed in both the phases under Ganga Action Plan so far, the water quality of the river Ganga has shown improvement at major locations over its pre-GAP quality. In respect of river Yamuna, the quality of river water has not shown the desired improvement owing to the large gap between the demand and the availability of sewage treatment capacity particularly in Delhi, and the lack of availability of fresh water for ensuring minimum flow in the river.

Global warming is the biggest environmental threat of our lifetime. The time to act is now!
	According to the latest United Nations scientific report, leading scientists around the world agree that man-made greenhouse gases from fossil fuels are causing global warming. Effects are already being seen worldwide. And long-term consequences are devastating, pointing to a darker future each day we fail to act. But if each of us takes action — in our homes, in our communities, and in our nation — there is still time to reduce global warming pollution and help safeguard our environment for birds, wildlife, and our children. Confronting the greatest environmental crisis in our history will take commitment, dedication, and even sacrifice — but nothing less than the future is at stake. Audubon has joined with the Alliance for Climate Protection to call on all Americans to take action.