India Press Releases

U.S. Consulate Celebrates Earth Day Throughout Calcutta, April 21-25

April 19, 2006                                                                             (Bengali)

Calcutta -- U.S. Consul General in Calcutta Henry V. Jardine will flag off series of Earth Day programs the Public Affairs Office of the Consulate is hosting in collaboration with other local organizations between April 21-25, 2006.   Events include an ecosystems competition at the American Center with WWF, a film showing at Nandan with Aaranyak, and the second annual ‘Green Biz Quiz’ in collaboration with the Indian Chamber of Commerce at the Hyatt Regency.  A special feature of this year’s Earth Day celebrations is an interactive session with Fulbrighter Sonja Brodt of the Indo-American Environmental Leadership Forum on "The Other Road: Promotion of Sustainable Agriculture” at the American Center. Conceptualized in 1970 in the U.S., Earth Day is now a movement celebrated worldwide.

The U.S. Government encourages the observation of Earth Day through different programs in the U.S. and internationally in order to build public awareness of the importance of sustainable global development while protecting the environment. Included in these programs are grants to support a variety of projects.  Last year more than $249,000 was awarded to 12 such projects in Eastern India, among them a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), under the Multinational Species Conservation Fund, to provide more than $14,000 for anti-poaching kits in the Buxa tiger reserve, the rhino reserves of Gorumara national park and Jaldapara wildlife sanctuary in West Bengal.  

On Friday, April 21, Consul General Jardine and Mr. Atanu Raha, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Government of West Bengal will speak on the significance of Earth Day at Nandan at a program sponsored by Aaranyak, a local environmental NGO.  The film," Earthling," winner of the Best Children's film award at the Jackson Hole Wildlife festival, will be shown during the program.

Mr. Jardine will also be present at a nature trail for street children at the Nature Park on Loudon Street in the morning.  This program is being organized in collaboration with Concern for Calcutta and the WWF, Eastern India.  In the afternoon he will visit and interact with students at the Sea Explorers' Institute. 

Also on April 21, the American Center and the WWF will host a quiz and drawing competition on ecosystems - a theme that includes this year's Earth Day focus on "Deserts and Desertification." The film ‘Earthling’ will also be shown at this American Center program.

USEFI and the American Center will host the interactive session with Fulbrighter Sonja Brodt on "The Other Road: Promotion of Sustainable Agriculture," at the American Center on Monday, April 24.  Dr. Brodt has years of experience researching aspects of sustainable agriculture and forest management in several countries, including India and the U.S. 

Finally encouraged by its astounding success last year, the American Center is again organizing the "Green Biz Quiz" in collaboration with the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Tuesday, April 25.  Teams from different industries will take part in this corporate environmental quiz program with quizmaster, Dr. Suman Mukerjee as the moderator.  The Environment Management Center of the ICC and the Department of Management of Smt. J.D. Birla Institute have partnered for the program, which is slated to become a regional event with Guwahati as the next stop.