Earth Hour is the world’s largest grassroots movement for the environment organized by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), inspiring millions of people to take action for our planet and nature, started in 2007 in Sydney. It is celebrated in more than 180 countries each year on one of the Saturday of March month from 8.30-9.30 pm local time.
Nagpur Municipal Corporation and Green Vigil Foundation conducted Earth Hour 2019 at Eternity Mall, Sitabuldi, Nagpur on March 30,2019 from 8.30-9.30 pm.
Members of Green Vigil Foundation appealed shopkeepers and citizens to switch off their non-essential lights and electronic gadgets for an hour to show their commitment towards planet. Alongside, citizens, shopkeepers were also informed about deterioration of nature, global warming, climate change, it’s impact, consequences and urgent need to act to change the climate change. The Lights of the mall were also dimmed by 70 %.
Adopting to this Global event, Nagpur Municipal Corporation and Green Vigil Foundation, have been celebrating Poornima Diwas Campaign aiming at energy conservation on every Poornima day, since 2014. Each Poornima, a busy square of Nagpur is selected, wherein street lights of the square is put off or dimed and members of Green Vigil Foundation interact with shopkeepers, residents and citizens to switch off their non – essential lights from 8.00-9.00 pm to contribute towards energy conservation.
Till date, through this campaign, 160000 units of electricity have been saved, which is equivalent to restricting 160000 kgs of Carbon emissions in the atmosphere, 1200000 lits of water and 80000 kgs of coal. This is in line with India’s commitment to Paris Agreement of reducing emission intensity of GDP by 2030 by 33-35 % below the levels of 2005. This campaign has also been acknowledged by Hon. Prime Minister of India.
The campaign was conducted under the able guidance of Abhijit Bangar, Commissioner NMC. Prominently present during the occasion were Additional Commissioner, NMC, Ram Joshi, Additional Commissioner, Aziz Sheik, Deputy Commissioner, NMC, Nitin Kapadnis, Asst. Commissioner, Mahesh Murone, Head, Electrical Dept, NMC, A.S Mankar, Sanjay Jaiswal, Founder, Green Vigil, Kaustav Chatterjee, Team Lead, Surbhi Jaiswal, Manager, Eternity Mall Ashish Barai.
Green Vigil members Surbhi Jaiswal, Mehul Kosurkar, Bishnudeo Yadav, Sheetal choudhary, Vikash Yadav, Kartiki Kawale, Digambar Nagpure, Saurabh Ambade, Amol Bhalmey, Sarang More, Priya Yadav, Dadarao Mohod, Chinmay Dhiman and others worked hard for the success of the campaign.
