Home
- Media

India votes for Earth: Switch Off Campaign receives national support

Posted on 29 March 2009

Dr R.K. Pachauri, Director- General, TERI and Chairperson, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and Mr. Ravi Singh, Secretary General and CEO, WWF-India to address the crowd present at Dilli Haat before switching off for Earth Hour (c) Rohit Kr. Mishra/WWF-India

New Delhi, March 29, 2009: Hundreds of thousands of Indians joined millions of people globally as the clock struck half past eight Indian Standard Time to vote for Earth in what was perhaps the biggest mandate against Climate Change. Several corporates, Resident Welfare Associations, school and college students observed Earth Hour across Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai and at least 25 other Indian cities by organising events, candle-light dinners and vigils as they turned off non-essential lights.

A quick snapshot of major activities and events that took place across the country is given below:

New Delhi:
Accompanied by pelting rain and loud claps of thunder, Delhiities braved it out and observed Earth Hour as a memorable example of the indomitable spirit of its citizens to stand up and raise its voice in a call for decisive action on climate change. Venturing out in the stormy weather, Dr R.K. Pachauri, Director- General, TERI and Chairperson, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, joined the large crowds gathered at Dilli Haat, to lend his support to the cause. Drawing attention to the unpredictable weather patterns, which are an inevitable outcome of Climate Change, he reiterated that this is a phenomenon that affects each one of us, and that it was time all countries took responsibility for the changes and ensured remedial actions. He added that India should take the lead and set an example for the world to take action on climate change

Lights around Qutub Minar, Humayun’s Tomb, Red Fort, Old Fort, Safdarjung Tomb and Connaught Place were dimmed during Earth Hour. The Ashok Hotel - the flagship hotel of Indian Tourism Development Corporation - went into darkness at the appointed hour as did several other landmarks in the city like the Lt. Governor’s residence, offices of the government of Delhi, leading corporate headquarters, housing societies and PVR cinemas.

Mr. Ravi Singh, Secretary General and CEO, WWF-India said ‘It is heartening to see the overwhelming support from people of all sections of society and across all walks of life. Earth Hour shows the power of collective action towards a vote for the planet.”

Mr. J.K. Dadoo, Secretary Environment, Government of National Capital Territory, Delhi lent his wholehearted support to the campaign and ensured it successful implementation across Delhi, showing his deep commitment to the cause of climate change.

Mumbai
Mumbai also turned its lights out with several of its landmark buildings switching off at 8:30pm. Air India Building, headquarters of the Municipal Corporation, Reserve Bank of India, ICICI Bank, and HDFC Bank joined in by turning off all non-essential lights at their facilities. WWF-India also organized a candle light meeting at BPT Park which was bolstered by participation of residents, students, local authorities and the media.

Bangalore
Bangalore saw a voluntary blackout of its most famous street - Brigade Road, and its biggest retail establishment - Forum Mall.

Shimla
Lights of two important heritage buildings, the Church on the ridge and the Town Hall on the Mall Road were switched off.

Gangtok
A candle light rally was held at M.G road in the heart of the city and 25,000 households also switched off.

Hundreds of citizens across other Indian cities from Dehradun to Kochi, and Ahmedabad to Gangtok, from Mau to Chennai added to the tremendous participation in Earth Hour- a very positive and strong message underlining the need for immediate action.

At the time of compiling this information, there are more reports coming in from several other towns and municipalities, resident associations and housing societies all of whom came forward in their voluntary support to this global campaign.

For further queries please contact
Aarti Khosla
Earth Hour Coordinator
WWF-India
akhosla@wwfindia.net
Phone: 41504823

Shaila Sam
Senior Manager-Communications
WWF-India
ssam@wwfindia.net
Phone: 4150-4797

Comments

SUNIL M BHOSALE

April 6, 2009 - 15:23

Congratulations! your campaign for saving energy / electricity got tremendous response, and was successful all over the world. By doing so we have not only saved electricity but also kept the climate cool.

I have one thing in mind which I would like to share with you. If it happened we will not only save electricity but also all other things as mentioned in details. This will help in increasing life of human being as well as Earth.

“A Beautiful World”, Yes we all together can do it. /
If all these good things happened?

Just assume if everything stops at neutral position. This step is required to be taken for pollution control and minimum use of all natural resources, so that natural calamities will reduce. ( natural resources like – different oils, minerals, water etc. )

Following are the basic necessities of a human being :-

Air, Water, Food, Cloth & Shelter.

If all things related to above mentioned things continued and other things stopped step by step. ( in few years time )

• What the people will be doing who don’t have job ? ( People who was working in other than above mentioned companies ).

They will be at home, relaxed life at home, have food, watch television, exercise for maintaining good health, go to temple for prayer, have walk / fun in garden ( for peace of mind ), reading. ( they will get their savings, if any from their companies )

Construction activity will have to stop, one family ( couple ) should be allowed one child only, by doing so, there will be very few people who will be looking for flats. The Companies which will be closed, we can use the same buildings/premises as a residence, can convert them into flats/houses. Earth is becoming weak because we are withdrawing all types of minerals, natural resources from it, like ( water, steel, stones, etc ) and by using the same resources we are constructing big buildings, bridges and dams on it. By doing so we are increasing load on earth. When we are week, we can’t work efficiently, the same thing is happening with earth.

• Which people will be working?

1. Doctors – will be having very less work, because people will be having healthy life.
2. Film line peoples ( Artist ) – because they are going to entertain everybody, families which don’t have TV sets will have to provide at low price, so that they will be entertained at home. We can release Feature Films on TV. If later on we stop watching TV or if it is required to stop, lots of Companies relating to this field will closed and there will be lots of savings in fuel and electricity.
3. Farmers – For growing vegetables, food grains., if we grow maximum fruits tree, cooking gas/ electricity consumption will reduced.
4. Cloths manufacturing companies – not much cloth required if maximum people stays at home.
5. Police department - for discipline
6. Other necessary companies.

The above mentioned people will be provided transport facility, fuel at very low price or free and they will be paid good money also, they will get blessings from everybody, or there will be volunteers who will be doing all this social work.

By doing this , we will rarely see anybody on the road.

After all everyday we work 8, 10, 12 hours for what ?, to provide basic necessities to our family members.

Everybody will have to compromise somewhere so that everybody will live happy and peaceful life.

All other families who don’t have any earning member, will be given certain money depending on the number of family members. ( like pensioners get money every month in their bank A/c )

Those who have housing, personal, car and other loans with bank and if bank doesn’t recover it, I don’t think by closing down bank anybody will face problem of basic necessities, like food etc. because bank take money and gives money. Bank never pay more than what they accept in the form of deposits.

• What will be the Eagle’s view of a new Beautiful Earth

1. A pollution free earth, everybody will breathe pure oxygen.
2. Natural calamities will reduce, stopped, because usage of natural resources will be minimum / stopped.
3. People will be living happy, healthy, joyful & tension free life.
4. The only difference between the earth before 1000 years and expected will be a systematic living, a happy and peaceful life under one roof, i.e. sky and one home i.e. earth.

If all these good things happened I think that will be the happiest movement of everybody’s life.

Regards,

Sunil M. Bhosale

Mobile - 9822841982
Sasanenagar, Hadapsar
Pune – 411028

Shashidhar Kumar

March 31, 2009 - 10:43

It is really proud to be the part of Earth Hour-09 at Dilli Haat.
http://shashidharkumar.wordpress.com/2009/03/30/earth-hour-rain-and-thundershowers-rocked-dilli-haat/

Bina Sengar

March 31, 2009 - 09:26

It was a day of enthusiasm friends, colleagues from all parts of India called each other reminding each other the time when the movement must begin, it was a blitzkrieg event.

I was traveling yet made my friends aware about the event.

At the end of the night, one thing that becomes extremely important with the event is that more than the saving electricity the effort of Earth-Hour was about awareness and make the world realize that for the nature earth we all are together and ready to take action.

Ekta Tyagi

March 30, 2009 - 10:21

Laudable effort indeed. WWF should capitalize on the awareness and enthusiasm exhibited by Indians across the country through this campaign and attempt to make energy conservation an integral part of our lives. Consistent efforts such as these will gradually lead to a change in the attitudes of people in favour of our resources.

Shibu Chakraborty

March 30, 2009 - 09:33

The success of earth hour 2009 sends a message loud and clear - Save planet earth from global warming.
This was a commendable effort from WWF.