WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2020 IN INDIA
On the occasion of World Environment Day 2020 on June, 5, 2020, Hon’ble Minister Nitin Gadkari Ji launched a campaign with UNDP India Resident Representative Ms. Shoko Noda Road Safety and Prevention of Roadkill.
Animal sightings have increased due to lockdown in India. As the Government of India lifts the Lockdown 2020, the general public is advised to drive safely and save lives. The videos spread the message to stay alert and to not cause any accidents which may result in any animal fatalities.
The theme for World Environment Day 2020 was Biodiversity
World Environment Day is the most renowned day for environmental action. Since 1974, it has been celebrated every year on 5 June; engaging governments, businesses, celebrities and citizens to focus their efforts on a pressing environmental issue.
Together we can act #fornature.
While we battle the COVID-19 crisis, increased sightings of wildlife across the country have come as a pleasant change in this otherwise gloomy scenario and have restored people’s faith in the healing power of nature. There is a noticeable increase in citizen’s appreciation of their natural surroundings, and empathy towards fellow creatures.
As the country prepares to come out of complete lockdown in phases, our roads and highways, which have seen a significant decrease in traffic will see vehicular movement pick up soon. This might result in high accident count involving not only humans, but also wildlife that have begun frequenting these open spaces fearlessly during the lockdown and will not be prepared for the rise in traffic.
To address this issue, UNDP India partnered with the MoRTH (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways) to launch an awareness campaign on driving carefully to avoid accidents. The campaign is a mix of visual and animated creatives to address a range of stakeholders including private and commercial drivers.
The initiative also aligns itself with the government’s vision of developing eco-friendly highways and contributing to general health and wellbeing of citizenry under the National Green Highways Mission.
The occasion of World Environment Day 2020 set the perfect opportunity to launch this campaign with the dual objective of creating awareness about road safety and also respecting biodiversity and saving life.
