1. UNDERSTANDING PLANET
EARTH OUTREACH CAMPAIGN
Initiated by Rashtriya Vigyan
Evam Prodyogiki Sanchar
Parishad, DST, GOI, New Delhi,
will demonstrate unique and
exciting ways in which scientists
and general masses can create a
safer and more prosperous
world. This will lay the
foundation for a safer, healthier
and wealthier society.
In India, NCSTC-Network has
been entrusted to organize the
activities under the programme
‘Understanding Planet Earth’.
2. THE BASIC OUTREACH PROGRAMME
WILL BE:
Create public education and Awareness through
existing and new material and ideas in the
areas that need more attention. These ideas will
cover events and activities such as competitions,
lecture, demonstrations, exhibitions, etc;
Use the media (electronic as well as non-
electronic) to ensure country-wide reach in
regional languages for effectiveness;
Involve scientists and citizens to develop
programs that address issues at a grass root level;
and
Make extensive use of art form as a means to
promote ideas and themes.
3. PREAMBLE
The International Year of Planet Earth is a 3-years
event (2007-2009) aimed at promoting the
contribution to sustainable development of
society by using knowledge and information
provided by the geosciences. Implementation will
take place through a Science and an Outreach
Programme, similar in weight and budget.
Consultants at several national and international
platforms have identified ten broad themes.
Participating countries will develop regional and
local activities and outreach will be a major
theme of these programmes.
4. THE MAJOR THEMES OF PROGRAMME:
Groundwater - towards sustainable use
Hazards - minimising risk, maximising awareness
Earth and Health - building a safer environment
Climate - the "stone tape“
Resources - sustainable power for sustainable
development
Megacities - going deeper, building safer
Deep Earth - from crust to core
Ocean - abyss of time
Soil - the thin brown line
5. Over the last two or three decades, the international
arena has become increasingly aware of the need for a
better understanding of the interactions between
human activities and the natural environment. This
understanding is needed to ensure that human
activities are managed so as to protect the environment
to maximum extent possible while ensuring human
basic requirements as well.
Recently increasing attention has been given to specific
issues concerning our dependence on the Earth’s crest
that part of the planet that literally supports all our
activities. It is the earth’s crest that meets many of our
needs: from food and water to other essentials like
minerals natural gas petroleum etc.
the earth is in immediate need of protection from
Human activities
6. The UN has taken several initiatives in this regard
through UNEP, UNESCO, in the 1984 project “Geology
and the Environment” with international cooperation.
Now we have yet another initiative in the form of the
project “International Year of Planet Earth” signifying
the need and urgency of saving earth.
The programme is a step in this direction, to begin with
the Indian chapter. In this we wish to have experts from
different environment related fields to help us broaden
our knowledge base in understanding different aspects
of human interactions with the earth and its resources,
which will further initiate to a much broader outreach
campaign as a footstep under the ongoing project
“Understanding Planet Earth” implemented by NCSTC-
Network catalysed and supported by RVPSP, DST govt.
of India. Let us join together to save our planet for
better and prosperous tomorrow
7. THE INDIAN CAMPAIGN
Outreach activities under the Year of Planet Earth will target specific
groups continually, forcefully and effectively throughout the country.
These will aim at:
Teacher trainers and high school science and geography teachers
Balwaadi and Aanganwaadi trainers
Panchayat and municipal elected members
Trade union leaders
University and college teachers and students, and
Members of scientific academies and professional bodies.
Specific programs are being proposed which overlap with the
International Year of Planet Earth programs. An advisory group of
eminent individuals will help develop activities
8. THE INITIATIVES
The Understanding Planet Earth programme will
address one or more of the following aims:
Enable and empower the community for balanced
and safe development of life on earth,
Change the mind-set of children/youth and make
them socially active, responsible and useful.
It will create awareness about resources that
need a balanced and interacting interface
between humans’ and our planet Earth.
9. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION CELL ( PIC)
Is Set up to facilitate proper formulation and
implementation of the program, is being established.
The setting up of Cell facilitated by NCSTC-Network
with the support from RVPSP, DST, Govt of India.
Project Implementation Cell (PIC)
Executive Officer
Programme officers
Asstt. Programme Officers
Support staff
10. THE BASIC MANDATE OF PIC-
Recommending and finalizing issues, activity
modules for field level activities,
Decide procedures for development & dissemination
of software
Developing mechanism of documentation, monitoring
& assessment,
Strategies of Media coordination,
Approval of new formats, if proposed by any
organization
Apprising DST about the progress of the programme.
11. THE MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES-
Take care of proper implementation of activities as recommended by NSC. If
desired by NSC, identifying groups/ institutions for planning activities in
areas where proposals have not been received ;
Development of indicators to assess effectiveness of all field activities
Set up mechanism for publicity in print and electronic media;
Develop procedures/ strategies for authentic and comprehensive
documentation; and mid term monitoring and assessment of field activities.
Identify gaps in available software ( print, electronic etc.) and organize
development of core communication material;
12. Over see development of software in Hindi and English
for suitability of content and formats to be used for
different target groups;
Organise pre-testing of software in different regions;
Coordinate multiplication and dissemination of
software to state coordinators;
Monitor the implementation and suggest mid-course
corrections where ever necessary;
Help in developing data-base of human-ware (experts
for lectures, public debates, folk performers);
13. FIELD LEVEL IMPLEMENTATION OF UPE
PROGRAMME:
The activities will be implemented through S &
T councils/ identified NGOs, institutions and
Professional bodies in different states. The
coordinating agency will be identified on the
basis of merit of their proposals submitted to
RVPSP/ Steering Committee.
Professional agencies will be approached for
development of software, kits and imparting
training to the organizers and resource
persons.
One national workshop on each module will
be organized where professional bodies will
be involved.
14. PROPOSED ACTIVITIES
1. Awareness Generation –
Exhibitions, lecture demonstrations, science fairs, science film
festivals, plays, competitions, Interaction with experts, visits
to museums, industries and so on
2. Capacity Building –
Training programs, hands-on activities, Map learning,
Understanding and using - GIS , GPS, Remote sensing,
Pollution measurements, Weather labs- understanding
weather, Debates
3. Software development – booklets, posters, multimedia, films
15. ARCHITECTURE OF IMPLEMENTATION
( Cluster of 10 districts proposed in states with
more than 12-13 districts or geographical
coverage)
One district amongst this cluster will be NODE
NODE to have more number of Awareness as
well as Capacity building activities
