World Wide Fund for Nature, India will run Earth Hour campaign to help Sundarbans village

The World Wide Fund for Nature – India will be organising its annual India Unplugged – Earth Hour on March 28th from 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm. This year's focus will be to help locals of Satjelia village in the Sundarbans install solar lights as well as to create awareness of different sources of renewable energy.

The initiative has been named the 'SahasraJyoti' or 'Beacon for the Sundarbans'.

Earth Hour started in 2007 as a lights-off event to raise awareness about climate change. It has grown to engage more than 162 countries and territories worldwide.

The WWF will be organising a charity auction 'Bid to actor and Earth Hour ambassador Arjun Kapoor' wherein two winners will get a chance to join the actor in Delhi on March 28, 2015, between 8:30 pm – 9:30 pm. Proceeds from this auction will go towards the initiative.

"Satjelia village has a population of nearly 1,000 and last year our aim had been to provide them with solar lighting to reduce human-tiger conflict in the area. We were able to achieve our target within 6 months and we will be installing the lights in the area from this month on," said Rituparna Sengupta, communications head, WWF.

Sengupta added that their awareness program would be three pronged. "We will be creating awareness about the importance of renewable energy, explain what these different sources are and finally teach them the different ways that they can help others adopt renewable energy as well."

Those interested may donate on www.ebay.in/earthhour or http://earthhour.wwfindia.org/