Earth Hour 2018: India goes dark for an hour to support the environment

Parliament Complex, Nirman Bhawan and Shastri Bhawan were among the government offices in Delhi where the World Earth Hour was observed by switching off lights between 8.30 pm and 9.30 pm on Saturday night.

Lights were also switched off at Rashtrapati Bhavan, India Gate, Akshardham Temple in Delhi and Buddha Statue in Hyderabad and Howrah Bridge in Kolkata, according to an official from World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), which organises the campaign.

Yesterday, Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan urged people to switch-off all non-essential lights for an hour today to mark the Earth Hour, saying he himself will do so.

Celebrities and politicians too vowed their support for the campaign.

Lights turned off at India Gate in #Delhi to observe #EarthHour pic.twitter.com/XqT5J6q0xL

— ANI (@ANI) March 24, 2018

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan tweeted a picture which showed him sitting in candle light.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Hon’ble Minister of Env., Forest and Climate Change has made a strong appeal to the citizens of India to join Earth Hour’s “Give Up to Give Back” campaign by switching off all non-essential lights on 24th March 2018 from 8:30 to 9:30 pm. Please join #EarthHour pic.twitter.com/JXWJEwlZmb

— MoEF&CC (@moefcc) March 24, 2018

Chouhan said: "I observed Earth Hour in my residence and worked in candle light. I hope you too did the same." Delhi MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa tweeted, "If you can read this, you can surely manage with lesser light for one hour. Let us switch off all non-essential lights in our offices & residence from 8:30 to 9:30 pm tonight in support of #earthhour. I support this wonderful initiative by @drharshvardhan." Actor Amitabh Bachchan tweeted, "#EarthHour is tonight, Mar 24th .. #Switchoff all non essential lights between 8.30-9.30pm and join millions around the world .. !! Come together to #Connect2Earth." As part of the campaign, various residential colonies in Delhi switched off street lights in their area during the hour.

#Biodiversity is crucial for human survival. Share your ideas on conserving biodiversity. Join in celebrating #EarthHour2018 and #Connect2Earth. TODAY from 8.30-9.30 pm. @moefcc pic.twitter.com/E723E5AOO5

— Dr. Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) March 24, 2018

 

— ShivrajSingh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) March 24, 2018

Kerala Governor P Sathasivam also had appealed to people and institutions to support the Earth Hour.

Earth Hour, which started in Australia in 2007, is described as the world's largest grassroots movement for climate change which aims to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the environment and wildlife.