NCP use Sharad Pawar's birthday to spread message of global warming

Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar celebrated his 69th birthday with family and close friends at Alibag in Raigad district near here. Sources close to Pawar said the NCP leader will spend a day in Alibag and leave for Delhi tomorrow.

Taking a break from politics and ministerial work, Pawar and his family including wife Pratibha, daughter Supriya Sule and grand children left Mumbai for Alibag yesterday.

The Mumbai unit of NCP used the occasion of their leader's birthday to highlight the issue of climate change and global warming.

The party put up posters and banners in different parts of the city as part of their awareness campaign about the crucial issue. 100 samplings were distributed for tree plantation.

A Mumbai-Pune cycle race organised by Baramati Mitra Mandal and Maharashtra Cycling Association to mark the birthday was flagged off by Deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal and other party leaders at the Gateway of India.

Winners of the race were fecilitated by Pawar's nephew NCP leader and minister Ajit Pawar in Pune.