By-Khusboo Chopra,10th , Banglore :An effective and far reaching mass awareness campaign about Renewable Energy is being organised to commemorate the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister, late Shri Rajiv Gandhi as “Rajiv Gandhi Akshay Urja Diwas” on 20th August every year since 2004 all over the country.
The day was appropriate to advocate renewable energy since Mr Rajiv Gandhi was a keen enthusiast of scientific advances that would enable India to leap into the 21st century.
Public Awareness Programmes are organised on a mass scale on this day at the National, State, District and Block/Taluka levels through mass rallies, formation of human chains, organizing essay, quiz, slogan-writing and painting competitions, and debates, seminars and group discussions, etc. on renewable energy. Lakhs of children participate in these activities throughout the country. These activities help create the much needed awareness on the use of renewable energy systems/devices in our daily life.
The first national level function of Rajiv Gandhi Akshay Urja Diwas was organised at New Delhi in 2004. On this occasion a commemorative stamp was released by the Prime Minister.A human chain of nearly 12,000 school children was formed in the national capital to promote a renewable future. In the year 2005 also this celebrations were held in Delhi. Nagpur was chosen for the Rajiv Gandhi Akshaya Urja Diwas celebration for 2006 and Hyderabad, 2007. The function for the year 2008 of this Special Day is being held at Panchkula, Haryana.