US-sponsored workshop begins at IIM-L

Lucknow, June 18 (UNI) A US-sponsored training workshop on 'Legal Awareness and Youth Participation in Environment Compliance and Enforcement' today commenced at the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow (IIM-L).

Sponsored by American Embassy, New Delhi under the Fulbright Alumni Grant, the three-day event was inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh environment minister Ujjwal Raman Singh this morning.

A number of scholars from several states including UP, Uttaranchal, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Rajasthan apart from IIM-L students are participating in the workshop.

IIM-L Project Director (Youth and Environment) Prof D S Senger said the basic premises and the motivation for conducting the workshop is, ''The greater poverty than that caused by lack of money is the poverty of awareness.'' The workshop comprises lectures, group discussions, experience sharing and presentations on various issues of environment and legal awareness and youth participation in an access to environmental justice and citizen suits etc.

An observation-cum-study tour also forms part of the itinerary, Prof Sengar informed.

''The objective is to create legal awareness among conscious and motivated youth and 'youth influencers' on environmental rights, duties and their participatory role in effective environmental compliance and enforcement.'' UNI VS USS SHR VC1252