Ignorance preventing people from taking the right steps

New Delhi, May 4 (UNI) Lack of awareness was preventing people from seeing environmental issues in the correct perspective, according to noted nature filmmaker Mike Hari Pandey.

Mike has been in news recently for producing and directing the series, 'Earth Matters' that won the "Golden Giraffe for conservation", the highest wildlife conservation award, at the International Wildlife Film Festival in Albert, France. It is being currently telecast on Doordarshan, five times a week, reaching an audience of more than 800 million in 150 countries.

"Such awards are just a sign that keeps us guiding that we are on right path. And there are times when our work helps in changing the general understanding of people or simply ends up educating them a little more," he told UNI.

Pointing out an instance of ignorance preventing people from taking the right step, he said in India, there were hundreds of thousand people suffering from mental retardation because of iodine deficiency. "Once, when I offered iodised salt to the people who have never tasted it, they just refused and washed their hands saying it was grease." 'Earth Matters', on Doordarshan, is an interactive programme that takes the viewers on a journey across India looking at some of the biggest issues being faced by the planet and the human race simultaneously, he said.

Nearly 140 Earth Matters nature club have been inspired by the series initiating 'Earth Matters to Me' movement across the country, he added.

The series, giving an insight into environmental issues, point to the destruction and also looks at ways to help protect and conserve nature for future generations.

Mr Pandey lamented that none of the channels has been doing anything significant for conserving wildlife or issues like Global warming "that has been knocking on our doors. Measures like switching off the car's ignition waiting at the traffic light, saving the power derived from precious coal and avoid using cars once a week and so on would help in this regard, he added.

UNI AE NK RK1140