1. The document discusses the role of academic eco clubs in promoting environmental awareness and executing national policies on sustainability in India. It outlines India's national environmental policies and the objectives of eco clubs in creating awareness among college students. 2. The eco clubs aim to educate students on protecting the environment through various activities like tree plantations, waste management drives, and competitions. They motivate students to adopt green lifestyles and sensitize the public on environmental issues. 3. By properly coordinating and implementing different awareness programs, eco clubs can effectively promote environmental values among future generations and support the government's efforts in preserving the natural environment.

1. 1
NAAC sponsored two day national seminar on Enhancing Quality Education and Environment Consciousness Through IQAC in Colleges, 28th & 29th august, 2015,
ADACS College, Hatkanangale
Role of Academic Eco Clubs to Execution of National Policies on Environmental Awareness
and Sustainability
Dr. M. N. Survase,
Hon. Shri Annasaheb Dange ACS College, Hatkanangale, Dist. Kolhapur. Mob.9420492264
Abstract:
The environmental awareness is the initial step ultimately leading to the ability to carry on
responsible citizenship behavior. In view of this, the main aim is to assess the role of academic eco
clubs to execution of national policies on environmental awareness among the college students. The
required data and information is collected through various sources such as published books,
journals, unpublished research thesis and online articles with the observations. The national
policies and role of academic eco clubs in awareness and preservation of environment are
objectively elaborated. With the consideration of the severity of the environment related problems
the author tried to suggest the suitable remedies for the environmental awareness and sustainable
development.
Introduction:
The constant efforts of man to achieve greater material comports lead to lot of exploitation of
natural resources. Phenomenal increase in human population put enormous pressure on natural
resources, which has resulted in to accelerating the rate of rapacious exploitation of natural
resources in order to meet out the demand of ever increasing population, rapidly growing
industrialization and urbanization. Nature has been increasingly damaged, restorative capability
has progressively weakened, and human environment is deteriorating day by day to the point of
affecting not only the quality of life but even the very existence of life (Survase M. N. 2010). For the
sake of our planet, obviously environmental education plays vital role for creating interest in
environment. This is the crucial time that environmental awareness and environmental sensitivity
should be cultivated among the masses particularly among youths. For the awareness of society it
is essential to work at a gross root level. So the whole society can work to save the environment.
Environmental awareness should be the integral part of any environmental curriculum encouraging
youth to take an active role in the protection to their environment in one way by which the critical
balance between man and environment may be preserved. (Astalin P. A. 2011).
Keywords: environmental awareness, environment related behavior, national policies, eco clubs.

2. 2
NAAC sponsored two day national seminar on Enhancing Quality Education and Environment Consciousness Through IQAC in Colleges, 28th & 29th august, 2015,
ADACS College, Hatkanangale
Objectives: The present research aims to assess the role of academic eco clubs to execution of
national policies on environmental awareness among the college students.
Methodology:
The required data and information is collected through various sources such as published books,
journals, unpublished research thesis and online articles. At the same time the observation and
analysis at local level institutes is made by author. For that random sampling technique is used.
With the consideration of the severity of the environment related problems the author tried to
suggest the suitable remedies for the environmental awareness and sustainable development.
Magnitudes of environmental awareness:
If we want to generate the environmental values in our children we have to know the responsibility
towards environment and also we have to show our behavior as a like eco-friendly (Astalin P. A.,
2011). The environmental attitude, knowledge, and awareness (AKA) affects as ways to improve
the overall behavior of future citizens toward the environment (Lavega E. L. D. 1989). Students as
well as youths should be aware about environment and their willingness to take action to arrest
environmental degradation. It not only implies knowledge about environment but also attitude,
values and necessary skills to solve environment related problems. Moreover, environmental
awareness is the initial step ultimately leading to the ability to carry on responsible citizenship
behavior (Sengupta et al, 2010).
India’s National policies for the environmental awareness:
India, the environmental awareness gained importance since 1970s after the UN sponsored
conference on environment in Stockholm (1972). Indian government took many environment
friendly activities. Ministry of environment and forest was established and laws were enacted on
environment protection in 1986.
The India's National Environment policies include.
1) Conserve and develop safe, healthy, productive, and aesthetically satisfying environment.
2) Upgrade, develop and manage rural and urban settlement to enhance the quality of life.
3) Plan development on sound ecological principles with environmental impact assessment
and incorporating appropriate environmental safeguards.

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NAAC sponsored two day national seminar on Enhancing Quality Education and Environment Consciousness Through IQAC in Colleges, 28th & 29th august, 2015,
ADACS College, Hatkanangale
4) Promote environmental safety-technologies, recycling of resources and utilization of
wastes.
5) Conserve the biotic diversity in the country by creating nature reserves and sanctuaries for
specific habitats such as mountains, rain forests, pastures, deserts, wet lands, lakes, beaches,
mangroves, estuaries, lagoons and island.
6) Safeguard the environment within the national maritime Exclusive Economic Zone.
7) Evolve environmental norms and establish effective mechanism for monitoring surveillance
and collection and dissemination of information.
8) Preserve science landscapes, as well as historic and cultural monuments and their environs.
9) Promote environmental education at all level and create public awareness.
10) Encourage research in environmental science and technological and social investigation to
conserve and improve the environment.
11) Develop adequate manpower within the country, of ecologists, environmental scientists,
planners and managers of the highest quality and recognize their work as an important
component of national development.
Roles of Eco-Clubs:
With the proper coordination and implementation of various activities the Eco Clubs can play an
important role in creating environmental awareness amongst the future generation The activities
under the scheme of environmental awareness include (Mondal N.K. Saha R. 2010):
1. Motivate the students to keep their surroundings green and clean by undertaking plantation
of trees. Promote ethos of conservation of water by minimizing the use of water.
2. Motivate students to imbibe habits and life style for minimum waste generation, source
separation of waste and disposing the waste to the nearest storage point.
3. Educate students to create awareness amongst public and sanitary workers, so as to stop
the indiscriminate burning of waste which causes respiratory diseases.
4. Sensitize the students to minimize the use of plastic bags, not to throw them in public places
as they choke drains and sewers, cause water logging and provide breeding ground for
mosquitoes.
5. Organize tree plantation programmes, awareness programmes such as Quiz, essay, painting
competitions, rallys, nukkad natak etc. regarding various environmental issues and educate
children about re-use of waste material & preparation of products out of waste.

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NAAC sponsored two day national seminar on Enhancing Quality Education and Environment Consciousness Through IQAC in Colleges, 28th & 29th august, 2015,
ADACS College, Hatkanangale
6. Organize Nature Trail in Wild Life Sancturies/Parks/Forest areas to know about the
Biodiversity.
7. Maintenance of Public Parks, Garden etc. within and outside school campus.
8. Field visit to environmentally imparted important sites including populated and degraded
sites.
9. Organize programme against the present pollution of Environment, fixing posters in public
places and propagate personal hygiene habits etc.
Conclusions:
The main reason behind the environmental degradation is non cooperative thinking with nature
and consuming these natural resources in an unsustainable way. So for that we should create
environmental awareness in between people for the sake of our green planet. The government of
India and ministry of environment and forests determined the policies for the protection our
valuable environment. The academic eco-club should be work with coordination and
implementation of various environmental activities. The college teacher should be trained as
master trainer on environmental issues. Orientation programmes for Eco Club in charge teachers
should be conducted with the help of Environment experts. The students are also exposed to field
activities such as Nature Trails, Quiz and poster competitions etc. so as to create enthusiasm
regarding issues pertaining to environment and Nature.
References:
1. Astalin P. A. (2011), A Study of Environmental Awareness Among Higher Secondary Students and Some
Educational Factors Affecting it, Zenith international journal of multidisciplinary research Vol.1 Issue 7,
November 2011, pp 90-101
2. Lavega E. L. D., (1989), Awareness, Knowledge, and Attitude about Environmental Education: Responses
from Environmental Specialists, High School Instructors, Students, and Parents, Unpublished Ph.D.
Thesis, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 2004
3. Mondal N.K. Saha R. (2010), An Assessment of Eco-club in few Schools of Burdwan Town, West Bengal,
India. Anwesa, Vol. 5 : 85 – 93
4. Sengupta Madhumala, Jayanti Das and Pintu Kumar Maji ( 2010), Environmental Awareness and
Environment Related Behaviour of Twelfth Grade Students in Kolkata: Effects of Stream and Gender,
Anwesa, Vol. 5 : 1 – 8 pp 01-08
5. Survase M. N. (2010), Soil Degradation and It’s Conservation In Panchganga Basin ( Maharashtra ): A
Geographical Analysis, Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, Shivaji University, Kolhapur