Chief Secretary Anthony DeSa has stressed the need for continuous writing to promote public education and social awareness regarding environmental issues. The Chief Secretary inaugurated a one-day workshop at the conference hall of Indian Institute of Forest Management at chief guest here on Thursday.
He said that there are opportunities of best writings in the right perspective of environmental conservation, forest protection and making available natural habitats to wildlife.
The Chief Secretary said that journalists need to report factually about environment and other issues. Besides, journalists also carry the earnest responsibility of giving message in the right direction. He hoped that this workshop will be useful in increasing interest of journalists and writers on environment-related issues and said that if combined with analysis, reporting could do wonders as it would provide accurate information supported by genuine facts based on researches done by experts.
Delivering the keynote address, Chairman, Centre for Media Studies, New Delhi, N Bhaskar Rao said that environment journalism was not a priority till about 2 decades ago. Nowadays, everyone is aware of its importance. Apart from environment journalism, more films are also being made on the issue. Journals/newspapers and TV channels are doing good work vis-à-vis ecological, environmental and wildlife protection. Rao also informed about prizes being given in the field of environment journalism.
He emphasized that journalist should facilitate to bring change in mass behaviour as only debate and writing on the issues is not going to change the behavior. Masses are aware about the environment but there is an immediate need of behavioral change which could help in conservation of nature and existence of human race.