During 2001-2002, 15 NGOs were additionally enlisted with CPCB subject to concurrence of concerned State Pollution Control Boards apart from 625 NGOs enlisted during previous years. A rebate @50% is extended over the purchase of CPCB publications to NGOs enlisted with CPCB and several NGOs availed the facility during 2001-2002. Financial assistance of Rs. 65,000/- was provided to 13 NGOs for organizing mass awareness programmes in different parts of the country.

World Environment Day, 2001, was commemorated in collaboration with the National Science Centre, New Delhi. Financial assistance of Rs. 1.00 lac was provided for the purpose. About 500 students from various schools of Delhi participated in various mass awareness programmes organized on the occasion.

During the reporting year, a three days training programme for the local NGOs in the area was organized during November 7-9, 2001 at Kanpur to educate them in the field of environment and pollution control.

A regional meeting with NGOs was organized at Auroville, Tamil Nadu, during October 19-20, 2001 in collaboration with the NGO, Auroville's Future Centre for Urban Research, for coordinating the activities and promotion of the public participation/awareness in the pollution control programmes in the country.

Interaction has been made with NGOs of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Pondicherry and Tamil Nadu through coordination meetings held so far. Training has been imparted to the NGOs from Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Delhi and Chandigarh with the following objectives:

The Central Pollution Control Board continued to collect, compile and publish scientific, technical and statistical reports relating to pollution and the measures to be taken for its effective prevention, control and abatement. CPCB has published following technical documents during the year 2001-2002.

Following themes were selected for the various issues of CPCB Newsletter, 'Parivesh' issued during year 2001-2002.

CPCB has published three documents in Hindi. The subjects of these documents are:

A campaign was launched in Bangalore to create awareness among school students about ill effects of fire crackers. 20,000 pamphlets were printed and distributed among the students.

A Distributed Information Centre (DIC), as a network partner of the Environmental Information System (ENVIS) was established in CPCB with a Memorandum of Understanding reached and signed between the Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India and CPCB. Query response service (QRS) is the regular activity of the ENVIS centre. Queries are received from the schools, colleges, NGO’s, consultants and technical institutions, government organizations in the field of air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, solid/hazardous waste, consultancy and mass awareness. During the year, more than 200 queries were received and answered. In addition to queries through letters, a lot of queries were received in the form of telephonic conversations, fax massages and E-mail. These queries were also entertained and answered.

Participation in exhibitions is an important means for direct interaction with the general public. With this objective, CPCB had put up stalls/pavilion at various exhibitions during the year. The main items displayed at CPCB pavilion were air monitoring devices, blow-ups on Zoning Atlas Programme and other major activities, pollution information booklets and technical publications. Films on pollution control and nature conservation were the major attraction of exhibition pavilion. Mass Awareness literature giving general information on pollution control in form of pamphlets, newsletters etc. were distributed. The important exhibitions, in which CPCB participated during the year are:

The pamphlets, highlighting the ill effects of crackers were distributed among school students during "Diwali Jagruthi Jatha" organized by Bapu Composite Junior College, Yeshwanthapur, Bangalore. An effective message on ill effects of crackers was driven across through this programme. About 20,000 school students participated in the jatha. Also, the students from various schools have participated in a programme organized by Central Pollution Control Board, South Zonal Office - Bangalore during February, 2002 in which about six hundred students took "New Year Pledge on Environment Protection".

The Central Pollution Control Board, West Zone Office- Vadodara has conducted the mass awareness programme in association with SOCLEEN a leading NGO in Vadodara. The awareness programmes conducted was public performance of street plays with various themes based on current environmental issues. Several schools in Vadodara have participated and the response from the public was overwhelming.

The awareness programme was organized by Central Pollution Control Board, Kanpur in the month of February, 2002 during the Taj Festival (Taj Mahotsav) by displaying the ongoing work in collaboration with UPPCB, Agra. A close interaction with the individuals, organizations, schools, local NGOs, colleges and others displayed the true picture of their environmental consciousness. A suggestions / complaints diary, kept for the occasion, makes it a treasure for understanding the public perceptions about global / local environment and their invaluable suggestions to curb them displaying their urge for a cleaner environment.

The series of lectures were delivered by various officials of CPCB, HQs in several workshops organized for Eco-club Teachers of various Govt. and Private Schools of NCT – Delhi by Govt. of Delhi. The participating teachers have shown keen interest in various environmental issues and sought suggestions from faculty from CPCB on environmental activities in which students and teachers can participate for environmental protection and mass awareness.

The competition for selection on best eco-friendly school in Bhopal was organised by Central Pollution Control Board, Zonal Office - Bhopal for third consecutive year. Carmel Convent Senior Secondary School, Bhopal was adjusted the best eco-friendly school followed by Kendriya Vidyalaya, Bairagarh and St. Joseph's Convent Senior Secondary School, Idgah Hills, Bhopal, and trophies awarded. On the request of participating schools the competition will continue in future.