New Delhi: From Rashtrapati Bhavan to small homes, luxury hotels to prominent landmarks, and top IT companies to shopping malls, millions of people across the country switched off their lights for an hour on Saturday night to observe 'Earth Hour', a global climate awareness initiative.
India joined a record 133 countries to raise awareness about climate change through the movement for voluntary black out that began in Sydney in 2007 to reduce energy consumption.
Designed as a symbolic act to make people aware of everyday energy use, 'Earth Hour' has evolved into a global movement, and this year it took place for 60 minutes from 8:30 pm.
It was lights out at several government buildings, private banks and ITC hotels during this time.
Candlelight get-togethers were also organised to show commitment of people to save power - and have fun at the same time.
Rashtrapati Bhavan led the nation in observing 'Earth Hour' which had "Go beyond the hour" as the theme by switching off all the lights in the building's exterior.
During the one hour period, all non-essential lights in the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the President's Estate and also the family wing of President Pratibha Patil were switched off, a Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson said tonight.
Bollywood star Vidya Balan , who is the cause ambassador of the third edition of 'Earth Hour', was in the capital to observe the hour along with Delhiites. Music band Euphoria also performed on the occasion at the India Gate lawns.
The campaign message this year is to go beyond the hour and commit oneself to a more sustainable way of living every day, and not just for an hour, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) said.
Popular landmarks like the India Gate, the Qutub Minar and the Red Fort in Delhi, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and the Gateway of India in Mumbai, national defence establishments, universities, hotels, cinema complexes and shopping malls across the nation participated in the event.
In Bangalore, the silicon city observed the 'Earth Hour' with software firms, commercial establishments and even the international airport chipping in for the cause.
Software major, Infosys Technologies which had formulated 'Clean-n-Green Bengalaru' drive as part of Earth Hour campaign, took the activity to the popular MG Road and Brigade Road, to highlight the need for community participation in ensuring a "Clean and Green city".
A centrally coordinated one hour switch off was conducted across all its offices, with recordings of power savings besides contests and inviting entries from the employees during the switch off period under the theme "My 60 Minutes for Earth".
In keeping with the 'sustainable' theme, switch-off carols and candle-light march was organised on office floors to promote awareness on 'Earth Hour'.
Another IT major, Wipro shut down air conditioners at its offices across nine cities for an hour.
Wipro employees observed the 'Earth Hour' after office hours by implementing shut down at home.
About 125 shops and establishments under the Bangalore Trade Association switched off lights for an hour from 8.30 pm.
The Bengaluru International Airport held a signature campaign at the arrival and departure terminals with Baggage tags having 'Earth Hour' messages and people holding lit candles outside the waiting area of the airport.
Candle lights were in flow glow at all malls.
In Mumbai, the 'Earth Hour' kicked off with a large candle light procession from Mayor Shraddha Jadhav's official residence at Shivaji Park.
Several organisations and individual volunteers also participated in the campaign in the country's financial capital in large numbers.
Among the prominent places where non-essential, high-power halogens and others lights went off were Mantralaya and New Administrative Buildings, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and several private housing and office complexes across the
city.
Decorative lights on the Rajiv Gandhi Bandra-Worli sea link were also switched off during the period.
Actress Minissha Lamba tweeted "today from 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm, let's bring out the romance of life with candles."
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