Humans responsible for climate change, need to change mindset: Suresh Prabhu

New Delhi (PTI): Human beings are responsible for climate change and need to change mindset to protect the environment, former Union minister and BJP MP Suresh Prabhu said on Wednesday while inaugurating a four-day film festival to spread awareness about pollution.

Speaking at the event at the Ambedkar International Centre here, Prabhu said, "Most of the problems that we face today are caused by human beings. Sometimes we say that there is a natural disaster, but that too has human beings behind it.

"Humans are responsible for climate change in the most significant way. Therefore, people need to change their mind set." The four-day shot film competition and festival on environment organised by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Centre for Media Studies (CMS) VATAVARAN-2019 has received 354 entries out of which 90 films have been selected for screening before the jury comprising several big names from the Indian film industry.

Prabhu, who is also heading the Awards Jury of CMS VATAVARAN, said, "Films are powerful instrument of change and this film festival will go a long way." Amongst other dignitaries present at the inauguration were Ravi Agrawal, Additional Secretary, ministry of environment; Tamara Mona, Deputy Head, Embassy of Switzerland in India; and N Bhaskara Rao, Chairman, CMS.

"Pollution is a cause of concern for all of us today and together we need to find ways to counter it. The film is one way to document success stories and create more awareness on what each of us can do to counter this problem. I am told that 50 participants have come from all Himalayan states to attend a Himalayan summit on climate change.

"I am happy to know that this has received a good response with modern 300 films entries. It is wonderful to see so many film makers dedicated to creating awareness on the environment. Films are powerful tools of communication and have the potential to create a lasting impact on the vast cross-section of people across various geographical locations," Agrawal said.

Utilising films as a window to dive into nature, the "green film festival" will exhibit the best of Indian and international movies and documentaries from Switzerland, Denmark, Canada, Nepal, Argentina, USA, Netherlands, Iran, Israel, Norway, Germany, and New Zealand among other countries. The short-listed films from the short film festival and competition will be awarded under three categories - professional, amateur, and school.

The first prize winners of each category will be awarded a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh, Rs 50,000, and 25,000, respectively. The selected films will be screened before the jury of Indian film directors Ramesh Sippy, Rahul Rawail, Manju Borah and celebrity designer-turned-BJP leader Agnimitra Paul for selection of the final awardees for this competition. The awards will also be announced and given by Minister of State Babul Supriyo on November 30.