In recent time’s environment has become an issue of global deliberations as we are getting reports of contaminated water, polluted air and degraded land/soil all over the world. During the last few decades man has exploited nature to such an extent that the environmental equilibrium has been disturbed. The rise in population has also added new dimensions to the whole issue. Deforestation, urbanization and industrialization as part of the developmental regime have disturbed the environment

In the blind race of development we have affected the natural systems to the extent that our own existence is being threatened. We often forget that we are part of the web of life and environment is our life-line .No doubt there has been growing concern world wide and people are suggesting new ways to conserve our environment.

It becomes the duty of all of us to understand the genesis of the problems and come out with appropriate solutions If anybody does anything wrong to the web of life all of us get affected.

Fast depletion of natural resources, agricultural processes becoming ineffective and mushrooming of slums in the urban areas are grave cause of concern. Nature may not cope with the speed with which man is trying to change the whole world.

An important sector for sensitizing larger populace is through giving priority to environmental education at school level, so that growing children (young minds) can imbibe the spirit of environmental conservation along with a holistic view of our existence.

The students, teachers, social activists, educators and all of us have to take initiative and express/share our experience/views to stop

/challenges being faced in India vis-a vis environmental problems.
The following subthemes are being suggested:

(i) Innovations in Teaching/learning practices related to Environmental Education; Field and experiment based learning
(ii) Curriculam development ; Pedagogy of Environmental Education
(iii) Our Natural Resources and Ecosystem-Global and Local perspectives; Overuse and depletion; Environmental degradation
(iv) New age development vis-a vis our natural habitat; Protection/conservation of environment

this mad race of development at the cost of our habitat and quality of life
By proper study of environment the students can have a feel of the importance of earth being a natural habitat of all living forms e.g. plants, trees, animal world, micro-organisms and man. Though, as early as in 1991 the Supreme Court called for introducing environmental education in school curriculam but still its status at the institutional level is not satisfactory .The NCERT was given the responsibility to frame a model curriculam and produce standard teaching learning materials.

The NCTE has also advised to include environment education at the B.Ed/M.Ed. curriculam. Some progress has been made but we still have a long way to go. This area must have a built in framework of “Field activity” based learning as well as “learning by doing experiments” so that the future citizens have a clear concept of their immediate environment. There is need for specialized orientation of teachers to make them aware about the latest developments in this field.

It is time that NSTC as a platform of Science Teachers should address to the problems being faced by our teachers in this area as well as should provide an interface with Scientists/Technologists/Social Activists/Educationist working in the area of environment / Environmental Education. Therefore the Focal theme of NSTC-06 has been chosen as

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION - LET’S SAVE OUR PLANET FOR FUTURE

Science Teachers /Educators who have contributed in this area must be involved to share their Expertise/experience among themselves as well as deliberate on the issue Effect of globalization on environment in general and quality of life in particular
(v) Value education related to environment. Updating traditional knowledge systems
About the Author: Dr. S.P.Verma is former HOD,Dept of Physics, Patna Science College,Patna . He is associated with several scientific society of India who wors for the scientific development of the country. He is also president of Science for society, Bihar which works under NCSTC network, Dept of Science & Technology, Govt of India, New Delhi. He can be reached at verma1946@yahoo.com