UNEP-IE Ozone Action Programme sponsored a Children's Painting Competition for protecting the Ozone Layer for children from developing countries between the age of 10 and 16 years in order to raise public awareness.
At the instance of the UNEP-IE, the Children's Painting Competition was organised in India in collaboration with the National Museum for Natural History (NMNH). The theme, with other terms and conditions, was published in various national and regional daily newspapers. In response, more than 1,000 entries were received.
The Director, NMNH, with the help of four national experts, scrutinised and selected 27 paintings. These paintings were considered for the selection of prizes. Since the range of age group was from 5-16, the expert group selected national prizewinners for three age groups.
First, second and third prize winners of the painting competition of each age group were awarded by the Hon=ble Minister of State, Shri Babu Lal Marandi, who distributed prizes to all winners on September 16, 1998 on the occasion of the International Ozone Day.
The three national first prize winner paintings were sent to UNEP-IE Ozone Action Programme, Paris for consideration of the Selection Committee set up for International Children's painting Competition.
Master Maharishi Bhupendra Jesalpura, a 10-year-old boy from Ahmedabad, bagged a Special Merit Award at the international level for the Children's Painting competi-tion for the Protection of Ozone Layer.
The certificate for the Special Merit Award of Master Maharishi Bhupendra Jesalpura was handed over to the Hon=ble Minister of Environment & Forests, Shri Suresh P Prabhu, during the Tenth Meeting of Parties to the Montreal Protocol held on November 23-24, 1998 in Cairo.
Shri Suresh Prabhu handed over this certificate and some prizes to the boy in his office chamber on January 6, 1999. MOS (EF), Secretary (MOEF), Special Secretary (VV), IGF and other senior officers of the MOEF were also present.