Delhi Govt to create 2 lakh ‘Eco-Warriors’ through youth climate drive

To mark International Biodiversity Day, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Thursday launched a massive climate sensitisation initiative aimed at mobilising nearly two lakh students across schools and colleges in the capital as ‘Eco-Warriors’.

The campaign, being conducted in collaboration with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), will operate through around 2,000 eco-clubs in government and private institutions across Delhi-NCR. An MoU was signed between the Department of Environment and TERI to formalise the partnership, with the Delhi Government set to sanction Rs 40 lakh for the programme’s implementation, as per the release shared by the government.

The initiative will involve interactive learning modules, workshops and community-based activities between June and November 2025. It also includes the training of 80 ‘Paryavaran Sanrakshaks’— students and educators, who will act as eco-leaders in their institutions and help sustain the momentum through peer learning.

“If our youth understand the value of clean air, green spaces and balanced ecosystems, they will lead the change this planet desperately needs,” Sirsa said.

He added that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the Delhi Government was investing not only in enforcement and technology but also in education and behavioural change.

The campaign is positioned as more than an awareness drive — it aims to bring about a cultural shift by integrating environmental values into daily student life through storytelling, games, real-life eco-actions and creative engagement.

The programme underscores Delhi’s broader environmental strategy, combining infrastructure, regulation and public involvement to tackle pollution and climate challenges.