Environment Support Group (ESG), a Bangalore-based group that focuses on environmental and social justic issues, has won the 2011 Gold Award in the category of ‘Best Green Water Stewardship’ at the 6th International Green Awards. ESG won the award for its ongoing "Collaborative Initiative for the Wise Use, Conservation and Protection of Lakes" in Bangalore, India.

Pic courtesy: International green awards

"This recognition has been possible only because of the committed efforts of the small and dedicated staff at ESG, and the unstinting support extended by our families, strong network of volunteers and well-wishers," said Leo Saldanha, coordinator at ESG.

The initiative by ESG which includes campaigning, research and Public Interest Litigation efforts, aims at safeguarding lakes of Bangalore to ensure water and ecological security for present and future generations in this densely urbanised region.

"ESG presents a confident and clearly integrated approach to solving the problem, especially as it mobilises social action for a pressing concern. Water security is a global issue and ESG have helped bring this to the attention of the government and is an exemplar for the rest of the sub-continent," said one of the judges on why ESG was selected for the award.

The awards, instituted by the International Green Awards, London, were presented in London. The awards, dubbed ‘Green Oscars’, were given at a ceremony held at at the iconic Natural History Museum, London on Thursday 24th November 2011. The awards have 20 categories including ‘Best Green International Business Award (Large)’, which was won by Unilever, UK and ‘Best Green Government Award’ which was won by Dublin Fire Brigade – "Kilbarrack Fire Station".

This year, Nobel laureate Professor Wangari Maathai was posthumously awarded the Green Lifetime Achievement Award.

The awards were launched in 2006 with the objective of recognising the best-in-class examples of sustainability communications. In 2009, the Awards introduced an ‘International’ category, encouraging applications from the world over. Because of overwhelming participation, in 2010, the Awards opened all categories to global participation. Since then entries have been received from across the world including Greece, Romania, Australia, Singapore, India, USA, Canada and many more.

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