With the acute water shortage currently being experienced in Chennai, issues like rainwater harvesting and the intrusion of seawater into the ground water table of the coastal areas have acquired added edge. These questions have been under study for some time at the C P R Environmental Education Centre, which is planning to hold an exhibition to underline the urgent need for and methods of rainwater harvesting systems to be adopted by individuals and institutions.

The Education Centre has its origins in the C.P.Ramaswamy Aiyar Foundation, established in 1966, which launched environmental education programmes in 1981. Eight years later, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, jointly with the Foundation, established the Education Centre with the aim of increasing awareness, knowledge and interest among people, more specifically among teachers and students, on environmental issues. Over the years, the Centre has provided a whole gamut of services, developed resource materials, conducted training programs and done extensive research on eco-environment matters.

The Centre has an environmental laboratory, computer division, publications division and a good library. It has also a well-developed data bank on the sacred groves of Tamil Nadu, Sacred Trees of Tamil Nadu and Trees of Chennai. Based in Chennai, the Centre has spread its research activities and projects to Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Orissa and Pondicherry, besides of course the whole of Tamil Nadu. For instance, in the Nilgiris, a major watershed for three southern states, it has taken up the rapid destruction caused to the biosphere there by the timber, tea and tourism industries coupled with the growing population. It has conducted awareness campaigns and launched biodiversity conservation programmes, besides developing a sustainable village at Bokkapuram in the Nilgiris, a gene pool of medicinal plants at Thambatty, herbal gardens and firewood conservation projects. 

The Centre's Eco Van traverses rural areas discussing environmental problems and promoting environmental protection and sustainable development. It regularly conducts seminars, workshops and conferences on environmental protection and development, conservation of ecological heritage, implications of rules and regulations like the Coastal Regulation Zone and eco laws. Its publications include material specially designed for children. It has also brought out colourful posters, videos and audio cassettes promoting the 'green' message.