Rock music enthusiasts in the Capital have reason to rejoice with the upcoming environment-peace concert “My Earth, My Duty” presenting three rock bands which hope to reach out to the people and generate awareness about the environment through music.
Organised by NGOs Advit Foundation and Routes 2 Roots in association with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, the concert will be held at HUDA Gymkhana, Gurgaon, on Wednesday and will then move to the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium's weightlifting auditorium on Thursday. The concert is also supported by the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
Advit Foundation works for environmental conservation and livelihood enhancement. It is also involved in promotion of renewable energy through the Rajiv Gandhi Renewable Energy Park in Gurgaon. “During the course of our work we realised that people are not really aware of solar energy and how it can be used in everyday applications,” says Advit Foundation trustee Samit.
“We have been working to promote people-to-people contact through cultural activities. This concert is an opportunity to promote such contact and to give out a social message and also honour our duty towards the earth,” says Routes 2 Roots founder Rakesh Gupta.
Renewing hope
The famous Indian rock band Parikrama will be performing at the concert, as will singer Kabul of the band Rock Veda. A highlight of the show will be the performance by New York-based band Solar Punch that plays “environmental rock” music and uses solar-powered instruments and sound systems.
“We use a solar energy powered system for our instruments…and work in a climate solution model, practising what we preach,” said Solar Punch member Alan Bigelow. To create mass awareness on environment and solar energy use, Solar Punch will perform at the Rajiv Gandhi Renewable Energy Park, the American Center, New Delhi, and some select schools in Gurgaon. The band will not only perform at these venues but will also demonstrate how their instruments work.
A special awareness campaign has been launched, centred on the concert, to make people join the movement to save the Earth.
People coming to the concert are being encouraged to carpool, and use public transport to reach the venue. Several other steps have been taken to ensure that the concert is a zero-carbon footprint event. “Most of the lighting in the auditorium will come from a solar-charged source, the invites have been printed on recycled paper, and generators and cars running on bio-diesel have been used at the venue,” said Mr. Gupta, adding that carbon emissions at the concert will be audited by a private firm, and the organisers will plant trees to compensate for the effect on environment.
