Nepal has launched a six-week campaign from Tuesday to celebrate the Earth Day, which falls on April 22 and the World Environment Day, which falls on June 5.

Altogether 26 organizations have joined hands to launch the campaign throughout the country with a view to create awareness among the people about the need to protect the earth and the environment at local and global levels.

Economic growth and development have put enormous pressure on natural system with threats to global environment, including global warming and ozone layer depletion and local environment problems like acid precipitation, air pollution, the Earth Day and Environment Day-Nepal Committee 2008 said in a statement.

The joint celebration is intended to make general public aware of the issue, sensitize them and make the government responsive to the issues and consider them seriously in government policies, the committee said in the statement.

The organizers of the program include organizations working in the field of nature and environment like the Climate Change Network Nepal, Clean Energy Nepal, the World Wildlife Fund Nepal, Small Earth Nepal, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Environment Management Department, United Mission to Nepal, Valley Traffic Police and Environment and Public Health Organization Nepal.

The programs in the drive include signature campaigns starting April 21 -- which will be later submitted to the Constituent Assembly to take into account environmental issues while drafting constitution, bicycle rally and spot cleaning on April 22, emission testing of vehicles on April 24, Eco-Yatra and Environment Film Festival on May 16-18.

(Xinhua News Agency April 22, 2008)