TIRUNELVELI: The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) conducted an awareness programme on environment for bankers, NGOs and farmers recently at Tenkasi to sensitise the stakeholders on environmental degradation and the strategies to mitigate the danger. In his inaugural address, Revenue Divisional Officer of Tenkasi, N. Shanmuganathan, stressed the need for the protection of the environment and lauded NABARD for organising such a workshop for sensitising the bankers, NGOs and farmers on the subject. He indicated various initiatives taken by the Government for protecting the environment in and around Courtallam and Tenkasi and urged the bankers to accord highest priority for funding environment-related projects such as organic farming, clean energy projects, etc. In his presidential address, D. Ulagan, Assistant General Manager / Circle Head, Indian Bank, Tirunelveli, explained in detail about the schemes available with the banks and urged the NGOs to create awareness on rural sanitation, total sanitation campaign, individual household toilets, personal hygiene etc. Assistant General Manager NABARD, Tirunelveli, J. Suresh, explained the need for protection of environment and the initiatives taken by the NABARD such as implementation of various schemes, provision of refinance, rural innovation fund, watershed development, organic farming etc. to conserve the protection. He explained the need for environmental protection, need for sensitisation of branch managers and requested bankers to be aware of funding environment-related projects. A.G. Murugeson, Professor, Sri Paramakalyani Centre for Environmental Sciences (SPKCES), Alwarkurichi, made a power-point presentation on various reasons for environment degradation and how to prevent them while G.S. Vijayalakhsmi, formerly professor, SPKCES, elaborated on organic farming through vermicomposting. M. Arivazhagan, president, Sri Ramakrishna Seva Nilayam, Tenkasi, bank officials from Pandyan Grama Bank, State Bank of India, Canara Bank, and Indian Bank, representatives from NGOs and farmers participated.