Environment Information Centres have been set up by the Union Forest and Environment Ministry for collection of data pertaining to environment in every State of the country. These centres collect environment-related data in each State and make them available to people through various mediums for augmentation of environment. This was disclosed by Union Additional Secretary Environment for Forest Nandita Chatterjee at the inaugural function of a national workshop on ‘Environment Information Systems’ evaluation and discussion’ here on Wednesday. The two-day workshop has been organised by the Union Environment and Forest Ministry with the cooperation of Madhya Pradesh Disaster Management Institute. Representatives of all the states concerned with environmental issues and scientists from prestigious institutions of the country are participating in the workshop. Chatterjee informed that 66 Environment Information Centres are being run in the country with the assistance of prestigious institutions, universities and voluntary organisations. Of these, 28 centres collect information as per regional and state-level requirements under prescribed norms whereas 38 centres collect and provide information as per themes and subjects. Environment Information Centre has also been set up at Bhopal-based Disaster Management Institute. Advisor to Union Environment and Forest Ministry Neelkanth Ghosh informed that the ministry had started work of collecting environmental data based on various parameters since 1982. These sets of information are valuable for planners, policymakers, scientists, environmentalists, researchers etc. At the outset, Principal Secretary Housing & Environment Shri Iqbal Singh Bains welcomed the guests and participants. He informed that officers, employees etc are imparted training to deal with disasters at Disaster Management Institute since the year 1984. At the inaugural session, Union Additional Secretary Forest and Environment Nandita Chatterjee and other guests also released a newsletter and calendar published by DMI, Bhopal. Disaster Management Institute Executive Director Manohar Dube threw light on the workshop’s objectives. DMI Director RK Dube proposed a vote of thanks.