KOLKATA: In the Sundarbans, when tigers are trapped for monitoring, they send an SMS. Thanks to WWF India’s change in focus in its work — from tigers to the ecosystem — the model of development has also evolved in the past few years.
Now people of the area run a power station and intend to sell the surplus outside.
Anurag Danda, head of Climate Change Adaptation, WWF India, said at a symposium on CSR here that the paradigm shifts have taken place in the development narrative in India.
He said there could not be a rigid model for delivering corporate social responsibility.
For example, we got corporate sponsorship for erecting lamps in the forest area to keep away tigers from straying into the human habitats during the night.
The event, organised by the Bengal Chamber in collaboration with USAID and the US Consulate General, was designed to create a space where companies and non-government organisations can learn from one another and work together.
USAID, which is seeking innovations to develop, test and scale development success in India, showcased some of its partner organisations at the event.
To foster sustainability, USAID is collaborating with the private sector as implementer and resource partner.
In association with FICCI and the Government of India’s Technology Development Board, USAID is involved in a project that links Indian innovators with seed financing in six major development sectors: maternal and child health, family planning and reproductive health, early grade reading, clean energy, water and agriculture.
This alliance also has the provision of interfacing CSR programmes. ICICI Bank and Foundation, UKAID and ICCo India recently joined the alliance.
Nazib Arif of ITC Ltd said the company’s CSR activity currently reached out to 40,000 villages and 70 lakh people and involved 70 NGOs. In the area of health it collaborates with USAID.
[Business Line]
