Big B urges Indians to collectively combat global warming

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan on Tuesday urged India to collectively combat global warming and make the world a better place to live in.

Gurgaon (Haryana), May 8 : Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan on Tuesday urged India to collectively combat global warming and make the world a better place to live in.

Speaking at a news conference in Gurgaon ahead of the eighth International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards to be held in the UK in June, Bachchan lauded the academy for its stand in bringing forth issues of global warming and climate change.

"What has impressed me the most about IIFA this year is the fact that IIFA has recognised the importance of global warming and has tied up with Global Cool, an organisation that is working towards making our planet a better place to live in. We've been very impressed by the efforts made by Global Cool and I would like that media persons should try and inform people about this wonderful thought ---of people coming together and to tackle the threat of global warming," he said.

This year, the IIFA weekend, which is being held in Yorkshire from June 7 to 10, will not only see the award function with performances by Indian actors, but will include a Global Business Forum.

The forum of heavyweights from the United Kingdom and the Indian business fraternity will address issues concerning trade and highlight issues of climate change that threaten our world.

With the pace at which India is progressing economically Bachchan feared that very shortly the country would be high up in the emission of deadly gases. India is one of the largest emitters of carbon- dioxide, after the United States, China and Russia.

The UN Environment Program (UNEP) has issued stark warnings about the impact of climate change -- widely blamed on emissions of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels -- with dire forecasts from hunger in Africa to a fast thaw in the Himalayas.

Speaking on the host location, Yorkshire for the IIFA weekend, Bachchan said he was confident that this year's IIFA function would be fruitful in bridging communities, cultures and countries.

"We've had previous speakers from here talking about the other good effects and the other achievements of the county. But truly it is the people of Yorkshire that have impressed me the most. And I am sure that when IIFA and the entire film industry arrives at its doors, they will receive the traditional Yorkshire welcome that Judith and so many others have so warmly put across," he said.

The IIFA Foundation Celebrity Cricket Match, which will see Asia's cricketing greats with stars from the Indian film fraternity taking on a UK celebrity cricket team, during the second day of the weekend.

The Indian team under the captaincy of Bollywood hunk Saif Ali Khan, will include cricketers Kapil Dev, Mohammed Azharuddin and Bollywood actors Hritik Roshan, Abishek Bachchan, to name a few.

The film awards are especially aimed at India's almost-20 million strong diaspora that is proving both lucrative and indispensable in efforts to bring Bollywood to world theatres.

There can be few better symbols than the extravagant awards function for nearly 400 Indian actors, directors, scriptwriters and producers.

ANI