Jan 23, 2014 Press Release
CMS PSA Young Environmental Journalist Awards Announced
Two young journalists - Juhi Chaudhary (CNN-IBN) and Chandan Haygunde (Indian Express,
Pune), have been announced the winners of 2014 CMS PSA Young Environmental Journalist
Awards.
Initiated in the year 2007 by CMS Environment, the awards are for excellence in
environmental journalism. It is presented to an individual who has done exemplary
investigative and inspired reporting on environmental issues in the country. These biennial
awards are a countrywide recognition of two journalists (21-35 years of age) who have
made a significant contribution in either the print or electronic media to an understanding
of the nation's environmental problems.
The winners of the previous awards include Bahar Dutt (CNN-IBN) and Amarjyoti Borah
(Freelancer) in 2007; Aarti Dhar (The Hindu) and Pierre Fitter (NEWSX) in 2009; Soma Basu
(The Statesman, Kolkata) and Manu C Kumar (Manorama News, Mumbai) in 2011.
Forum of Environmental Journalists of India (FEJI), TVE Asia Pacific and PANOS South Asia
(PSA) has been the supporting partners for these honours over the years.
This year the CMS PSA Award for television goes to Juhi Chaudhary who has worked as
Senior Correspondent with CNN-IBN for five years. She is among the few Indian journalists
to have reported exclusively on environment and wildlife issues for national television. She
started her career in media with an investigation on illegal wildlife trade called ‘Blood on the
Brush’ which led to the arrest of two dealers selling paint brushes made of banned
mongoose hair. In 2009, she exposed on camera how illegal mining was rampant in Aravalis
(Based on the investigation, CEC ordered Haryana govt. to conduct an inquiry). And more
recently she uncovered how a top hospital in Delhi was dumping dangerous bio-medical
waste in gross violation of the rules following which both the NHRC and DPCC sent notices
to the hospital. Juhi has covered a range of environment stories for CNN-IBN with prime
focus on wildlife conservation, development projects vs. environment, protection of
Aravallis, environment policies and climate change. She has also worked as a producer for a
number of environment shows.
This CMS PSA Award for print goes to Chandan Haygunde who is Principle Correspondent
of Indian Express in Pune. Chandan has been reporting from ground zero about the illegal
activities and problems in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR). It involved extensive travelling,
actually visiting the problem areas and proper investigation by taking photographs, collecting
documental evidence, meeting forest officials and government authorities, villagers,
environmentalists and also those involved in the wrongdoings in STR. He investigated how
two government approved bauxite mines were flouting Supreme Court orders by their illegal
activities in STR. He exposed an illegal construction in the Koyna Wild Life Sanctuary by a
businessman and seven illegal roads in STR made under the government's National Rural
Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS). Chandan has also reported on illegal liquor parties,
wind mills in STR and how lack of staff and equipments hampered tiger count,
CMS PSA Awards is an effort to encourage and improve environment journalism. PANOS
also has a South Asia Climate Change Award (SACCA) Fellows Programme to improve media
coverage and public debate around climate and development in South Asia. Twenty four
journalists from six South Asian countries: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri
Lanka, have been selected to participate in the SACCA Fellows’ Programme in 2012-13.
Each year, the results of the Fellows’ efforts are evaluated independently and awards the
prestigious Media Excellence Award. This year the winners are two journalists from India
and Sri Lanka :
Subhra Priyadarshini (India) is an award winning science journalist and currently Editor of
Nature India, the Nature Publishing Group’s (NPG) India operation. Subhra has been a
correspondent with major Indian dailies The Times of India, The Indian Express, The Asian
Age, The Telegraph, news agency Press Trust of India (PTI) and environment fortnightly
Down To Earth. She worked briefly for the Observer, London. She is a regular contributor to
BBC Radio’s Hindi science programme ‘Vigyan aur Vikas’ (Science and Development) and
taught science communication at University of Calcutta.
Amantha Perera (Sri Lanka) is a writer and a multi-media journalist based in Colombo, Sri
Lanka. His work regularly appears in TIME, Reuters/AlertNet, Inter Press News Service – IPS,
and Integrated Regional Information Network – IRIN. He concentrates on coverage on Sri
Lanka’s post-conflict situation, humanitarian aid, human rights, climate change and impact
on the region and adaptation measures.
Bothe CMS PSA Awards and the SACCA Media Excellence Award winners will be given on Jan
30, 2014 (6.30 – 8.30 pm)at the gala inaugural ceremony of CMS VATAVARAN – Asia’s
largest film festival and forum on environment and wildlife. The 2014 CMS VATAVARAN is 5
day biodiversity gala and will feature film screenings, forums, exhibitions, musical festival,
food festival, green bazaar and many more at the IGNCA Lawns (near India Gate and Central
Secretariat Metro Station), New Delhi from January 30- February 3, 2014.
Celebrate diversity in nature in Asia’s largest film festival & forum on environment and
wildlife ! To participate, register online - www.cmsvatavaran.org
About CMS VATAVARAN: The rich experience of CMS in environmental issues &
development communication sowed the seeds of CMS VATAVARAN, India’s only
International Environment & Wildlife Film Festival and Forum. In its decade long eventful
journey from 2002 – 2012, CMS VATAVARAN has become a movement and inspired many
organisations / individuals to use films and film festivals as a medium to catalyse change. It
has created a strong network of Indian and International filmmakers, policymakers,
academicians, research think tanks, environmentalists, journalists, students of all streams,
defense & paramilitary forces and nature enthusiasts. The festival has an International
recognition and till date 39 festivals have been organised across 26 cities of India.
CMS VATAVARAN remains resolute to encourage environment films and forums resulting
change in perception, practice and policy.
For more details contact:
Ms Indira Akoijam, Media Coordinator - CMS VATAVARAN
E: Indira@cmsindia.org, Cell: 9899979161, Phone – 011 26864020 / 26851660
CMS, RESEARCH House, Saket Community Centre, New Delhi 110017