Celebration of World Ozone Day at Gujarat Science City
The Gujarat Council of Science City (GCSC) is organizing various activities on Ozone Awareness Programme to mark the celebration of "World Ozone Day" on 16th September 2006 (Saturday).
September 16th has been designated World Ozone Day by the United Nations, with the goal of continuing the awareness and monitoring of the condition of the ozone layer surrounding the Earth. The theme for this year celebration is 'Protect the Ozone Layer: Save Life on Earth'. This was the date in 1987, on which the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was signed and on 19th December 1994, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 16 September to be celebrated as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.
The Gujarat Science City organizes an illustrative exhibition, slide and film show and popular science talk on the ozone theme, which aims to sensitize the students and the general visitors about the science of ozone layer and its importance to save life on earth. Students from Class VI to X are invited to participate in the Sit and Draw and Ozone Quiz competition being organized for this occasion.
Ozone is very rare in our atmosphere, averaging about 3 molecules of ozone for every 10 million air molecules. In spite of this small amount, ozone plays vital roles in the atmosphere. Ozone is mainly found in two regions of the Earth's atmosphere. Most ozone (about 90%) resides in a layer that begins between 8 to 18 kilometers above the Earth's surface and extends up to about 50 kilometers, called the stratosphere. The ozone in this region is commonly known as the ozone layer. The remaining ozone is in the lower region of the atmosphere, which is commonly called the troposphere. If we collect all the ozone in the atmosphere, the ozone layer will be as thick as a one-rupee coin.
Ozone thus plays a key role in the temperature structure of the Earth's atmosphere. Without the filtering action of the ozone layer, more of the Sun's UV-B radiation would penetrate the atmosphere and would reach the Earth's surface. The discovery of the ozone 'hole' in 1985 shocked the world. It is regarded as one of this century's major environmental disasters. Many experimental studies of plants and animals and clinical studies of humans have shown the harmful effects of excessive exposure to UV-B radiation. It is estimated that, for every 2.5% depletion in ozone layer results around five-lakh skin cancer patient on earth.
Our country signed in the Montreal Protocol on 17.09.1992. India's per capita consumption of Ozone Depleting Substances is at present less than 3 grams as against 300 gms permitted under the Protocol. Our country is taking strict measures to phase out the ozone depleting substances within the schedule period.
The World Ozone Day celebration reiterates our commitment and offers an opportunity to focus attention on the protection of Ozone Layer. Each of us can help to prevent further damage to this precious shield given to us by nature.
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