We are environment activists for the last 30 years. The beginning was in the year 1977 when the tree plantation programme was initiated. In 2004 on the basis of our prayer before the Green Bench of the High Court at Calcutta, the Act in the name and style of West Bengal Trees (Protection and conservation in non-forest Areas) Act, 2006 was passed, the purpose of which is to save trees in the non-forest areas of the State.

From 1977 to 1995 we had been active before the peoples’ forum (holding rallies/protests/dharnas/seminars etc.) under the umbrella organization named as Ganatantrik Nagarik Samity and had organized several hundreds of movements on environmental and other related issues. During this period 14 criminal cases, including 2 attempt to murder charges, had been registered against us. Lathi charges followed by arrests were frequently practiced by the police to thwart our movements. In 1995, one Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed before the Supreme Court of India on Howrah city’s environmental issues and based on the said petition the first Green Bench of the country in any High Court was set up in the Calcutta High Court. 

Mr. Subhas Datta is the chief organizer of the movements, who is a chartered accountant by profession. From 1995 till date Mr. Datta is ventilating the grievances of the masses before the judicial forum through filing the Public Interest Litigations (PIL). On the PIL matters he gets the information first, collects the related documents on the subject, verifies the same, visits the spots, takes the photographs by himself, drafts the petition, files the same and makes the submissions before the Court. Other than being a lawyer, Mr. Datta has so far moved in person the highest (64) number of PIL in the country filed before the Supreme Court of India and the High Court at Calcutta.

Some research works have been conducted on the activities of Mr. Datta. In 2000, Dr. Hans Dembowski, a German scholar made his research paper on PIL in India, which had extensively covered the works of Mr. Datta. Oxford University Press had published the thesis in a book titled as “taking the state to court”, but due to the litigation in the High Court at Calcutta the circulation of the same had been withdrawn.

At present almost all the major environmental issues of West Bengal are being attended by our organization. Recently the issue like destruction of caves in the State of Meghalaya has been moved to the Supreme Court of India through the hands of Mr.Datta. After catering for Calcutta’s lung (maidan) we are now actively attending the kidney (wetland) of the city. There are more than 10,000 newspaper clippings on our various movements. The electronic media has extensively covered our programmes through national and international channels. We are basically Protestants, not by religion but by practice and stand second to none in ventilating the grievances of the people of the State of West Bengal.

Due to adverse pressure on the environment issues all over the country as well as in the State of West Bengal exclusive attentions are now required to be given to face and address the problems. We have therefore, compartmentalized environmental and social activisms and formed an organization named and styled as RENU (Rejuvenators for Environment, Nature and United Society) to intensively handle only the environment related issues. This organization will function as an associate organization of Ganatantrik Nagarik Samity, Howrah and will act on the following agenda: 

The bottom level of the society should be educated and we desire to take a 
   slot in the electronic media where only environmental issues would be 
   telecast.
Adequate publications will be made on environmental subjects concerning our
  day-to-day life. 
Website will be launched updating major environmental issues.
Practical demonstrations/teachings on social/environmental subjects will be 
   undertaken in the Primary Schools attended by poor section. 
The Corporate Sector should be made more active in social participations on 
   the related issues. We have drawn up a detailed plan on the same and 
   through different Chambers of Commerce and Industries we will launch the 
   programme.
The top level of the society (senior executives, industrialists, professionals, 
   faculties) should personally take part in public awareness and participation 
   programmes. We shall organize and co-ordinate such events.
One Directory detailing eco-friendly items/services will be published.
We receive complaints from all corners of the State and after receipt of the 
   same our team will visit the spot, verify the fact and guide the complainants 
   with remedial measures.
The Judicial Forum will be moved on very critical and unattended issues.