This institute was founded in 1982, to spread awareness regarding environmental problems and the need for scientific thinking. From 1990, it started conducting educational programs related to the cleaning of Rankala lake, Panchganga river and the Saving of Western Ghats. The institute also made some films on these matters. It finally succeeded in securing 114 cr. and 8 cr. respectively towards these projects from the Govt., so as to prevent further pollution of Panchganga river and Rankala lake. Since 1988, the Institute has offered alternatives to immersion of Ganesh idols and Nirmalya (flowers offered to deities) into water bodies. It intervenes (with systematic study of laws and regulations) in drought, disaster management, environmental damages caused by mining, tree cutting, industrial and biomedical wastes etc. It has released a Residents’ Charter in Kolhapur called Nandi Paryawaran Samruddhichi by collaborating with various other NGOs and institutes.