New Delhi, Mar 26 (IANS): India Inc Friday lent its support to Earth Hour -- a global climate awareness initiative, which urges people and institutions to switch off their lights for an hour at 8.30 p.m. Saturday.

"It is projected that India will be one of the worst affected as a result of global warming. Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and its members not only recognize the gravity of the challenge, but also are committed to tackling it," said Chandrajit Banerjee, CII director general.

"It is with this conviction that CII supports the Earth Hour and requests all businesses and citizens to join the campaign," he added.

The Earth Hour event takes place one week after the vernal equinox March 20` - when night and day are of equal duration in both hemispheres.

This year the switch-off is being observed from 8.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. on March 27 as a warning about the damage done to climate by men and industry.

Promoted by World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF), the global conservation organisation, the campaign is into its fourth year.

In 2009, about five million people in India switched off their lights for 60 minutes.

A total of 56 cities participated and the country saved 1,000 MW of power in that one hour.