E-Weekly-5/29
Green Earth Movement
An E-Newsletter for the cause of Environment, Peace, Harmony and Justice
Remember - “you and I can decide the future”
Climate change 'final warning' as IPCC report pushes for
fossil fuel phase-out by 2100
Time is running out if the world wants to avoid potentially catastrophic climate change
according to the most definitive report to date by the UN body charged with formulating expert
advice for governments around the globe.
In what amounts to a "final warning" about the dangers of not doing enough to curb emissions
of greenhouse gases, the Intergovernmental Panel and Climate Change (IPCC) said that it is
technically and economically possible to still keep within the target of no more than a 2C
increase in global average temperatures. However, the panel warns in its Synthesis Repot
published yesterday that fossil fuels will have to be significantly scaled back in the coming
decades, and eliminated entirely by 2100, in order to keep within what is widely considered to be
the "safe" limit for global warming.
"We have little time before the window of opportunity to stay within the 2C of warming closes,"
said Rajendra Pachauri, the chairman of the IPCC who launched the report in Copenhagen
following meetings of the report’s authors in the Danish capital. "To keep a good chance of
staying below the 2C, and at manageable costs, our emissions should drop by 40 to 70 per cent
globally between 2010 and 2050, and falling to zero or below by 2100," Dr Pachauri said.
"We have the opportunity, and the choice is in our hands," he added, referring to the need for a
global climate deal to limit fossil fuel emissions in time for an international climate meeting of
governmental policymakers next December in Paris.
The Synthesis Report, which is seen as the final "capstone" of the previous three IPCC reports,
re-states the scientific, economic and social case for a new climate deal to turn around the
continuing increase in fossil fuel emissions over the past decades – carbon dioxide emissions
alone last year reached a record 36 billion tons. The report states that the human influence on
the Earth’s climate is clear, that human emissions of greenhouses gases are the highest in history
and that recent changes to the climate have already had an impact on human and natural
systems.
"Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, and since the 1950s, many of the observed
changes are unprecedented over decades to millennia. The atmosphere and ocean have warmed,
the amounts of snow and ice have diminished, and sea level has risen," the report says.
The IPCC warns governments that it is not enough to cut fossil fuel emissions, it will also be
necessary to adapt to climate change. But the longer they take to come to a binding deal on
curbing emissions through mitigation, the greater the eventual costs of adaptation, the IPCC
said. "We need both adaptation and mitigation. One or another is not the solution to these
problems," Dr Pachauri said.
Page 2
"We have the means to limit climate change. The solutions are many and allow for continued
economic and human development. All we need is the will to change," he said.
Sir Mark Walport, the Government’s chief scientific adviser, said that the IPCC has now made it
clear that climate change is happening and that is poses widespread and serious risks.
"We can still avoid the most serious impacts. We need to transform the way we power our lives.
This will be very challenging, but the challenges for humanity if we do not are likely to be far
greater," Sir Mark said. "The longer global emissions are allowed to continue to increase year on
year the more difficult, and expensive, the transition to a low carbon future will become," he
added.
Lord Stern of Brentford, who chaired the Government’s review of the economics of climate
change, said: "This report shows that there is no real intellectual basis for denying the risks of
climate change, and governments should be focused on how best to make the transition to lowcarbon economic development and growth."
IPCC found:
· Warming of climate is unequivocal with many of the observed changes
unprecedented over decades to millennia.
· The atmosphere and oceans have warmed, snow and ice has diminished and
sea levels have risen.
· Human emissions of greenhouse cases are the highest in history and
concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are the highest in at least
800,000 years.
· The acidity of the oceans has increased by 26 per cent since the beginning of
the industrial era due to increases in carbon dioxide.
· Arctic sea ice has decreased over the period 1979 to 2013 at a rate of between
3.5 and 4.1 per cent per decade, while it has increased in the Antarctic due to
strong geophysical differences between the two polar regions.
· It is “extremely likely” that human emissions of greenhouse gases from fossil
fuels and other sources are the dominant causes of the observed warming
since the mid-20Century.
Available
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CLIMATE CHANGE
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Poverty will increase as world temperatures rise, says
UN
Global warming will disproportionately affect vulnerable communities
during next century.
Page 3
The expected effects of increased climate change
during the next century will disproportionately
affect the poor and other vulnerable communities,
according to a new report released Sunday by the
United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change.
In its fifth assessment report (the first published in
1990), the UN panel outlined what is known about
climate change to date, including what has
happened, what is anticipated to come if countries
collectively fail to ratchet up mitigation and
adaptation efforts, and who will face the brunt of a
warming planet.
“Continued emission of greenhouse gases will
cause further warming and long-lasting changes in
all components of the climate system, increasing
the likelihood of severe, pervasive and irreversible
impacts for people and ecosystems,” said the report,
which was compiled by thousands of scientists.
“People who are socially, economically, culturally,
politically, institutionally or otherwise marginalized
are especially vulnerable to climate change,” the
report continued. The heightened vulnerability, it
said, “is the product of intersecting social processes
that result in inequalities in socioeconomic status
and income,” such as discrimination based on
gender, class, ethnicity, age and disability.
The emphasis on the impact of vulnerable groups is
a common point for religious groups when talking
about climate change. In September, the Vatican's
secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, told a
UN assembly that climate change "is a very serious
problem which ... has grave consequences for the
most vulnerable sectors of society and, clearly, for
future generations."
Source: National Catholic Reporter
From,
Joe Dias
frjmdiassj@gmail.com
Dear Fr. Felix,
Many thanks for sending me GEM-5-27. It is very informative, interesting and inspiring as usual.
Keep up the good work.
Fr. JoeMDias,S.J.
FROM- Mario Goveia <mgoveia@sbcglobal.net
Dear Fr. Felix,
I commend you and PM Modi for raising awareness of one of India's most vexing problems urban public cleanliness. In addition to being unsightly it also has serious health consequences.
When personal hygiene that may work in an Indian village because biodegradable human waste
turns into fertilizer those same habits do not translate well in an urban area where the poor do not
have access to public toilets and bathing areas and have to urinate and defecate and bathe in
public. There is also a lack of civil sense and a lack of consideration for others in India that leads
to thrash being strewn wherever one can get away with it.
When you combine that with a reluctance by even middle-class Indians to pay for modern waste
management systems what you see is what you get - a highly developed society where urban areas
are filthier than any other industrialized country.
The most startling contrast is with China.
God bless,
Mario
Page 4
From: Sucheta Dalal <sucheta@moneylife.in>
Dear Activists and NGOs
Greetings. Many of you have expressed the need to create a networking forum for NGOs and
activists so that we understand issues that affect each of us and are able to build support for them.
A powerful network of genuine NGOs will also help those who face threats or intimidation —
whether physical or though defamation or frivolous litigation.
Only if we meet regularly will we understand and empathise with concerns specific to our
individual activities and have the confidence to stand by one another in times of distress or to push
for policy change.
Sometimes just knowing about the work done by other NGOs, is enlightening. It is also a way to
get concerned citizens become regular volunteers and activists. Or, we may have direct benefits.
For instance, I was pleasantly surprised at a meeting with Rajiv Mehta of Ratna Nidhi. His
organisation provides the Jaipur foot and wheel chairs to the physically challenged. They also
provide mid-day meals, clothes , etc. His interest in networking was to find NGOs to help in the
distribution. He was also looking for hospitals willing to install high-end diagnostic machines that
his organisation could provide free of cost, provided they offer FREE help to the poor (not even
exclusively, he says).
Ashok Ravat has been pointing out that many NGOs want to understand basics of filing public
interest litigation and need networking and guidance on it, especially to tackle civic issues.
The question always was, who will do it? Where will we meet? What will we discuss? How will
the meetings be structured? and What will they achieve?
Vinay Somani, whose Karmayog provides an excellent online platform for NGOs around the
country and the world to network, is willing to support these meetings. Each of us will be
responsible to give direction to this effort and set small and achievable goals when issues crop up.
We plan to host the meetings at Moneylife Knowledge Centre, which is equipped for presentations
as well as simply networking. Happily for us, we have flexibility on timing because the lifts at
Moneylife Foundation’s office building are now open until8pm.
I am writing to ask your suggestion and guidance on structuring these meetings. Here are some
initial thoughts and we are open to modification.
1. We have a monthly meeting on a fixed day and fixed time every month. It allows us to mark
out calendars for the year and plan ahead. I suggest the first Wednesday of the month from 6 pm
to 8 pm. Or the last – that will allow us to start in November itself
2. We plan the topic or issue to kick-start a freewheeling discussion at each meeting. We do this
by having one activist / NGO give a 20 to 25 minute talk/presentation. The rest of the time will be
for a free wheeling discussion.
Do you think this will work? Will you find it useful? Would you like to be a part of it? Do you
suggest something else?
I look forward to your views and would love to start this as quickly as possible. Do take a few
minutes to respond and please feel free to forward it to others who you think ought to be a part of
this effort! I guess Vinay will also put it up on Karmayog.
(keeping names in BCC – please tell me if you want to be removed from further communication
and efforts on this issue)
Warm regards
Sucheta Dalal and Vinay Somani
Page 5
From: shantighar helpline <shantigharhelpline@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Nov 1, 2014 at 5:48 PM
Subject: Shantighar Helpline
Very good evening to you
We are happy to inform you that Shantighar shelter home for women in crises at Andheri East has
started a Helpline with the intention of reaching out to families in need of counselling and legal
assistance.
We would appreciate if you could communicate this information with your friends, other
Parishes.,parishioners,institutions and other organisations etc.
Thanking you for all your encouragement and support at all times.
Yours sincerely,
for Shantighar,
Sr. Marlene.
From,
Devinder Sharma
FACEBOOK
Industrialists want free land before investing in Punjab. Is this what is meant by reforms? And if
this is reform please tell me what is loot. Among those who want free land in Punjab are: Siemens,
Kansai Nerolac, Mahindra & Mahindra, Glaxo Smithkline, Infosys, Herman Finochem. Sanofi
Pharma and Maico India. They want free land on the same pattern as Punjab's deputy Chief
Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had sometimes back given 70 acres of land to International School
of Business just for one rupee. Apollo Hospital in New Delhi similarly had got 15 aces of land in
the heart of the city for Re 1/acre. The list is endless. In other words, it means reforms is another
word to justify the loot of natural or financial resources. But if you give subsidies to the poor and
hungry, these are termed as socialist and therefore anti-reform. So subsidies for the rich are
reforms but subsidies for the poor are wasteful expenditure/dole. Reforms means only the rich
should be subsidised.
Sometimes back I had written a blog on policy paralysis. When industries don't get freebies, they
yell at the top of their voice calling it as policy paralysis. http://devindersharma.blogspot.in/2012/05/policy-paralysis-is-it-economic-term.html
From,
Devinder Sharma
FACEBOOK
I returned from Bijnor (in Uttar Pradesh) yesterday after spending a day with some thinkers/social
activists/farmers/professionals from different parts of the country who had assembled at the Jiwan
Vidya Institute for a 4-day conclave on Rethinking Economic and Development Policies for the
21st Century. Thankfully there were no big names, so no sophisticated video presentations and
complicated economic analysis. All I I could feel was a growing sense of restlessness among these
social thinkers who see the gulf between the rich and the poor widening, the ruthless destruction of
environment, usurping of the natural resources and the looming threat to the right to livelihood.
This economic growth model is not sustainable.
Page 6
Belthangady: Waste
water purification plant
inaugurated in
Dharmasthala
Media Release
Daijiworld Media Network – Belthangady (RJP)
Belthangady, Nov 9: “Nature conservation
is everyone’s duty. The project here is using
only natural bacteria for purification process
instead of any chemicals. The waste water from
the lodges will be purified here for agriculture
purpose. This project is also totally eco
friendly. After a trial period of one year, same
type of projects will be introduced everywhere
in the state” Said Ramanath Rai minister in
charge of Dakshina Kannada, in Dharmasthala.
Rai was speaking after inaugurating the waste
water purification project in Dharmasthala.
concerned authorities and we will also think
about providing drinking water from the waste
water in the future. The use of purified water in
agriculture helps in bringing more water into
the system. It will also help in better sanitary
management of towns.” he added.
Nalin Kumar said that the water purification
project in Dharmasthala is a revolutionary
step. He asked the minister to introduce the
same in Mangalore city so that other villages
also will benefit. K Vasantha Bangera said the
whole Dakshina Kannada district should see
more projects like this. Asha Thimmappa
asked to use spring water and steam water for
availability in villages.
“Dharmasthala has given special preference to
cleanliness in all the projects including
accommodation and food. British Broadcasting
Corporation and a channel from Germany will
record documentaries and programmes on the
food system in Dharmasthala. Dharmasthala
will always have a clean atmosphere.”
Dharmadhikari Dr Veerendra Heggade said
during his address.
D Harshendra Heggade on the occasion said
that 1790 toilets and 1406 bath rooms are there
is Dharmasthala from which the waste water is
collected. The amount of water is 25 lacs litres
per day which will be used for agriculture after
purification.
Pavan Kumar Jain from Bangalore Shaila Aiyar
The project has an outlay of Rs. 8 crore. and Gopi who have helped in the
Dharmadhikari Dr Veerendra Heggade, MP implementation of the project were honoured
Nalin Kumar Kateel, MLA Vasantha K by D Veerendra Heggade.
Bangera, D K Zilla Panchayat president Asha
Thimmappa Gowda, Belthangady Taluk Later a meeting on the preparations of
Panchayat president Jayanthi Paledhu, Deepostava was also held with the minister
Dharmasthala Grama Panchayat president Ramanath Rai present.
Geetha and Zilla Panchayat member
Dhanalakshmi Janardhan were present on the During the function k Vasantha Bangera said
that Ramanath Rai is the minister in charge of
occasion.
whole Dakshina Kannada district. He should
concentrate on other districts as well. Nalin
“The project details will be discussed with
Kumar also supported Bangera in this issue.
Available
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WASTE WATER TREATMENT
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BJP left red-faced after Delhi unit chief cleans stage-managed
garbage
By Lakshmi Iyer, Mumbai Mirror | Nov 7, 2014
Page 7
Reducing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's muchhyped Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to a sham, Delhi
BJP leaders left the party embarrassed after being
caught on camera sweeping garbage dumped a
short while earlier by municipal staff.
The photos, which were being widely circulated on
social media on Thursday, show municipal workers
dumping garbage on the pavement outside the India
Islamic Cultural Centre (IICC) on Lodhi Road, and
a short while later, BJP Delhi unit chief Satish
Upadhyay and former AAP leader Shazia Ilmi were
photographed sweeping the same with brooms.
While the party has distanced itself from the
embarrassing photographs, Aam Aadmi Party chief
Arvind Kejriwal said on Thursday, "Satish
Upadhyay first had the streets littered and then
cleaned. The BJP in Delhi has committed fraud on
New Delhi: Babus vow to clean,
but end up littering...Ht Mum Oct 03
Hindustan Times (Mumbai)
Rajesh Ahuja rajesh.ahuja@hindustantimes.com
the PM's Swachh Bharat campaign."
Both Upadhyay and Ilmi denied knowledge of
garbage being dumped. "I was only one among
250-odd participants who had gone to participate in
the event. I am not blaming anyone. I am only
stating the facts. I condemn what has been done.
Maybe it was human error. Let us leave it at that,"
Upadhyay told Mirror.
"The question must be directed to Dr Siraj Qureshi
of IICC, who is one of the nine brand ambassdors
for Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. I had only gone to the
Centre to participate. I have been taking part in
cleanliness drives with groups such as Chintan. It
certainly should not have been organised this way,"
Ilmi said.
Across Delhi, BJP MLAs took up the cleanliness
drive with renewed vigour. Rajinder Nagar MLA R
P Singh said such incidents will not stop the party's
efforts, adding he had participated in cleaning up a
slum cluster on Thursday evening," "We will
investigate who did this... This is a symbolic
gesture aimed at Muslim localities where the
message of clean India needs to reach urgently,"
said M Wadood Sajid, media advisor to the IICC
president.
There were volunteers moving around with
empty cartons to collect the bottles. But it
seems they didn’t even have patience to
wait for the volunteers to come,” said a
bureaucrat present at the launch function.
Modi spoke for about 25 minutes at the
function, asking everyone present to take
a pledge of cleanliness with him. Cleaning
India is not the responsibility of only safai
karamcharis or the government, he said,
but of all 125 crore Indians.
NEW DELHI: Minutes after pledging not to
litter at the launch of the Swachh Bharat,
or Clean India, Mission at Rajpath, senior
bureaucrats left empty water bottles and
pamphlets on their seats as soon as the
function got over on Thursday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi went for a
walk with school children along Delhi’s
main boulevard after administering the
cleanliness pledge and the top officials left
behind enclosures strewn with pamphlets
with the Clean India oath clearly written
on them. “I was dreading it when I saw
officials being careless with empty water
bottles.
“I will neither litter not let others litter. I
will initiate the quest for cleanliness with
myself, my family, my locality, my village
and my work place,” went the pledge he
dministered to people at the venue. “With
this firm belief, I will propagate the
message of Swachh Bharat Mission in
villages and towns.”
Messages of shame accompanied the
photos of the littered enclosures that
flooded social media in no time. “Changing
mindset is a Himalayan task. It is rightly
recognised by the prime minister. Hope
this will not repeat,” wrote Shankara on
Twitter.
Ramana tweeted: “Not surprised. Sounds
like a classroom, where intake is through
one ear and exit through the other!”
Page 8
Visit thermal plants, learn
about hazards workers face:
Bombay HC to law students
Indian Express
to ensure the safety of workers.
The central government had then told
the Supreme Court that the suggestions
were broadly covered by several existing
enactments and consequential prooccupational action would be taken for
effective implementation of the relevant
laws.
The SC, thereafter, directed the Ministry
of Labour to take steps to see that above
referred suggestions and relevant
provisions of various Labour Acts are
properly implemented to protect the
welfare of the employees.
Following a first of its kind directive by
the Bombay High Court, college students
will soon visit thermal power plants in
the state to interview workers there in
order to gain first-hand information
about occupational hazards that workers
face. The HC ordered the the District
Legal Services Committees of
Maharashtra to enroll students from law
and other colleges for the initiative.
Pursuant to the directions of Supreme
Court, the National Institute of
Occupational Health (NIOH) submitted
report for the year 2011 making various
recommendations.
The report pointed out that occupational
exposure to high heat in different
thermal power plants may cause heat
related disorders, like heat exhaustion.
Noise and vibration exposures in higher
doses than the permissible limits may
The students have been asked to find
result in noise induced hearing loss,
out what occupational health hazards
employees working in various coal- fired raised blood pressure, regional vascular
disorders, muscular-skeletal disorders,
thermal power stations (CFTPP) are
subjected to and the steps — preventive, human error, productivity loss, accidents
and injuries. Radiation hazards
curative as well as remedial — being
taken by the CFTPPs for protection of the particularly from the generated fly ash
and its used products have also been
health and welfare of the workers.
indicated of possible health risks.
In addition, the HC has also directed the
state government to detail, by December The SC, therefore, pointed out it was
8, what measures it proposes to take for necessary to make detail examination of
the steps taken by CFTPPs and the
the “effective implementation” of the
Central Government and the statutory
labour laws.
authorities to protect the worker. Since
Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice B P
the CFTPPs are spread over various
Colabawalla have also asked 35 thermal
states, the SC felt that it would not be
power plants in the state to file their
practical for it to examine whether
compliance reports to the state
CFTPPs and transferred the monitoring to
government and specifically to the
the respective High Courts in August this
Maharashtra Pollution Control Board.
year.
The Bombay High Court’s decision comes
The Bombay HC has also directed all
in the backdrop of rulings by the
Supreme Court. The SC, while hearing a power station to submit their periodical
PIL filed over the occupational hazards of reports to the district legal services
committee in the respective districts in
employees working in various thermal
which the power plants are situated.
power stations in the country, had
considered various recommendation
Page 9
Anti-Posco activists oppose
socio-economic survey
The socio-economic survey would be
conducted in eight villages.
in spite of our repeated "no" for establishment of
any project in the Gram Sabhas," said PPSS
spokesperson Prasant Paikray in a press release.
The socio-economic survey would be conducted in
eight villages namely Dhinkia, Nuagaon,
Gobindpur, Jatadhar, Polanga, Bhuyanpal,
Noliashai and Bayanala Kandha under Ersama
teshil in Jagatsinghpur district.
He said that the PPSS is committed to oppose
unjust, undemocratic and unethical state
interventions serving the interest of private and
multinational companies.
The PPSS alleged that the police are filing
fabricated criminal charges against its people to
suppress the agitation against the project.
Bhubaneswar: The Posco Pratirodh Sangram
Samiti (PPSS), which is spearheading the antiPosco movement at the proposed site of Posco's
mega steel project in Odisha's Jagatsinghpur
district, Saturday opposed the socio-economic
survey in the affected villages.
Hyderabad-based Centre for Management and
Social Research (CMSR) has been assigned the job
of conducting the socio-economic survey in respect
of rehabilitation of families displaced by
procurement of land for the project in the villages
near Paradeep.
"Our villagers are determined not to allow any
survey team in our area. We do not understand why
the government is making socio-economic survey
Paikray also condemned the Odisha government's
recommendation for Prospecting License (PL) in
favour of Posco India to excavate minerals from
Khandadhar mines in Sundargarh district.
"We strongly condemn the clandestine way in
which the state government is planning to hand
over Khandadhar iron ore mines to Posco at a time
when nothing is clear about the mining project and
when thousands of tribals are protesting against
handing over of their precious natural resources for
mining," said the PPSS spokesperson.
Paudi Bhuyan tribals who live in Khandadhar hills
are protesting the mining activities under the banner
of Khandadhar Suraksha Sangram Samiti.
IANS
Maharashtra woman who sold 'mangalsutra' to fund
toilet lauded
Awhale expressed hope that now more men in villages would heed to
their womenfolk's demands for toilets.
Page 10
Mumbai: A feisty woman in Maharashtra
who sold her gold "mangalsutra" - the
wedding chain and pendant - to raise
money to construct a toilet in her remote
village home has earned kudos from
people, and a felicitation by Rural
Development Minister Pankaja Munde.
Sangita Awhale, from Saikkhed village in
Washim district of Vidarsbha, recently
set off a social revolution by insisting on
women's dignity and a toilet for the
womenfolk in her humble dwelling.
Her husband Narayan ignored her
demand, pleading resource constraints,
and even her in-laws did not support
her, she told media persons Thursday.
The womenfolk in her home were
compelled to go to nearby fields to
answer nature's calls, dodging stares
from men.
"Toilet is a basic requirement for any
family, not ornaments. I decided to sell
my gold 'mangalsutra' to finance the
construction of a toilet in my home," she
told media persons in the minister's
office here Thursday afternoon. Her feat
earned admiration from not only her
family but the villagers, and as the news
spread through local media, from people
across Maharashtra. For, 'mangalsutra' is
not a mere chain and a pendant, but
dearest to a married Maharashtrian
woman as it symbolises her wedlock.
"We want to construct maximum number
of toilets in the state and shall ensure
that women don't face any
embarrassment on this count," Munde
said, lauding Awhale's unique initiative.
As a token of appreciation for taking
forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi's
Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Munde
presented Awhale with a brand new
'mangalsutra', which she asked her
husband Narayan to tie it round his
wife's neck amidst cheers and claps.
Awhale expressed hope that now more
men in villages would heed to their
womenfolk's demands for toilets to
ensure they meet a basic necessity as
well as dignity.
IANS
37 Million Bees Found Dead In Ontario, Canada After
Planting Large GMO Corn Field
Courtesy: Organic Health
Millions of bees dropped dead after GMO corn was planted few weeks ago in Ontario, Canada.
The local bee keeper, Dave Schuit who produces honey in Elmwood lost about 37 million bees
which are about 600 hives. “Once the corn started to get planted our bees died by the millions,”
Schuit said. While many bee keepers blame neonicotinoids, or “neonics.” for colony collapse of
bees and many countries in EU have banned neonicotinoid class of pesticides, the US
Department of Agriculture fails to ban insecticides known as neonicotinoids, manufactured by
Bayer CropScience Inc.
Two of Bayer’s best-selling pesticides, Imidacloprid and Clothianidin, are known to get into
pollen and nectar, and can damage beneficial insects such as bees. The marketing of these drugs
also coincided with the occurrence of large-scale bee deaths in many European countries and the
United States.
Page 11
Nathan Carey another local farmer says that this spring he noticed that there were not enough
bees on his farm and he believes that there is a strong correlation between the disappearance of
bees and insecticide use. In the past, many scientists have struggled to find the exact cause of the
massive die-offs, a phenomenon they refer to as “colony collapse disorder” (CCD). In the United
States, for seven consecutive years, honeybees are in terminal decline.
US scientists have found 121 different pesticides in samples of bees, wax and pollen, lending
credence to the notion that pesticides are a key problem. “We believe that some subtle
interactions between nutrition, pesticide exposure and other stressors are converging to kill
colonies,” said Jeffery Pettis, of the ARS’s bee research laboratory.
The collapse in the global honeybee population is a major threat to crops. It is estimated that a
third of everything we eat depends upon honeybee pollination, which means that bees contribute
over 30 billion to the global economy. A new study published in the Journal Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences revealed that neonicotinoid pesticides kill honeybees by damaging
their immune system and making them unable to fight diseases and bacteria.
After reporting large losses of bees after exposure to Imidacloprid, banned it for use on corn and
sunflowers, despite protests by Bayer. In another smart move, France also rejected Bayer’s
application for Clothianidin, and other countries, such as Italy, have banned certain
neonicotinoids as well.
After record-breaking honeybee deaths in the UK, the European Union has banned multiple
pesticides, including neonicotinoid pesticides.
Available
Educational PowerPoint PresentationS (PPTS) on
GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD
ORGANIC FARMING
THE FUTURE OF BIO DIVERSITY
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CBCI Office for Justice, Peace and Development brings out a new
book: Church and Sustainable Development (CNUA)
A new book, titled Church and Sustainable Development was released on 24 October 2014,
during the 26th Annual Conference of Association of Moral Theologians of India, at DVK,
Dharmaram, Bangalore. The book was introduced by Rev Fr George Kodithottam, SJ, and
was released by Rev Fr Clement Campos, President of Association of Moral Theologians of
India. The first copy of the book was received by Rev Fr Melchior, Rector of Good Shepherd
Seminary, Coimbatore. Coincidentally, the release of the book marks the culmination of
the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005 – 2014). Compiled and
edited by Rev Dr Charles Irudayam, Executive Secretary, CBCI Office for Justice, Peace
and Development, the book contains articles, contributors of which are from both India and
outside. The book, published by ATC, not only expounds biblical perspectives as well as the
Catholic Church’s unique and distinctive perspectives on sustainable development but also
advocates sustainable practises. The release of the book has special relevance for India
where governments are engaged in an aggressive pursuit of development and growth at
the cost of rapidly depleting the natural resources and harming human ecology. In his
foreword to the book, Bishop Gerald Almeida of Jabalpur, Chairperson of the CBCI Office
for Justice, Peace and Development, claims that the book is a contribution of his Office to
the cause of sustainable development. He also states that the book is “an evidence and
manifestation of the Catholic Bishops’ firm stand and commitment to the same cause”. It
may be remembered that during their 31st Plenary Assembly in February 2014, the
Catholic Bishops of India stated: “We stand for sustainable development of peoples and
human ecology.” (Statement, 31st Plenary Assembly of CBCI, February 2014, no. 5.vii). In
the preceding Plenary Assembly, too, the Bishops had stated: “We stand for the protection
of the environment. We are stewards of God’s Creation and we must use our resources for
the good of all, keeping in mind also our duty to future generations. Illegal mining,
deforestation, some mega projects, pollution of water, air and land are destructive of
Page 12
ecology. We will resist such moves and encourage greater use of natural sources of
energy, promote organic farming, encourage proper methods of waste management and
other such initiatives.” (Statement, 30th Plenary Assembly of CBCI, February 2012, no.
8.8.) Church’s teaching on environmental protection speaks of ecological vocation, which is
best summed up by Pope Francis who says that “like Saint Francis of Assisi, all of us, as
Christians, are called to watch over and protect the fragile world in which we live, and all
its peoples” (Evangelii Gaudium, No. 216). (The price of the book is Rs. 200/-, Copies
are available with Rev Dr Charles Irudayam, Executive Secretary, CBCI Office of Justice,
Peace and Development, 1, Ashok Place, Goledhakhanna, New Delhi – 110001, Tel: +9111-23366127, Mob: +91-9868103400, email : jpdcommission@gmail.com
This 24-yr old is empowering rural Bihar and how!
Courtesy: rediffmaila.com
An internship experience in West Champaran inspired UPenn graduate Zubin Sharma to take up
the cause of educating the less privileged. He realised that the kids in India's villages have the
potential to change the world. In the last four years, Sharma's team of volunteers and teachers
have impacted thousands of lives and changed their futures. Find out how!
The future of India lies in its villages." This famous quote by Mahatma Gandhi is being threatened today
with India looking towards a shining future in its cities and skyscrapers.
However Zubin Sharma (pictured left), a 24 year-old graduate of University of Pennsylvania, took
Gandhi’s words to heart. After starting an organisation called SEEKHO India in 2013 to introduce a
culture of education in Bihar, Zubin realised that bringing together the existing strengths of a community
could help increase its collective well-being. That’s how Project Potential was born, with a vision to help
people and communities everywhere reach their potential. Here, Zubin talks about his inspiration behind
the initiative and how it is changing and empowering the lives of people in rural India.
From UPenn to Bihar, how and when did the idea of empowering Indian villages begin?
I landed in rural Kishanganj District in Bihar during a gap semester from UPenn that I took to test a
hypothesis I had – that people everywhere have potential and that this potential can be used to create
change. I was working with an NGO there, and while the NGO was doing a good job, they weren’t able to
reach a lot of small hamlets, so I wanted to see what else could be done. SEEKHO was founded out of a
village meeting in one of these small hamlets, in which the community was asked, "What are our shared
goals for the future?" Everyone said, 'education,' so we worked to provide education. We've provided
education to over 4,000 people since February 2013 through local people, who we trained as teachers.
What was your most surprising observation when you first came to Bihar?
The first time I came to Bihar was in 2010 on an internship with Husk Power Systems in West
Champaran. What surprised me was how much potential I saw; all anyone would ever say about Bihar
was how backward it was, which made no sense to me, since I saw a lot of innovation and movement
happening. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you can’t be backward if you’re moving forward!
The second important point is how adaptable human beings are to their material environment. With Husk
Power Systems, I lived in a one room mud hut during my internship, and adjusted to the living conditions
within 24 hours. In Kishanganj, I had it a little better, sleeping on the floor with a building, so that was
Page 13
even easier. Many people say, 'OMG, I could never do that,' to which I say, 'yes you can! Just give it a
try!'
Project Potential focusses on the existing resources and strengths of a community. Tell us more
about how that notion evolved.
While we have accomplished a lot in the past few years with SEEKHO, we saw that a lot of other
systemic challenges, like poverty, health, and communal strife often hold children back from getting
educated. Many of our local teachers were picking up on this fact and actually started providing services
in other areas, like Ganesh, who trained the community in sanitation practices. Seeing this, we felt like our
teachers could do much more than just teach -- they could change the underlying systemic issues that were
blocking students from learning. So we did a three-month pilot and saw amazing results -- two villages
getting electrified, a pre-school getting built, new associations built, new learning centres opened, etc, all
using locally available individual, community, or institutional resources. Most importantly, we saw the
community coming together in a way that it hadn't before. These findings led me to found Project
Potential.
How does Project Potential work?
Take 19 year-old Razia for example, who is what we call a Village Visionary. She mobilised women in
the community to build an association. The association then set their goals:
• Learn basic literacy
• Get their kids educated
• Earn money
For basic literacy, she trained a local girl to teach the women. The main obstacle to get kids educated was
flooding in the rainy season. So she organized a meeting with the block educational officer, who then set
up a bridge school for them to get educated. Finally, for earning money, she worked with local
businessmen to get them jobs and then also helped them get job cards. So this is the kind of work we do.
As you can see, it's all about using local, available resources to help the community achieve their selfdefined goals. We discuss it in three steps:
1. Building an army of Village Visionaries
2. Connecting the dots
3. Getting stuff done
We have six Village Visionaries in the field right now, and will have 24 more beginning in January.
Page 14
The Project Potential ‘family’ have people from various backgrounds, countries and most certainly
different strengths. Was it difficult finding people who would readily leave what they were doing to
come and work in Bihar?
Project Potential is an international family of people, who are connected by a belief in the potential of
people, a commitment to action, and an understanding that our relationships matter over all else. Take
Jason House, for example, an acquaintance from college and a Wharton graduate. He read an article I
wrote on some mindfulness work we had done in Nepal, and then told me he wanted to quit his job and
work with us in India. Now he’s adopted an Indian name -- Sanjay bhai -- and wears a gamsha and a
lungi. He fits in so well, and wherever we work, everyone in the community knows and loves him.
So, in short, it's not tough -- there are lots of people for whom Project Potential was their calling and
exactly what they were looking for -- a community and family built on super strong values and 110 per
cent committed to its people.
Is there any parting message you’d like to give our readers?
Gandhi only had 24 hours a day. Same goes for you. No excuses. Start making moves!
Before it is too late
LET US WORK TO SAVE OUR
ENVIRONMENT.
Following educational and
awareness PowerPoint
Presentations (editable) on
various environmental issues
are available.
Visit our website:
www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in
go to the GEM PPT section
Zero Garbage
Solar Energy -(Darkness
to Light)
Junk Food
Twenty Tips To Save
Nature
Plastic – a boon or bane?
Green Passion
Soft drink – A Health
Hazard
Waste to energy
Rain Water Harvesting
Eco-friendly Religions
Happy Green Diwali
Climate Change
The future of Biodiversity
Genetically Modified Foods
Waste Water Treatment
Give thanks, Give Life
(Body, Organ, Tissue
Donation)
Organic Farming
Waste to cooking gas
Reduce, Reuse. Recycle
Protect Mangroves
Say NO to Bottled water
Save Lakes and Ponds
Forests are green lungs
Coal Mining and Ecology
Sin of Food Waste
Page 15
Christians panic as violence
escalates in Bastar
Story By: Anto Akkara, UCANNEWS
camping around the police station, in Bhanpuri,
demanding that the case against them be withdrawn,
said Rev. John Daniel, president of the Bastar chapter
of Chhattisgarh Christian Forum and a Pentecostal
minister.
“I have been here for 40 years. Whenever Christians
are attacked, this is the pattern. Before the Christian
victims would reach the police station, the attackers
would have filed a case against them with the police.
That’s why innocent Christians have been arrested,”
Daniel told World Watch Monitor. Anand, however,
said the two Christians who were arrested had been
released Oct. 29, while the four Hindus, charged with
more serious offenses, are still in detention.
Scores of policemen are camping in a remote Indian
village following an Oct. 25 attack on Christians by
Hindu fundamentalists. Government officials
characterize the violence in Madhota village, in the
Bastar district of Chhattisgarh state in central India, as
a “clash between two communities.” Arun Pannalal,
president of Chhattisgarh Christian Forum, calls it a
“cleverly planned attack.”
“We have been getting complaints these days that
Christians are not even allowed to draw water from
the (common) tube wells,” Daniel said after attending
an Oct. 29 “peace meeting” convened by the district
collector. Elsewhere, police are preventing Christians
from entering the hospital at Jagdalpur, 30 km from
Madhota, to which injured Christians had been rushed
in a truck, Pannalal said.
That’s not the only point on which Pannalal and local
officials disagree. “Eleven of our people have been
hospitalized. Eight of them have serious injuries,”
Pannalal told World Watch Monitor on Oct. 29. “Ten
people were injured,” countered Ankit Anand, the
district collector — the head of Bastar’s government
administration. The 10 include five Christians and
five of the attackers, he said.
Asked on Oct. 29 whether police have filed any case
against Dinesh Kashyap, the Member of Parliament
who conducted the “reconversion” ritual in Bhanpuri
village, Anand said “I am not aware of such a report
and no Christian has mentioned it in their meeting
with me today or given in it in writing.”
In the wake of the violence, more than 100 police
officers are camped in Madhota. “Yes, policemen are
there in the village,” Anand said. “We have to
maintain law and order.” The roots of the trouble go
back a week, in the village of Bhanpuri. That’s where
Dinesh Kashyap, a member of India’s Parliament
from Bastar, washed the feet of some Christians and
declared they had undergone “ghar wapsi,” or
homecoming, to Hinduism.
A day earlier, on Oct. 28, the Indian Express, a
national newspaper, reported that “the present
controversy is rooted in an attempt by the right-wing
groups to take these converted tribals to the Hindu
fold.” It referenced the MP Dinesh Kashyap, saying
he “had visited the [Bhanpuri] area and initiated” the
reconversion of Christians in the village. When World
Watch Monitor directed Anand’s attention to the
national headlines of a day earlier, he said: “We will
look into it.”
Kashyap is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party,
the political home of Hindu nationalism and which
won a majority in the national Parliament in elections
earlier this year. The party has been ruling
Chhattisgarh state for a decade.
He also said he would look into whether the present
situation is linked to tension in other Bastar villages
where village councils have passed resolutions that
outlaw the open practice of Christianity. “Christians
had complained to us about these resolutions. I had
told them that these have no legal validity,” Anand
said.
The Bhanpuri event raised tension between Christians
and fundamentalist Hindus in the region. In Madhota,
traditional drumbeats summoned residents to
assemble with government officials and police on the
morning of Oct. 25 to discuss the resulting
“simmering tension.” Christians gathered awaiting the
officials, Pannalal said.
“But the officials never came,” he said.
Christian-rights advocates have sued the Bastar
government over the restrictions. “The government
has been asked by the (state) high court to respond to
our petition about these resolutions,” Pannalal said.
“But they have not responded to this yet.” He said the
subsequent attacks on Christians are a “ploy to
intimidate us.”
Fundamentalists came in a truck and attacked the
Christians.” Anand said six people – four Hindus and
two Christians — were arrested after the “clash.”
Several hundred Hindu fundamentalists had been
Chhattisgarh state is 94.7 percent Hindu and 1.9
percent Christian, according to Operation World.
(This report first appeared
in worldwatchmonitor.org on November 3, 2014)
Page 16
Silence makes government
an accomplice in attacks:
Church official
India, the right wing religious majority
groups have carried out further violence.
The extremists have prevented the
missionaries and Catholic clergy to enter
certain parts of the territory and in some
What is needed is, first of all, a cleansing of
the heart. We want a clean India, but above all villages. That is why the Justice and Peace
Commission sent a letter of formal
from a clean heart, thanks to peace, justice
and brotherhood.
complaint to the government," said the
Courtesy:ucannews
priest.
Father Irudayam recalled that recently the
entire Indian civil society publicly expressed
its discomfort, requesting the intervention of
the civil authorities.
India: The Catholic Bishops' Conference of
India (CBCI) said that the silence from the
part of the Narendra Modi government
makes it an accomplice in the increasing
attacks against minorities in the nation.
“The government is focusing on the
development and city cleansing. What is
needed is, first of all, a cleansing of the
heart. We want a clean India, but above all
from a clean heart, thanks to peace, justice
and brotherhood," said Father Charles
Irudayam, Executive Secretary of the
Justice, Peace and Development
Commission in the CBCI.
Expressing the Indian bishops’ point of view,
the priest said, "The new government of
nationalist leader Narendra Modi is not
openly against minorities, but we are sad
and worried about what is happening in
India: The government says and does
nothing to stop the right wing religious
groups who attack minorities. This makes
the government an accomplice.”
"The central government of Narendra Modi
has never condemned the violence. This
silence means that, in its mind, it shares the
approach and ideology of an India reserved
for Hindus. But this idea goes against our
Constitution, which outlines a democratic
and pluralistic nation. It is the government's
responsibility to respect and ensure respect
for the Constitution," explained Irudayam.
"At this stage, after Modi’s first hundred
days in office the Indian Church and its
Bishops are on alert and follow what
happens very closely. Some Bishops have
asked: how long will the government's
complicity with those who carry out violence
last? Some eminent jurists and Hindu
intellectuals support this position, and ask
the government for a clear pronouncement.
If not, they explain, violence against
religious minorities will increase," continued
the Secretary.
Father Irudayam concluded, "We know that
Pope Francis accompanies us in our efforts
for peace and justice; a non-violent
struggle, raising his voice in public and to
God through prayer. Ours is a commitment
to social and religious harmony.”
Source: Agenzia Fides
"In the state of Chhattisgarh in Central
PM promptly helps woman with daughter suffering
from cancer; adopts village
Page 17
Varanasi, Nov 7 (IANS): Prime Minister
Narendra Modi Friday met 15 people from his
parliamentary constituency and listened to
their problems. One of them was a woman who
had petitioned him for the treatment of her
cancer-affected daughter who has lost both her
kidneys.
criteria for selecting Jayapur village, the prime
minister said the village drew his attention
when he came to know that five people had
died in a fire here.
"Jo sankat ke samay sambandh bante hain wo
rishte chiranjeev hote hain" (The bonds forged
during testing times are everlasting)," Modi
said. He then said while the villagers may be
expecting grand announcements from him for
the village, he will not choose to make them
public now and rather do the work. He also
sought the support of people in ushering in the
change.
The prime minister met them at his
Ravindrapuri office, which was set up to collect
petitions from people of his constituency.
Kalyani Mishra, who met Modi later told
reporters that she had petitioned the prime
minister for help in her daughter's treatment.
Mishra said she was overwhelmed by the way
the prime minister not only sympathised with "I do not talk big, I was not born like that that.
her but also took immediate action.
I say small things and do big things," he said
while pointing out that if only tall
"The prime minister immediately dialled some pronouncements by earlier governments had
officials in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), borne fruits, this village would not have in the
and directed them to help me on top priority. I poor state it is now.
never imagined that a prime minister can be so
humble and helping," she said misty-eyed.
Modi told the villagers that they should
combine their collective strength and put it to
Others who met the prime minister petitioned good use, like educating the children, ensuring
him on various issues. Some sought power and hygiene and making cleanliness a family
water for their villages, some complained of priority, and celebrating birth of a girl child.
official apathy with regard to their problems Saying that today in fact the village was
and some sought personal help to meet some adopting him as a parliamentarian and not vice
financial crisis.
versa, Modi said time had come when the
people should realize their strength and rather
Modi adopts a village in Varanasi
than merely waiting for government help,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday adopted should come forward to improve their lot.
a village in his Varanasi parliamentary
constituency and exhorted its residents to Jayapur is a typical Uttar Pradesh village with
combine their collective strength to educate the a population of about 4,200. The population
children and ensure hygiene.
has a mix of Brahmins Musahar, Yadavs,
Patels, Bhumihars, Bania, Kumhar and Dalits.
Modi, who is on a two-day visit to Varanasi, There is only one primary school in the village
was accorded a grand welcome at Jayapur and the lone internediate college is about 10
village. Village women garlanded him and put km away. Incidentally the village has no
a vermillion tika on his forehead. After a brief Muslims.
interaction with village elders and village head
Durga Devi, Modi addressed the enthusiastic Modi's two-day sojourn is his maiden visit to
gathering, seeking their support in developing Varanasi after becoming the prime minister in
the village. Trashing media reports on the
May this year.
Dog lovers in Iran face 74 lashes, fines under new Islamic law
Penalties would apply to individuals keeping dogs as pets or
walking them in public
AFP, Tehran, Iran, November 7, 2014
Page 18
Dog lovers in Iran could face up to 74 lashes
under plans by hardline lawmakers that would ban
keeping the pets at home or walking them in
public. A draft bill, signed by 32 members of the
country's conservative-dominated parliament,
would also authorize heavy fines for offenders,
the reformist Shargh newspaper reported.
dogs or monkeys in public places will damage
Islamic culture, as well as the hygiene and peace
of others, especially women and children," the
draft law states.
Confiscated animals would be sent to zoos,
forests or the wilderness, it said. Hardliners in
Iran's parliament are worried about an "invasion"
Dogs are regarded as unclean under Islamic
of Western culture, including satellite television
custom and they are not common in Iran, although and the Internet, with dog ownership also being
some families do keep them behind closed doors
seen as un-Islamic.
and, especially in more affluent areas, walk them
outside. Iran's morality police, who deploy in
The law, however, would exempt police, farmers
public places, have previously stopped dog
and hunters from the penalties, which are mostly
walkers and either cautioned them or confiscated aimed at dog owners living in apartment buildings
the animals.
in big cities such as Tehran, according to the
Shargh's report on Thursday. Senior officials have
But if the new bill is passed by parliament then
warned against dog ownership, including Iran's
those guilty of dog-related offences could face
police chief General Esmail Ahmadi Moghaddam
lashes or fines ranging from 10 million rials to
who two years ago said his officers would "deal
100 million rials (US$370 to $3,700 at official
with those who carry dogs in public."
rates).
A similar law was proposed three years ago but
Patting dogs or coming into contact with their
after studying the bill lawmakers in the 290saliva is seen as najis — direct contact and
member parliament dismissed it, citing more
behavior that leaves the body unclean — in the
important legislation on the draft agenda. AFP
Islamic republic. "Anyone who walks or plays
with animals such as
Mangalaru: Educare disburses nearly Rs 5 crore to deserving
students
Media Release
Mangaluru, Nov 5: Educare Trust, founded by a Mangalorean NRI based in Dubai, has accomplished a
commendable feat by disbursing educational funds to the tune of nearly Rs 5 crore to deserving students
in 2013 and 2014. In 2013, Rs 1,78,20,000 was disbursed to 543 students, and in 2014, Rs 3,20,10,300
was given to 858 students, out of which 518 were fresh applicants and the rest renewers. In all, 1,401
students received a total of Rs 4,98,30,300 during 2013 and 2014. The funds were disbursed to both male
and female students pursuing different streams including professional courses.
Educare Trust was inaugurated at CODP in 2013 by Bishop Aloysius Paul D'Souza. During the inaugural
ceremony, the bishop had said, "It (Educare) is God given opportunity for poor Catholic students of
Mangalore and Udupi dioceses to pursue their dreams." He appreciated the generous donor of Educare for
his philanthropic initiative. Fr Oswald Monteiro, the secretary of CODP is full of praise for Educare
trustee, whom he considers a true follower of Christ. "When we see other donors crave for publicity and
honor, here is a donor, he says who wants to be hidden and nontrumpeting. This is best example of how
true Christian charity should be.
Page 19
About the donor
The managing trustee of Educare trust is a successful Mangalorean Catholic NRI businessman based in
Dubai. He has opted to be anonymous following Christian spirit - 'what your right hand does should not
be known by left hand'. The main intention of the donor is to reach out to the poor and needy students.
Education is the foundation of development. Education brings about all round development of a person.
However, he is not content with mediocrity from students but expects hard work and excellency.
Educare trust has agreed to make available a sum of Rs 25 crore as a revolving fund. This is a refundable
interest-free loan which is to be repaid within 18 to 24 months after completion of studies.
For application criteria / selection / disbursement / motivation programme / repayment,
log on to: www.codpindia.com
Role of CODP
CODP (Canara Organization for Development and Peace) is the diocesan development center which has
experience of more than 40 years in development and education. CODP has a separate managing
committee for Educare, with the secretary of CODP as its convener and head. Fr Oswald Monteiro is the
present secretary and Reena D'Costa is the office secretary for Educare. The donors of Educare Trust have
expressed
their
gratitude
for
all
the
guidance,
support
and
co-operation rendered by Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, bishop of Mangalore, Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo Bishop
of Udupi, director of CODP Fr Oswald Monteiro, all the priests of Mangalore of Udupi diocese and the
team of advisors of Educare Trust in guiding and supporting to implement this noble scheme.
Pilgrims to get more time with St Xavier’s relics
Besides, the organizers have strictly discouraged preferential viewings of the patron saint
except for the VIPs.
Panaji: Organizers for the 17th decennial exposition of relics of St Francis Xavier in Goa
have decided to ensure that each of the pilgrims coming for the event is able to spend
more time with the casket housing the relics. "Earlier the pilgrims would kiss the casket
carrying the relics and go. The pilgrims sometimes used to complain that they have to
queue up for three hours to kiss the relics but don't even get five seconds to spend with
it," Fr Alfred Vaz, Convener for the 2014 exposition, told PTI.
"That is why this time we have decided to create a semi-circle so that they are able to see
the relics. They can take two rounds of the casket and then kiss the relics and move out so
that they can feel close to the relics. We have worked on it from the feedback that we got
from the past experiences," said Vaz. "After kissing the sacred relics (body kept for
veneration), the pilgrims can come in the church (Se Cathedral) again and pray. They can
spend more time," he added.
The relics which are currently housed at Basilica of Bom Jesus Church would be brought in
process to Se Cathedral Church situated a kilometre away on November 22 and it would be
open for public viewing till January 4, 2015. Besides, the organizers have strictly
discouraged preferential viewings of the patron saint except for the VIPs.
Fr. Vaz said that there is a list of 51 VIPs including Chief Minister and Archbishop of Goa
approved by the state who will get preferential viewing of the relics, bypassing long
queues.
Source: Zee News
Page 20
WANTED HELPING HANDS- Courtesy: Daijiworld.com
For more appeals visit – www.daijiworld.com - charity
Violet D'Souza (47),Ram Nagar, Marakada,
Kavoor,Mangalore
Ratish (15),Kajebail House,Panjikal
post,Bantwal
Saturday, November 08, 2014
Friday, November 07, 2014
Violet D'Souza (47), wife of Louis D'Souza, residing
at Ram Nagar, Marakada, Kavoor,Mangalore, suffered
grievous injuries to her leg and other body parts after
a truck moved over her right leg on October 3, 2014.
Her ribs had fractured, there was serious injury to
head, and bones of leg had been crushed. Therefore,
her right leg had to amputated.
Ratish (15), son of Vasanth Acharya,
staying at Kajebail House, Panjikal post,
Bantwal, Dakshina Kannada district, has
been diagnosed with chronic kidney
disease. Father Muller Medical College
Hospital,Mangalore, which has made this
diagnosis, has advised the patient to
undergo lifetime dialysis twice a week.
KMC Hospital, Ambedkar Circle, Mangalore, where she
is being treated, has certified that Violet had suffered
crush injury to right foot and leg with chest injury and
haemothorax
with
Disseminated
intravascular
coagulation. The hospital has certified that her
condition is critical and total treatment cost would run
to six to seven lac rupees.
The hospital has further estimated the
annual expenses relating to this treatment
at Rs 2.4 lac. Ratish belongs to a very
poor family and as such, finds it a
daunting task to pool money for his
treatment. Because of the very poor
financial standing, the family can afford
The family of Violet is already facing a crisis because the above treatment only with outside
of the said accident. As the financial condition of the help. Ratish therefore, has requested
family is poor, it cannot afford to meet the above high willing donors to extend possible help.
treatment cost. Being hard-pressed for money, the
family has requested willing donors to extend possible Bank account details:
SB account number: 02392250001515
help.
Rathish and Vasantha Acharya
Syndicate Bank,
Bank account details:
Fr Muller Charitable Institutions
SB account number: 01842030001121
Branch
Louis D'Souza
Fr Muller Road Kankanady,
Syndicate Bank, Panambur branch,
Mangalore – 575 002.
New Mangalore Port Trust,
IFSC: SYNB0000239
Panambur, Mangalore.
Phone: 91 97411 62084
IFSC: SYNB0000184
Phone: 91 94484 27684
Published by Fr Felix Rebello
c/o St Francis Xavier Church, Panvel
Tel: 2745 5556, Email:panvelchurch@gmail.com, gemenewsletter@gmail.com
website: www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in
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