E-Weekly-6/9
Green Earth Movement
An E-Newsletter for the cause of Environment, Peace, Harmony and Justice
Remember - “you and I can decide the future”
'Will anyone invite a waste-picker inside their home
and give him chai?'
Courtesy: rediffmail.com
'There is a nexus between elected officials, bureaucrats and the contract lobby and when you are
working for the workers, the ragpickers, you get threats. Our strength is the 10,000 people who
are with us. We have had to take the help of the court to make our lives safe.' 'Though we started
with the livelihood of waste pickers we have moved to a movement that impacts the livelihood of
waste pickers, society and environment.'
Social activist Nalini Sekhar has worked to improve the working conditions of the wastepickers of Bengaluru for the last four years and describes the her work as being rife
with "occupational hazards which energises her to work with more vigour". After all, she has
behind her 25 years of work in the same space in Mumbai and Pune. Four years ago, at the age of
50, Nalini Sekhar decided to be a social entrepreneur and co-found Hasirudala, an organisation
that works with the rag-pickers of the city. She admits that she herself was surprised by the
decision to start Hasirudala. Today, Hasirudala has managed to make the Bruhat Bengaluru
Mahanagara Palike issue ID cards to over 10,000 rag-pickers in the city, thus integrating them
with the city’s solid waste management system. Now, the rag-picking 'entrepreneurs' of
Hasirudala work with 12,000 households and each 'entrepreneur' earns around Rs 10,000 per
month.
It all began 25 years ago in Pune where Nalini worked with the SNDP University in the field of
adult education. She found that the most marginalised among the urban poor was waste-pickers
who they were kept on the outskirts of even the slums where they lived. Nalini Sekhar, who
describes herself as a combination of social entrepreneur and social activist, tells Shobha
Warrier/Rediff.com how she managed to integrate the marginalised into the mainstream.
Working with the waste-pickers of Pune
We were three youngsters (Poornima, Lakshmi and Nalini) from the university and one of our
major achievements was to unionise the waste-pickers under the Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari
Panchayat because they themselves did not think what they were doing was work. Even the
ministry bracketed them with beggars in the social economic survey. Society also looked at them
as either beggars or thieves.
When we tried to start a union for them, they were resistant; they couldn't understand why three
girls from the university asked them to form a union. First, one woman called Sumantai agreed
to join and slowly, others also joined us. On the first day itself, we issued 1,100 ID cards. We
never took convincing them as a challenge as we were in our early twenties; optimistic and full of
energy.
After a year, I moved to the US with my family and there, I worked for the survivors of human
trafficking and domestic violence. I even worked with a group to push for a national level and
state level legislation in California on human trafficking. After 10 years, I came back from the US
to Pune, and continued my work with the rag-pickers. Our major success was starting a national
level network of rag-pickers named the Alliance of Indian Waste Pickers. We made the
Maharashtra government recognise them. The main grievance of the garbage-pickers was that
they were not recognised and there was a lot of harassment from the police and government
officials.
Starting Hasirudala in Bengaluru
In 2010, when I came back to Bengaluru after working with rag-pickers for quite a few years, I
had no plan to continue my work here. At that time, Bengaluru was changing the way solid waste
management system worked. They were talking about decentralisation and all the other aspects
of waste but not a word about waste-pickers. I couldn’t remain silent; I started working with the
citizens' forum and looked at what was good for the city and also for the waste-pickers.
Finally, Hasirudala, which means green force, was born. We call the waste-pickers green force
because what they are doing is making the environment green.
Unorganised, unrecognised 35,000 waste-pickers
Bengaluru is home to around 35,000 unorganised, unrecognised waste-pickers, itinerant buyers
and waste sorters who make a living out of the 4,000 tonnes of solid waste produced in the city.
This informal sector is the biggest contingent of waste managers of the city. If the government
had to do this work, they would have to spend at least Rs 80 crores. So the waste-pickers are
reducing the burden of the government. They are the silent environmentalists but are at the
bottom of the pyramid and get paid the least for their work.
ID cards and salary for the waste-pickers
The first thing we did was to take an enumeration of the waste-pickers so that we could bring
them under one umbrella and provide them with ID cards. There are around 35,000 of them but
so far we have touched only 10,000. Because of my experience in Pune and travelling to other
places in India as part of the Alliance of Indian Waste Pickers, in four years we have unified
10,000 waste-pickers. Providing them with BBMP ID cards was a major achievement as nobody
harasses them now. Okay, they have the ID cards and they are socially accepted; ‘what next’ was
the question. They should have some monetary benefits from picking waste. We started looking
for well-paying jobs for them in the private space, in the bulk waste generating space. The
government does not provide waste management to anybody where there are more than 50
houses or more than 10 kilos of wet waste. It is in this private space that we decided to engage
them.
The 2 bin, 1 bag concept
'2 bins, 1 bag' is a concept we came up with, which meant there is a green bag for natural waste, a
red one for reject waste and one for dry waste. We serve 12,000 households and our plan is to
reach one lakh households in one year. Our waste-pickers, the majority of them women, go
house to house in villas but they collect waste from a central place in the apartments. We identify
one waste-picker and make her the entrepreneur and she brings a few more workers to work
under her so that work never suffers. The person who goes and collects waste from each
household gets Rs 10,000 a month and also the dry waste.
From working for waste-pickers to waste management
Everyday, the waste-picker weighs the wet waste, the dry waste and the waste that goes to the
landfill, from what she collects from each household. Later on, the data is sent to the household
so that people reduce the rejects or the waste that goes to the landfill. We make the households
pay more for the rejects so that it will make them conscious of what they are doing and also
environmentally conscious. In the beginning, each household used to produce 340 gm of rejects
everyday. Today it has come down to 125 gm. This is made possible by segregating waste.
Because the concepts worked for us, other citizens have taken it to another 65,000 households
(today, five and a half lakh people in Bengaluru are segregating waste). They are using the two
bin, one bag concept. It has become a movement of sorts in Bengaluru. Within one year, if we
were able to make more than five lakh people segregate waste, we can do this with one crore
people.
Livelihood of waste-pickers the first priority
Though we started with the livelihood of waste-pickers we have moved to a movement that
impacts the livelihood of waste-pickers, society and environment. Every year, we release a data
that shows how much trees we have saved, how much electricity saved, how much impact we
have had on livelihood of the waste pickers, etc with the help of the IT firm, Mindtree, who do
this work for us, free. Though we do waste management of the city through waste-pickers by
recycling more than 650 tonnes of dry waste, deliver more than 150 tonnes of wet waste for
composting every month, operate the city’s three biogas plants and provide management
services to 33 dry waste collection centres in the city, our first priority will always be the
livelihood of waste-pickers. We have so far given employment to 500 people with Hasirudala as
entrepreneurs. More than 300 children of waste-pickers get a scholarship from the state to
study. Nearly 50 of our entrepreneurs have become mainstream, with the corporation signing
MoU with them directly and not through Hasirudala.
Have waste-pickers become part of society?
If you ask whether the waste-pickers have become a part of society, the singular answer is 'NO'.
It has not happened. Will anybody invite a waste-picker inside their home and give him chai?
No.
But it has happened in Pune. Some of the waste-pickers tell me that where once they were not
allowed inside the homes to collect waste, today even the Brahmins have started letting them
inside their homes. Over a period of 20 years of work, it has happened in Pune. It has not
happened in Bengaluru yet. In Pune, the child of a waste-picker who first went to college has
become a journalist. Another child went to London to study catering management. So many
children are studying nursing, engineering, etc.
In Pune, you can say we have integrated them into the mainstream but it will take another
decade to achieve that in Bengaluru. One Hasirudala not enough. One Hasirudala cannot meet
all the needs of the city; you need many more Hasirudalas. So far, we have had only individuals
helping us; we need more corporates participating in this venture. We have the office space
given to us by an individual, Mindtree gives us free service in data management and the
apartments we service pay us. So, we are almost self-sufficient and are able to pay salary to all
the people.
Lessons learnt
The biggest lesson learnt was 'if you want to be right, you will never be popular'. When you want
to stand up for the rights of people, you will not be liked, and we human beings want to be liked.
This is a big challenge for me personally as one has to introspect constantly. Still, it has been a
very satisfying and empowering journey and it energises me.
LET US CREATE A GREEN WAVE ALL OVER!!!
LET US PROTECT OUR FRAGILE ENVIRONMENT
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LET US PROTECT OUR FRAGILE ENVIRONMENT
Mumbai (Mahim Nature Park): From dump yard
to city’s green lung
Courtesy: HT
Did you know that the Mahim Nature Park — which today boasts of housing 18,000
trees and a wide array of wildlife — was once a dumping ground?
Located on the Bandra-Sion Link Road, the dumping ground was shut in 1977. Then
around 20 years ago, three Mumbai residents, all of whom worked for the World
Wildlife Fund (WWF) India, took it upon themselves to transforming the area into a
green lung for the city. Chairman of WWF (Maharashtra and Goa) Shanta Chatterji,
along with education officer Himanshu Joshi, conceptualised the park as a green
refuge that also served an educational purpose, while architect Ulhas Rane planned
its layout.
Thanks to the trio, the nature park -- spread across an area of 37 acres -- is home
to more than 130 species of birds, 80 types of butterflies, 32 varieties of reptiles
and 12 types of spiders today. “The park was built under the vision of late
ornithologist and naturalist Salim Ali. The WWF India submitted the proposal to
create the park in 1977 to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development
Authority,” said Avinash Kubal, deputy director, Maharashtra Nature Park Society.
According to Joshi, the US National Park service team helped them design the
theme of the park in the 1980s. The Maharashtra Nature Park Society took over the
work in 1994. “The first tree was planted at MNP in 1983 and then began the
process of converting the dumping ground into a park,” said Chatterji. Chatterji said
they chose evergreen trees to attract birds. Rane said the WWF, while carving the
plan, had two major interests – creating an educational-theme park for children and
developing mangroves.
“The dumping yard was located at the bank of Mithi river, which had become highly
polluted owing to the garbage,” said Rane. An extensive clean-up drive was
conducted to clear the river of waste. On the periphery of the park along the Mahim
creek, close to 1,50,000 mangrove saplings were planted 1983 onwards. Today, it
supports a lush evergreen mangrove forest, said Chatterji.
Anand Pendharkar, an environmentalist who witnessed the efforts taken by the trio
to develop the park, said the work was all the more difficult as communal riots were
going on during that time. “Amid the riots, Salim Ali’s vision of a beautiful green
space was brought to life. The conversion from a dumpyard was a herculean task as
the place was full of filth and dirt,” said Pendharkar. Niece of late Ali,
environmentalist Sumaira Abdulali said, “The sole purpose of creating the
indigenous forest was to get children interact with nature, which was my uncle’s
vision."
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FORESTS ARE GREEN LUNGS
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MUMBAI’S TEN
POLLUTION
PROBLEMS,
Hindustan times
SHRINKING MANGROVES: Encroachments, aquaculture ponds and infrastructure development are taking a
toll on the mangroves. Environmentalists said around 80 aquaculture ponds have been set up in a range of less
than 6km in Navi Mumbai. Cases of mangroves destroyed Airoli, Bhandup, Kasheli, Vashi, Vasai and Borivli
are reported frequently. “Mangroves are being perforated and damaged by influential locals for creating these
ponds,” said Stalin D from NGO Vanashakti.
TOXIC AIR: Though trial runs to calculate Mumbai’s air quality index (AQI) have begun at the Maharashtra
Pollution Control Board’s (MPCB) Bandra station, poor air quality standards are a major problem for the
city’s inhabitants. “Road construction is the main cause of pollutants, especially in the suburbs. Vehicular
emissions and smoke from bakeries and crematoriums are other reasons,” said Rakesh Kumar, chief scientist,
The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI).
‘DYING’ POWAI LAKE:“Around 50% of the surface of Powai Lake is covered with water hyacinths, an
invasive weed,” said Elsie Gabriel from NGO Young Environment Programme. The presence of water
hyacinths is an indication of low dissolved oxygen levels and high pollution levels. The beautiful lake has
been neglected and is dying a slow death, said environmentalists. The lake is also being used to dump
construction debris and sewage.
DEAD MARINE CREATURES: Dolphins, whales and porpoises have been frequenting Mumbai’s shores,
but sadly, all that Mumbaiites can see are carcasses wedged in the middle of rocks and cement tetrapods.
“Frequent deaths of marine animals are raising serious questions about our conservation efforts. One of the
reasons could also be poaching,” said Pawan Sharma from Resinq Association of Wildlife Welfare (RAWW).
OPPOSITION TO ‘BEAUTIFICATION’ PLAN: Environmentalists, NGOs and project coordinators will hold
a meeting to save Maharashtra Nature Park in Mahim. They will question MMRDA’s ‘beautification’ plan for
the 37-acre park. “We believe that the proposed beautification plan for the area is not feasible. We will assess
the pros and cons of the proposal before the work is started,” said environmentalist Bibhas Amonkar.
DUMPING GROUND FIRES:Residents of eastern suburbs are breathing a concoction of chemicals released
in the air due to frequent fires at the Deonar and Mulund dumping grounds. More than five incidents of fires in
a span of four months have highlighted the poor solid waste management amenities provided by the civic
body. “As per BMC’s agreement, 2,000 tonnes of waste could be dumped at Deonar but nearly 6,000 tonnes is
dumped daily,” said environmentalist Raj Kumar Sharma.
E-WASTE ‘POISONING’: Mumbai is the country’s e-waste capital. We generate around 96,000 tonnes of the
12.5 lakh tonnes generated in the country annually. As newer models of electrical and electronic gadgets flood
the market, safe handling and disposal is proving to be a challenge. “E-waste involves complex material with
huge amounts of toxicity that can lead to health and environmental problems if it is not managed well,” said
Satish Sinha, associate director, Toxic Links.
SAVING AAREY COLONY: The fate of Aarey Colony remains undecided even as environmentalists and
citizens have been relentlessly fighting to stop 2,298 trees from being axed. Over three months, a series of
protests saw close to 5,000 residents uniting to save the area’s biodiversity. “Development should not be at the
cost of the environment. If open spaces are claimed, where will our children play?” said lyricist and actor
Piyush Mishra.
CHOKED WITH PLASTIC: Plastic takes thousands of years to degrade and the city produces 800 tonnes of
plastic waste per day. Yet we do not have separate bins to dump plastic or plastic waste collection policy.
“Mumbaiites have adopted a lifestyle of convenience, whereby they tend to grab plastic products without
realising the collateral damage caused to the environment,” said Monisha Narke, founder, environment
organisation, Reduce Reuse and Recycle (RUR).
A RIVER OR A NULLAH?: Stretching across 15kms, the Mithi River meets the Arabian Sea at Mahim creek,
starting from Powai. The river has been reduced to a nullah, where sewage, garbage and industrial waste is
dumped. According to experts, nearly 54% of the original riverbed has been lost to encroachments, roads and
development. Social activists have been fighting since 2005 after a public interest litigation PIL was filed in
the Bombay high court on restoring water bodies across the state.
‘Indigenous tree species are better for Mumbai roads’
Hindustan Times (Mumbai)
MANOJ R NAIR manoj.nair@hindustantimes.com
Tree lovers have anguished over the near-decimation of Mumbai’s rain trees. Since their introduction to
Mumbai decades ago, these giants from tropical America have cooled and shaded the city’s sweltering
roads and parks with their massive canopies. The sight of these goliaths being felled by a species of
parasitic bugs has been disconcerting, but what has largely gone unnoticed is that diseases are killing trees
of other species too. A virus has infected Indian Coral trees in the city, according to botanists. Botanists
have noticed that the pathogen defoliates the trees, leaving the stems bare. Vidyadhar Ogale, a botanist
who worked as a chief horticulturist at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre’s Trombay campus, s aid
Indian Coral trees, known for crimson blossoms, have not flowered in Mumbai for the past five or six
years.
Gulmohors, an exotic like the rain tree, is under attack from a fungus that grows near the base of the
trunk. According to botanist Marselin Almeida, the mushroom-shaped fungi can be plucked away
manually. Although it is not yet clear whether the fungus can kill the trees, botanists have recommended
preventive measures to stop the fungus’ spread. The speed at which the bug infection is killing the city’s
rain trees, however, has surprised horticulturists. “The trees have been in Mumbai for the past 100 years
and were growing without any problem (before the infection),” said Almeida. Sudhir Dhotkar,
horticulturist at Larsen and Toubro’s manufacturing facility in Powai, said his team had planted around 25
rain trees in the periphery of the industrial complex. “Not a single tree has survived the mealy bug
infection,” said Dhotkar.
Controlling the infection is a challenge and though some groups have claimed that a paste of anti-fungal
neem leaves is a remedy, the efficacy of the treatment has not been conclusively proved. The immense
size of the trees – their canopy has a diameter of 100 feet – makes it almost impossible to spray every
branch with insecticides. Almeida said the trees can get a chance to fight the parasites if some space
around the base of the trees is kept free of concrete or asphalt. “Cement is poured around the trunk leaving
little scope for further growth; cement should not be packed so tightly. Nobody is doing this.”
While the bug infestation in the rain trees is reported to be declining, botanists have now suggested that
the municipal corporation should now look at more indigenous tree species for its tree-planting
programme. “Indigenous trees are better, as they will have friendly insects. The whole ecosystem in such
trees works with each other,” said Marselin. What this means that the insects or other species that have
made the tree their natural habitat could benefit the host tree by preying on invasive parasitic organisms.
Species that are more recent arrivals from foreign shores may not have evolved resistance to local pests.
“Indigenous trees are not only hardy, they also provide food and shelter to local bird and animal life. So,
they preserve the local biodiversity,” said Ogale, who added that t he municipal corporation is already
looking at more Indian trees for their monsoon tree planting programme. Putranjiva, which has medicinal
uses; sagwan or teak; kusum, a tree that produces yellow blossoms; and ambada, the Indian hog plum are
the species that are on the list of trees that will be seen more commonly on Mumbai roads in the future.
“We plant trees for three reasons — shade, pollution control and aesthetics. There are not many Indian
trees that fulfil all these requirements. It is okay to have exotic species in some areas, but it should not be
done on large scale,” said Ogale.
I t will be dif fi cult to replace the lost rain trees. They grow faster than most indigenous species. “The
trees have the largest biomass in the country. This means that the canopy covers such a large area that it
will take many trees from other species to replace a single rain tree’s canopy,” said Almeida.
Pollution: One area where India beats China
HT
SHOCKER Of the world’s top 20 polluted cities, 13 are in India compared to three in China.
Similarly, Beijing’s air pollution has dipped 40% since 2000 while it has gone up by 20% in
Delhi
NEW DELHI: India may be lagging behind China on several economic indicators but when it comes
to environmental degradation, the country is definitely much ahead of its giant neighbor.
Of the world’s top 20 polluted cities, 13 are in India compared to just three in China. Air pollution slashes life
expectancy by 3.2 years for the 660 million Indians who live in cities, including Delhi. In China, the
corresponding dip is marginally lower at three years. The Ganga and Yamuna are ranked among the world’s
10 most-polluted rivers. China has just one. An evaluation in February ranked Vapi in Gujarat and Sukinda in
Odisha among the 10 most environmentally-degraded zones in the world. China had no entries on the list. The
two nations have seen furious economic growth in the past decade fuelling a rapid rise in pollution. China
leads the world in carbon emissions and India is in third position.
But one important difference between the two emerging economies lies in China’s ability to manage the
impact of breakneck economic growth on its environment much better than India. The effect of China’s
success is most visible in its air and water, both of which have a direct bearing on public health. Both
countries were saddled with almost identical environmental concerns a decade ago, but China cleaned many of
its polluted rivers and managed to check the spiralling urban air pollution through stringent rules. The results
are showing. “Beijing’s air pollution has dipped 40% since 2000 as we have taken steps to phase out polluting
vehicles and put checks on building heating systems,” said Beijing municipal officer Li Kunsheng at an event
in Delhi earlier this year.
In contrast, Delhi’s air pollution has steadily climbed by 20% in the same period with successive governments
reluctant to act. The story is the same in cities across the country. Coimbatore is the only exception as the air
there was found to be fit for breathing. The impact of rising toxins in the air is clearly visible on an average
Indian’s life, as proved by a Lancet study in 2012 that ranked air pollution as the sixth biggest killer with an
annual estimated toll of 66 million. A 2015 report by the Centre for Science and Environment, a Delhi-based
NGO, says the decline in the country’s overall environmental standards was because of river pollution, which
is worse now than it was three decades ago, piling garbage in cities and increasingly toxic urban air. “In India,
environment degradation is a runaway problem impinging on public health an exacerbating poverty,” says
Sunita Narain, the NGO’s director general. “We need to act and act fast ... otherwise the health cost would be
enormous.”
A three-year analysis of the water quality in 290 rivers by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said
about 66% of the stretches monitored had high organic pollution. It means 8,400 km of these rivers are badly
polluted and not fit for supporting aquatic life. “Increasing flow of untreated waste water from cities into these
rivers is the reason for our rivers getting polluted,” says Shashi Shekhar, (CPCB) chairman and special
secretary in the environment ministry. As India pushes for more rapid growth, the country’s natural greens are
shrinking and wildlife habitats have turned into guarded enclosures as corridors linking a national park with
another are overtaken by human settlements or roads.
But not all news is bad with innovative green initiatives sprouting all over t he country. The bicycling clubs in
Bengaluru act as one of the biggest networks of bikers in the country, a group of people have generated
organic fertilizer from waste in Kolkata and Bungroo, a programme of the Gujarat Ecological Commission,
has turned wasteland into a good agri-production zone. And then, there are a new band of young environment
activists such as Ritwick Dutta who took authorities to court for violating environmental laws and protect
people’s right to a clean environment. As a result, the National Green Tribunal has compensated locals for
pollution and one such case is in Tamil Nadu.
Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar is also hopeful of people’s participation pushing governments
to improve the environment, saying a policy of “development without destruction” is in place. In the coming
years, his ministry plans to introduce a new environmental regime that will focus on “self-regulation” and
strengthen the “polluter-pay principle” with higher penalties for violation of environmental laws.
Junk Food's Siren Appeal
Chetan Bhagat, TOI
Following Maggi ban, it's time to move to a simple label for
classifying foods
Enough has been written about the Maggi controversy, where government labs found more than
permissible lead and MSG. The resultant PR disaster, confusion and a nationwide recall of one
of the most popular products in the country is likely to become a case study in business schools.
However, there is something else as important as the controversy about harmful substances. It is
that Maggi noodles, or for that matter any instant noodles, are not healthy for you in any case,
with or without lead and MSG.It is time we have a new, simplified classification system and scale
for junk versus healthy food.
Eating refined starch that is processed, dried and kept for months with the help of chemical
preservatives is unlikely to be good for you. The ads may be extremely moving emotionally, the
brand ambassador could be highly credible, and the soupy noodles might taste really good. It is
still not good for you.Hence, even with no MSG or lead, Maggi's tagline of “Taste Bhi, Health
Bhi“, was only half correct. Any nutritional expert will tell you eating instant noodles for health
is about as funny and implausible as using a cheap deodorant to attract dozens of women.Of
course, the noodles won't kill you. Our diet today has plenty of other unhealthy things as well.
For instance, almost all Indian mithais are unhealthy . As are many of our gravy `delicacies'.
We give up health benefits of food in favour of cost, convenience or taste. Such compromises are
acceptable to an extent. However, if done in excess they can lead to major health problems such
as obesity , heart disease and diabetes. How does one limit unhealthy food then? The problem
comes when junk is marketed as healthy . Our advertising standards for food are extraordinarily
lax. Junk food manufacturers not only hide the nature of their food, but also position them as
health filled alternatives. Armed with ads of beaming mothers feeding sparkly kids, we have junk
marketed as emotional nectar every day .In other sectors such nonsensical advertising would
never be allowed. In financial services there have to be a ton of disclaimers reminding investors
of the market risk they take. In cigarettes, we have pictures of blackened lungs on the packs. But
packets of potato chips don't bear the picture of an obese heart patient, right?
Food be it for nourishment or pleasure has positive associations for us. Any food is good and
the kind of food doesn't seem to matter. Perhaps this comes from a time when India was poorer
and food was scarce. When we worked 12 hours a day in the fields and could eat and burn as
many calories as we wanted. This was also when processed food from big corpora ions didn't
exist. However, times have changed. Phys cal labour is reducing and we don't burn off calories as
easily. Hence, we need to monitor our food intake care ully. If a big part of our diet has to come
from packaged food, we need to understand and label it accordingly. Of course, nutritional
values are provided for most packaged food products today. However, to the average person it is
a jumble of tiny font text and numbers. Even if you were to read the data, what would you make
of it? Is it healthy food or junk food? Or is it healthy but only in moderation?
Hence, we need a simple label for our food, comprehensible at a quick glance. This should be
akin to the green and red dot for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food which has worked well. We
need a new junk-healthy scale classification for all foods. One example, purely for illustration, is
to use four tiny dots, in red or green based on the junk-healthy scale. A red colour for all four
dots would mean it is completely junk food. Chips, aerated drinks and fried snacks would belong
here. Three red dots and one green would mean it is mostly junk, but perhaps not as high in fat,
such as instant noodles or juices made from concentrate with added sugar.
Foods that are healthy in small amounts, such as high calorie nuts, would have two red and two
green dots each. Mostly healthy but still processed foods, such as skim milk packs and low sugar
juices would earn one red and three green dots. Four green dots would be reserved only for
fresh, healthy and unprocessed foods such as fresh vegetables, low calorie fruits and low fat
meats. Only foods with three green dots or more can advertise themselves as healthy . While this
labelling will obviously not answer every nutritional question, it will at least tell consumers what
kind of food they are eating. The above four-dot template is just an example. However, junk
versus healthy labelling is essential and implementable. This will increase awareness about what
we are eating, and over time incentivise us as well as manufacturers to move towards healthier
foods. A healthy society leads to lower healthcare costs, improved productivity at work and a
better quality of life for citizens. Food is a big part of public health. About time we knew what we
are putting in our mouths.
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FROM: Charelesdsa58@gmail.com
From: AIREA Mumbai Chapter <airea.mumbai@gmail.com>
Dear Members:
There are occasions when we are required to contact a Government officer – be it for the society of the
building where you reside, for the ALM of which you or your society is a part of or to address an issue
that is causing you concern.
Now Get an Appointment with a Government Officer in just a Few Clicks
With an aim to improve the communication channels between citizens and the bureaucracy, the
government of India has launched MyVisit.gov.in – an online platform using which anybody can book
an appointment with any government officer in any department!
Registration
The site requires a one-time registration and post that you can book an appointment with any
government officer, the list of which is provided under the respective departments.
Status Update
The website also provides you with an Appointment Status section where you can enter your registration
number and get the status of your appointment.
A Welcome Initiative
Since launch, the website has already received 700+ appointment requests. This is a great use of
technology to bring down the barriers between the citizens and the bureaucracy.
Mumbai: Noise pushes Jogeshwari residents to raise alarm
Badri Chatterjee, Hindustan Times, Mumbai
Imagine a constant drilling noise resonating within your house for 12 hours every day for
months on end while children try to study and you to have a conversation with a guest. Fed
up with one such situation, residents of a 23-storey-building at Jogeshwari decided to take
matters in their own hands to rid themselves of the loud decibel levels.
For the past five months, residents of Maple Tower in the suburb’s Hill Park complex have
been battling noise pollution arising from rock-drilling from a construction site adjacent to
their building.
With their initiative, not only did they manage to get one of the excavators used for drilling
removed, but also stipulated timeframes for the drilling process with the help of local police.
Next month, residents will file a petition at the western bench of the National Green Tribunal.
According to the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, the permissible level
in residential areas during the day is 55 decibel (dB) and 45dB at night. Members of the
residents’ welfare association said that noise levels were above permissible limits when work
began in January. “The sound was unbearable and a discomfort to senior citizens, children
and the terminally ill. Some residents have even temporarily moved house to avoid the
nuisance,” said Javed Khan, secretary of the association. Residents also said a large amount
of dust was being generated by the drilling process. “We need to keep our doors and
windows shut as the wind pushes construction dust into our houses,” said Gulzar Merchant,
70, a resident.
In March, Sumaira Abdulali, convener, Awaaz Foundation, recorded the readings at 85.1dB.
“The health of residents across Mumbai suffers due to blasting, drilling and other noisy
activities. The noise is particularly acute as activities such as stone cutting and unloading are
carried out in close proximity to existing buildings, without silencers or noise barriers,” said
Abdulali. Khan alleged that local police had been turning a deaf ear to their complaints for
nearly three months. “The local police sprang into action only after we approached officials
from the state pollution control board and deputy commissioner of police, zone 9,” said Khan.
Officials from the Oshiwara police station, however, refuted the allegation.
“We took down necessary noise levels at the site and drafted a panchnama,” said Subhash
Vele, senior police inspector, Oshiwara police station. “We also wrote to the builder to stay
within permissible decibel limits,” he said.
India grappling with e-waste issue: Prakash
Javadekar
Thursday, 11 June 2015 - 6:45am,dna
People changing mobile phone handsets every few months these days is creating a big
problem for the environment ministry. The country is facing the issue of e-waste, with 30
crore mobile handsets getting dumped every year. Union Minister for Environment and
Forests Prakash Javadekar revealed the staggering figure during a press conference in
Mumbai on Wednesday. He informed that his ministry was contemplating bringing in a new
set of rules to combat this menace and has already come out with guidelines for the
Javadekar said solid waste management is anyway becoming a big issue and 15,000
tonnes of garbage was generated every day in the country, out of which only 9,000 tonnes
was collected. He added that every year the country generates plastic waste of 20 million
tonnes, which ragpickers take care of by collecting and segregating it at all levels. The
minister said he has visited all three garbage depots in Mumbai and the condition of all was
deplorable. He said 50% of the sewage from western suburbs is going into the sea and his
ministry is trying to provide land for a sewage treatment plant in the area.
Recognition for ragpickers
Prakash Javadekar said his ministry would give a special award from next year to
ragpickers. He said those who pick up waste are facing a variety of health problems and, in
addition to recognising their services by giving awards, his ministry would try to provide
health services to them. The minister added that he would talk to other ministries so that
skill development-related programmes can be run for children of ragpickers throughout the
country. He said it would ensure a better future for the next generation of ragpickers.
Wasteful numbers
30 crore mobile handsets getting dumped every year
15,000 tonnes of garbage generated every day
20 million tonnes plastic waste generated every year
50% of the sewage from western suburbs going into the sea
Damodar’s sorrow: A tale of slush, waste and filth
Sanjoy Dey, Hindustan Times, Nayasarai/Ranchi
In the hit film of the sixties, Bipasha, the Damodar river was the backdrop of a blooming romance
between Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen in Jharkhand’s Dhanbad district.
The same Damodar also featured in a recent Bengali blockbuster, Parivartan (The Change), set against the
Maithon dam and starring actors-turned politicians Tapas Pal and Satabdi Roy. For centuries, the
Damodar served as a lifeline of Jharkhand, where it originates, and inspired poets, painters and
philosophers. For ages, it was the metaphor for life itself. Not anymore. Damodar is dying -- at some
places reduced to a stagnant mass of slush, at others a mere trickle.
From its source at Chulhapani on the Lohardaga-Latehar border to Beonkhali in West Bengal where it
meets the Hooghly river, the journey of nearly 600 km is littered with ravages of human activity -- from
town garbage to untreated industrial wastes. A recent survey by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) lays
bare a shocking fact -- vast stretches of the Damodar have turned into “aquatic deserts” with no marine
life left.
“Not long ago, most of us used to bathe in the river. Today, we fear even wading into the river as the
water has turned poisonous,” says Awdhesh Sahi, a retired government employee in Nayasarai, a locality
in Ramgarh, barely 150 km from the river’s origin. What makes Damodar’s case special is the fact that
the Centre has now linked it to the Clean Ganga project, with Union water resources minister Uma Bharti
taking up the matter on a “war-footing”.
A river’s woes
Not very long ago, Damodar was known as the 'Sorrow of Bengal’; every monsoon the river would
overflow and inundate hundreds of villages, destroying standing crops and killing humans. The floods
have long stopped, the river’s fury checked by numerous dams which have come up on it. “But so have
industrial units. These public sector units, mainly coal and power plants, are polluting the Damodar river,”
says Jharkhand cabinet minister Saryu Rai, who had launched a Save Damodar movement in 2004.
The ZSI report says aquatic life “is negligible” along several places, including near the Telmucho bridge
in Dhanbad and Phusro in Bokaro. Professor Amardip Singh of the Ranchi-based Xavier’s Institute of
Social Services, who has also studied pollution in the river, said: “Aquatic life is under threat wherever
industrial waste is discharged into rivers.” Researchers said that this is primarily because industrial and
domestic effluents have increased the value of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen
demand (BOD), two scientific measures used to determinepollution in a water body.
For instance, a recent status report submitted by the state government states that near the Telmucho
bridge, BOD was recorded at 7.2 mg/litre against the permissible limit of 2.5 mg/litre and COD at 92
mg/litre against a permissible limit of 8 mg/litre. In the Jharia region, the condition of the river is even
worse with several coal washeries draining out the entire sludge into the river.
“Water treatment is an alien concept for those working in the washeries,” says Dharmendra Sharma, a
social worker, pointing towards a drain in Phusro filled with viscous, black sludge gradually flowing into
the Damodar. However, all is not lost yet, feels ZSI’s regional incharge Gopal Sharma. “The river can be
protected with political interventions,” he said.
Action plan
On Friday, Uma Bharti attended a programme on saving the river and announced that the Centre will give
funds “for the river’s rejuvenation”. “If industries pollute river water, they will have to take responsibility
of its cleanliness, not the river development department,” she added. Earlier this month, Union minister of
state for power and coal Piyush Goyal set a three-month deadline to the Damodar Valley Corporation
(DVC) and the coal-producing companies of Coal India limited (CIL) to stop polluting the Damodar river.
Saryu Rai, who organised the Damodar Mahotsav to create awareness hopes that the Centre’s intervention
will help rejuvenate the Damodar.
Tiracol is not alone in its battle for land and
livelihood...
A. Veronica Fernandes, Candolim, Goa, courtesy; Goanet
M:+91-7507394349
You are not alone in your fight my dear brothers and sisters, I am with you and the entire Goa
is with you in your fight against the Leading Hotels and golf course. And that the entire Goa is
with you was noticed yesterday when about three to four thousands pure Goans from all over
Goa congregated to show their solidarity with you when you organized a massive public
meeting against Leading Hotels. This was the message conveyed to the Goans from Tiracol in
their fight against Leading Hotels trying to usurp the entire Tiracol for their project.
Through this type of a cunning procedure, the Arab Palestine was Judaised cunningly by
uprooting the genuine Palestinians from their homeland. In the same manner, Tiracol first and
later on the entire Goa will be uprooted from their original homes by big forces having the
backing of the Goa and Central governments. The way the Zionists used all types of cruelties
against Palestinians to inculcate fear in theirminds, in the same manner the Leading Hotels
created a fear into the minds of Tiracol residents by using bouncers to threatened the locals. If
this type of dadagiri is not challenged by us then the bouncer policy will be used against other
Goans as well. It is imperative for all genuine Goans to fight in support of the Tiracol people.
Thanks to the Church authorities, six prominent priests actively participated in this meeting and
many more priests and nuns came along with their parishioners came in buses from distant
places including from Candolim. Besides, many of our Hindu brothers and sisters too came out
to show their support for the people of Tiracol. It is now proved beyond doubt that this battle is
between Goans from all over Goa and the Leadings Hotel. History tells that the movement
handled by Goans from all over Goa have never failed and as such this movement of Tiracol will
surely succeed. The momentum created by the people movement now will create
good effect.
Speaker after speaker spoke in support of the people of Tiracol -- who approximately number
around 400 residing in about 90 dwellings. The total area of Tiracol is about 14,00,000 sq.mtrs.
From this area, 12,18,589 sq.mtrs. are now in the hands of the Leading Hotels through sale
deeds executed between the Leading Hotels and the Khalaps, landlords of the area. The
balance area of 1,50,582 by way of Tiracol Fort is owned by the Goa government. Tiracol is
situated at the far end of North Goa, touching Maharastra. It is a very scenic and beautiful place
consisting of medicinal springs, plenty of productive trees and plants having curative effects for
many of the sicknesses and diseases. The Tiracol River and Fort add beauty to this place.
Outside interference through the Leading Hotels and golfcourse wil l destroy Tiracol of its
genuine Goan inhabitants, trees, plants and spring water. This all belongs to us Goans and as
such it should remain in the hands of Goans. In this direction, it is our duty to preserve it by
giving our support to the people of Tiarcol in opposing Leading Hotels. Tiracol is Goa and Goan
and what hurts Tiracol also hurts entire Goa and all Goans. Let every genuine Goan show his
or her solidarity with the Tiracol Rakhonn Manch (Tiracol Protection Front), an organization
formed by the locals to fight for their rights.
It was something to be appreciated that the people who came in large number did not even care
for the rain pouring there. It looked as if they said, come what may, rain or thundering and
lighting, we will never leave this place unless the meeting is started and concluded.
PHOTOS --------------------- [http://kranti-goa.blogspot.in/]
AAM Admi party and others showing their support to Tiracol Convener of Tiracol Rakhonn
Manch addressing the meet. Attendees seen even braving the Rain during the meet.
Dr. Francis Colaco, renowned cardiologist, addressing the meet
One of the locals seen addressing the meet. Seen above is a section of the crowd.
Priest vows to keep Mulky railway station clean
TNN | Jun 7, 2015, 12.34PM IST
MANGALURU: The Rail Yatri/Upbhokta Pakhwada that Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd is
observing from May 26 to June 9 and as part of 'Swachh Bharat Swachh Rail Campaign' received
a major boost on Saturday. KRCL had selected Mulky railway station, about 35 km from the city
for the drive involving its staff and other volunteers. However, KRCL staff got help from
unexpected quarters - a parish priest and some students of a local school.
Taking note of a release issued by KRCL about the cleanliness drive that it had scheduled at the
station, Rev Fr Gomes, parish priest of Karnad Church, Mulky, joined this Swachh Bharath
Abhiyan along with the students of Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat North Higher Primary
School, Sadashivanagar, Mulky.
“Encyclical title affirms all creatures have common creator”
Fr. Michael Perry OFM Cap. By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service, ROME (CNS via CNUA)
"Laudato Si'," the title Pope Francis chose for his encyclical on the environment, comes from a hymn of
praise by St. Francis of Assisi that emphasizes being in harmony with God, with other creatures and with
other human beings, said the head of the Franciscan order. Sitting under towering trees, surrounded by
potted flowers and herbs in the garden of the Franciscan headquarters in Rome, U.S. Father Michael
Perry, minister general of the Order of Friars Minor, sang the medieval Italian words "laudato si'" (praised
be you) and recited the English translation of St. Francis' "Canticle of the Creatures."
The hymn praises God and the reflection of God's glory in "Brother Sun" and "Sister Moon," "Brother
Fire" and "Sister Water," and "our sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces
various fruits with colored flowers and herbs." The canticle is incomplete, though, without St. Francis'
praise of human beings "who give pardon," bear infirmity and live in peace, Father Perry told Catholic
News Service June 12. Also essential is St. Francis' embrace of "Sister Bodily Death" as the portal to
eternal life.
As airplanes flew overhead, birds chirped, butterflies flitted around the garden and the occasional
ambulance siren sounded, the Franciscan minister general said St. Francis of Assisi, over the course of his
life, came to recognize that "God was present everywhere and in everything."
Once a person recognizes the "divine dignity" of every created being, Father Perry said, he or she
recognizes a responsibility to "give glory to God by respecting and caring and promoting a sense of 'being
in this together,' that life is one and each of us brings a special contribution." The interconnectedness of all
creatures should help people to recognize that when they hoard riches and resources, they are harming
their own brothers and sisters, especially the poor, he explained.
St. Francis' canticle "is not just a flowery song about how we should live with nature. It is challenging us
to revise our entire way of living our lives" in accordance with Gospel values, he said. "If someone is
starving somewhere in the world, we are responsible." The canticle is a call for people to recognize that
they are sons and daughters of God and brothers and sisters to one another, he said, "part of one family
that embraces all creation: trees, sun, rivers, wind, fire -- all of these because they all give glory to God."
While St. Francis' praise of Brother Sun and Sister Moon has been romanticized in many ways, Father
Perry said, the obligations it carries are very realistic and concrete: to defend human dignity, especially
the dignity of the poor; to promote dialogue and reconciliation to end war; to safeguard the earth and all
living creatures; and to learn to live with just what one needs, not all that one wants.
Speaking before the scheduled release June 18 of the encyclical, Father Perry said the title signals Pope
Francis' belief that the entire church and all its members must be in solidarity with the poor, "must be
about peace" and must respect the planet. By praising nature's harmony with God, St. Francis' canticle
helps people understand what kinds of relationships they must have in order to live in peace and to give
glory to God, he said. Stories about St. Francis, such as the one about him taming a wolf who was
attacking the people of Gubbio, could really be stories about how "the population was really terrorizing
itself" with family feuds, neighbors fighting and towns battling each other for control of territory and
wealth, the Franciscan said.
As with the people of 13th-century Gubbio, so today with climate change and drought and more violent
storms, Father Perry said, "nature is barking, nature is chasing after us, telling us we have got to wake up.
It's disturbing us; it is not disturbing in order to threaten our lives. It is telling us we are already a threat to
ourselves. We're a threat to the world. Nature is telling us, 'Step back from the brink before it's too late.'"
In the work of St. John Paul II, retired Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis, he said, the Catholic Church
presents a vision of "human ecology, social ecology and the natural ecology." Focusing on just one,
Father Perry said, "can lead us to misrepresent what God wants."
While the Judeo-Christian tradition says God chose to have a special relationship with human beings, it
does not mean human beings have a right to exploit and abuse other creatures or the natural environment,
he said. "What happens in exploitation without limitation is that not only is nature stripped of its dignity,
which God gave it -- we cannot deny that -- but we are progressively stripped of our own dignity" as those
called to care for creation, he said.
Father Perry said he expects Pope Francis to use his encyclical to promote an "integral ecology," which
urges respect for the human person and God's plan for human life, for just social relationships and for care
of the natural world. The point is not "to shame" those who are destroying the earth or to disagree with the
majority of scientists who say global warming is real and is a threat, Father Perry said. Rather, like St.
Francis in warring Italian towns or in the midst of the Crusades, "Pope Francis is trying to be the bearer of
that white flag" to promote dialogue and help everyone.
Bhagwad Gita Champion Maryam Siddiqui
Donates all the Prize Money for Girl Child
Education
Surabhi Katyal, courtesy: Better India
June 12, 2015
After winning prizes for her prowess and knowledge of Gita at the competition
conducted by ISKCON and several other places, Maryam has been returning back
her cash rewards to facilitate the education of poor girls. Kudos to our very own
Malala!
Four months ago, people were taken by surprise when Maryam Siddiqui, a Muslim
girl, topped the Bhagwad Gita competition conducted by the International Society
for Krishna Consciousness – ISKCON. Bhagwad Gita is a part of the epic
Mahabharata and is a compilation of the philosophical teachings of Lord Krishna.
She was showered with felicitations, awards and honors from around the country,
starting from President Pranab Mukherjee, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and
her son Rahul Gandhi, several chief ministers, and many other organizations.
Since then, she has been donating all her cash prizes for the betterment of girl
education in the country. Every cheque that she has received, which include cash
rewards ranging from Rupees 11 thousand to 11 lakh, have been returned back to
the respective administration with the request that it be used in a scheme or
something to provide better education for girls.
It happened when the Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel and the Uttar Pradesh
Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav felicitated her. Both the state heads were stumped
when they received the respective cheques that they rewarded her, along with
additional cheques from Maryam’s other winnings, with a request to utilize the
money for the education of poor girls or to use all the money for the noble cause
through various schemes in their states.
Maryam is next going to meet the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and we ask him
to be prepared for this girl’s generosity because she would be armed with a cheque
to be handed over to the chief minister for the same cause.
Maryam is a Class 6 student of Cosmopolitan High School in Mira Road and she has
also been visiting few other places and distributing sweets and money to poor girls
by herself. Hats off to the amazing girl who shows us the true meaning of
generosity.
Thank you readers: Jeevan's family gets much-needed
relief
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Jun 14: Daijiworld readers have always demonstrated their benevolent gesture in helping
the needy people wholeheartedly whenever we highlighted the dismal condition of people and families
and the financial help they need to overcome their troubles. This time too, daijiworld readers have risen to
the occasion and helped a family in need.
Last month we had highlighted the problems faced by the family of late Jeevan Vijay Fernandes whose
family had donated his vital organs after he was declared brain dead following an accident. Our readers
pooled in and contributed about Rs 5 lac to the family which is badly in need of financial help. The
generosity of our readers will go a long way in providing a soothing touch to the family which not only
has lost an earning member but also has to cope with the treatment of the head of the family who has been
suffering from cancer. Jeevan’s family has expressed its gratitude to the donors for their munificence and
said the family will always cherish the kind gesture exhibited by our readers.
Jeevan's father Jerome Fernandes (60) who has been suffering from throat cancer has been undergoing
treatment since 2012. He has undergone chemotherapy 33 times so far and last year he had to undergo a
surgery. The family has spent about Rs 5 lac on his medical treatment so far, and the contribution made by
our generous readers will help in continuing the treatment. Presently he has to visit the hospital every
three months and has to take regular tablets.
Daijiworld thanks its esteemed readers for responding positively for the cause. We hope our readers
would continue to respond positively in our efforts to assuage the problems of the less privileged or those
who are in dire need. Let us work in unison towards a common goal.
WANTED HELPING HANDS- Courtesy: Daijiworld.com
For more appeals visit – www.daijiworld.com - charity
Shruthi(22),D/o Shekar,2-314A,Vishnumurthi Nagar,Kelarkalabettu,Udupi 576105.
Friday, May 29, 2015
Shruthi(22),has chronic kidney disease stage 5D. She is recommended maintenance hemodialysis
pending renal transplantation which can be done once a suitable related kidney donor is available. The
approximate cost of dialysis, renal transplantation surgery, post operative medication and
immunosuppressive medication over two years is Rs 7,50,000/- (Rupees Seven lacs fifty thousands).
Shruthi is a student of 1st year M Com at Milagres College,Kallianpur. She was faced with both kidney
failure from 1st PUC to 1st M Com, a diagnosis which shook her mother whose only daughter is Shruthi.
Shruthi was left unaided and uncared for by her father in her childhood whose whereabouts are not
known. Mother is a daily wage earner and her only hope is her daughter Shruthi. Shruthi is exemplary in
character and excellent in academics.
Her mother is willing to donate a kidney for her daughter. Shruthi's life is in the hands of generous
people like you. Mother of Miracles will bestow millions of blessings on you if you stretch your helping
hands to Shruthi in her hope of new life.
Your kind remittances may please be sent to the following bank account:
Bank Account No.: 073300101011316
Name of the Account Holder: Shruthi
Bank: Corporation Bank, Santhekatte,
Holy Rosary Church Compound,
Kallianpur.
IFSC Code: CORP0000733
Mobile No.: 91 97435 78726
Gilbert D'Souza(40),Karkanemajal House,Padu Post,Bantwal Taluk 574143
Thursday, June 04, 2015
Gilbert D' Souza(40), S/o Late Paul Peter D' Souza, had a fall from the tree on May 16, 2015 resulting
in serious injury below his waist. As of now he is bedridden. He has been an inpatient in A J Hospital
and research center. He is diagnosed as D12-L1 fracture dislocation and operated for the same.
Fracture reduction and d11-L3 pedicle screw fixation and stabilization on May 17 was conducted on him.
The hospital expenditure was Rs 3,00,000.
Gilbert is a daily wage earner and the family is poor. The family needs financial support from the general
public to enable Gilbert to recover.
Your kind donations may please be sent to his following bank account:
Bank Account No.: 126901010004118
Name of the Account Holder: Gilbert D' Souza
Bank: Vijaya Bank, Arkula Branch,
Eesha Complex, Farangipete 574143
IFSC Code: VIJB0001269
Mobile No.: 91 98449 70836 / 97405 40710
Published by Fr Felix Rebello
c/o Infant Jesus Church, Jogeshwari
Mob. 9819688630, Email:frfelixrebello@gmail.com, gemenewsletter@gmail.com
website: www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in
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