E-Weekly-5/14
Green Earth Movement
An E-Newsletter for the cause of Environment, Peace, Harmony and Justice
Remember - “you and I can decide the future”
Let’s talk trash
By Ajit Ranade, Mumbai Mirror | Jul 12, 2014, 05.17
Mumbai generates almost half of all the state’s municipal solid waste
everyday
City's seven thousand tonnes of daily garbage can give us useful electricity.
We are literally drowning in garbage. Our cities are getting dirtier every day. If you
see photographs of Mumbai or Pune from thirty years ago, they resemble clean
European cities, quite unlike how they are today. How did we get into this muck?
There's no use blaming population growth, or even population density. Parts of
London, New York, Hong Kong or Tokyo have as high or even higher population
density, for some parts of the working day. Hence there is something else to blame.
Don't go to the other extreme of berating our own culture. But it was Mahatma
Gandhi who emphasised cleanliness as a top virtue for his countrymen.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his maiden speech in Parliament, asked that we
prepare to gift ourselves a Swachch Bharat (clean Bharat) by 2019, on the
Mahatma's 150th birthday. By this he meant provision of sanitation facility to every
household and elimination of open defecation. This quest for a national campaign
for clean India began in 1986 with the Central Rural Sanitation Pogramme, which
morphed into the Total Sanitation Programme in 1999, which was reborn as Nirmal
Bharat Abhiyan few years ago during the UPA regime. And now we have the
Swachch Bharat Abhiyan.
In Maharashtra, we have the successful Sant Gadge Baba Gram Swachata Abhiyan
and other similar missions. But still we are surrounded by garbage. Take Mumbai
for example. It generates almost half of all the state's municipal solid waste
everyday. These are dumped in three places - Gorai, Deonar and Mulund. Since the
total garbage is 7000 tonnes per day (TPD), it exceeds the capacity of the dumping
grounds, one of which, Gorai, is anyway closed.
The High Court, in response to a PIL, has asked the city to find an urgent solution.
If Western countries produce a lot of daily garbage too, how come their cities are
Page 2
relatively spick and span? Mumbai is also haven for construction business. So it
generates an additional 2500 TPD of construction debris too.
Have you seen the newly-built Kherwadi flyover? Look underneath, and you will find
monstrous debris waiting to be hauled away. It may take years, by which time the
debris may also become eligible for free housing under the SRA. But Kherwadi is
just the most recent example among hundreds of other sites.
Since we are running out of dumping grounds, a new one at Kanjurmarg is being
proposed, which will be vehemently opposed by the local residents. Quite naturally.
Even Deonar and Mankhurd residents have to hold their noses due to the stink of
the garbage. The garbage disposal system employs close to 30,000 workers, and
uses 1000 vehicles and a budget 2000 crores from the municipality.
The only lasting solution for a city like Mumbai (or indeed any large city) is to turn
all the waste into energy. This can be done by using the waste as fuel in the boiler,
or as fuel and feedstock in a cement kiln. For this to work, the waste should have
enough calorific value, i.e. burnable stuff. It is no use if the waste that reaches the
dumping ground, or the boiler, only has glass and stone, which don't burn. The heat
calories are in carbon-stuff, which means paper, plastic, rubber, biomass and wood.
Unfortunately this is precisely the stuff which is taken away by the recyclers, i.e.
the kabadiwalla.
On any given Sunday, you find select footpaths and pavements occupied by this
community, which sifts through the garbage and neatly separates it into calorie
stuff, metal, glass, etc. So if we want to turn our garbage into electricity, then we
have to disrupt the livelihoods of thousands of kabaadiwalas.
Mumbai has a potential to set up a120 MW power station based on its daily
garbage. At current prices, this electricity well fetch at least Rs 1000 crore per year.
Surely this can be used to rehabilitate the recycling community into a new
profession? You see, when you go deeper into trash economics, you get sweet
smelling solutions. Now who will bell this cat?
Japanese soccer fans remember their manners in
Brazil, clean up before going home
Philip Kandall
Courtesy:Internet
Page 3
Their national team may have lost
their World Cup game against Ivory
Coast yesterday morning, but Japanese
fans didn’t forget their manners, it would
seem.
direction of an ice sculpture carved into
the shape of Doraemon.
It was at that moment that I realised
how incredibly considerate people in
Japan are when it comes to cleaning up
Like all good kids who remember to say
after themselves. If it had been me,
thank you to their friend’s mother after poor excuse for a civilised being that I
playing at their home, Japan’s passionate am, I’d have probably mourned the loss
football fans reportedly grabbed refuse of my food but resolved that a) we were
bags and cleaned up after
at an outdoor festival, so a bit of spilled
themselves before leaving the stadium
food is to be expected and b) it was only
following their team’s match against the two little fries, and left them in the
African side.
snow. But here, in the middle of a
crowded festival, was a women stopping
During my first winter in Japan, I went
human traffic to rescue two fallen
up to Sapporo with some friends to check slivers of potato.
out the Snow Festival that I’d read so
much about. As I was walking along taking But cleaning up after themselves is one
in thespectacular ice sculptures with my of the things Japanese people do best.
fellow sightseers, the woman just in
Duringhanami season, for example,
front of me suddenly stopped dead,
thousands of people descend on public
making me almost trip over her son, who
parks to eat, drink and have fun. Rarely
can’t have been more than three years
are dedicated refuse buns provided for
old and barely came up to my waist. The
revellers to use, but equally rare is it to
woman apologised, then quickly
find any mess left behind at the end of
squatted down to pick something up off
the day since people also taking along
the snow-covered ground.
rubbish bags to carry their waste home
in.
Thinking that her little boy must have
dropped something – a handkerchief or
It would seem that fans of Japan’s
cherished toy, perhaps – I peered around national football team have remembered
him to see if I could help. It was then
their manners despite being thousands of
that I realised his mother was crouching miles from home, as this same hanami
down to pick up two ketchup-slathered
spirit was seen at the World Cup stadium
french fries that had fallen out of the
in Brazil yesterday.
paper cone she was carrying.
Shared by Twitter user World Cup
She then produced a tissue from her
Problems, these photos of Japanese fans
pocket, wrapped the soggy snacks up, and cleaning up after themselves have since
stuffed them in her bag before
gone viral, with people all over the world
whispering a quick sumimasen (excuse
applauding them for their behaviour.
me) to me and leading her son off in the
Page 4
Jul 19 2014 : Mirror (Mumbai)
Sea gives it back to the city
Virat A Singh and Pandurang Mhaske @timesgroup.com TWEETS @_MumbaiMirror
Citizens, environmentalists say BMC has failed to filter out solid
waste from nullahs and this has led to filthy promenades
High tides have been dumping mounds of
garbage, including plastic and thermocol, on the
city's seafronts every day, sparking appeals from
citizens and environmen talists to the BMC to
improve its solid waste management.
Marine Drive resident Rita Deo said she had
stopped visiting the stretch for her daily walk.
“This is the first monsoon that we have faced
such a problem. Hundreds of people visit Marine
Drive and many of them throw all kinds of
garbage into the sea. During high tides, this trash
For a start, residents say, the civic authority is washed ashore,“ she said.
should install filters in nullahs to prevent solid
waste from flowing into the sea. BMC workers Paresh Pimpale, founder of Ecofolks, an NGO
have been removing huge quantities of trash from working for environment awareness, said that
promenades along Marine Drive and Worli Sea trash bins had been removed from promenades
Face.
by the authorities over fears that terrorists might
hide bombs in them. “In the absence of binds,
“If things don't change, Marine Drive can actually visitors conveniently hurl plastic cups, plastic
be renamed `Garbage Drive',“ said Atul Kumar a wrappers and bottles into the sea. The BMC must
resident of Marine Drive and coordinator for install bins on all promenades to discourage such
Nariman
Point
Churchgate
Residents' behaviour,“ Pimpale said.
Association.
“The BMC has been doing a good job of clearing Environmentalist Rishi Agarwal said that he had
the trash the promenade and the road, but it feared for years that mounds of garbage would
needs to find a long-term solution to the problem.“ land up on promenades. “Mumbaikars' lack of
civic sense and the BMC's failure to filter solid
BMC officials say that they have been shocked by waste from nullahs has led to the situation,“
the amount of garbage high tides have brought to Agarwal said.
seafronts this year. On some days, they say,
around 10 trucks are needed to take away trash. The BMC has placed two compacters deployed a
team of 15 to 20 workers for the clean-up on
Some officials blamed poor cleaning of nullahs for seafronts. “We are ensuring the garbage is
the problem. Local representatives, they claimed, quickly collected and removed. Almost every day,
did not pay attention to the way the work was we are collecting eight to 10 truck loads of
carried out. Filthy promenades, meanwhile, are garbage just from the Marine Drive area,“ said M
driving away walkers, who say they cannot bear S Ghadge chief engineer of the BMC's solid
the stench.
waste management department.
Page 5
Court ultimatum to
political parties over
illegal hoardings
Rosy.Sequeira@timesgroup.com
NCP, BJP, Shiv Sena and MNS be
impleaded after the BMC said those
responsible must be brought before
the court and restrained. The judges
were informed by Uday Warunjikar,
the
advocate
for
petitioner
Suswarajya Foundation, said despite
sending notices no one has appeared
for any political party.
“We are surprised to note that
despite
private
notice
(through
lawyer) none of them have remained
present
in
court,“
the
judges
observde. At one point they spoke of
issuing court notice to political parties
to explain why they have not
appeared. However, they directed the
petitioner to serve a fresh notice and
also to implead the BSP , Republican
Party and other political parties.
Mumbai: Miffed over their non-appearance
in court, the Bombay high court on
Thursday gave five political parties a last
chance to represent themselves in a public
interest litigation against illegal banners
and hoardings.
A division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and
Justice A S Chandurkar on July 7 had
directed that parties like the Congress,
In February 2014, the HC directed all
civic bodies in Maharashtra to
forthwith take steps to remove illegal
hoardings.
Warunjikar, referring to a 2010
Aurangabad
bench
judgment,
suggested that a nodal agency be set
up for taking action against persons
responsible.
Maha’s rivers among most polluted
Survey shows of the 150 filthy stretches, 28 are in state, 19 in Gujarat
Mayank Aggarwal @journomayank
Page 6
New Delhi: The environment ministry has
identified 150 polluted stretches of rivers
across India which need conservation work
but interestingly nearly 1/3rd of those
polluted river stretches are in Maharashtra
and Gujarat alone.
These 150 polluted stretches along various
rivers were identified by the Central
Pollution Control Board (CPCB), India’s
apex body to control pollution, based on
Bio-Chemical Oxygen Demand levels (a
key indicator of organic pollution). It was
apparently done so that a focussed
conservation process can be carried out to
improve the condition of those rivers.
Of those 150 stretches, 28 are in
Maharashtra, 19 in Gujarat, 12 in Uttar
Pradesh, 11 in Karnataka and 9 in Tamil
Nadu besides others.
“Conservation of rivers is a joint effort of
central and state governments.
Environment ministry under the National
River Conservation Plan (NRCP) and
National Ganga River Basin Authority
(NGRBA) only sanctions pollution
abatement works in towns along these
identified polluted stretches,” said a senior
environment ministry official. The NRCP
and the NGRBA are at present covering
42 rivers in 199 towns across 21 states
where projects worth Rs10,716 crore have
been sanctioned.
“Till March 2014, Rs5,097.50 crore has
been released to various state
governments for implementation of
schemes to tackle pollution. Sewage
treatment capacity of around 5000 million
litres per day has also been created under
the two programmes,” the senior official
added.
Of these Rs5097.5 crore, Rs1,419 crore
have gone to Uttar Pradesh, Rs705 crore
to West Bengal, Rs623 crore to Tamil
Nadu, Rs151 crore to Maharashtra and
Rs131 crore to Gujarat.
“These are not the only programmes
through which we help states in river
cleaning and conservation efforts.
“Apart from giving money through NGRBA
and NRCP, state governments are also
using programmes like Jawaharlal Nehru
National Urban Renewal Mission and
Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme
for Small and Medium towns to develop
sewage treatment plants and other efforts,”
the senior environment ministry official
added.
Mumbai Raj Bhavan cuts power bill by Rs 14 lakh, sets
example for housing societies
Chittaranjan Tembhekar, TNN
MUMBAI: British-era buildings, with their high ceilings and massive rooms are known to
consume huge quantities of power. The 150-year-old Raj Bhavan on Malabar Hill was no
exception. But in an example for far humbler abodes in the city, it has adopted a series of
green measures, reducing its power bill by Rs 14 lakh during the 2013-14 financial year.
Page 7
The feat has won the 48-acre compound an award by the recently concluded national
green energy campaign instituted by the Maharashtra Energy Development Agency
(MEDA).
The compound, which, besides the governor's official residence, comprises guest houses
and over 200 staff quarters, saved 1.35 lakh units of power in the last fiscal over the
previous one by using only energy-efficient appliances and devices, and solar-energy
panels. Raj Bhavan invested over Rs 78 lakh on the green project, and is expected to
recover the cost in six years.
Power experts say the project can be replicated by housing societies and townships to
reduce power consumption.
"The project was started in 2012-13, resulting in a saving of Rs 8 lakh on Raj Bhavan's
power bill. We hope to take the current financial year's saving to Rs 16 lakh," said Vasant
Salunkhe, comptroller of the governor's households. "The measures included the use of
only LED lighting, even for street lights, five-star (power-saving) versions of appliances
like water heaters, ceiling fans and ACs, use of energy-efficient elevators and generation
of solar power."
Available
Educational PowerPoint Presentation (PPT) on
DARKNESS TO LIGHT (SOLAR ENERGY)
Download this PPT from our website:
www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in
Tourism to be major part of Ganga rejuvenation plan
Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Jul 8, 2014
NEW DELHI: Ganga will be developed as a major tourist attraction and navigation corridor as
part of the government's plan to rejuvenate the river which holds immense spiritual value for
people. An important part of the plan envisages completely stopping inflow of polluted water into
the river. The ambitious mission to rejuvenate Ganga will cost an estimated Rs 80,000 crore.
Page 8
Some of these proposals were shared by different ministers during 'Ganga Manthan' (day-long
national dialogue on Ganga) which was also attended by scientists, environmentalists, religious
leaders and NGOs.
Views and suggestions expressed at the meeting will be shared with the informal group of
secretaries that has been working on a blueprint to develop the river. Final blueprint of the Ganga
rejuvenation plan is expected later this month.
Outlining the plan to develop Ganga as a major tourist destination, tourism minister Shripada Naik
said his ministry was "exploring the possibility of introducing shikaras on Ganga on the pattern of
Kashmir". Though he did not get into details, his ministry is learnt to be working on a plan which
includes river cruising facilities, floating hotels and moving light and sound shows. All these will
be part of a comprehensive plan comprising the shipping ministry's proposal to develop a
"navigation corridor".
Shipping minister Nitin Gadkari said it was proposed to conduct dredging to provide a width of 45
meters and five meters draft (depth) to enable navigation of small ships between Varanasi and
Hoogly in the first stage of its development. He said barrages were proposed to be constructed at
every 100 km on the river and his ministry had sent a proposal in this regard to World Bank for
the development of Allahabad-Haldia corridor. "We might get Rs 4,000 crore for this project in its
last stage of implementation," Gadkari said.
Noting that tanneries in Kanpur and other cities in Uttar Pradesh dumped polluted water into
Ganga, Gadkari said inflow of polluted water must be stopped and it can be done through
recycling of all untreated water.
"If we had to take the estimated cost of this entire project, it would take Rs 80,000 crore.
Government does not have so much money. We suggested to Uma Bharati (water resources and
Ganga rejuvenation minister) that 25-30% of that money will be paid through viability gap while
70% of the investment may be through PPP model," he said. The minister suggested that private
investors may sell the recycled water for use in industries.
Bharati expressed hope that there would be no shortage of funds as the government was
committed for continuous and uninterrupted flow of Ganga from Gangotri to Ganga Sagar. She
said, "We have had a series of discussions with various stakeholders on the issue and will soon
arrive on some positive outcome."
Bangalore to London: A green journey by e-rickshaw
Aparajita Ray,TNN | Jul 15, 2014
Page 9
BANGALORE: One could easily dismiss
this red three-wheeler for a cargo minivan.
But its rooftop solar panels are a giveaway
that the vehicle is on a rare green mission.
The three-wheeler is on an epic journey
from Bangalore to London, crossing nine
countries and covering about 10,000 km.
Tejas - Sanskrit for brilliance. It is now
fitted with a new motor, a battery set and
gearbox along with solar panels that power
it. It took him two years after a number of
trials to prepare for this journey.
Tejas, the solar-and-electric hybrid vehicle,
takes eight hours to get fully charged and
runs little less than 80km. But exposure to
sun can power it for another 25 km. Rabelli
aims to cover 100km a day and take 100
days to reach London.
Naveen Rabelli, 33, the man behind this
innovative mission, says he is set to
redefine autorickshaw - called the Indian
tuk-tuk — and promote it in London as an
environment-friendly vehicle. Why tuktuk? An engineer formerly employed with Raoul Kopacka, a 26-year-old Austrian, will
electric automobile manufacturer Reva, accompany
Rabelli
and
make
a
Rabelli always found the idea of a green documentary out of the epic journey.
vehicle kicking.
Tejas is more economical than diesel
"I had a childhood dream to travel to variants as it can run 100km for every
Europe by road. But when I travelled from dollar. Rabelli has spent Rs 3.5 lakh till date
Australia to India by road in 2010, I sobbed on it. He needs to get the motor and
on wasting so much fuel. Then there are so batteries right. "I need US $40,000 for the
many autorickshaws on Indian roads logistics. As soon as I get funds, I will start
wasting thousands of litres of fuel. This was this journey," Rabelli added
the same time I joined Reva where the idea
of electric vehicle fascinated me even more.
The itinerary
What better than to showcase the tuk-tuk
as a green vehicle and make my childhood After reaching Mumbai, Tejas will be put on
dream come true," he told TOI.
ship to Iran. It will hit the road and traverse
through Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary,
Rabelli, who has been living in Bangalore
Austria, Germany and France before
for the past two-and-a-half years, picked up crossing the English Channel on ship to
his tuk-tuk from Yeshwantpur and named it reach London.
Jul 15 2014 : The Times of India (Mumbai)
Bangalore's high golf nets deathtrap for butterflies
Thousands Get Killed Every Day
A popular proverb says `Try and try till you succeed', but not in the case of these
butterflies. The more they try , higher is the risk of them losing their lives.
Thousands of them meet this fate near the city's golf courses every day .
The tall net surrounding Bangalore Golf Club stands as an obstacle to thousands of
butterflies on their migration path. Every day , swarms of them fly from nearby
shrubs and crash into the high nets. They return hoping to get past each time, but
fail.
They repeat this through the day only to lose their lives in their futile struggle.
High nets at the city's two golf courses act as a huge barrier in their journey . The
two migratory species Blue Tiger and Crow Butterfly are currently moving towards
the plains (Bangalore) from the Western Ghats.
For all those still wondering, butterfly migration is indeed a biological phenomenon.
Thousands of butterflies or moths fly long distances as they cannot settle in one
place for long. By migrating, they avoid unfavorable conditions like weather change,
food shortage and over-population. The season lasts 7 to 10 days, once between
March and June-end when they migrate towards the plains, and the second between
September and November when the butterflies move away from the plains towards
the ghats. Each time, they cover a distance of 350-500 km.
Page 10
Says Ulhas PA, a birdwatcher: “It is unfortunate that butterflies have to lose their
lives this way. Only those who can fly high stand a chance of escaping the nets.“
Given that a million of them wait to migrate, a few thousands lose their lives every
day in the process. These insects are extremely fond of sunlight and tend to fly only
for four to five hours in a day, post-noon. Vinay Kumar Thimappa, a birdwatcher
who saw hordes of fluttering beauties along the Nice Road last week, says: “Being
the migration season, golf course authorities could perhaps lower the height of the
nets or keep them open in certain areas.“
Naturalists also suggest that the golf course authorities can ask players not to play
along the periphery of the ground for 10 days, till the butterfly migration lasts.
Impact of Global Warming
on Migratory Birds
By Dr Anand & Geeta Pereira,
courtesy: daijiworld
World Environment Day or Eco Day ('WED')
is celebrated every year on June 5. It
serves as the ‘people’s day’ to galvanize
individual actions into a collective power
that has a direct impact in protecting our
unique and life nurturing Planet Earth. The
theme of the year 2014 is 'small island
developing states' or 'SIDS'.
This article highlights two important
aspects. First to help nature loving citizens
to prepare for world Environment day by
doing
something
positive
for
the
environment and second to introspect on
the
recently
concluded
Parliamentary
Elections and question our inner conscience
if Environment policy was ever debated by
leaders both from the National and Regional
parties. We also need to ask ourselves, as
responsible Citizens, did we have the
courage to ask our political leaders to put
Environment policy on top of their agenda.
The moot question is; do our leaders have a
vision and blue print to safe guard our
National resources for the future. In short
every individual is responsible for saving the
environment and has to play a pro active
role in influencing Government Policy,
implement green policies.
The burning issues that need to be
addressed include Carbon mitigation, Loss of
forest cover, reduction in green house gas
emissions and most importantly issues like
wastage of food. The future policy should
include biofuels and introduction of shale
gas to power Industries such that in a few
years time we become energy independent
from expensive carbon intensive fossil fuels.
Global warming is by far the greatest threat
to birds and wildlife. It impacts all kinds of
wildlife in many different ways. Habitat loss
due to sea level rise, flooding, wildfires,
washing away nesting sites due to cloud
bursts and torrential rains, extended period
of
droughts
with
increased
daytime
temperatures resulting in delayed fruit set in
wild fruit trees, and build up of invasive
species and loss in desired vegetation. Bird
migrations are severely impacted and the
ripple effects are seen in terms of significant
loss in reproduction, breeding, nesting and
hatching. In no time birds can become
extinct.
We have posted a few pictures of the red
naped Ibis which migrates into the Western
Ghats of Karnataka during the months of
December to January. The Red-naped Ibis
also known as the Indian Black Ibis or just
the Black Ibis is a species of ibis found in
parts of the Indian Subcontinent. The sexes
are alike. These birds are found either in
pairs or in groups numbering six to seven.
The interesting aspect of these birds is that
they easily adapt to human habitation and
also live harmoniously with both aquatic and
other land based birds. Our observations
also point out that these birds spend equal
amount of time foraging on dry land as well
as aquatic habitats. These magnificent birds
hardly spend two to three months in
Karnataka on their onward migration and we
as responsible citizens should provide a safe
passage for these winged guests.
Page 11
World's first eco-friendly mosque opens in Dubai
Dubai, July 19 (IANS/WAM): The doors of the first environment-friendly mosque
in the Islamic world were opened for worshippers here Friday by Awqaf and Minors
Affairs Foundation (AMAF). The Khalifa Al Tajer Mosque on Bur Saeed Street in
Deira saw some 3,500 worshippers attending the first Friday sermon by Sheikh
Salih Al Maghamsi, imam of Madina's Quba Mosque.
Located on 105,000 square feet of land, the new green mosque was designed with
energy efficiency in mind and was built with environment-friendly material. The
building, which covers 45,000 square feet, uses thermal-insulation systems for
lowering energy consumption and air conditioners that emit reduced greenhouse
gases.
"Environmental awareness is a pillar in Islam", Tayeb Al Rais, secretary-general of
AMAF, a Dubai government body, said in remarks at the opening ceremony, He
expressed the hope that similar green projects would be implemented in line Dubai's
vision for a sustainable future. "The new mosque was built to meet guidelines set out
by the US Green Building Council Standards and Specifications,” he said.
“The mosque integrates renewable energy solutions in its design. This is illustrated
in the exterior lighting poles that are fitted with solar panels, battery storage
system that is powered by solar energy, and the use of solar panels instead of
energy draining electric heaters for the purpose of water heating."
The mosque also meets recent legislation in Dubai that requires new buildings to
include green standards in the design, construction and operation of
buildings, he noted.
Dutch teen targets Pacific Ocean ‘plastic soup’
menace
Hindustan Times (Mumbai)
Agence-France Presse letters@hindustantimes.com
THE HAGUE: Dutch student Boyan Slat is only 19 years old, but he already has 100
people working on his revolutionary plan to scoop thousands of tonnes of damaging
plastics from the oceans. The world’s “plastic soup”, much of it swirling around in five main
gyres or rotating oceanic currents, costs billions to the fishing and tourism sectors every
year.
Page 12
Estimates differ as to how much of the waste is in our oceans, ranging from half a million
to millions of tonnes. The scourge kills marine life, entering the food chain when sea
creatures ingest it, as well as ensnaring dolphins and whales.
While most ideas for attacking the plastic plague involve boats criss-crossing the oceans to
scoop up the waste, Slat came up with a practical way to help solve the problem: harnessing
the power of sea currents to trap the “soup”. “Why go after the plastic if the plastic can
come to you?” the aeronautical engineering student said. His design calls for two vast
floating arms, 50 kilometres long each, in the form of a “V”, anchored to the ocean floor.
Curtains, made from super-strong plastic, hang from the arms, dangling around three
metres below the surface.
Ocean currents will force the waste into the “V” and to a cylindrical platform 11 metres in
diameter floating at the end which can store up to 3,000 cubic metres of plastic for
collection by a ship. Slat has put his studies on hold and 100 people around the world are
working for him. Following a year of feasibility studies, Slat wants to set up a pilot project
to run for the next three or four years.
He has now set up a crowdfunding website to collect $2.0 million in 100 days, reaching the
first million after 32 days. Over a 10-year period, he hopes his invention will collect half of
the plastic swirling around in the north Pacific Ocean.
Urgent Appeal: Make Bangalore safe for women and children
Introduction
In the month of July alone, there have been as many 12 cases of rape, sexual assault and molestation
against women of all age groups, including minors in Bangalore.Thisspate of sex crimes has brought
shame not only upon Bangalore, the IT Capital of India,but also upon India. There is a growing realisation
that women and childrenhave become very vulnerable and unsafe in the city.
Please make use of the Sample Letter and the email IDs therein to mail your appeals to the Chief Minister
of Karnataka urging him to wake up to the situation and to ensure speedy justice to the victims and
certainty of punishment for the culprits. Kindly remember to add CCs to the authorities as suggested in
the Sample Letter.
Antony Arulraj
Advocacy Officer, Hotline Delhi,
JPD Office, CBCI Centre,
No. 1, Ashok Place
New Delhi - 110 001
India
Tel: +91-11-23366127
Cell: +91-9868272910
Page 13
Sample Letter
To
Honourable Mr K Siddaramaiah
Chief Minister of Karnataka
Bangalore
South India
Email: <chiefminister@karnataka.gov.in>
Sub: Make Bangalore safe for women and children
Honourable Chief Minister,
I am extremely concerned over the spate of growing sexual violence against women and children in Bangalore
city. Among the recent instances of violence against women, two stories are most despicable: the rape of a sixyear-old girl and that of a 16-year-old trainee nun. These incidences have brought shame upon not only Bangalore
but also India. There is a growing realisation that women and girl children have become very vulnerable and
unsafe in the city.
That the investigating team has found child pornographic photos and videos on the laptop of the accused in the
rape of the six-year-old girl points to the likelihood that he was using photos of his victims for pornography.The
police admission that of the more than 120 cases of pornography registered in Karnataka since 2010 a good
number involves children is highly disturbing. It also exposes the fact that children are easy targets without the
ability to understand what is being done to them.
May you be reminded, Honourable Chief Minister, of Article 34 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child,
which states: States Parties undertake to protect the child from all forms of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse.
For these purposes, States Parties shall in particular take all appropriate national, bilateral and multilateral
measures to prevent: (a) The inducement or coercion of a child to engage in any unlawful sexual activity; (b) The
exploitative use of children in prostitution or other unlawful sexual practices; (c) The exploitative use of children
in pornographic performances and materials.
Moreover, I would like to draw your kind attention to what Ms RashidaManjoo, Special Rapporteur on violence
against women, stated in her Report to Human Rights Council Twentieth Session. Suggesting a‘holistic approach
for the elimination of all forms of violence against all women,’ she said that the problem has to be‘addressed at the
political, operative, judicial and administrative levels.’ (No. 115)
In this connection, I request you, Honourable Chief Minister, to wake up to the situation and to leave no stone
unturned in guaranteeing the safety of women and children in Bangalore city and in the entire state of Karnataka
by ensuring speedy justice to the victims and certainty of punishment for the culprits.
Thanking you in anticipation of your immediate and effective intervention, I remain
Yours truly,
(Your Signature)
CCs:
1. Chief Secretary, Govt of Karnataka <cs@karnataka.gov.in>
2. Director General Police
<dg-police@karnataka.gov.in>
3. Director Women and Childdevelopment
<dir-wcd@karnataka.gov.in>
BANGLADESH : Catholic appointed personal secretary to the Prime Minister
by Sumon Corraya Dhaka (AsiaNews via CNUA)
The new private secretary to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina is Catholic.
Her name is Namita Halder and it is the first time that a government official belonging to
the Christian community has held a similar role. In order to take up the position, Halder
left her post as Joint Secretary of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division. On 17
July, 20 members of the Catholic Diocese of Khulna - to which Namita Halder belongs met the woman at the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Bangladesh (CBCB) center to
express congratulations on behalf of the Church. The Bishop of Khulna, Msgr. James
Romen Boiragi, was also present: "Ms. Namita Halder's appointment is a great success for
our Christian community. We wish her the best of luck and offer our moral support and
prayers. We are very proud of her". "I am very grateful to the Bishop of Khulna - replied
Halder - and all of you here for your love and your support. Please pray for me so that I
can best fulfill my assignment at the side of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina."
Page 14
INDIA : First Jesuit university
opens
University. May God bless this university and continue
to bless its growth and guard and protect, and provide
for all its need in the days to come," said Fr Fernandes.
by Santosh Digal Bhubaneswar (AsiaNews via CNUA)
The Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, inaugurated
the first Jesuit Xavier University (XU) in India, in the
state capital, Bhubaneswar. In his address, Patnaik said
that the new university aims to be a center of both
academic excellence and sound ethical values. He then
thanked the Odisha Jesuit Society, known for imparting
quality education in the country and the world, for
taking establishing the university.
The Xavier University in Odisha bill was approved by
the State Legislative Assembly on April 5, 2013 and
received the Governor's approval on May 9, 2013. The
law provides for the establishment and construction of a
private university. The new university is the first
"digital" university in the country, the first Catholic
university in the state and the fourth in India. It will be
a center of innovative research and integral formation as
XU cares about the whole person. The University
encourages students to strive for excellence and become
the unique people they are called to be, (including
"contemplatives in action" and "finding God in all
things") at the service of others and the Kingdom of
love , peace and truth, to build a community of
responsible citizens.
Taking its inspiration from Saint Francis Xavier, a
scholar and a Jesuit, whose name this University is
privileged to take as its own, the Xavier University
strives to become a globally recognized center of
learning and of service to the people of Odisha, of India,
and even, of the whole world, by its commitment to
excellence in all sphere of human life as lived out in
individuals and in institutions. It aims to become the
leader as a research oriented university that generates
knowledge and diffuses it for the benefit of all. It will
be a leader as a visionary university by equipping every
student with the necessary competence to create a just
society in which he or she can lead a meaningful life. It
will endeavor to become a global leader in higher
education by its vision that seeks to innovatively
transform the world into a just humane society.
The idea of creating the university - which is spread
over 35 acres, Kurki, 12 km from Bhubaneswar - was
born four years ago and has cost an investment of 40
crore Indian (almost 5 million Euro). The Odisha
government has given permission to start various
courses of the Master in Business Administration
(MBA), rural management, human resources
management; also doctoral programs of five years on
the integrated market, which began in June of this year.
In the coming years, XU should offer courses in
science, humanities, arts, sciences, education, culture
and communication. It can currently accommodate 500
students and 400 faculty members.
The unique feature of XU is that about 50 percent of
places is reserved for Odisha students. No other private
university in the country has such a provision. "We have
done it because of our commitment to the state," said
the Vice Chancellor. The mission of XU is to imitate
Christ as the model of wisdom for youth in the service
of justice, peace, truth, and building a civilization of
love. Its avowed task is to develop scholars, committed
to their own life-long and global development, and
nurtured in their lives by the spirit of their alma mater to
be unique persons and responsible citizen. It believes
that serious and sustained dialogue among people of
different faith, cultures, and beliefs carried on in her
domain and extended to all forms of public life, can
promote intellectual, ethical, and spiritual understanding
of all God's people, through its various schools. It will
use higher education as a means to proclaim the ideals
and values of a culture of peace and search for truth. It
will guide and motivate its students to go beyond
knowledge and become practioners of the truth that
underlies all knowledge and wisdom, the Truth that is
the ultimate goal of all learning.
In his address Archbishop John Barwa SVD of CuttackBhubaneswar, said, "this university will be a loving
mother to give birth to future philosophers, great
scientists, to eminent thinkers and outstanding
statesmen for our country and the world." "I wish and
pray to God Almighty and in his name I bless that this
infant institution to be a world class university to be a
In his welcome speech, Fr. Paul Fernandes SJ, Vice
great source of wisdom, I bless the teachers, who are the
Chancellor, said, "XU is God's Gift to us. We receive it 'driver' of the engine, which known as Xavier
with gratitude in our hearts. We commit ourselves to its University, and I bless the students, who are the pistons
establishment and growth. We bless it today." "We hope of this Engine-and all of them to be the role models of
- he added - that this University will continue to be
our country and the world in the field of human
inspired by the Jesuit ideals, namely to be visionary,
development and social upliftment with a focus on the
innovative, research-driven and open to all (global). We precious values of ethics and empathy, intelligence and
hope this university will make contribution not only to
inclusion as well as harmony and humility." Others
management but to all fields of human endeavor
who spoke on the occasion include Rajive Kaul,
striving to contribute to the building up of a new society chairman, Board of Governors, Pradeep Maharathy,
by transforming the face of the earth. As we come
Odisha Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal
together in this 21st century University, we create a
Resources, Dr. Pradeep Panigrahy, Odisha Higher
history that, we hope, will be fulfilled in our times. It is Education Minister and Fr. George Fernandese SJ,
a matter of joy for all of us that we are the first ones, the Provincial of Jameshedpur Jesuit Province and
first fruits of the
President of Odisha Jesuit Society.
Page 15
To get the full flavor of an herb, it must be pressed between
the fingers, so it is the same with the Scriptures; the more
familiar they become, the more they reveal their hidden
treasures and yield their indescribable riches.
— John Chrysostom, A.D. 347-407
Here is an opportunity for you to get more and more
familiar with the scriptures by studying Bible.
For simple, short and reader friendly articles on Bible
Study.
Visit our website
www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in
go to BIBLE QUEST section
click – Bible Study part 1 and Bible Study – part 2 documents
AVAIALBLE
A series of quizzes on Catholic
faith. (with answers)
Suitable for Sunday School
students, youth, Bible study
groups, SCCs or other parish
groups.
Can be used for written quiz or
group quizzes
Visit our website
www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in
go to BIBLE QUEST section
click – FAITH QUIZ SECTION
Page 16
Jul 20 2014 : The Times of India (Mumbai)
CITY OF ANGELS - Chennai way
ahead in organ donations
Mumbai: TIMES NEWS NETWORK
to donate organs. If this positive trend continues,
Mumbai should be able to exceed its previous high
donation of 26 in 2012,'' said Dr Sujata
Patwardhan of the Zonal Transplant Coordination
Centre (ZTCC). ZTCC distributes cadaveric organs
to various hospitals on the basis of a computerbased programme. The city has been a distant
second to Chennai, which records 70 cadaveric
donors on an average every year.
In 2012, the state government adopted several of
Chennai's policies to boost cadaveric donations
after former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh's
death due to the want of an organ transplant.
The city witnessed a record number of three
cadaver donations within 36 hours, benefiting 12
patients with organ failure. The families of the
three brain-dead patients donated six kidneys, two
livers and four corneas at three hospitals, between
the
wee
hours
of Friday (or
late on
Thursday night) and Saturday afternoon.
Apart from creating a record, these three
donations have taken the city's cadaveric or
deceased donation tally to 23 within seven months
this year--two more than 2013's donation of 21.
`It is heartening to see families coming forward
Bhatkal boy chosen 'Preacher of the
Nation' in UAE
Early on Friday , the family of a 58-year-old braindead woman donated her kidneys, liver and
corneas at P D Hinduja Hospital, Mahim. Two
donations followed at Jupiter Hospital, Thane, and
Lilavati Hospital in Bandra on Saturday . While a
Thane resident's kidneys, liver and corneas were
donated, an Indore resident who had come to
Lilavati Hospital for a brain surgery was the other
donor. Her family gave consent to retrieve her
kidneys. The donated organs were transplanted
into eight patients with end stage organ failure.
Lilavati Hospital's Dr Sharad Shah said, “Our
patient-donor came from Indore for a neu
rosurgery after she was diagnosed with a type of
brain tumour. When she slipped into brain dead
status, her family felt it would be good to help
others by donating her kidneys.“
The contest was held as part of the 13th annual
Ramadan Forum in Dubai World Trade Centre
Monday.
Pics: Yahya Hallare Daijiworld Media Network
The forum was hosted by Dubai's Department
of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM),
under the patronage of Sheikh Ahmed bin
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, chairman
of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Foundation. Shabandri's father, Faheem Ahmed,
said the award provides children with greater
motivation to learn the Arabic language.
Dubai, Jul 16 (IANS): An eight-year-old
Indian boy was adjudged the "Preacher of the
Nation" in an Arabic religious sermon
contest in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a
media report said Wednesday.
Ibrahim Shabandri, from Bhatkal in the south
Indian state of Karnataka, surprised the
largely Arabic-speaking audience and judges
with his oratory skills and surpassed 70
contestants to clinch the coveted title,
Khaleej Times reported.
"This is a very happy moment for our family.
His success is the result of a lot of hard work
and commitment and we are proud of his
achievement," the report quoted Ahmed as
saying.
Ibrahim, a student of Quran memorisation,
emerged on top among the final 12 students
who were selected in the areas of religious
sermon and classical poetry recitation.
The competition aimed to attract promising
talents in the field of religious sermon and
poetry recitation among boys within the ages of
six and 11 years.
Page 17
Archbishop Felix Machado visits
Jain Math, meets Bhattaraka
Swamiji
Yashodhar Bangera
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Jul 18: Archbishop of Vasai
Felix Machado visited the Jain Math here and
held discussions with Bhattaraka Charukeerti
Swamiji on Thursday July 17. Archbishop
Machado is the president of the Commission
for Ecumenical and Inter-religious Dialogue
of the Federation of Asian Bishops
Conference.
on since the Millennium World Peace
Summit held in 2004 at Barcelona as a
mark of brotherhood. The visit of the
religious leader to the Math on the 143rd
birth anniversary of Digambara Acharya
Shanti Sagara has given this goodwill visit a
special significance,' Charukeerti Swamiji
observed.
The archbishop expressed happiness at the
hospitality extended to him by the town in
general
and
Bhattaraka
Swamiji
in
particular. He said his thoughts have always
been influenced by the preachings of
Bhagawan Mahaveer and the contributions
he made to the cause of world peace. He
hoped that harmonious relationship Jains
and Christians share between them will
pave way for peace in India.
The archbishop also held discussions with
the Swamiji about the plan to hold national
all-religions meet at Moodbidri as a
precursor to the global conference planned
at Chicago in 2015.
Principal of Swastishree College here,
of views and good wishes
Anantaraj Indra, was present during these
between different religions has been going
discussions.
'Exchange
Man of the
Millennium.....
received a sum of Rs 30 crores as part of
this award which he distributed entirely
for the needy as usual.
Moved by his passion to help others, Super
Star Rajinikanth adopted him as his
father. He still stays as a bachelor and
dedicated his entire life for serving the
society.
Mr. Kalayanasundaram worked as a
Librarian for 30 years. Every month in his
30 year experience(service), he donated
his entire salary to help the needy. He
worked as a server in a hotel to meet his
needs. He donated even his pension amount
of about ten lakh rupees to the needy.
He is the first person in the world to
spend the entire earnings for a social
cause. In recognition to his service, the
American government honoured him with
the ‘Man of the Millennium’ award. He
All our Politicians, Film stars, Business
magnets, cricketers Press and we all
Indians should be PROUD and also should
be ashamed of ourselves. American
Government has honored him but we
Indians even don't know that such a
personality exist amongst us.
Atleast have the courtesy to pass this on
and on till the whole world comes to know
about this Great Good Samaritan.
Hat's off Kalayanasundaram.. We Indians
are extremely proud of you and proudly
say"THIS HAPPENS ONLY IN INDIA"
E-forward
Page 18
WANTED HELPING HANDS- Courtesy: Daijiworld.com
For more appeals visit – www.daijiworld.com - charity
Noufal (13), Neeralike House, Kallabettu post,
Moodbidri.
Noufal (13), son of Mohammed Ali, residing in
house No. 12-21, Neeralike House, Kallabettu post,
Moodbidri, Dakshina Kannada district – 574 227
suffered fracture of his leg last year. Thereafter, he
suffered from fever continuously and got admitted
into hospital. As the family is very poor, they were
helped by contributions of neighbors to get some
urgent surgeries performed on the boy, an eighth
standard student, at the advice of the hospital.
Kasturba Hospital Manipal ha certified that the boy
is suffering from chronic osteomyelitis of left
proximal femur with femur neck fracture, and that
the condition requires repeated wound debridement
and femur neck fracture fixation over a period of
time. The hospital has estimated the hospitalization
and procedure cost to be around two lac rupees. As
the family has already borrowed money apart from
spending whatever they had on the boy's treatment
so far, it has requested willing donors to extend
possible help.
Bank account details:
SB account number:059800101029673
Mohammad Ali
Corporation Bank, Moodabidri Branch,
Vasudeva Complex, near police
Moodbidri, DK, Karnataka.
IFSC: CORP0000598
station,
Raj Kiran Suvares (32),Netla
House,Golthamajalu village,Kalladka,Bantwal
taluk
Raj Kiran Suvares (32), son of Santhan Suvares,
resident of Netla House, Golthamajalu village,
Kalladka, Bantwal taluk – 574222, was injured in a
road accident on July 20, 2005. He was referred to
Father Muller Medical College Hospital with
compression fracture of thoracic 12th vertebra,
displacement of fractured fragments into the spinal
canal, injury to spinal cord, and complete
paraplegia, and injury to the chest wall with
multiple fracture of ribs. His paraplegia condition
did not improve even after treatments, and hence,
he cannot stand, unable to walk, depends on others
for routine needs like toilet and bathing, has no
control over bladder and bowel movements, and his
lower limbs have no motor power or sensation.
Raj Kiran is bedridden, needs money for medical
treatment, and also for day-to-day expenses. He is
unable to move or do any work, and his brother,
Arun Calvin, who has chosen to stay home out of
brotherly love to look after Raj Kiran, is unable to
study or work. As such, the family expectantly
looks for financial help from others. They have
requested willing donors to extend possible help.
Bank account details:
SB account No: 110501010010450
Raj Kiran Suvaris
Vijaya Bank, Kalladka branch,
Bantwal taluk, D K District – 574 222.
IFSC: VIJB0001105
Phone: 91 99454 47171
Phone: 91 97402 21258
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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