E-Weekly-5/18
Green Earth Movement
An E-Newsletter for the cause of Environment, Peace, Harmony and Justice
Remember - “you and I can decide the future”
'Our model of development is carbon intensive'
New Delhi, June 13 (IANS): There might
not be any end to the debate on how to
develop without harming the environment,
but an environmental journalist and author
feels the problem lies in our "development
model that alienates locals perspective and
is carbon intensive". "There is something
wrong with our model of development that
is so carbon intensive, and doesn't take into
account how local people feel about natural
resources," Bahar Dutt told IANS.
news channel spoke of the issue, Yadav had
no other option but to drop the project.
An environment journalist, Dutt
has
compiled
an
account
of
her
work
assignments in a book "Green Wars"
(Harper Collins; Rs.299) that talks about
development in different parts of the
country, and how this aimless deforestation
is destructing serene environment and
displacing many people. One of the chapters
of the book highlights how in 2006, the then
chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Mulayam
Singh Yadav, proposed a plan to build a
state-of-art airport at his ancestral Safai
village in Etawah district.
"Everyone says that mining or dams will
bring development to a region, but by that
logic Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand
should have been our most rich states," she
said. Dutt feels development models sustain
lifestyle of the riches, and hardly do
anything for the development of the area of
the poor.
The
tit-bits
of
this
"investigativeenvironment reportage" is what the book is
all about. "The book looks at areas of
conflict, for instance in the northeast where
over 100 dams are slated for construction in
a biodiversity hotspot, or areas like Goa
where people have waged a war against
mining," she said.
"I wish our development models were for
our population or the poor. But what I have
tried to highlighted is that more dams, roads
and mining projects are being used to
sustain the lifestyles of the rich in our
This "development" meant a death warrant cities," she said.
for sarus cranes of India, who have made
these vast wetlands their homes. So when "If they were meant for the poor, then that
Dutt got a wiff of his fancy, she questioned would still be less of a problem. Oddly
him on abandoning the non-migratory enough we develop coal power plants for the
crane's natural habitat. He got furious and rich and want the poor to turn to renewable
refused to answer, but when her CNN-IBM
sources of energy such as solar," she
concluded.
Page 2
Available
Educational PowerPoint Presentation (PPT) on
COAL MINING AND ECOLOGY
Download this PPT from our website:
www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in – GEM PPT section
CLAY GANESH IDOLS
FAST CATCHING UP
Indira.Rodericks@timesgroup.com
Rather than disfigure the idols in this
manner, devotees should adopt clay idols
which dissolve not only easily but also
quickly .
Artist Radha Srinivasan was so fascinated
when she saw clay idol makers at work in
Pen that she decided to teach others how to
make these idols. Now she holds workshops
for those who want to learn how to give
shape to these murtis.
Ganpati idols made of Plaster of Paris may
still be a favourite with most devotees in the
city
and
may
still
overwhelmingly
outnumber the shaadu or clay idols, but
gradually, more and more people are
turning to the environmentallyfriendly clay
murtis. And those who have already
converted want to spread the message that
others, too, should follow suit.
Each workshop is held over two days, which
cannot be consecutive. It takes a day to
create an idol, and it can be painted only
after a week's break because clay takes a
long time to dry, and it is impossible to
paint the idol unless it is completely dry . So
the second day of the workshop is a week
later. The colours she uses, too, are waterbased. She also makes idols for families that
want to have them. She, of course, hopes
more families take up such idols, so that we
as a society cut down on our contribution to
environmental pollution.
PLASTER OF PARIS MURTIS
Clay idols are tougher to make and
transport than PoP ones, more fragile and
costlier, but Shanti Rajagopal, a Navi
Mumbai resident, has been advocating their
use for six years. The idol she gets at home
also has eco-friendly colours, “so that no
harm is caused to the environment during
immersion.“ She says the authorities should
take the lead in promoting clay idols. “Their
cost may be a bit high, but they are best in
terms of protecting Mother Earth,“ she says.
Idols can be tall because of durability
because the material Unlike clay idols, used
is strong they take time to The are moulded,
dissolve so they are easier Pricewise the
most to make; several affordable and thus
idols can be made in popular a day People
looking for They are generally an idol at the
last painted with oil-based minute opt for
this colours, so they look kind as they are
attractive readily available, Easier to
transport unlike clay idols
Padmaja Duvvuri, a resident of Sea Woods,
has been using a clay idol for the past 10
years. In fact, her son makes the idol
himself and paints it with waterbased
colours. “Although awareness about shaadu
murtis is growing, I still feel a lot more
families can go the eco-friendly way,“ she
says.
NERUL ARTIST MAKING PAPER IDOLS
Belapur resident Madhurima Kashyap feels
clay idols are inadequately promoted. “It is
sad to see PoP and plastic idols floating in
the
waters
after
immersions.
Sometimes idols are broken in order to
ensure that they get dissolved. This is sad,“
she says.
To push the cause of environment-friendly
Ganeshotsav, Professor Moreshwar Pawar,
retired dean of J J College of Art, is making
three Ganesh idols entirely from paper. One
of the idosl will be 7.5 feet tall, and the
other two 6 feet tall, and the only items he
will use for making them are old newspapers
and homemade glue. Pawar first made such
an idol, 2 feet tall, a few years ago for his
own family puja. “These lightweight paper
idols can be easily immersed and take only
3-4 hours to get dissolved,“ he said.
Indrani Basu
Page 3
Indian Christians’ ecological
responsibility
By Fr. Charles Irudayam(CBCI - JPD via CNUA)
John, and pointed out that it is the duty of every
Christian to defend and protect nature from the
forces of exploitation. Failing to stall looting of
natural resources and destruction of the
environment would render extinction of human
beings imminent, he warned.
In another event, the members of Dwarka all
Churches Association organised a meeting in
which Sr Inigo Joachim expounded the concepts of
environmental justice and ecological vocation. It
may be noted that over the last few decades popes
have raised enough caution about the perils
related to environmental degradation and
destruction.
Christians across India observed Justice Sunday
on 17 August. Special liturgies and seminars on
the theme of environmental justice marked the
observance. Promoting the observance, the
Justice and Peace Office of the Catholic Bishops’
Conference of India prepared posters and booklets
and widely distributed them in view of educating
the Christian faithful on environmental justice.
Delivering his homily at St Dominic’s Church in
Vasant Vihar, New Delhi, Fr John Paul, a
Dominican friar, explained environmental justice as
right relationship with all of creation and nature. He
told the cosmopolitan congregation composition
that their Christian vocation was also an ecological
vocation which implied an ecological responsibility
to be stewards of creation and to transform the
world into a better place to live in.
Citing the words of Pope Francis, he urged the
congregation to foster, in the milieu of a throwaway culture, the culture of conservation. Further
he encouraged the congregation to emulate the
examples of St Francis of Assisi and Sr Valsa
Already in 1971, Pope Paul VI warned: “Man is
suddenly becoming aware that by an ill-considered
exploitation of nature he risks destroying it and
becoming in his turn the victim of this degradation.”
Pope John Paul II, in 2001, developed the concept
‘ecological vocation’. Pope Francis calls
environmental exploitation a sin of modern times
and rightly cautions: “Because if we destroy
Creation, Creation will destroy us! …Creation
never forgives!”
Besides, the Catholic Bishops of India, during their
31st Plenary Assembly, in February 2014, reaffirmed “their commitment to the protection of
nature” and stated: “We stand for sustainable
development of peoples and human ecology.”
The observance of Justice Sunday has been
promoted by the Justice and Peace Office of the
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, since 1983,
in order “to make individuals and institutions
sensitive to the realities of society and to respond
to the demands of justice,” the CBCI records
state. More Info Contact : - CBCI Commission for
Justice Peace and Development, CBCI Centre,
No. 1, Ashok Place, New Delhi – 110 001 email
: jpdcommission@gmail.com
AVAIALABLE
Following educational and awareness PowerPoint Presentations on various environmental issues.
Visit our website – www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in. Go to GEM PowerPoint section
Zero Garbage
Solar Energy -(Darkness
to Light)
Junk Food
Twenty Tips To Save
Nature
Plastic – a boon or bane?
Green Passion
Soft drink – A Health
Hazard
Waste to energy
Rain Water Harvesting
Eco-friendly Religions
Happy Green Diwali
Climate Change
The future of Biodiversity
Genetically Modified Foods
Waste Water Treatment
Give thanks, Give Life
(Body, Organ, Tissue
Donation)
Organic Farming
Waste to cooking gas
Reduce, Reuse. Recycle
Protect Mangroves
Say NO to Bottled water
Save Lakes and Ponds
Forests are green lungs
Coal Mining and Ecology
Page 4
Green’ BEST driver feted
for 30-year accident-free
career
TNN | Aug 13, 2014
spotlighted by Sanctuary Magazine's Wildlife
Awards.
It isn't the first time Ranaware—who drives
bus number 506 from Nerul to the Byculla
zoo—has been felicitated for careful driving. He
has picked up a bunch of awards from BEST
over the last decade, in addition to receiving
awards from the Rotary Club of Mumbai.
But rarely have Mumbai's 'best' drivers been
honoured for championing the environment
and battling those who destroy the city's fragile
eco-system. But as Ranaware drives through
Mumbai traffic, he's quick to spot those who
cut trees and has come down on them like a
ton of hot bricks. "I lodge an FIR and get the
BMC involved," says Ranaware, whose
complaints have resulted in numerous fines for
MUMBAI: Aaba Ranaware is a local hero of unauthorized tree-cutters.
sorts; feted both for the dexterity with which
he maneuvers BEST buses on Mumbai roads Ranaware has not spared politicians either. He
and the perseverance with which he goes after also ensured action was taken against
anybody who dares cut a tree in the city. advertisers along the Sion-Panvel highway,
who chopped trees to ensure their hoardings
A week ago, the driver, much felicitated both were visible. He even battled a Navi Mumbai
for his driving skills and passion for the housing society where 50 trees were cut. In his
environment, added another award to his kitty. spare time, he is invited to schools to teach
He was felicitated by BEST for never having children about the environment.
met with an accident in the course of a career
spanning 30 years. The occasion was the 67th Ranaware is also a botanist of sorts, and has a
BEST Day, celebrated on August 7, to nursery of 40-odd plants in his home, many of
commemorate the British handover of the which provide natural cures for various
corporation to India. Earlier this year, he was
ailments, including knee and joint pains.
Don Bosco’s green revolution
Gardening workshops and competitions intrigued students to practice gardening regularly

Prashasti Satyanand Shetty @prashasti07
Nerul: In their endeavour to encourage students to get a step closer to nature, Don Bosco Senior
Secondary School in Seawoods propagates gardening as a part of school activity. The gardening
workshops and competitions intrigued students to practice gardening regularly. The school leaves
no stone unturned in motivating the children to ensure that they practice gardening in the long
run. The students brought saplings to school to beautify the premises with the blossoming flora.
The school has an Eco-club comprising of students and teachers working towards protecting the
green blanket around the school structure. “To promote this, the school conducts workshop on a
regular basis and kids have shown a lot of interest in this project and it is successful only because
of the students active participation,” says coordinator, Annie Gomez.
Vermiculture is being actively practiced in the school and they also maintain a compost pit.
After pruning the grass, the refuse along with the dried leaves and other biodegradable wastes are
dumped into the compost pit. The end result after decomposing is the humus which is used as a
fertiliser for plants in the premises.
Page 5
During monsoon, vermiculture is practised with earthworms being used for the primarily
production of compost. Earthworms help breaking down organic waste that improves the soil
structure and nutrient.
The planting has been done for varied reasons, flowers generally add to the beauty of the premises
but some flowers also act as host to the butterflies. This in turn makes it a butterfly-friendly
garden and attract the insects in search for the nectar. There are plants like Hibiscus, Marigold,
Zinnia and Aster planted to attract butterflies. Apart from this, there are medicinal plants
Aloevera, Insulin and Neem with therapeutic values.
Eco-club students have also created a green wall with a collection of plastic bottles from the
vicinity and used them as pots for gardening. The students maintain the garden according to the
teachers of Don Bosco, they are doing a commendable job.
As an addition to gardening, the students also learnt the production of effective microorganism
(EM) solution in the school lab. This solution is used as a cleaning agent instead of phenyl to
avoid side effects. It is a cocktail that helps reduce germ activity and has no hazardous effects.
The school has efficiently inoculated this love for nature in the students and beams at the success
stories and evolution of their Eco-club.
SAVE ENVIRONMENT CONTESTS
AND
SAVE ENVIRONMENT DAY – 14TH
DECEMBER 2014
Organized by Bombay Catholic
Sabha, Panvel Unit and Parish
Civic/Political Cell in collaboration
with SMALL COMMUNTIES
(SCCs) of St Francis Xavier
Church, Panvel
RULES - GENERAL
1] Children from 3rd std till 11th Std (all faiths) from all the zones of Panvel are
eligible to participate.
2] The winners will be declared group wise – i.e. 3rd to 5th; 6th to 8th and 9th to 11th.
3] Entry fee per contest is Rs 20/- only
4] The zone which enrolls the highest number of participants will get an
appreciation trophy for their efforts.
5] Zone which scores highest points collectively will be declared CHAMPIONS OF
ENVIRONMENT!
6] Individually, the top 3 winners in each category will get a prize and certificates.
7] Suitable entries (essays, poems etc will be published in the GEM E-NEWSLETTER
and also will be published in the Panvel Parish Pulse.
THE TROPIES AND THE PRIZES/CERTIFICATES WILL BE AWARDED
DURING THE SAVE ENVIRONMENT RALLY SCHEDUELD FOR DEC. 14
CONTEST WISE RULES
The general theme for all the contests is ENVIRONMENT. Environment is a vast topic.
Therefore, for specific themes on environment ( example – climate change, plastic
menace, zero garbage, junk food, mineral water, organic farming, coal mining, Green
Diwali etc etc), participants can visit our church website – www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in There are more than 20 PowerPoint Presentations on different topics. You can choose any
of the topics for poem, essay, elocution, poster and drawing contests.
Page 6
1] POEM CONTEST:
Your poem on any topic of environment should be about 20 lines, neatly written or typed.
Though you can take help others, straightaway copying from other sources will disqualify
your entry.
2] ESSAY CONTEST:
Your essay on any topic of environment should be about 2 pages on foolscap paper, if
handwritten (write on one side only) or if typed about 1 page foolscap paper (single
space).
3] LETTER WRITING
Theme – write a letter advising your friend to celebrate a GREEN DIWALI 2014. (i.e.
cracker less Diwali). Contents: about 1 page foolscap
The last date to handover the above entries to the zonal coordinators is 16 th Nov. zonal
coordinators submit them in the parish office
4] POSTER CONTEST
Your poster should by on any environment theme. Poster contest will be held in our
church hall on 16th Nov. from 4 to 5 PM. Drawing papers will be provided. Bring your own
colour set. You can plan your drawing in advance and bring the pencil sketch on a piece of
paper.
5] ELOCUTION CONTEST
Elocution contest will also will be held on Sunday 16th Nov. after the poster contest. Theme
for your elocution contest is on any topic of environment. The elocution contest will begin
at 5.10 PM in our church hall. The order of speakers will be decided by lot which will be
taken at 5 PM. Each speaker will speak for 3 to 5 minutes (if time exceeds 5 minutes or
less than 3 mnts, you will get negative points).
SAVE ENVIRONMENT DAY
RALLY ON 14TH DECEMBER
And prize distribution for the
winners of contests
Parishioners (all faiths) from all the zones will
come in procession with displaying their banners
(creative and eco friendly). All will converge at
our church hall at about 5 PM. Please set the time
of the rally in such a way that you will reach at 5
pm to the church. Appropriate slogans may be
used while walking in procession).
After reaching the venue, a stage programme
(skits etc) on the theme of environment put up by
various zones and prize distribution for the
contest winners will be held.
BCS/C-P CELL
Organsing Committee
Page 7
Save water: Simple ideas to
cut water wastage at home
while you’re trying to scrub off later on.
8.
Shorten your shower: Try and reduce your
showering time. One way to cut down on your
Conservation of water is an essential practice
water usage, is to turn of the shower while soaping
today, whether or not you’re having water
your body and shampooing your hair. Ask your
troubles at the moment. Simple changes can family to adopt this practice, too. Better still, install
help save gallons of water a day. So make these water-saving shower-heads. They’ll save you loads
changes and help conserve water.
of water.
1.
Washing veggies and fruits: Soak fruits and
vegetables in a pot of water instead of putting
them under running water to wash them.
2.
Water plants with water used to wash
them: When you’re done with soaking your fruits
and veggies, don’t throw the water down the
drain, instead use it to water indoor plants.
3.
Don’t leave the tap open while brushing
your teeth: Well, you’ve heard this one many
times before. While brushing your teeth, wet the
brush and turn off the tap. If you keep the tap
running, you’re bound to waste litres of water in a
week. Try and get your family to practice this too.
4.
Conserve water while washing
dishes: When you wash your dishes put a stopper
to the sink drain and fill it with water. When all the
dishes have been scrubbed, rinse them of in that
water.
5.
Get your toilet fixed: If you’re toilet is
running, get it fixed. It’s most likely a part of the
flapper that’s causing the leak, adjust it; if that
doesn’t work, get a plumber.
6.
Get any other leakage fixed, too:The same
applies to any leaking tap around the house…
Make sure you get them fixed. All they might need
is a new washer, and that isn’t too expensive. Also,
look for any leaking pipes around the house.
7.
Soak pans before washing them: Soak pots
and pans in water after use. This will save water
Wash basin above flush
tank.
What an innovative
idea.
Will help to save gallons
of water
Very common in Japan
All the hotel have it!
9.
Defrost in the microwave: You don’t need
to use running water to defrost frozen food.
Instead stick it in the microwave for defrosting, or
remove your frozen food and leave it out in
advance.
10.
Use your washing machine only for full
loads: If you use a washing machine, only wash full
loads of laundry at a time. Also, if you’re shopping
for a washing machine, experts are of the opinion
that top-loading machines use more water than
front-loading ones. So you might be better off
buying the latter.
11.
Don’t use the toilet as an ashtray or
wastebasket: Every time you flush a cigarette butt,
tissue or any other piece of trash, you waster
tonnes of water.
12.
Rinse your razor in a mug: To rinse off
your razor, either fill the sink with a few inches of
warm water or a mug. This will rinse your razor just
as well as running water, with far less waste of
water.
13.
Instead of running water, use a broom to
clean your driveways and corridors. You can wash
them with water every once in while though.
14.
Don’t run the hose to wash your car: To
clean your car or bike, use a bucket of soapy water.
After that’s done, dip a sponge in clean water and
wipe off soap. This way you’ll save litres of water.
Page 8
BMC plans 110-acre
extension of Byculla zoo in
Aarey Colony
Sujit Mahamulkar | Aug 21, 2014,
animals will be brought. New mammals would
include lions, tigers, sloth bears, leopards, swamp
deer, zebras, jaguars, wolves, bison, otters, mousedeer, spotted deer, wild boars, blackbucks and
porcupines; reptiles would include gharials. As for
birds, emus would be added to the aviary.
The makeover for the 150-year old Byculla zoo,
also known as Veermata Jijabai Bhonsle Udyan,
and Rani Baug, was planned in 2006, but ran into
controversy, either relating to its heritage status or
on the issue of trees being cut. The Mumbai
Heritage Conservation Committee had objected to
the revamp proposal twice as the municipal
corporation was not sure whether the botanical
garden in the zoo would be left untouched. The
plan cleared the hurdles gradually and is now
ready for implementation.
The original plan included features like a swank
restaurant right next to the enclosure for cheetahs,
MUMBAI: Bringing Humboldt penguins to Byculla separated by a glass wall, and separate sections for
zoo is a significant but small part of the BMC's
the animals, based on their continents of origin,
ambitious zoological plans for the city. Not only is
mainly Asia, Africa and Australia, skywalks in parts
the Byculla zoo being refurbished, making place for of the zoo, and an underground parking facility.
more mammal, reptile and bird species, but also
Most of the features were omitted in the new plan,
there are plans for obtaining land in Aarey Colony
prepared in 2011, and its expenditure brought
for a 110-acre extension of the zoo.
down from Rs 470 crore to Rs 150 crore. The final
approval, from the Central Zoo Authority, came in
The BMC recently sent a proposal to the state
December 2012.
government, seeking the land, which is at present
in possession of the forest department. A source
The first phase of the zoo's revamp has been
said the plan has been drawn up to let the suburbs completed. The work comprised restoration of
have a zoo as well, and it includes providing a
heritage structures like statues,
safari experience on 25 acres.
the band stand, the clock tower and drinking
fountains, and construction of an administration
"We had a meeting with government officials for
block, animal hospital and exploration
transferring the land to us. Big animals like the
centre. Also, internal roads have been laid, the
giraffe will be kept there. The process will take a
main road repaired, and fencing completed.
couple of months to complete," said additional
municipal commissioner (gardens and zoo) SVR
A member of the Plants and Animal Welfare
Srinivas.
Society (PAWS) said that in developing the zoo and
its suburban extension, the BMC should be careful
The arrival of the penguins is the second phase of
about reproducing the habitat of the animals.
Byculla zoo's revamp. In the third phase, more
State allotted forest land for Adani power project’
Prafulla Marpakwar,TNN | Aug 21, 2014,
MUMBAI: Even as Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had raised his voice against undue favours
extended to the Adani group, it has transpired that the UPA government had quietly cleared a proposal
for allotment of 25 hectares of protected forest land for laying transmission lines from Tiroda to Warora
in the Vidarbha region.
Page 9
A senior bureaucrat said that following a proposal submitted by the principal chief conservator of forest
on December 12, 2011, the state government had knocked on the doors of the ministry of environment
and forest on January 27, 2012 for allotment of forest land to the Adani power Maharashtra ltd. "The
Adani group was given in principle approval by the Centre on June 22, 2012. Then certain conditions
were laid down. On complying with the conditions, a final order for allotment of land was issued by on
August 19, 2014," he said.
The Adani group, after it was allotted nearly 382 hectares of land by the Maharashtra Industrial
Development Corporation in Gondia, the home town of senior NCP leader Praful Patel, had set up
1,980MW power plant at the cost of Rs 8,000 crore. "No rules were flouted, land was allotted to the
Adani group in keeping with existing guidelines and procedure," he said.
The group had approached the state forest department for allotment of adequate land for laying
transmission lines in Nagpur, Wardha, Bhandara, Gondia and Chandrapur districts. "The actual
transmission line will be between Tiroda and Warora, but it will pass through these areas," he said.
On the basis of the recommendations of the principal chief conservator, the proposal was submitted to
the Centre on January 27, 2012 and the final approval was given on June 22, 2012. "We feel that the new
transmission line from Tiroda to Warora will strengthen the transmission system in Maharashtra and as
such, it was for the benefit of the general public. It's a project of public importance," the bureaucrat said.
Stating that the Adanis have complied with all the conditions prescribed by the Centre, the bureaucrat
said it had been made mandatory for the firm to publish the entire order of forest clearances granted in
verbatim, along with the details of the land surveys and legal status of each survey etc. "Government is
keen on complete transparency in allotment of forest land." he said.
NMMC green lights Rs 17cr
Nerul garden
Sameera Kapoor Munshi,TNN | Aug 22, 2014
Navi Mumbai: Residents are in for a treat
after the civic body passed a proposal for
building a garden at an empty plot in sector
26, Nerul.
The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation
(NMMC), on Thursday, passed a proposal to
develop the area around the water body in
sector 26, Nerul near Palm Beach Road as a
park at a cost of Rs 17.63 crore. The water
body is spread over 40,600 sq m. Along with
this park, NMMC has, in principle, also
proposed six other gardens. This
development, officials said, is part of the
garden vision, which involves making the
city greener and converting certain plots
into recreational parks.
"A major part of the expense will be
diverted to develop the pond, which will be
in part through the MLA fund and NMMC.
Other similar projects have also been
commissioned such as the theme-based
Central Park in Savali village, Ghansoli," said
Sanjay Desai, executive engineer, NMMC
garden department. Ganesh Naik, Belapur
MLA, will be involved in the project. The
rest,
sources said, will be funded by the urban
development department (UDD). Naik's
involvement and the paucity of details
provided has raised questions in the NMMC.
"In the proposal, it does not state what part
of the project is funded by UDD," said Vithal
More, Shiv Sena.
The proposed development plan includes an
entry gate, building a compound wall,
parking lots, lighting up the pond area,
installation of statutes, jogging tracks,
among others. The plan also includes
utilizing adjacent plots for developing the
garden and other amenities.
"The demarcation of the plots will be
conducted soon. We will then plan the
development work," said an engineer.
Development work includes laying power
and water lines, a garbage disposal system
and sign boards.
Page 10
After Modi's call, will Goa clean
up?
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is
optimistic and has promised that Goa
will be garbage-free by December 19,
2015, Goa Liberation Day.
Posted on August 21, 2014, 3:11 P
Panaji: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call on
Independence Day to make a 'Clean India' by 2019
may have struck a chord with the Indian masses, but
on the ground in Goa not many are willing to buy the
BJP-led coalition government's repeated promises of
making the tourist state garbage-free by the end of
next year.
Goa, one of the world's most popular beach tourism
destinations, does not have a single efficiently
functioning solid waste management plant. The only
one worth its name at Sonsoddo, in South Goa, is
plagued by breakdowns and mismanagement,
resulting in ugly garbage heaps of varying sizes lining
the state's main arterial roads, parks, playgrounds and
open spaces - and, most importantly, its beaches.
Augusto Xavier, a Goan living in Germany, heads the
Indo-German Friendship Society and has been taking
up the issue of solid waste management with the state
government for several years now. He blames
corruption for the lack of headway in over a decade
and a half.
"We need a very rational medium and long-term plan
to clean up Goa. Once a plan is chosen it should be
first discussed with the public and some
improvements could be made. After that, it should be
implemented even if there is a change of government.
Unfortunately, corruption is hindering the
implementation of a medium and long-term plan to
clean up Goa," Xavier told IANS on the phone from
Germany.
It was supposedly to draw up such a long-term
solution that the government sent a legislators'
delegation to Germany and Italy last year to study
solid waste management systems there.
But whether any lessons were learnt during the
junket, which also included a ride in Venice's famed
gondolas on the city's Grand Canal, is anybody's
guess.
Ranjan Solomon, a consultant with the Centre for
Responsible Tourism, an NGO backed by Goa's
Roman Catholic Church, fears the worst. "They did
not go to learn garbage management. They went on a
jolly trip. Why has no report been tabled as yet? And
why did they go? Don't they know that there are
enough Goans who have solutions in hand? The trip
was a literal theft of taxpayers' money," an angry
Solomon told IANS.
Solomon pitches for responsible tourism, a principle
which is getting increasingly irrelevant even as Goa,
an infrastructure-deficit state, aims for higher arrivals
every year. Over the last 12 months, three million
tourists visited Goa, which is double the state's
population of 1.5 million. But power outages, water
shortage in coastal areas, contamination of
groundwater with sewage in the tourism-savvy beach
belt, congested roads and, of course, the omnipresent
heaps of garbage indicate that mass tourism is seeing
Goa bursting at its seams.
Anne Claire Ketteringham from Britain, who has
been visiting Goa regularly since 2008, said that the
"garbage problem has increased, particularly in
certain areas with denser population like the tourist
belts, though not exclusively" and very little is being
done to alleviate the problem.
"One big stumbling block seems to be the inability to
identify large enough sites to set up treatment plants,
one of which was to be near Old Goa, but this, it
seems, has been opposed by the local people," she
said while speaking to IANS.
She is not entirely wrong. The Goa Church has
opposed setting up of the garbage plant in Banguinim
which is in close proximity of the Old Goa church
complex, a Unesco World Heritage Site. The complex
dates back several centuries and is located 10 km
from stte capital Panaji.
Despite the all-round gloom, Chief Minister Manohar
Parrikar is optimistic and has promised that Goa will
be garbage-free by December 19, 2015, Goa
Liberation Day. In the 2012 state assembly campaign
manifesto, the BJP had promised a short-term
solution to garbage handling within six months.
Still, all's not lost. The government passed a law
during the ongoing monsoon session of the assembly
imposing a fine of up to Rs. 25,000 ($410) and/or
imprisonment for non-segregation of garbage in
municipal areas.
Jack Sukhija, of the Goa Heritage Action Group,
advocated a more holistic approach to tackling the
problem.
"There is general apathy to lack of cleanliness and the
belief that it is the government's problem. Added to
this is a political, bureaucratic and educational
leadership which panders to this apathy by refusing to
implement or make laws which will punish public
littering," Sukhija told IANS.
IANS
Page 11
Don't adopt UPA
approach on cleaning
Ganga, SC tells NDA
Dhananjay Mahapatra,TNN | Aug 14, 2014
We don't want to see that this government
also feels the way the last government felt
about this issue. Had it not been for this
reason, we would not have asked you (the
SG) on August 4 to assist us in this
matter."
Reacting to the SC's observation, water
resources minister Uma Bharati said, "My
ministry will follow the directives of the apex
court in letter and spirit. Rejuvenation of
Ganga is one of the most important
priorities of the NDA government. No efforts
will be spared to fulfill this task at the
earliest."
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on
Wednesday warned the Narendra Modi
government against adopting the UPA
regime's approach on cleaning the Ganga
and said people were eagerly awaiting the
Centre's response on this issue of great
national importance.
"Are you cleaning the holy river? That is in
your (BJP's election) manifesto also," a
bench of Justices T S Thakur, Adarsh Goel
and R Bhanumathi said and asked solicitor
general Ranjit Kumar, whose assistance was
specially requisitioned by the court in the
matter, what was being done.
Kumar said the matter relating to cleaning
the river had been transferred from the
ministry of environment and forests to the
water resources ministry and promised to
get back to the court with a concrete
proposal within two weeks.
The bench said, "In this matter, where there
should be urgency in action, you are
showing no urgency. Ganga cleaning is an
issue of national concern. And you are still
shuttling the matter between two
ministries? The question is whether the
issue is on the front-burner or backburner?"
When the SG assured the court that the
NDA government had kept the issue on the
front-burner, the bench said, "There are
some issues which need to be on the frontburner but are kept on back-burner. People
are looking for some response from the
government. You need to look into them.
Petitioner M C Mehta alleged that the
decision to shift the subject from the
environment ministry to the water resources
ministry was taken on August 4, yet the
government had shown no urgency. "They
have not yet transferred the files to the
concerned ministry," he claimed.
Appearing for CPCB, advocate Vijay
Panjwani said pollution in Ganga had
reached alarming levels at many places.
"The entire focus is on setting up very costly
sewage treatment plants (STP). Instead, in
our application, we have proposed low cost
drains to be constructed. Nothing seems to
be happening."
The bench said, "Let the SG get instruction.
He will tell us the government policy on this
matter and whether the government is keen
on it. They will certainly have some
comprehensive plan in mind."
The court said it would be practical to take
up 100-km stretches of the river for
cleaning purposes starting from Gangotri
rather than the entire 2,525-km-long river
at one go.
"To clean it at one go will be a difficult task.
We don't know if it can be cleaned say 100
km in six months. One could then take a
sample of water at the end point of 100 km
mark to test whether it is clean. First, it can
be on the stretch from Gangotri to Rishikesh
and next, Rishikesh to Allahabad. One can
have satisfaction that things are happening.
This is a layman's approach that comes to
our mind," the bench said.
The SG was given two weeks to file an
additional affidavit giving current status of
the Ganga cleaning project and steps that
the government proposes to take in this
regard. It posted the matter for further
hearing on September 3.
Page 12
Don't make clean Ganga a
Hindutva project: Jairam
Ramesh
PTI | Jul 6, 2014
"But don't make it on sadhus and sant's programme.
Ganga is a national river. Ganga defines Indian
culture," he said, adding Jawaharlal Nehru also
spoke about the role of Ganga in Indian culture.
Union and state ministers, MPs, experts, NGOs,
sadhus and sants are expected to participate in the
day-long brainstorming on Ganga cleaning plan.
Spelling out the steps taken by the previous UPA
government to conserve the holy river, Ramesh said,
"The NDA is going about this whole thing as if
nothing has happened."
He accused the BJP-led government of not
acknowledging the initiatives taken by the UPA
including establishment of National Ganga River
Basin Authority (NGRBA) for cleaning Ganga.
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on
Sunday accused the NDA government of turning the
programme to clean Ganga as a "Hindutva project"
by attempting to polarize politics through the
initiative on the holy river.
"Don't look it as a Hindutva project. This is not a
Hindutva project. This is a national project. Don't try
to polarize politics through Ganga cleaning," Ramesh
told the government ahead of the first national
dialogue on river Ganga - Ganga Manthan — being
organized by the Centre tomorrow.
The former environment minister said the
government's Ganga Mission programme should be a
people's programme and "we must involve society".
Aug 17 2014 : The Times of India (Mumbai)
Catholics can now choose
cremation as last rite
TNN | Aug 22, 2014,
NGRBA was established in 2009 when Ramesh was
environment minister.
"They are not talking of NGRBA, they are not talking
of IIT-River Basin management plan, we declared
100 kms stretch from Gaumukh to Uttarkashi as ecosensitive zone," the Rajya Sabha member said.
"What is (Water Resources Minister) Uma Bharti
talking... It has already started... My objection is that
the NDA government is behaving as if nothing has
happened in the past. Rajiv Gandhi launched Ganga
Action Plan in 1986.
"UPA government declared Ganga as a national river
in 2009. We declared Gangetic dolphin as a national
aquatic animal," he said.
Fr Paul Thelakat, official spokesman for SMC, said
the church's move was not a direct consequence of
the burial space crunch.
"Both cremation and burial present problems.
While burial requires space, consigning bodies into
flames can cause environmental problems if
carried out in private places. Only public
crematoriums have facilities to conduct such last
rites without environmental consequences,'' said
Thelakat.
Thelakat said cremation of bodies was permitted in
the Canon laws in exceptional cases although
burial is the most accepted form of last rites in
Christianity.
KOCHI: In a far reaching move, the bishops' synod
of Syro-Malabar Church (SMC), the most powerful
Catholic rite in Kerala, has decided to permit
cremation of bodies instead of only burial. The
synod now in session here vested the bishops with
powers to sanction cremation if relatives of the
deceased requested for it.
"The practice has been in vogue in Europe for the
last couple of years after coffins became very
expensive. There were some rare cases of
cremation performed by some church followers in
Kerala also in the past,'' he said.
The synod, however, has reminded Church
followers to ensure that last rites should not
Cutting across denominations, churches in the anyway affect the Christian faith in after life.
state, including Orthodox, Jacobite, Marthoma and
Church of South India, are facing the problem of "The esteemed Christian practice of offering
prayers for the deceased should be preserved,'' the
shrinking space in their graveyards.
synod said in a communication.
Page 13
DEATH BY BURGER
Kunal Guha kunal.guha1@timesgroup.com TWEETS @Kunal_Guha
If your daily 4 pm snack doesn't change, you could be inviting
organ damage. Here's the toxic truth of junk food
Earlier this week, a 15-year old was rushed from Pune to Parel's Global Hospital after suffering
from multiple organ failure. He was put on ventilator immediately as he was already in coma
and had sustained severe internal bleeding in his liver and kidneys. He eventually underwent a
liver transplant after a cadaver donation from Andheri's Kokilaben Hospital.
The teenager, who underwent a 12-hour surgery and is now out of danger, say doctors, suffered
liver cirrhosis -a slowly progressing disease in which healthy liver tissue is replaced with scar
tissue, eventually preventing the organ from functioning. The doctors were quoted blaming the
teen's junk food diet for the condition. “Food items that have carbohydrates or saturated fats and
ingredients that solidify in cold temperatures, get deposited as fat in the liver. Over time, this
causes peroxidation (when free oxygen radicles combine with fat),“ explains Dr Akash Shukla,
assistant professor of gastroenterology and hepatologist at KEM Hospital, adding, “After
peroxidation starts, this condition graduates to NASH (Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis), which if
ignored can lead to liver cirrhosis in five to 10 years.“
ALL DOWN TO THE LIVER
If you thought weight gain, high cholesterol and hypertension were the only fallouts of your
regular binges on fried and packaged snacks, you might want to take a look at what these meals,
dubbed the last supper of our generation, do to the liver.
The liver performs several functions for the body: manufacturing blood proteins that aid in
clotting, oxygen transport, and immune system function; storing excess nutrients;
manufacturing bile needed for digestion; helping the body store glucose; ridding the body of
harmful substances in the bloodstream, including drugs and alcohol; and breaking down
saturated fat and producing cholesterol.
“Fast foods and sugar-rich drinks produce a stressful environment in the liver. A high-fat diet
alone results in obesity, insulin resistance and some degree of fatty liver with minimal
inflammation,“ explains Dr Vinay Dhir, a senior gastroenterologist with Global Hospitals. In
addition, Dr Dhir says, fast food contains high levels of fructose which cause hepatic fibrosis (a
build-up of excessive connective tissue in the liver) and liver inflammation (when the liver swells
beyond its normal size), which can lead to liver cirrhosis and even cancer.
What then makes our favourite cola-burger-fries-for-Rs-100-combo so sinister? Hydrogenated
oil is used to prepare most items you find on the menu of your local burger joint. And that's
where the problem starts.
A 2005 study led by A Saari Csallany, a professor of food chemistry and nutritional biochemistry
at the University of Minnesota, found the presence of large amount of toxins with known
connections to heart disease and neurological disorders, in vegetable-based cooking oils that are
heated or reheated for hours at a time. The process, common at street vendors and several fast
food joints, says Dr Roy Patankar, gastrointestinal and laparoscopic surgeon at Chembur's Joy
Hospital, can also affect multiple organs. Dr Patankar says saturated fats play an important role
in the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Dr Dhir agrees, adding, “Saturated fats
Page 14
are known to induce inflammation in the lever. Obesity is actually a lowgrade chronic
inflammatory condition and leads to increased production of cytokines, which is associated with
tumours, and inflammatory conditions such as arthritis. This low-grade chronic inflammation
affects the heart, blood vessels, liver and other organs.“
Most fat-food items contain a cocktail of chemicals. Among them is sodium phosphate, a
leavening agent. “An article in the Natural Science journal talked about how sodium phosphate
induces inflammation in the intestine and the liver,“ says Dr Shukla.
And the patients are getting younger by the day, warns Dr Jayant Barve, gastroenterologist at
Bandra's Lilavati Hospital. “Few years ago, patients with a fatty liver would be above 20 years
old. Now, I get patients who're as young a five,“ he points out.
DESIGNED FOR ADDICTION
Why then haven't we managed to put down that bag of chips? Macrobiotic nutritionist and chef
Shonali Sabherwal says, “High corn fructose syrup, is a liquid sweetener used in soft drinks,
cookies, cereals, ketchup, salad dressings, chicken nuggets, most packaged foods, breads etc. It
raises your triglycerides, and LDL (bad) cholesterol, causes dementia. But, most importantly it
induces more sugar cravings and increases appetite for junk food.“
LOVE YOUR LIVER
If you must have a fast-food diet, limit it metabolise and process the food you eat to once a week
» Ask your doctor to do a blood test to » Try the burger without mayo and check your level of
liver enzymes, a key cheese. Avoid fries and sugary soft drinks measure of the health of your
organ. Many Better yet, opt for grilled chicken doctors now order this test routinely when
sandwich, a salad with a lower-fat doing blood work on adults, but kids who dressing and bottled
water eat plenty of fast food especially need to » Exercise at least three times a week. have their
liver enzymes checked Regular exercise keeps the weight down and helps your body better Science Daily.
Available
Educational PowerPoint Presentations (PPTs) on
JUNK FOOD – A SLOW POISON
SOFT DRINKS – A HEALTH HAZARD
Download these PPTs from our website:
www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in – GEM PPT section
INDIA : Irom Sharmila - A simple girl forced into
sainthood
By Rahul Pandita(The Hindu via CNUA)
Page 15
It has been nearly 14 years and India still hasn’t in a court that sent her back to a hospital in
listened to Irom Sharmila. She has held on to Imphal named after Jawaharlal Nehru.
her belief steadfastly; she has remained
unshaken. It is not easy to commit to an In October 2006, Sharmila even came to Jantar
indefinite fast; it is even more difficult to Mantar after being sneaked into Delhi by a
remain committed to it for so long. The body human rights organisation. But nothing
begins to oppose it almost immediately. Ulcers happened except that she was picked up by the
appear on the palate. The knees give up. There Delhi Police. Irom Sharmila’s own people put
are dreams of food cooked by mother. There is her on display as a mascot of resistance. They
giddiness. There are showers of sweat.
beatified her. A saint is not supposed to fall in
You think India will take notice; that a leader
will come and offer you a glass of orange juice.
That there will be television mikes. But
Manipur never was Jantar Mantar; there was
nothing to be manufactured. So, Irom
Sharmila’s plea went unnoticed. The fast that
began on November 4, 2000, went on and on.
The Manipur government did become insecure.
But instead of giving her any assurance, they
slapped charges of attempt to suicide against
her. The State did not bring orange juice to her
lips; it was forced through her nose from a
rubber tube. And she was kept under arrest.
Every three weeks or so, she would be produced
love, they told her. But she accepted the love of
a man called Desmond Coutinho, who
professed his love for her in March 2011. It kept
her alive; it brought happiness to her in
snatches.
Irom Sharmila still hasn’t understood why she
has been charged with attempt to commit
suicide. She says she has never tried to commit
suicide; that most of the day she is dreaming of
happiness. “I am a very simple girl,” she says.
Only that the simple girl won’t give up her fast
till the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act is
repealed. That looks unlikely. So Sharmila’s
happiness will remain a dream, too. But at least
she is free. For now.
A FORWARDED LETTER FROM PROF. LEO REBELLO, WORLD PEACE ENVOY
TO,
Chairman and Members,
National Human Rights Commission,
Manav Adhikar Bhawan Block-C, GPO Complex, INA,
New Delhi - 110023
Dear Sirs :
Irom Chanu Sharmila needs no introduction. She has been fighting against AFSPA for last about
20 years. And the Manipur Police have been implicating her in false cases, incarcerating her in
the Jail Hospital, and force feeding her through a Nasal tube.
Recently she was acquitted by the Manipur Sessions Court from a false case of attempt to
commit suicide. But within two days she was re-arrested resulting into minor injury on her toes
and indignities heaped upon her, according to an email received by me from one Deben
Bachaspatimayum (see below), her local assistant.
NHRC should, therefore, urgently intervene in this matter of worst Human Rights violations for
last over a decade on a woman, who has been agitating to repeal a draconian law called Armed
Forces Special Powers Act. If I was a Member of NHRC I would have taken suo motu action on
this.
Thanking you for you immediate intervention and with best wishes,
Prof. Dr. Leo Rebello, World Peace Envoy
28/552 Samata Nagar, Kandivli East, Mumbai 400101. Tel. 022-28872741.
Page 16
We were taken to Tihar
jail
By Sr. Catherine FC, Kolkata (CNUA)
The singing accompanied by the skillful
playing of the instruments was superb, the
devotion and enthusiasm was comparable to
charismatic conventions.
During the liturgy of the word all the
inmates opened their Bibles which were well
marked and followed the reading. It was
very impressive to see how well the
prisoners know their Bible. The
concentration with which they read the Bible
was none less than that of the participants
of the competitive exams. It was clear that
in their isolation and misery, God is their
only solace, the hope of the hopeless,
courage of the discouraged.
In the homily, Archbishop quoted Bishop
Fulton Sheen who pointed out that the only
difference between the prisoners and
himself was that he was not caught while
The celebration of St. Anne’s feast in the
they were! His homily was a very touching
Tihar Jail by the inmates was an occasion for one. After the Mass the prisoners thanked
thirty two of us including priests and
Archbishop for his graceful presence among
religious and lay people from all over the
them saying it was like Christ’s second
country to enter the gates of Tihar jail, to
coming. A picture of Jesus painted by them
have a firsthand experience of the vibrant
was presented to the Bishop. They thanked
faith of the prisoners whose life is behind
the visitors and showered laurels on Sr.
the walls, hidden from the public.
Inigo for her love an daunting work for
them. Sr. Inigo thanked all the visitors who
It was the initiative of Sr. Inigo,
brought light and joy in the monotonous life
SSA (belonging to the Sisters of St. Anne’s of the prisoners, even though for a short
of Chennai) who has been teaching English, while.
Bible and has been counselling the
inmates which makes the celebration of the After the Mass we visited their art gallery
Congregational feast every year, the feast of with the paintings of Gandhiji, Nehru and
the inmates. This year, it was on 24th July
other beautiful paintings. It was
the feast was celebrated in Jail number 4 of unbelievable that the prisoners could make
Tihar. Sr. Inigo had received the permission such world class paintings. After that we
from the Headquarters of Tihar to take the
were served tea and snacks in the lawn
visitors for the celebration.
which was beautifully arranged with chairs
in a semi-circle. After barely twenty minutes
At three o’clock in the afternoon we were
we were gently reminded to move on. We
allowed to go inside the jail. We were
were allowed to visit two of the barracks in
instructed not to take anything on our
the jail.
persons including cell phones and money.
The menfolk had to be sealed on the hand.
As we passed by the prisoners were
All of us had to go through the checking
standing in rapt attention. Each one had
machines. As we passed the road inside the stories written on their faces. The yearning
jail, we noticed the well maintained gardens to be heard, to be consoled and understood
and the walls with inspiring quotes
was palpable in each cell of their bodies. We
beautifully written on them. There were
managed to chat with a few of them who
places of worship for all the faiths. There
had sad stories of being unjustly convicted
was a telephone booth too for the prisoners or waiting patiently for the freedom.
manned by officers. The inmates (almost
half of them were Africans) were ready in
I personally feel the helplessness in the face
the hall with hymn sheets and the musical
of the injustice done to innocent people. We
instruments. They welcomed us warmly
came away with a heavy heart stung by the
with broad smiles and applause. The chief
misery of the fellow human beings and
celebrant for the Mass was the Archbishop wondering what could be do done to give a
Anil Couto of Delhi.
bit of solace in their pain. email
: srcatherinefc@gmail.com
Page 17
AAP anti-graft helpline a call centre
for cops
By Yogesh Sadhwani, Mumbai Mirror | Aug 23, 2014
was easy to contact his officials. They pointed out
that the ACB only handles state cases and that this
case would have to be handled by the CBI. ACB
officials were kind enough to put us on to aCBI
team," explained Jain.
Over the next 48 hours, the CBI put everything in
place and on Thursday night arrested two RPF
officials, while two others are absconding.
While there were arrests in only the RPF case, in
the past week AAP has been able to help over a
dozen citizens who were being harassed by various
government departments. "Most calls are to figure
out how we work and can help them," said
Srivastava. "There were also calls from Nagpur,
Thane and Navi Mumbai, cities we do not cater to
as of now. On an average, three to four calls
everyday are specifically about corruption. In such
cases we give the caller two options - whether they
want to get agencies like the ACB and CBI
involved, or simply want their work done without
paying a bribe."
Initiative tastes early success with four RPF policemen
booked for demanding bribe from sweeper. Over a
dozen other citizens being harassed by govt staffers get The majority of callers simply want a resolution to
help.
their problem and do not want to approach
Namaskar. Aam Aadmi Party anti-corruption helpline,"
says 60-year-old Ravi Srivastava, while answering calls
on his cell phone as he sits outside a coffee shop in
Kharghar. One of four coordinators of AAP's anticorruption helpline, Srivastava answers 60 to 70 calls
each day, hears every caller out patiently and,
depending on the nature of complaints, passes the
messages to his battery of 80-odd volunteers spread
across Mumbai.
Barely a week old, the helpline is already popular and
tasted its first success on Thursday. A CBI anticorruption unit arrested two Railway Protection Force
(RPF) officials and booked two others for demanding a
bribe from a contract sweeper.
Amin Shaikh, a supervisor with a railway cleaning
contractor, had approached Srivasatva on August 19
and said that RPF officials had detained one of his
sweepers and were demanding a Rs 15,000 bribe to let
him go.
"I asked him if he was willing to fight the case out and
take it to a logical conclusion," said a proud Srivastava.
"Amin was very confident that he did not want to bribe
anyone and wanted the guilty brought to book. Next, I
put our team of volunteers from around Bandra in
touch with him. Within 48 hours we had results." Once
Srivastava, who used to work with a PSU, put Shaikh in
touch with AAP volunteers, the latter verified his
complaint.
Mayank Jain, who heads one of the six teams of
volunteers in Mumbai, explained that after Shaikh
narrated his problem, it was evident that it was a clearcut case of bribery and needed to be handled by sleuths.
They first approached the Anti-Corruption Bureau
(ACB), but were directed to the CBI, as the RPF is a
central agency. "I had met the director-general of
the ACB before the helpline was launched, and he
had promised support in every manner, so it
authorities. Jain points out a recent case of a
western suburbs resident whose ration card was
being delayed despite all the paperwork being
done. The caller said that officials were delaying
because they were expecting a bribe, but he didn't
want to lodge a complaint with the ACB. Jain and
his volunteers approached the ration office, met
the concerned official's superior and told him
about the problem. The complainant's ration card
was immediately issued and the concerned official
pulled up by his superior.
The helpline aims at eradicating corruption, but
the team does not force complainants to take the
legal route. The only condition laid down is that
callers must identify themselves and be willing to
stand up for their rights.
Praveen Dixit, director-general of ACB, is
impressed with the helpline. "When they came to
meet me, irrespective of the fact that they were a
political party, I told them that we would support
them in every way. The ACB's job is to help those
who are being harassed by corrupt government
servants. The helpline is only helping us do our
job," said Dixit.
Call 96999-49331
AAP Mumbai has put a simple system in place. Its
has a number (96999-49331) which is answered by
one of four central coordinators. If a particular
coordinator is busy, calls automatically get
diverted to another. Once the coordinator
identifies the nature of the complaint, volunteers
verify the caseand initiate action. Often it involves
going with the complainant to a government office,
meeting senior officials and filing a complaint
against a particular official who is demanding a
bribe or harassing the citizen.
Page 18
WANTED HELPING HANDS- Courtesy: Daijiworld.com
For more appeals visit – www.daijiworld.com - charity
Kiran Rodrigues(33), D No. 12-25/1, Abhilash (17),Jagwal House,
Shakthinagar post,Mangalore – 575 Thirthahalli, Shimoga district
016
Shirur
post,
Abhilash (17), son of Ramesh and Yashoda, living at Jagwal
Kiran Rodrigues (33), son of Juliana Rodrigues,
House, Shirur post, Thirthahalli, Shimoga district, has been
living at Cordel House, D No. 12-25/1, Shakthinagar
suffering from liver-related ailments since young. In the recent
post, Mangalore – 575 016, has been suffering from
past, he suffered from chronic infection of lungs and intestine,
oral cancer. He stands admitted into KMC Hospital
and is being treated at Kasturba Hospital, Manipal. Kasturba
Attavar Mangalore for treatment of this disease.
Hospital has certified that Abhilash has been suffering from
Chronic liver disease known as Wilson's Disease, and that he
KMC Hospital Mangalore has certified that overall
requires lifelong copper chelation (Pencillamine) to prevent
expenses of his treatment for the ailment identified
deterioration and death. Approximate cost of this treatment is Rs
as Recurrent Ca Oral Cavity, will be around three lac
20,000 per year. His cost of treatment for the recent disease,
rupees. The hospital added that the patient is
the hospital has certified, which has been diagnosed as Acute
receiving six courses of palliative chemotherapy as
Hepatic decompensation with Peritonitis, is about Rs 1,50,000.
treatment. Kiran used to work as painter of buildings,
and has since sometime, not been able to do any
Ramesh works as a coolie, and the family has spent every rupee
work.
his
it had towards treatment of Abilash since the last 13 years. He
treatment an uphill task as he and his close ones are
says he spent heavily for the treatment of his son all these years
poor and he has already spent whatever he had. He is
by spending whatever he earned, and borrowing from elsewhere.
badly in need of financial help, and has requested
As his financial resources have dried up, he has requested willing
willing donors to extend possible help.
donors to extend possible help.
Bank account details:
Bank account details:
SB account number: 046200101003837
SB account number: 0018/SB/01/024975
Kiran
finds
pooling
of
resources
for
Kiran Rodrigues
Yashoda J K
Corporation
Bank,
Corporation Bank, Azad Road,
Shakthinagar Branch,Mangalore.575 016
Thirthahalli, Shimoga district.
IFSC: CORP0000462
IFSC:CORP0000018
Phone: 91 98454 11084
Phone: 91 94496 04010
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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