E-Weekly-5/37
Green Earth Movement
An E-Newsletter for the cause of Environment, Peace, Harmony and Justice
Remember - “you and I can decide the future”
CLEAN IT LIKE TOKYO
Courtesy: Indian Express; Written by Saritha Rai
In New Delhi this past week, politicians made an absolute farce of the Swachh
Bharat Clean India campaign as they posed away, clearing rubbish specifically
dumped for the photo-ops. In Mumbai, the campaign has made little headway in
cleaning up a vast, smelly and dirty city. In Bangalore, the government dithered
over finding a suitable site to dump the hundreds of tonnes of waste that the city
produces. If there is a city for Indians to learn civic duty from, it has to be Tokyo.
Tokyo is an immaculate paradox. There is hardly a garbage bin to be found on the
streets and yet, there is no litter in the world’s most populous metropolitan area.
With its 38 million people, the largest urban conglomeration on earth is squeaky
clean.
How do the Japanese (seemingly)
effortlessly accomplish what the
Americans, Scandinavians and the British
also achieve — albeit only after spending
millions of tax money on manpower and
expensive equipment to clean their
streets and public spaces? It boils down
to the innate Japanese habit of picking
up after themselves. The Japanese do
not throw rubbish on the floor. They
pocket or bag the litter and take it back
with them.
Instilling such s shaming system
amongst Indians would have to
start young, just as it does in
Japan. Every Japanese child is
told early on that littering is
no-no. every 10 year old in her
fourth grade studies waste
management as a compulsory
part of the school curriculum.
She learns how to reduce
garbage, how to dispose off
rubbish correctly and how to
recycle.
Japan’s clean cities are a culture shock
to visitors who realise that it is a
combined citizens’ effort, only
strategically supplemented by local
governments. The no-littering ethic is
rooted in Japan’s culture. The country is
an island without access to endless
resources and the Japanese value
everything. What they don’t need, they
dispose of correctly. “The Japanese will not do things that would embarrass — and
littering would make us feel very ashamed,” explained Takanobu Iwasaki, a deputy
director at the bureau of environment in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
Instilling such a shaming system amongst Indians would have to start young, just
as it does in Japan. Every Japanese child is told early on that littering is a no-no.
Every 10-year-old in her fourth grade studies waste management as a compulsory
Page 2
part of the school curriculum. She learns how to reduce garbage, how to dispose of
rubbish correctly and how to recycle.
There is another critical aspect. School children routinely clean up their schools, the
streets near their schools and even their neighbourhoods. If the school baseball
team gathers to practise every weekend, it would likely spend extra time one
weekend a month cleaning up a road, a park or some area located in the
community.
In India, we live in spotless homes and bathe at least once daily but thoughtlessly
litter, spit, dump garbage and urinate in public spaces. In contrast, public places in
Japanese cities and rural areas stay pristine. Households clean up the street in front
of their homes by turn every other day. Residents painstakingly segregate their
waste. The segregation might seem extreme to citizens in India, who are used to
combining organic waste, plastic, paper, metal and bottles in one heap and
dumping it at a convenient spot outside of their immediate surroundings. India
produces over 55 million tonnes of solid waste every year, according to one
estimate, but nearly all of it is unsegregated.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s wife declared on television recently that Abe
had the duty of taking out their household trash on designated days. In Tokyo,
Mondays are for combustible waste, Tuesdays for organic waste, and so on.
Detailed instructions are circulated every year. Large-sized waste such as
mattresses and furniture requires a ticket, which can be obtained by paying a fee
based on the size of the item. Waste collection bins are collected by garbage trucks.
Again by turn, households clean up the area where the collection bins are placed.
Shop owners clean their own storefronts and street stretches. “It is the community
that cleans up our public spaces, otherwise the budget to clean up a city like Tokyo
would be huge,” said Iwasaki.
But the stark difference is in the way in which garbage is viewed. In Japan, waste is
not seen as dirty or disgusting. In the 1960s and 1970s, Tokyo’s government raised
the status of its waste collectors, providing them uniforms, workplace shower
facilities and good salaries. “In many countries, school kids run after ice-cream
trucks. In Tokyo, children run after the garbage trucks,” said Iwasaki. Many of his
friends are waste workers who earn 3,00,000 yen (Rs 1.6 lakh), the same monthly
salary as many office workers, he said.
A cool masked superhero appeared on Tokyo’s streets recently. The caped crusader,
Mangetsu Man, does not fight crime. Instead, he is a one-man army who uses his
broom, dust pan and a horde of volunteers to sweep up any dirt on the streets. If
only Indian cities could summon thousands of Mangetsu Man, citizens’ alter ego
superheroes who could sweep away public filth and make our cities sparkle like
Tokyo.
saritha.rai@expressindia.com
Available
Educational PowerPoint Presentation (PPT) on
Nobel 4 India (zero garbage)
Kitchen waste to cooking gas
Download this PPT from our website:
www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in – GEM PPT section
Page 3
PLASTIC MENACE
This essay written by Manvith Venugopal, Std 7, won the first prize (6-8th std
group) in the Environment Contests conducted by the GEM E-Newsletter during the
2014 Diwali vacation. – Editor
Plastic, the most versatile and wonder material, is
the product of spectacular developments in the
social fabric is so high that is now difficult to
conceive a world without plastics. It is hard to
trace out any area where plastics is not used, which
ranges from variety for carry bags to day-to-day
home utensils and appliances , varied industrial
products including airplanes and artificial organs
including artificial heart valve. Needless to say that
plastics have reached such a stage that human
survival cannot be ensured without their use. Plastic
industry has grown rapidly and plastic materials are
now unavoidable ingredients in every aspect of
modern life.
‘Plastics as a threat to environment’ arose mainly
out of its use a packaging materials particularly
with the carrying bags. Plastics at present account
for about 21% of all (paper, glass, tin plate , etc .)
packaging materials. They are increasingly
replacing traditional materials such as paper, glass,
aluminum, tin plate etc. because of a number of
appealing characteristics, including cost. Packaging
materials account for 25% of the total product of
plastics in India, but in terms of consumption, they
account for 52%. While total consumption of
plastics in India is about 4 million tones, the waste
produced is around 2.0 million tones.
Though burning of wastes including plastics is not
an environment friendly activity, it is being praised
indiscriminately all over the world. When plastic is
melted down, its chemical structure changes and
release gases causing cancer. For example, burning
of polyethylene foam releases about 57 cancer
causing chemicals which include extremely toxic
colon disc cyan .The PVC gives off vinyl chloride
gas, even the trace quantities of which cause liver
cancer.
Many countries have banned hazardous plastics. In
Italy, over 200 local communities have banned use
of plastic bags. Denmark banned plastic bottles
altogether. Many other European nations have also
imposed sever restriction on the use of plastic. Use
of plastic bags has been banned recently in
Pakistan. Plastic mats used in the construction of
bunds and plastic pipes is banned or restricted in
countries like U.S.A.
Further, it is necessary for the public to adopt the
following control measures to check the menace of
plastics.
 Do not liter and casually dispose off plastic
waste in your surroundings particularly in
water bodies
 Strictly avoid burning of plastic waste.
 Exert your choice and prefer a shop ticking
to paper bags rather than plastic packages.
 Avoid excessive package particularly of
plastic coated stuff.
 Demand effective measures for recycling.
 Whenever possible reuse plastic material
such as shopping bags.
The use of plastic today is widespread and to some
extent, it minimizes the use of wood, metals etc,
thus reducing the stress on natural resources. If
plastics are not used with discretion , it causes
considerable environmental problems leading to
pollution and impacts on health and aesthetics . The
management of plastic waste is difficult but an
achievable possibility provided we streamline the
collection and separation of plastics from other
waste material and subject it to recycling as far as
possible. Along with this, considerable awareness
has to be created to reuse the plastic materials as far
as possible, reduce its use wherever possible and
replace it with alternative materials such as clothes,
jute, paper etc.
Available
Educational PowerPoint Presentation (PPT) on
PLASTIC – BOON OR BANE?
Download this PPT from our website:
www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in – GEM PPT section
Page 4
WHY …MANKIND …WHY????
This poem is written by Rochelle Menezes, from Std 9, won the first prize (9-11th
std group) in the Environment Contests conducted by the GEM E-Newsletter during
the 2014 Diwali vacation. – Editor
Mankind ! Long before your birth,
Alluring was the beauty of mother earth.
She bore living things of all kinds …. Plants and insects, animals and birds.
All, an exotic reflection of her biodiversity,
A diversity you have chosen to destroy.
Why … Mankind … Why ??
Mankind! To all life, mother earth has been so kind!
Like the mother hen she nurtured her little chicks with affection,
As she toiled to provide food, season after season with dedication.
Even to you mankind, she gave the best in proportion,
Only to be sentenced by your actions in damnation !
Why … mankind …. Why ??
Mankind ! You a desire to acquire.
You plunder the earth with impunity,
Oil, coal and iron you chase in disunity,
Fighting even your own kind for control and quantity,
Just to live a life of environmental insanity!
Why … Mankind … why ??
Mankind! When will you repent on your evil ways?
When will you stop biting the hands that have fed you ?
When will you love mother earth like she loves you …?
And stop writing her mournfulness with your actions ?
Mother earth looks upon you with her painful eyes…
Sobbing and asking you why…
Why … Mankind …why??
The following poem was written by Florentine Thomas, from Std 3, won the second
prize (3-5th std group) in the Environment Contests conducted by the GEM ENewsletter during the 2014 Diwali vacation. – Editor
MY FRIENDS
Trees and plants are my friends
I love to hug with all my heart.
Its green colour is a soothing sight
It brings singing bride, to show me.
Trees and plants bring the rain
I love to play in rain with all my heart.
Trees and plants give me all their treasure
I love to use all treasure with pleasure.
I know your life is in our hands
I love to save with all my heart.
Page 5
Opportunity knocks at your door!
HERE IS AN ONLINE
ENVIRONMENT
QUIZ (E.QUIZ)
FOR U – FREE!
(Organised by
GEM E-Newsletter)
WIN RUPEES
SIX
THOUSAND
WORTH CASH
PRIZES
No use of paper, no travel cost, no entry fee, no postal stamp/currier
cost, no need to waste time to search for a centre and so on…simply
email your answers. Truly environment friendly!!
For further details visit our website go to GEM section
Click – GEM E-QUIZ 2015-UPDATE-2 or
See page 22 in this issue of GEM
Environment gets the axe
The government’s policy of according short shrift to green laws
is a recipe for disaster
Darryl D’Monte, courtesy: DNA
The first thing that strikes one about the report of the high-powered committee to review six top
environmental laws, headed by former cabinet secretary TSR Subramanian, is the sheer
audacity of preparing it in just three months. It hardly does justice to the complexity of national
and state-level legislation to do this in such indecent haste.
As may be expected, there was hardly any public consultation. Environmentalists could only
submit up 130 words on each of the six major laws that were being reviewed. In Bangalore, the
committee walked out of a public hearing midway. This negates the arduous work that has gone
into drafting these laws and the people’s struggles that have led to such enactments. Green
laws are not, as is often thought, a whim on the part of some autocratic leader — Indira
Gandhi’s promulgation of the Coastal Regulation Zone legislation being a frequently cited
example — but a much-delayed response to flagrant violations on the ground.
Contrary to public perception, the UPA government was by no means the custodian of the
nation’s environment. The feisty environment minister Jairam Ramesh was replaced by a more
pliant Jayanthi Natarajan who, in turn, made way for Veerappa Moily who cleared virtually
anything that came his way. Between 2007 and 2014, power plants with a capacity of
250,000MW were cleared, twice what the Planning Commission estimated was needed by
2022. The Subramanian committee itself admits that 99 per cent of cases were cleared.
As much as the letter of the report, it is the spirit that has to be scrutinized. What was the
provocation for reviewing green laws? Minister after NDA minister have made it abundantly
clear that the present government views such legislation as an obstacle to economic growth.
While there is indeed a case for simplifying laws and procedures, the intent is quite different.
The report specifically cites the need to make “doing business easier in the country”.
During the controversy over the Intelligence Bureau’s castigation of Greenpeace and other
Page 6
green NGOs for costing the country 2-3 per cent of the GDP, it was pointed out how, quite to
the contrary, the World Bank estimated that environmental degradation was extracting a toll of
Rs3.75 trillion ($80 billion) a year, amounting to 5.7 per cent of the GDP. This ought to serve as
a dampener to leaders who are gung-ho about resorting to industrialisation and building
infrastructure by giving short shrift to environmental considerations.
This paper reported how over 230 projects have been cleared by the environment ministry since
May; a fifth were from Gujarat. Environment minister Prakash Javadekar himself has assured
the Maharashtra CM that “development” projects in Mumbai which were stalled by his ministry,
such as the coastal road to connect the western suburbs to the island city, would be speedily
cleared. It is against this backdrop that the Subramanian report has to be examined.
The most sweeping recommendation is the enactment of an entirely new Environmental Laws
(Management) Act or ELMA, which will create a National Environment Management Authority or
NEMA. Correspondingly, there will a State Environmental Authority or SEMA. These will replace
the Central Pollution Control Board and the State Pollution Control Boards, as well as
environmental committees appointed by the Supreme Court (SC). Wouldn’t it have been better
to reform the existing boards than institute an entirely new authority, whose remit is to clear
projects as speedily as possible?
Thus the Environment Pollution Control Authority, set up by the apex court, mooted a ban on
diesel vehicles in Delhi and played an advisory role on crucial issues such as fuel quality and
vehicle emissions. The Central Empowered Committee, set up similarly after widespread
environmental violations, looked at illegal mining in states such as Odisha, Goa, Karnataka and
the western ghats. It was on this basis that the SC cancelled many mining leases. These will
now be subsumed.
The powerful National Green Tribunal, set up in 2010, was not one of the acts reviewed by the
committee but even prior to it, the environment ministry was contemplating diluting its powers.
At present, appeals against clearances can be made within six months before the tribunal but
the committee proposes an appellate board for this purpose and within 30 days only. As can
well be imagined, the constitution of this board can stack the cards heavily against justice.
One of the worrying recommendations is the “fast track” procedure for “linear” projects such as
roads and railway lines, as well as power or mining projects and projects of national importance.
This dovetails with the NDA’s emphasis on promoting growth through infrastructure. For
instance, the urbanisation on either side of the Delhi-Mumbai industrial corridor, including smart
cities, could conceivably fall under such categories and be ushered in without too much
scrutiny.
Another is the doing away with of public hearings and consultation with villagers in the case of
projects of “strategic” and “national importance”. Only “genuine local participation” will be
permitted, which closes the door to NGOs. This circumscribes the Forest Rights Act, a flagship
UPA law, which was not under review, but is now sought to be amended. The proposal strikes
at the very root of the principle of consent from all stakeholders whenever a major project
threatens the environment. According to official data, as many as 50 million people have been
displaced in 50 years by “development” projects in the country. It was after protracted struggles,
such as that over the Sardar Sarovar dam in Gujarat, that the principle of prior consultation has
been enshrined and is now in jeopardy.
Yet another concern is giving project proponents the benefit of doubt by accepting their word in
“utmost good faith”. It is common knowledge that proponents are economical with the truth
when it comes to specifying environmental safeguards. Time and again, environmental impact
assessments are cut-and-paste jobs, with consultants paying obeisance to their clients.
Combined with the penchant of the present government to push projects through recklessly, this
is a recipe for disaster.
Finally, the committee seeks to replace the definition of “forest” by “treeland”, a term which is
unprecedented in global jurisprudence. It declares areas with 70 per cent canopy cover out of
bounds for projects, but this only applies to a minuscule proportion of the country which is
already protected as sanctuaries, national parks and tiger reserves. Is the remaining area up for
grabs?
The author is chairperson, Forum of Environmental Journalists of India (FEJI)
Page 7
The Swachh Atma
Campaign
Cleanliness of intentions and hateviolence is essential before we focus
on external cleanliness alone
Bishop Savio Fernandes, Auxiliary Bishop of
Bombay (courtesy: Examiner weekly)
fragmented world — a world torn by strife and
misery, in order to restore peace and harmony,
and to reunite us once again to God.
Christians in India, although a miniscule
minority, have done yeoman service to the
country in the field of value-based education,
healthcare, and in reaching out to the poor and
neglected citizens of this great nation. We
have produced great and exemplary leaders
and freedom fighters who have fought for the
freedom of our great country. It is unfortunate
that, in spite of all this, the present BJP
government together with its saffron brigade, is
all out to subjugate the peace-loving and
patriotic Christian minority in India, or so it
seems, by being openly hostile and offensive
towards them. The brazen forced conversions
and persecution of Christians in India by the
saffron brigade and the declaration of
Christmas Day as a 'Good Governance day' by
the present BJP government totally exposes its
antipathy towards the Christian minorities in
India.
Conversion to any religion is a fundamental
right of every Indian citizen, which is enshrined
in the Constitution of India. Everybody has a
right to propagate one's religion, but nobody
has the right to forcibly convert any one.
Forced conversion to any religion is wrong,
and must be stopped immediately. Hence,
what should be introduced in all the states in
India is 'Anti-Forced Conversion Bill', not 'AntiConversion Bill'. If people have forcibly
converted others in their zeal in the past, it is a
mistake and is regrettable. However, we must
not imitate their mistakes, but we must rather
forgive them and move ahead. God is Love,
and He abhors violence of any sort. Jesus
came into this world to save every single
person on earth. He came into a sinful and
Hence, it is imperative that Christians in India
walk the path of love and non-violence and
pray for all people, that God may bless them.
The Bible tells us that we must pray for those
who persecute us. Hence, Christians must
pray particularly for those who are indulging in
acts of violence and aggression against them,
that God may touch their hearts and fill them
with His presence and transform their hatred
into love. We must know and believe that God
is in total control of every situation in our lives
and has the power to turn evil into good.
Everybody is talking nowadays of the 'Swachh
Bharat' campaign. Jesus Christ Himself had
proposed the swachh campaign long ago;
however, instead of focusing on cleansing the
surroundings, Jesus proposed to the world the
' Swachh Atma' campaign. When the teachers
of the Law and the Pharisees were imposing
the 'swachh external' campaign on the people,
Jesus rebuked them by saying, "Woe to you,
teachers of the Law and Pharisees, you
hypocrites! You clean the outside of your cup
and plate, but inside, you are full of plundering
and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! Clean the
inside first, then the outside will be clean too."
(Mt 23:25-26).
The Bible also teaches us to respect one
another and to treat one another as brothers
and sisters as, through Jesus Christ, all people
on this earth become children of God. Hence,
we must work together in love and harmony
with people of other faiths, as they are our
brothers and sisters, and work together for a
better India by reaching out to the poor and the
marginalised. I appeal to each one of you to
join the ' Swachh Atma' campaign of Jesus this
Christmas season.
Page 8
From,
JV Naik
jvnaik@hotmail.com
Dear Fr. Felix Rebello.
I highly appreciate your appreciate your sincere efforts to save water and prevent water pollution .I
shall do the needful as desired by you.
Wish you a Very Happy & Fruitful New Year.
With utmost regards,
J. V. Naik
From,
Dr. Jacob Kani" <jacobkani@gmail.com
Dear Father Felix,
Greetings from Indore.
I am Fr. Jacob Kani, former Editor of Indian Currents weekly (Delhi). Now I am in Indore on the
request of Bishop Chacko and Fr. Varghese Alengaden who runs Universal Solidarity Movement of
Value Education for Peace (USM) which gives value education and leadership training to students
over two decades. I am here for starting a youth magazine for USM targeting primarily students and
youth and secondarily teachers and parents. It is aimed at imparting value education and fostering
enlightened leadership through self transformation and that of the society. The new magazine will
be in English and a bi-monthly to start with. It will be a monthly later when we get a team.
We plan to bring out the first issue by the end of February. In the attachment you will find some
topics and regular items that we plan to introduce. I will be happy to get your ideas and suggestions.
And please share this idea with your contacts who may be willing to contribute on any topic that is
useful for the students and youth.
I regularly follow your mails and website; am very much impressed by your passion for
environmental protection. If possible please contribute an article for the first issue on environmental
protection. Please let me know if some useful tips etc. that are in your website can be used in our
new magazine. Or can you please arrange to send something regularly for this purpose?
Wish you more blessings in this New Year.
Thanks and Regards.
Fr. Jacob Kani
Universal Solidarity Movement (USM)
R-847, Mahalakshmi Nagar
Indore - 452010 (M.P)
Mob: +91 9893588698
Tel: 0731-4006192, 4072057
Page 9
From,
Sudhir Sawant
sudhirsawant09@gmail.com
Dear friends,
You all are deeply concerned with Jaitapur and nuclear energy issue. we have to fight against
the corporate interests of multinationals. wheras this is largely understood the method is not
clear. Many people do it for face value and personal glory.
Jaitapur is not an isolated event. It has its strength in the neo liberal policies of the main political
parties. It forms the part of Make in India ballon. Hence a comprehensive response is essential.
on the energy issue also it is not limited to ajitapur or Ratnagiri. It must be seen in light with the
oil mafia and nuclear mafia policies who oppose renewable energy. hence elimination of nuclear
energy must be accompanied by the positive movement to other forms of energy. eg we are
launching a movement of closing petrol pumps and asking for increase of the use of ethanol by
10 % in the petroleum sector. Ethanol is mainly produced today by the sugar industry. as such
increase will increase the income of sugar farmers. But more important is the drive to renewable
energy. As ethanol will also be produced from other waste material.
The farmers of Maharashtra will join such a struggle.
Do think on this lines and let us formulate the strategy to integrate issues and unite people to
make an impact
this can be one issue on 18 jan
thanks
From,
Ritesh Sharma
ahwaanfoundation@gmail.com
Fwd: street plays..... for... social awareness...... by ahwaan foundation..(social awareness not
fast,social awareness reaching the mass)
Dear.Sir,
( What we can do for you on Social awareness on water )
(social awareness not fast, social awareness reaching the mass)
Ahwaan foundation is a registered n.g.o with the mission to social awareness for society.* The
Ahwaan team consists of young professionals from diverse backgrounds like theatre, animation,
management, fashion, fine arts as well as college
and university students. Whatever background we come from, whatever be our level of
experience, there is one thing that binds us all -the belief in the power of the arts.
Thanks/Regards
(AHWAAN FOUNDATION)
Santosh Kumar
Contact-09873366278
Ahwaan Foundation
F-39/7, Street number 5,Amrit Puri B, Garhi,East of Kailash.New Delhi-110065
Contact-09811381695,09873366278
http://sites.google.com/site/ahwaanfoundation/
If we don't do anything about it, we're part of the crime. Let's speak out today...
Page 10
Krishan Khanna
krishankhanna.iit@gmail.com
Why India needs Organic Farming
& not Chemical Farming
1.
India has a population of 123 crores.
2. Total work force in India is nearly 49 crores out of which nearly 60% or about 30 crores
are in agriculture,forestry, horticulture, floriculture and animal husbandry.
3. Organic Farming should become a part of the PMO's priority for Nation Building, like
sanitation, toilets and swatch bharat, etc.
4. India needs Labour intensive solutions, as that is our present strength.
5. Organic Farming is a big employment generator.
6. Already 60% of the work force is in agriculture, farming and animal husbandry.
7. There is a huge international demand for organic food, organic cotton and so on,
this can become one of India's largest export product in the years to come
8. Organic Farming covers all aspects of farming, horticulture, agriculture as well as
animal husbandry.
9. The two attachments will show that Organic Farming is a win-win solution
unlike Chemical Farming which is a loose-loose solution.
10.
Chemical Farming does not have any medium term or long term advantages
11.
In India it should also be extended to Flora & Fauna required for Ayurveda
Medicines; which can grow exponentially with availability of the purest form of raw
materials.
12.
It will prevent the degradation of the soil and ground water used by humanity.
13.
It is the only alternative to Sustainable Agriculture vs Chemical Farming
14.
We suggest a tie up of all our agriculture colleges and relevant CSIR laboratories
with the world’s oldest and most prestigious Organic Farming Institute in Switzerland,
Germany & Austria for all aspects of Organic Farming. See www.fibl.org. i Watch is
already in contact with them and you can download their last annual and other reports
from www.fibl.org .
15.
We suggest that all Agricultural colleges should teach this subject on a priority
16.
IIT-Kgp which has 200 acres of farm lands and a very big department of
Agriculture should tie up with FIBL in Switzerland to exchange the research work done
by them since the last 41 years.
17.
All the 660 districts should have Soil Testing laboratories, which is the starting
point for Organic Farming. PM Modi already started this as CM in Gujarat.
18.
Other relevant Ministries, such as Rural Development, Agriculture, HRD, Labour,
MSME, Commerce, Finance, Industry, etc need to make it as part of their focus and
priority areas.
19.
At the State & UT levels the advantages of Organic Farming vsChemical
Farming needs to be explained and nurtured.
20.
Kindly feel free to contact us for further information about Organic Farming.
With Best Wishes,
Krishan Khanna
Chairman & Founder
i Watch
211, Olympus,
Altamont Road
Mumbai - 400 026
Cell: +919821140756
www.wakeupcall.org
Available
Educational PowerPoint Presentation (PPT) on
ORGANIC FARMING
Download this PPT from our website:
www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in – GEM PPT section
PAGE 11
From,
youth 4change
youth4change@indiaredefined.org
Internship Programs of INDIA Redefined www.indiaredefined.org -Need Youth/Teenleaders for "Educate India,
Clean India, Green India, Healthy India Campaigns of INDIA Redefined
"Lets aim to make more Doers than Beneficiaries"
Internship in INDIA Redefined
About INDIA Redefined
Best Humanitarian Initiative 2009 award winner INDIA Redefined (IR) www.indiaredefined.org is a voluntary
movement started five years back, aiming to make more Doers than Beneficiaries, is emerging as a Common
United Platform (CUP) of Collective Responsibility of the four pillars of a nation, namely Citizens, Corporate,
NGOs & Government to create a HAPPY INDIA. Students can Donate Time for our Country through the
Initiatives of this apolitical Citizens Empowerment Movement, by doing internship with INDIA Redefined.
Students can do Internship of INDIA Redefined given on http://www.indiaredefined.org/Internship.html in their
Colleges/ Universities or Schools. For reference, please see photographs of Community Leadership Program by
the students of National Law University, Jodhpur
on https://www.facebook.com/youthwing.indiaredefined?fref=ts. On successful participation each Student gets an
Internship Certificate.
College & University Students interested in internship should send their CV and Photograph
at youth4change@indiaredefined.org and school students should send CV and photographs
at teen4change@indiaredefined.org. Please mention in the subject line “Request for Internship”.
Students keen on leadership roles to become Coordinators or Coordinating Campaigns / Initiatives / Events /
Activities in their College/University or City/Village/ School should also send the above details in a separate email
at apply@indiaredefined.org with subject line mentioning their interest in being Coordinator. Selected students can
then lead Campaigns of INDIA Redefined in their area e.g. Educate India, Clean India, Green India, Healthy India
etc.
INDIA Redefined does not collect funds nor distributes money or freebies. We strive to influence socially
conscious citizen to donate their time for social upliftment for those who are in need of it. After internship students
can become an associate if they wish to. It is not a paid or salaried position. Your responsibility will be in the area
you live so as to reduce time and expense of travel. Among the various programs that we support are those
programs where the Central or State governments have already budgeted and earmarked considerable funds that
need to be implemented on the ground in the true national development spirit that was intended.
INDIA Redefined is a platform and system integrator not just one NGO AND CAN BECOME ONE STOP
SOLUTION FOR CSR (kind of CSR Hub) 100+ NGOs,Experts, Project Professionals, Potential Implementation
Partners, Auditors, Innovative Technology Providers and Social Enterprises and some Govt organizations are
empaneled with INDIA Redefined
Internship opportunities
Young Students after internship could be assigned to participate in the activities of their primary interest and
availability of time from the following programs that we have successfully implemented in the recent past in
various parts of India.
There are two types of internship:
Individual Internship - A student works individually throughout the course of his/ her
internship.
Group Internship - Student forms a group of 10 people and contributes as a group. Group leader
will get two certificates - one for Internship & other for organizing.
Duration
The internship will continue over a period of two to four weeks. The impact of your participation will be
monitored by our senior associates. You are expected to spend at least 15 hours during this internship period.
Successful Completion of the internship will subsequently lead to the award of a certificate from INDIA
Redefined. This could be used as a document to support your extracurricular activities while you apply for further
education or a job. Choose two areas of your interest and download one INDIA Redefined banner, get it printed.
Send 4-10 photographs of activities done by you with INDIA Redefined banner in the background on
youth4change@indiaredefined.org or teen4change@indiaredefined.org as applicable. Please refer to old
activity photographs in the Activities section of INDIA Redefined website for sample. Also send a project report
Page 12
detailing date, place, activity description, people involved and people benefitted etc.
Project – “CLEAN INDIA” - Small projects and activities related to bringing urban, rural,
community and neighborhood cleanliness
Project – “GREEN INDIA” (Environmental and Sustainability Campaigns) – Small projects &
activities promoting greenery, environment sustainability, pollution reduction etc.
Project – “EDUCATE INDIA” - Activities and projects related to Awareness building,
Education, Skill Development, Improving Employability etc.
Project – “HEALTHY INDIA” – Activities and projects related to Health, Hygiene and
Sanitation (WASH)
Project - "I Care" – “I Care" is the most successful and flexible Project.
AWAKEN INDIA– Various types of awareness and motivational campaigns
C.U.R.E INDIA Campaign (Citizens United for Redefining & Empowering India) "Ek Ka
Dus" - Make a difference in the lives of 10 (ten) underprivileged Indians to help and guide them,
redefine their life and empower them with your thinking and association.
Harmony Campaign – Involving people of at least four different religions.
Campaign - Motivating the beggars to stop begging and start working
"Develop your own village"– (Hamaare Haathon Badalte Gaon - Our Hands for changing our
Villages).
We also need Youth Coordinators for INDIA Redefined Citizen-Corporate Collective
Responsibility Group (CCCRG) to associate with various Corporate & organizations with INDIA
Redefined for their CSR. Corporate wanting to associate for CSR can mail
at contact@indiaredefined.org so that we can sent them mail for the broad categories and some
activities photos which have been done (or underway) under INDIA Redefined movement.
INDIA Redefined Awareness Campaign
INDIA Redefined Back office support
We need Youth Coordinators for our 3rd Sector Partnership Program - NGOs & Rotary Clubs,
Lions-Lioness Clubs are associated with our 3rd Sector Partnership Program given
on www.indiaredefined.org. For becoming our 3rd Sector Partners, NGOs can send details with their
logo to contact@indiaredefined.org for conducting programs on INDIA Redefined platform.
Join the movement on www.indiaredefined.org
The Youth4Change Team INDIA Redefined
www.indiaredefined.org
"Lets aim to make more Doers than Beneficiaries "
Union cabinet clears land acquisition ordinance Yettinahole, Niddodi, certain
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Jan 2: Although local politicians have been shouting from rooftops that they will not allow
Niddodi thermal power plant and Yettinahole river diversion project to see the light of the day, it appears
that these two projects will go ahead as scheduled. The central cabinet has given its clearance to a
proposal to promulgate an ordinance for acquiring land needed for pending projects by skipping certain
important conditions set out in the law.
File picture of Yettinahole area
The union cabinet has given its go ahead for land acquisition for a number of pending projects. It is
gathered that the decision taken by the cabinet has also got the assent of the President. It will be needed to
be approved by the parliament next.
The union government has also been bringing ammendment to The Right to Fair Compensation and
Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013. As per the ammendments,
which are being made through ordinance, the precondition of obtaining consent of farmers, and study of
social impact by the project do not apply to projects meant for national security, defence, electrification
Page 13
including rural infrastructure, industrial corridors and public-private-partnership projects involving social
infrastructure.
These ammendments, ostensibly brought for speedy implementation of infrastructure projects, have
bewildered environmentalists, who were hoping to stall several projects including the above two, by
rallying people's opinion against these projects. Not only barren land, even irrigated land can be acquired
by the government without conforming to the earlier condition that 80 percent of land owners have to give
their consent before the land could be acquired for certain projects stated above, as per the ammendment.
It is said that the government will ensure that compensation for the acquired lands will be paid four times
the market rate as in the earlier act.
Anti Niddodi Project Committee seeks Presidential
intervention
Yashodhar Bangera
Daijiworld Media Network - Moodbidri (SP)
Moodbidri, Jan 3: Expressing strong reservations about the proposed ordinance which plans to ammend
stipulations relating to acquisition of land for projects involving infrastructure, electricity generation,
industrial area etc, the Matrubhoomi Samrakshana Samiti has decided to fight against the ordinance tooth
and nail. As per the proposed ordinance, the conditions relating to obtaining of consent from not less than
80 percent of land owners whose properties are proposed to be acquired, as well as need to conduct
carrying capacity of the environment, are sought to be done away with.
Matrubhoomi Samrakshana Samiti convener, Kiran Manjanbail, said that the committee, which strongly
opposes the proposed setting up of mega thermal plant at Niddodi, has decided to approach President of
India to extend support for efforts to stop this ordinance from being implemented. The committee, which
was hoping to heavily rely on these two aspects to stop the power project from becoming a reality, now
pins hope on the support of the PresidentIn an emergency meeting convened on Friday January 2, the
committee members decided to send a memorandum to the President of India, urging him to withold or
withdraw this ordinance. Kiran Manjanbail said that the proposed ordinance, which was approved by
Narendra Modi cabinet, rings death knell for to the farmers and environment. He said this action of the
central ministry had made people to doubt whether this government is committed only to serving the
interests of mega industrialists. The committee decried the way in which the people in the government,
who had earlier been talking in support of farmers and environment, have suddenly sacrified these
principles and policies.
President of the committee, Alphonse D'Souza, working president, Poovappa Gowda, secretary,
Vinodhara Suvarna, vice president, Stany D'Souza, Kallamundkoor gram panchayat president, Joachim
Correa, gram panchayat member, Rama Gowda, Niddodi Billava Sangha president, Jaya Poojary,
progressive farmer, Rama Poojary, Kallamundkoor Billa Sangha president, Gangadhar Poojary, and
committee members, Varadaraya Kamath, Madhava Gowda and Shambhavi Shetty, were among those
who participated in the meeting
A green thought for the New Year 2015
Published on: 3:38 pm, December 31, 2014 Story By: Fr. Mathew Kallarangatt
Courtesy: mattersindia.com
Page 14
“The Earth is warming, climate is changing,
the ice is melting, the sea level is rising,
carbon dioxide is on the increase, and natural
calamities on the increase. The flights and
trains are getting delayed, even cancelled
due to fog and poor visibility. This year it
came too early. What would be its
consequence on food production? Can we do
something about it?
YOXEL ER is a scooter that runs on chargeable
batteries. It can pick up a speed of 55 kms
per hour. With a full charge one can cover a
distance of 70 kms. It costs 60,000 rupees, a
little too costly for a lower middle class
person.
and replaced it with a YOXEL ER and am very
comfortable with it.
Go into solar power. Practically for seven to
eight months a year, it can be used in our
country. It takes time, but then, four items
can be cooked at the same time 60 to 90
minutes, depending on the weather. It does
not need gas or firewood for cooking. I have
been using one since 1975 with great
satisfaction.
Vegetation has numerous benefits. It gives us
food, greenery, recycling of Oxygen, increase
in biodiversity, increased rainfall, preventing
desertification, replenishing ground water,
aesthetic environment, reduction of soil
I appeal to the government give a fifty
erosion, reduction in global warming,
percent subsidy to help the lower middle class reduction in atmospheric pollution, etc. The
people. Remember! The fuel we use are
garden in our residence a 100 percent organic
subsidized, otherwise we would have had to
and provides all the benefits listed above. I
pay much more on Diesel and petrol. The
urge all others to go organic and save our
subsidy on fuel is for all the time we take
Earth. Go GREEN! SAVE OUR PLANET!!!
fuel, but on this electric one, just once only!
It has no emission. The advantages are much
(The author works at Catholic Charities, social
more than the subsidy that has to be paid.
service wing of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar
Archdiocese, Jatni, Odisha, India)
I have abandoned my fossil fuel driven bike
LET US CREATE A GREEN WAVE ALL OVER!!!
LET US PROTECT OUR FARGILE ENVIRONMENT
For Green Earth Movement (GEM) E-Newsletters, PowerPoint
Presentations and other resource materials
Visit our website
www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in
INVITING
The schools, colleges, Housing societies, neigbourhoods, NGOs,
religious groups etc to make use of these resource materials
LET US CREATE A GREEN WAVE
LET US PROTECT OUR FARGILE ENVIRONMENT
Page 15
Haryana makes solar
power must for all
buildings
Praveen Jose, TNN | Jan 1, 2015
installed is 1 kilo Watt or 5% of a building's
connected load, whichever is higher. A 1 kW
plant can generate up to 4.5 units of electricity
a day, enough to power three fans, seven
tubelights and a cooler for four to five hours,
said Sandeep Yadav, project officer of the
state's department of renewable energy.
Failure to install the solar panels by September
would attract penalties between Rs 10,000 and
Rs 10 lakh, officials said.
Additional deputy commissioners (ADC) of all
districts in Haryana will be the implementation
officers for the government's mandatory solar
power programme. "This policy is being
implemented to meet the expected rise in
demand for electricity in cities such as
Gurgaon," Vinay Pratap Singh, ADC Gurgaon,
said. "All residential buildings on a plot size of
500 square yards and above falling within the
limits of municipal corporations, municipal
GURGAON: The Haryana government has
councils, HUDA and HSIIDC (the industry
decided to usher in the New Year with one of
body) will have to install solar power plants in
the biggest pushes for solar power in the
line with the state's policy. Even educational
country. The state has made it mandatory for
institutions, government buildings, hospitals,
all buildings on plot size of 500 square yards or commercial establishments like malls and
more to install rooftop solar power systems by licenced builder colonies will have to conform
September 2015. The order will be applicable
to the policy."
to private bungalows, group housing societies,
builder apartments, malls, offices, commercial Yadav, the project officer in Gurgaon, said the
complexes, schools, hospitals — any building,
modalities of connecting rooftop panels with
new or old, that meets the plot size
the power grid, through the net-metering
criteria. The government will offer a 30%
system, was being worked out. In such a
subsidy on installation costs on "a first-comesystem, a consumer generating excess power
first-served" basis, which means it would
through solar panels can sell the surplus to the
depend on availability of funds.
grid and get the amount deducted from his or
The order, passed by the department of
renewable energy, is in line with the state's
solar power policy framed in September 2014,
officials said. Its implementation will help the
power-hungry state augment generation and
ease pressure on its distribution network that's
prone to breakdowns, particularly in Gurgaon
where demand is very high.
The minimum solar power capacity to be
her power bill. "The modalities for the netmetering system should be finalized in two
weeks," Yadav said.
While installation costs of the solar units
would not be cheap, Singh chose to emphasize
the positives, saying its successful
implementation would bring an end to outages,
which are long and frequent in Gurgaon and
other Haryana cities in summer.
Available
Educational PowerPoint Presentation (PPT) on
DARKNESS TO LIGHT (SOLAR ENERGY)
Download this PPT from our website:
www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in – GEM PPT section
Page 16
Dismantling agriculture
Wednesday, 31 December 2014, DNA Inida
So it’s all working according to the plan. The latest round of National Sample Survey
Organisation (NSSO) report on the “Situation Assessment Survey of Agricultural Households”
for 2012-13 clearly shows what was largely expected.Agriculture is not only in a terrible crisis,
but is fast decaying.
I am not surprised. After all, the demise of Indian agriculture is on the lines suggested by the
World Bank way back in 1996. The World Bank had estimated that in the next 20 years, by
2015, the number of people migrating from rural to urban areas in India will be equal to the
combined population of Britain, France and Germany. The combined population of these
countries is 20-crore, and the World Bank had anticipated that 40-crore people would be moving
out of the rural areas in India by the year 2015.
This is only possible by creating conditions that make farming uneconomical, forcing farmers to
quit agriculture and migrate to the cities looking for menial jobs. In its 2008 World
Development Report, the World Bank had wanted India to hasten the process of taking people
out of agriculture by going in for land acquisitions and launching a network of training institutes
across the country to train the younger people in rural areas with skills that make them eligible to
become industrial workers.
With over 300,000 farmers committing suicide in the past 17 years, and with 42 per cent
farmers wanting to quit agriculture if given a choice, the deliberate effort to keep agriculture
starved of public sector funding, and thereby help the exodus process is finally becoming clearly
visible. With no efforts to remove the scourge of growing indebtedness, and with over 58 per
cent farmers sleeping hungry, there is not much that farmers can do but to migrate. The Census
2011 tells us that more than 2,400 farmers quit agriculture and migrate to the cities every day.
Many independent estimates point to the number of people migrating to the cities as around 50lakhs a year. Raghuram Rajan had echoed the same sentiment when he took over as Governor
of the Reserve Bank of India. He had said that the real growth in India would be when we are
able to move people out of agriculture into the cities. He is not the only economist to say so.
Most mainline economists have been parroting the same argument for several decades now
thereby influencing the public policies to ignore farming. Agriculture has disappeared from the
economic radar screen of the country.
With 70 per cent of the farmers owning less than one hectare of land, and with over 40 per cent
of the farmers in possession of a MGNREGA job card, it only shows how uneconomical farming
has become over the years. According to the survey report, an average household of five people
earns Rs3,078 a month from crop cultivation, and another Rs765 from dairy. Add to it an
average of Rs 2,069 from wages/salaries and Rs514 from non-farm activities, the total monthly
income for a household stands at Rs6,426.
In other words, crop cultivation and livestock rearing brings a monthly income of Rs3,843 to a
family. Put another way, agriculture brings only 60 per cent of the monthly income for an
Page 17
agricultural household. If this is what the Indian farmers earn after 45 years of Green Revolution
isn’t this a national shame? Does it not mean that the intensive farming techniques that were
aggressively pushed in the name of technological development have failed to usher in economic
prosperity for the farmers?
Although, the NSSO tells us that 57 per cent of the 15.61-crore rural households are engaged in
agriculture, which means they have at least one person who does farming or has dairy animals,
the number of farming families now stand at 9.02-crore. But even these agricultural households
are a victim of continuous neglect and apathy. In the 11th Plan Period, the total budgetary
support for agriculture was Rs1-lakh-crore. For the next five years of the 12th Plan, the
budgetary support was increased to Rs1.5-lakh-crore. This year, in 2014-15, agriculture which
employs 58 per cent of the population, received only Rs24,000-crore. The industry sector on the
other hand got tax concessions of Rs5.73-lakh-crores this year.
Incidentally, even MGNREGA gets a higher budgetary support than agriculture. With agriculture
being deliberately starved of funding, the deleterious impact it has on the viability of the farms
was expected. The only saving grace being the Minimum Support Price (MSP) being paid to
farmers. But in the past three years, MSP for wheat and rice has been raised by a paltry
Rs50/quintal every year. This is not even enough to offset the rate of inflation that the country
has witnessed. On top of it, all efforts are now on to dismantle the procurement system, which
means removing the MSP and leaving farmers to face the vagaries of the markets. The
Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) itself has been demanding the removal of
MSP for farmers and letting the markets decide the prices that farmers should be getting.
What is however not being spelled out is that only 8 per cent of India’s farmers get the benefit of
MSP every year. In any case, 92% of the country’s farmers remain dependent on the private
trade which has been ruthlessly exploiting them. Punjab farmers for instance get an assured
MSP every year whereas Bihar farmers do not. Removing the MSP would mean that Punjab
farmers too are forced to resort to distress sale as is the practice in Bihar. A beginning has
already been made by the Food Ministry directing the state governments not to provide any
bonus over and above the MSP that is announced by the Centre.
The deliberate destruction of the food self-sufficiency that has been so assiduously achieved is
being attempted at a time when globally it is now recognised that food shortages will trigger the
next world war. Whether it is because of the impact of climatechange or the corporate control
over agriculture, food is likely to be the biggest political concern in the years to come. A warning
was sounded in 2007-08 when a sudden spike on food prices led to an unprecedented global
food crisis resulting in ‘food riots’ in 37 countries.
The author is a food policy expert
As inhabitants of this only planet earth each one of us has to
design the future of our Mother Earth.
Helps us in this great responsibility.
Even if you do not receive a weekly email notification,
DO NOT FORGET TO VISIT
www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in – GEM section every week.
The fresh issue of GEM E-Newsletter is uploaded on our website every Friday
of the week.
READ IT, GET INSPIRED BY IT, FORWARD IT AND ACT ON IT!
Let’s help to preserve the pristine beauty of our Mother
Earth for generations to come!
Page 18
Kahan gaye woh
achche din?
Courtesy: Rediffmail.com
The Modi government is just continuing old
ideas with a new twist -- of interference in
matters where the State should not venture,
says Mango Indian.
Historians say the government is distorting history.
Educationists say the government is interfering in
education.
The Supreme Court says the government is not
earnest enough in cleaning up the Ganga. The
Reserve Bank of India governor says the
government has got its priorities wrong (and for
that Make for India remark, many believe the
expert economist’s job is on the line, even though
inflation is one of the few things the government
has been able to control).
After opposing the Goods and Services Tax tooth
and nail in the Opposition, this government now
touts it as the biggest economic reform since 1947.
After taking the United Progressive Alliance
government to task for ordinances, the government
issues ordinance after ordinance.
After opposing Section 66A of the Information
Technology Act -- the law that enables arrest over
Facebook posts and suchlike -- as unconstitutional
and opposed to freedom of speech as Opposition,
Recently, a Reuters article quoting unnamed
this government now says the law is well meant.
government sources said India had slashed its
After Modi declaring in campaign speeches that he
already meagre health budget by 20 percent. It
created a flutter -- even The New York Timespicked will bring back black money and every poor person
will get Rs 15 lakh from that, his lieutenant the
up on it in a strongly worded editorial -- and on
social media defenders of the government as well as newly-exonerated Amit Shah says it was just a way
health beat reporters were at pains to point out that of saying things.
the story was not true.
So, Prime Minister Modi, where is your promised
These were mid-year revised spending estimates
‘development’, and 'achche din’? Was it meant only
that had been slashed, they said. And not only
for Maya Kodnani, your former Gujarat minister
health, many ministries had not been able to spend
convicted of mass murder and yet out on bail for
the funds allocated to them. It was related to fund
months? Was it meant only for Amit Shah, your
absorption. And this was not the first time it had
able lieutenant against whom the Central Bureau of
happened.
Investigation has dropped its own case?
Was it meant only for your friend Gautam Adani,
Lost in the jargon over revised estimates and plan
who is bagging contracts in the countries you travel
outlay is the fact that this government is no
to? Was it only meant for your party colleagues and
different from previous governments in
past ideologues, who are being given government
underutilising already paltry monies in key social
sectors. If the health ministry does not know where honours by the kilo? Was it only meant for a
murderer named Nathuram Godse?
to spend money on, maybe we can pitch in with
ideas? Because I am sure everyone above a certain
age has at least one hospital horror story to narrate. Did your promise of ‘minimum government’ mean
only hands off continuation of old policies like
Aadhaar? Have you ever tried e-mailing the
Despite the Swatchh Bharat hullaballoo, the water
Aadhaar authorities and getting a reply?
and sanitation ministry spent just 29 per cent of
Did your promise of ‘maximum governance’ only
what it was given for the first six months.
mean telling the people what films they should not
Prime Minister Narendra Modi got a historic
see, what art they cannot exhibit, what books they
mandate, on that there is no doubt. But as a new
year dawns on India, not much has changed except cannot read, what religions they cannot follow,
for the loony fringe having a field day. Filmmakers what food they cannot eat, and drumming in the
say the government is interfering in films. Scientists real and downright-loony-bin-imaginary
accomplishments of ancient India?
say the government is interfering in science.
Page 19
Creativity - Lessons from
Jesuits
Innovation produces unintended risks.
However, only a scientific temper can
advance knowledge
R Gopalakrishnan
December 25, 2014
Courtesy: www.business-standard.com
Ganesha is the Lord who helps overcome
obstacles. In threeInnocolumns since Ganesh
Chaturthi, I have written about golden rice,
genetically-modified seeds and general
technophobia to illustrate the point
about innovationobstacles. Innovation produces
unintended risks; however, only a scientific temper
can advance knowledge.
enabling pre-requisite. That is how although the
Order had got papal approval in 1537 and despite
their loyalty, Ignatius and his successors
periodically upset the Pope and the church
bureaucracy. I reckon this happens to all creative
people.
The central tool used by the Jesuits to change
people's hearts and minds was the "Ignatius
Retreat" or "Spiritual Exercises". This required a
four-week period of silence, directed meditations
and conversations with a spiritual director. The
retreat was aimed at ridding the person of predispositions and biases, enabling the person to
make free choices. It was through this technique
that Jesuit education burst forth onto the world in
the 16th century.
The techniques of silence and meditation are not
unique to the Jesuits. They have been practised in
yoga for long. Thinker and author Pico Iyer spoke
eloquently about The Art of Stillness in his muchwatched TED talk.* To quote from him, "Freedom
from information, the chance to sit still, that feels
like the ultimate prize." The lesson is that you
need a method to develop an open mind.
Armed with knowledge and an open mind, the
Jesuits became very focussed and disciplined
This column will appear just after Christmas. I
have returned from the premier and upcoming Goa about their subjects of study. They learned how to
Institute of Management, which was founded by a specialise in a subject, yet integrate their
Jesuit and is currently run by a Jesuit. I studied at knowledge into their theological base. Deep
St Xavier's School and College in Kolkata, a Belgian specialisation rested on a philosophical platform of
education and innovation.
Jesuit institution. The dedication as well as the
curiosity, enquiry and erudition of Jesuits have
The results were an effulgence of innovative
always fascinated me. They seemed deeply
immersed, whether it was Physics, Archaeology or thinking and learning. Jesuits made such
significant contributions to the understanding of
even Sanskrit. Over the years, I have tried to
earthquakes that seismology was even described
understand this Order with specific regard to
as "a Jesuit science". During the 17th century,
creativity and innovation. Their origin and
Jesuits made important contributions to
evolution bear lessons.
experimental physics. In the glittering Chinese
Ming courts, Jesuits were regarded as "impressive
The Roman Catholic Order of the Society of Jesus
for their knowledge of astronomy, calendarwas founded by Spaniard St Ignatius of Loyola,
along with nine companions, around 1540. One of making, mathematics, hydraulics and geography".
those companions was St Francis Xavier, whose
Four lessons for modern innovation can be drawn:
exposition in Old Goa is currently on. St Francis
first, recognise that knowledge is essential;
Xavier arrived in Goa in 1541 and held the record
second, adopt a formal method for the
for converting the highest numbers during his
development of an open mind; third, learn the art
time.
of making free choices and; fourth, specialise
deeply on a philosophical platform.
The early Jesuits realised that the hierarchical
Catholic Church was in dire need of reform. The
clergy then was poorly educated. The Jesuits were We somehow assume that we require no training
in our "natural functions" such as breathing,
"men on the move", ready to go anywhere on a
eating, concentrating and
mission under obedience to the Pope. Education
innovating. Yoga teaches us that we do need such
was not the principal goal of the early Jesuits.
training. Maybe it is time to
Soon, the founders realised that intellectual
introduce Vipasana into innovation training in
competence was essential to bring about change.
During his lifetime, Ignatius opened as many as 33 companies.
schools. Thus, the Jesuits insisted on a high level
Happy New Year.
of academic preparation for those wishing to be
ordained into the ministry. Knowledge became an
Page 20
into good works, especially on behalf of the
needy.”
– “Be careful how you speak, purify your
tongue of offensive words, vulgarity and
worldly decadence.”
– “Heal wounds of the heart with the oil of
forgiveness, forgiving those who have hurt us
and medicating the wounds we have caused
others.”
– “Look after your work, doing it with
enthusiasm, humility, competence, passion and
with a spirit that knows how to thank the
VATICAN CITY — When Pope Francis met
Lord.”
before Christmas with Vatican employees,
mostly lay people with families, he asked them – “Be careful of envy, lust, hatred and negative
feelings that devour our interior peace and
to do 10 things. The list sounded remarkably
transform us into destroyed and destructive
like suggestions for New Year’s resolutions:
people.”
– “Take care of your spiritual life, your
– “Watch out for anger that can lead to
relationship with God, because this is the
vengeance; for laziness that leads to existential
backbone of everything we do and everything
euthanasia; for pointing the finger at others,
we are.”
which leads to pride; and for complaining
– “Take care of your family life, giving your
continually, which leads to desperation.”
children and loved ones not just money, but
– “Take care of brothers and sisters who are
most of all your time, attention and love.”
– “Take care of your relationships with others, weaker … the elderly, the sick, the hungry, the
transforming your faith into life and your words homeless and strangers, because we will be
judged on this.”
Pope Francis’ suggested
New Year’s resolutions
Kolkata’s eminent personalities vouch to make a
difference
Archbishop Thomas D’Souza of Calcutta said the program aimed at spreading the
Christmas message.
By Julian S. Das courtesy: Source: Herald, Kolkata (ucannews)
Some of the eminent personalities of the City of Joy have vouched to make a
difference in their social lives on the occasion of Christmas. Over 100 people
ranging from police officials to corporate leaders, religious leaders from other faiths,
Provincial Superiors and associates of the Church works in Kolkata gathered at
Archbishop’s House, Dec. 27, to share the joy of Christmas and to undertake works
reaching out to the poor and the downtrodden. Archbishop Thomas D’Souza of
Calcutta said that the program aimed at spreading the Christmas message of
brotherhood. He invited the people to ‘make a difference in the lives of the poor and
all those longing for change’.
Page 21
Kolkata Commissioner of Police, Surajit Kar Purkayashtha said that Kolkata had
been adjudged the safest city with lowest crime rate in the country because of the
efforts of the citizens of the city. He invited all the people to continue to spread the
culture of harmony so very unique to the city and take pleasure in spreading the joy
of Christmas all around.
The five-year old Academy for Musical Excellence sang two Christmas carols in
English to create the Christmas ambience.
Mayor of Howrah Municipal Corporation, Rathin Chakraborty invited the audience to
spread the spirit and message of Christmas to all parts of the country and the
world. He expressed his concern over the dignity of human persons shattered by
terrorism, and called it unfortunate and unwanted.
As a solution to many of the problems the world is facing, Chakraborty suggested
the message of Christmas could be spread to all corners of the world, and such
efforts should not be discontinued at any cost.
The two Christmas carols in Bengali, led by Dilip Rozario and his team, recreated
the Christmas spirit.
Among some of the eminent personalities of repute were Superior General of the
Missionaries of Charity, Sr Prema, Member of the Parliament at Rajya Sabha, Derek
O’Brien, Deputy Chair-person of the Minorities Commission of the government of
West Bengal, Maria Fernandes.
PRIESTS AND LAY LEADERS
Here is an opportunity to make your parishioners/church
groups more vibrant, active and faith filled by conducting
various
FAITH QUEST – Quiz Contests!
AVAILABLE
Hundreds of quiz questions on
 BIBLE
 FAITH
 EUCHARIST.
Suitable for Sunday School students, youth,
Bible study groups, SCCs or other parish
groups. Can be used for written/oral or
individual/group quizzes
Visit our website- www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in
go to BIBLE QUEST section
Page 22
Opportunity knocks at your door!
HERE IS AN ONLINE
ENVIRONMENT
QUIZ (E.QUIZ)
FOR U – FREE!
(Organised by
GEM E-Newsletter)
No use of paper, no travel cost, no entry fee, no postal
stamp/currier cost, no need to waste time to search for a centre
and so on…simply email your answers. Truly environment
friendly!!
Few simple rules of this ONLINE E. Quiz:
1. This E. Quiz is open to all Indian
residents irrespective of age, caste,
creed etc
2. The questions will be objective type
(just tick the correct answer out of 3
options)
3. All the questions will be chosen from
the PowerPoint Presentations (PPTs)
from the GEM section of our website –
www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in
4. For a model question set, please visit
the above website and go to the GEM
section – ENVIRONMENT QUIZ.
5. The ONLINE question paper will be
uploaded in the GEM section of the
above website on Feb. 1st/2nd, 2015
under the heading ONLINE E. QUIZ
2015. Participants will find out the
answers by reading the GEM PPTs. You
will email your answers in simple form
( example: 1] c 2] a 3]c 4] b etc) to
the Email ID –
gemonlinecontests@gmail.com
. The last day to email your answers is
February 6, 2015.
6. It is enough just to write your name
and location, along with your answers
sent only by email to the above email
ID. You will receive confirmation of
receipt of your answers at the earliest.
7. Though the actual question set is in
your hand for some days in advance,
you have about a month to prepare for
this E. Quiz by reading the GEM PPTs.
8. Prizes for the winners is: First Rs
3,000/-; second: 2000/-; 3rd – 1000/(prizes seems to be small for this all
India quiz. The prizes money is pooled
in by the contributions of the GEM
team. There may be many generous
philanthropists, corporate houses,
NGOs or even individuals who would
like to contribute for this noble cause
of creating environmental awareness
among the masses. You are most
welcome to contribute. If more donors
come forward, the prize amount will
be increased/ or more top scorers
may be awarded with the prizes. If
interested to contribute contact via
email at –
gemonlinecontests@gmail.com
9. All updates and contributors details
will be uploaded in the website under
the head GEM E-QUIZ 2015 UPDATES
and also published in this page in the
forthcoming issues.
10.
When the results are out, prize
winners will be intimated by email.
Also winners names will be published
in this page. Prize money will be sent
in the mode of your choice.
11.
In case there is a tie up, prizes
will be decided by lot or shared with
winners
Note: You may take a print out of this page and display it on your
school/college/church/housing society notice board.
Page 23
WANTED HELPING HANDS- Courtesy: Daijiworld.com
For more appeals visit – www.daijiworld.com - charity
Alex D'Souza (47),Bangaragudde House,
Neermarga-Mangalore 575029
Ramesh Kumar Shetty (55),DAP
Bagging Section,MCF
Ltd,Panambur,Mangalore 575010.
Ramesh Kumar Shetty (55) S/o
Narayana Shetty, DAP Bagging
Section, MCF Ltd, Panambur,
Mangalore 575010 is suffering from
renal failure and he is in regular
dialysis thrice per week. The cost of
maintenance haemodialysis, blood
tests and medications is between Rs
30,000 to Rs 35,000 per month. The
Alex used to be the breadwinner for the treatment has to be continued life
family by working as an Auto driver. Alex's long.
family is poor and the family members are
shattered over prolonged treatments and He had married 24 years ago. He has
diagnostic procedures he needs to undergo. two children. He could not give
He has his wife, two children, his widowed proper education to his children and
sister and his younger sister who is a they have to be content with small
psychiatric patient. As he has already spent jobs now. They are staying in the
whatever he could pool from his savings and house of their family and the family
help from others, he has requested willing has asked them to vacate the house.
donors to extend possible help.The cost of The family has requested donors to
his treatment per month is Rs 1.2 lacs. He is help them in their difficulty.
planned for one year's treatment.
Bank account details:
Account No. 01842030002789
Bank Accounts details:
Ramesh Kumar Shetty
S B Account No.: 123801010004895
Syndicate
Bank,
Panambur
Alex D' Souza
MHPA,
Vijaya Bank, Neermarga branch,
NMPT Hospital Building,
Mangalore Taluk, D K district.
Panambur, Mangalore 575010
IFSC Code: VIJB0001238
Telephone No. 91 89040 57941
MICR Code: 575029020
Phone: 91 96635 91506
Alex D' Souza, (47), husband of Wilma
D'Souza, Bangaragudde House, Neermarga,
Mangalore 575029, has been suffering from
liver cancer. CT scan at Father Muller
Medical College Hospital, Mangalore, where
he is being treated, has certified that he has
to undergo many types of Chemotherapy
and Surgery.
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
GEM E-Newsletter Facebook Link
http://www.facebook.com/gemenewsletter