E-Weekly-5/42
Green Earth Movement
An E-Newsletter for the cause of Environment, Peace, Harmony and Justice
Remember - “you and I can decide the future”
Doha: Call for 'Go Green' resonates as Tulu Koota
holds environment campaign
Media Release (courtesy: daijiworld.com)
Doha, Feb 15: The series of events conducted by Tulu Koota Qatar to create environment
awareness culminated with 'Parisar Krida' competitions for its members on Friday February 13
at Ashoka Hall ICC. The motto of the competitions was to encourage maximum participation
without having any rules attached to the competitions. It was overwhelming to see a large
number of participants in the competitions among the Tulu Koota members. Children as well as
adults participated in the event in big numbers. All the attending members were registered for
the programme with details of contact numbers.
Competitions were held in skits, short films, poster or structure making, seminar and
water/electricity saving campaign for kids and adults. Puspa Rajan, activity coordinator at
Bhavan’s Public School and Arun Kumar, past president of Karnataka Sangha were the judges
for the competitions. All the articles of the competition were registered and displayed with code
numbers. The posters were very descriptive and with punching slogans on water, electricity and
other natural resources. The posters also carried messages on the possible solutions that one can
use in one's daily life for reducing the consumption of energy.
The second category was art out of scrap. In this section all the participants enthusiastically
participated and showcased different items made out of scrap. It was interesting as metal scrap
was used to make stools, cloth hangers and furniture. Other interesting items were artifact from
waste wood, flower pot from waste plastic and rubber tyre was also used to make beautiful
artifacts which can be used in living rooms. Tulu Koota also distributed green t-shirts which
carried the logo of Tulu Koota and 'Go Green' message. This was done with a view that people
while participating in the programme feel the spirit of environment protection. After the judges
finished the rounds for art work it was time for the skit competition which was also the main
attraction of the event.
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In between the skit competition, a quiz competition was also planned executed, conducted by
engineer Navin Hegde. He tactfully engrossed the audience in the quiz game and explored their
inquisitive sense. The quiz was open to the audience and it encouraged them to think and rack
their brains. The highlight of the quiz competition was the prizes for the winners. Tulu Koota
gave away jute bags to the people who answered the questions correctly. This was done with a
view to stress that in it is high time that people use jute bags instead of plastic ones. The jute
bags carried the message 'I am fantastic... dont use plastic'. People also registered for reducing
water /electricity bills as a concrete form of caution towards preservation of energy and water.
The skit competition was held in two categories, for kids and for adults. The kids titled their skit
'Asatoma sadgamaya' (From darkness to lightness). The entire skit used dance, humour and
music to spread the message and call upon people to not waste water and other forms of
resources and energy. They also conveyed the message to everyone in the crowd to plant a tree
and save paper by saying no to exams! The skit was thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated by the
audience. The four skits by the adults were titled 'Earth in 1970 v/s Earth 2015', 'Fast
development and its consequences', 'Don't make it a plastic planet' and 'Destruction of
environment is our destruction'. All the skits highlighted the destruction caused due to people's
irresponsible actions and the consequences of today's fast-paced life on the environment. The
most interesting aspect was that the participants conveyed the serious message with an element
of humour, making it lively and enjoyable for the audience. Evidently there were thunderous
rounds of applause in between the skits which showed the amount of people's enjoyment and
involvement during the skit presentation.
All the participants also made it a point that the props used in the skit were minimum and were
made out of waste items. In the end the results were declared and winners were awarded jute
bags along with prizes. Dignitaries from ICC and other organizations' presidents were present to
grace the occasion. In the end a thanksgiving and entertainment event with environment as
theme was presented. Tulu Koota president welcomed the gathering and thanked all the
members for responding to the grave call of the hour.
All the organizations that supported in taking the mission ahead and allowed Tulu Koota to use
their premises and the member staff were felicitated by presenting mementos. The president
thanked all the organizations and mentioned that it was their response that encouraged Tulu
Koota to move relentlessly in the mission of environmental awareness. He also reiterated that
without the support of the organizations it would have been impossible to cover the large section
of society in such a short time. Mementos were also presented to Karnataka Sangha Qatar in
recognition of its effort towards the same cause, and to Geetha S Shetty, mother of Chaitali
Suhas Shetty for her support throughout the campaign.
Vismaya Vinayak, well-known artiste from Mangaluru, singer of hit Tulu movie song
'Premanathe pass athe' graced the occasion and beautifully performed mimicry on the theme of
nature and its elements. He also presented a mime show with live sound effects in the
background which evoked a riot of laughter among the audience. Even two-year-old kids were
also seen enjoying the show.
He also presented a mime show on the theme of merits and demerits of mobile phones. The
mime did have sounds but the message was clear to the audience.
All the participants were given the Go Green t-shirts and jute bags as a token of appreciation for
joining the movement and taking the mission ahead.
Nature has been for me, for as long as I remember, a source of
solace, inspiration, venture, and delight; a home, a teacher, a
companion.
Lorraine Andersson
What is your relationship with nature? Here is an opportunity for
you to build a healthy relationship with nature and protect it for
generations to come.
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You may be a leader of any group, or just an ordinary citizen concerned about the
future of the environment. Here is an invitation for you to take an initiative and
conduct this environment quiz. Following is sample quiz contest questions paper
which you can creatively use to bring awareness to groups including church groups,
school/college students, inmates of various homes, members of NGOs, housing
societies etc.
This quiz can be conducted in written, oral, group wise, or many other creative ways.
Participants may be asked in advance to prepare themselves by reading the
PowerPoint Presentations (PPTs) from the website
www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in GEM PPT SECTION.
To make you easier, the answers to this quiz contest are given at the end. Since
answers are already in public domain, you are free to use your own ideas (like
replacing the questions at random etc) so that participants do not simply learn their
answers by heart from the website (tell the participants in advance about your plan
of changing the questions). A sample answer sheet is also enclosed as a help, for
written quiz.
(Following is the sample question paper. This question set covers about 28
PPTs so far uploaded in the above website (ZERO GARBAGE TILL STOP
WATER POLLUTION).
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KNOW YOUR ENVIRONMENT - QUIZ QUESTIONS
1. Which item in this series is a wet waste? a] cloth
b] paper
c] egg shells
2. Which is the best (first) option in treating the garbage produced by us?
a] prevention b] disposal c] minimize
3. EM (Effective Micro-Organism) helps in _____
a] cleaning the air
b] changing the climate
c] speedy decomposition of waste
4. In 2009, ____ had experienced the second-largest solar energy growth in the world.
a] India b] Italy c] China
5] In 2009, Prime minister of ______ announced a plan to install solar power at 32,000 public schools.
a] US
b] France
c] Japan
6] Petroleum Resource will exist till _______, Gas Resource till 2050. a] 2020
b] 2070
c] 2090
7. Try your best to limit overall TV watching to no more than _____hours a day (Including computer/video games etc).
a] one
b] two
c] three
8. Try to stick to a consistent meal and snack schedule, spacing snacks and meals at least ___ hours apart.
a] 2 b] 3 c] 4
9. About _____ children in the United States suffocate each year due to plastic bags, most under the age of one.
a] 100
b] 80
c] 25
10. In stomach of one dead _____, as much as 35 kg of plastic was found. a] elephant
b] cow
c] donkey
11. A solar electric system installed in at home could potentially eliminate ___ tons of greenhouse gas emissions from
the environment each year. a] 180 b] 500 c] 18
12. Avoiding just ___ miles of driving every week would eliminate about 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a
year! a] 50 b] 10 c] 30
13. A TV set that's switched on for 3 hours a day (the average time spend watching TV) and in standby mode during
the remaining 21 hours uses about ____ percent of its energy in standby mode.
a] 40 b] 60 c] 80
14. Drinking a single 330 ml can a day of sugary drinks translates to more than 1 pound of weight gain every ____
a] week b] year
c] month
15. Some recent studies say that diet drinks might not be ____ for your health. a] much better
b] best
c] bad
16. In China ____ million Household and community biogas systems have been successfully Installed.
a] seven
b] twelve
c] twenty
17. The catchment area of rainwater harvesting system may be a _____, courtyard, or paved or unpaved open
ground. a] lake b] pond c] terrace
18. A Sponge Filter used for Rainwater Harvesting is a simple filter made from PVC drum having a layer of sponge
in the middle of drum. It is the easiest and cheapest form filter, suitable for _____.
a] religious places
b] Industrial houses
c] residential units
19. Which Pope had said the deforestation of a rainforest a "sin.“?
a] Pope Benedict
b] Pope Paul VI
c] Pope Francis
20. Nature and environment have always played an important part in the lives of devout _____.
a] Christians
b] Muslims
c] Hindus
21. Many ___ rituals recognize that human beings benefit from the earth, and offer gratitude and protection in
response. a] Hindu
b] Sikhs
c] Buddhists
22. The Sikh Scriptures emphasis the importance of the elements of nature in a hymn: Air is the Guru, Water is the
____, and Earth is the Great Mother of all. a] Brother b] Father
c] Disciple
23. At Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu state, about _____ children are employed in the fireworks industry.
a] 45-50 thousand
b] 60-70 thousand
c] 25-30 thousand
24. Transportation is the ___ leading source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. a] First
b] third
c]
second
25. Timber harvesting in the tropics alone contributes 1.5 billion metric tons of carbon to the atmosphere. That
represents ___ percent of human-made greenhouse gas emissions and a source that could be avoided relatively
easily. a] 40 b] 30 c] 20
26. To prevent biodiversity loss, the Government of India is setting up biosphere reserves in different parts of the
country. Till 1999, ____ biosphere reserves had been set up.
a] 25 b] 10 c] 15
27. The earth’s clean and drinkable water is only about 1% .The rest is either salty or frozen. What is the percent of
frozen water?
a] 10
b] 5
c] 2
28. In US in the year 2004, ____ percentage of bottles used for bottled water had ended up as garbage.
a] 86 b] 65 c] 50
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29. Nearly _____ percent of the world's food crop is lost every year to insects, fungal diseases and spoilage.
a] 40 b] 30 c] 20
30. Bt cotton is currently India’s only genetically modified crop, but it accounts for ____ percent of all cotton farming
in the country.
a] 80
b] 95
c] 70
31. Sewage water treatment generally involves ____ stages. a] 5
b] 4
c] 3
32. Examples of organ transplants not done using live donors are heart and ___.
a] hand
b] kidney
c] liver
33. India has only 1 Brain Bank in _____ a] Delhi
b] Mumbai
c] Bangalore
34. For vegetables a ___ year crop rotation is usually recommended as a minimum.
a] 3-4
b] 5-6
c] 7-8
35. A 1000 litre capacity digester needs an assured supply of about _____ kg of waste daily.
a] 20
b] 5 c] 10
36. Three Rs of ‘Waste Management’ are – reduce, reuse, _____ a] refuse b] recycle
c] renew
37. Red Mangrove is an evergreen tree, which grows to about ___ meters in height and 40 centimetres in diameter at
breast height.
a] 10
b] 20
c] 25
38. It has been estimated that Sundarbans mangrove alone produce ____ tons of honey annually.
a] 111
b] 200
150
39. In ____, 8.8 billion gallons of bottled water were sold in the U.S. a] 2007
b] 2010
c] 2014
40. Making bottles to meet Americans’ demand for bottled water requires more than 17 million barrels of oil annually,
enough to fuel some _____ cars for a year.
a] 300,000 b] 150,000
c] 100,000
41. At the beginning of 1960s Bangalore had 262 lakes, now only ___ hold water. a] 100 b] 55 c] 10
42. The judges asked Mhada to consider restoring a natural lake at ____, which was to be developed as a garden.
a] Andheri (E)
b] Borivli (W)
c] Bandra (E)
43. The Supreme Court of India has said that protection of natural lakes and ponds honours the most basic
fundamental right -- the _____ that is guaranteed to all Indian citizens under Article 21 of the Constitution.
a] right to life
b] right to clean air
c] right to progress
44. Polling by The Nature Conservancy shows that more than 90 percent of ____ report that trees give them a feeling
of peace and tranquility.
a] Chinese b] Indians c] Americans
45. According to data from the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, deforestation was at its highest rate in the
1990s, when each year the world lost on average ___ million hectares of forest—roughly the size of the state of
Michigan.
a] 25
b] 16
c] 20
46. India is poised to contend with ____ as the globe's top consumer of coal, with 455 power plants preparing to
come online, a prominent environmental research group has concluded.
a] Germany
b] China
c] America
47. Despite this humbling fact, i.e. while a large number of people go without food daily, ____ of food produced
globally for human consumption is lost or wasted;
a] one-third
b] half c] one-fifth
48. Climate change will affect the approximately ____ million people and their families worldwide whose livelihoods
depend on fishing and aquaculture.
a] 200 b] 100 c] 300
49. Currently, approximately 40% of the world’s population is at risk from malaria, and this is projected to increase to
80% by _____ (due to climate change)
a] 2040 b] 2050 c] 2080
50. Major geological events such as a volcano eruption might also be sources of ____ pollution.
a] thermal b] organic c] ecological
The above questions were given for the GEM ONLINE ENVIRONMENT QUIZ
2015 held during Jan/Feb. 2015. At the end of the questionnaire, the
participants were asked to give their feedback on this quiz.
For enlightening and inspiring feedbacks given by the participants refer to
GEM ISSUE – 5/41 – I AM ENRICHED or visit our website –
wwww.stfrancisxaveirpanvel.in – go to GEM section and click – KNOW UR
ENVIRONMENT QUIZ.
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Sample answer sheet
KNOW YOUR ENVIRONMENT QUIZ
Name: _______________________________________________________________________________________
Participant’s details____________________________________________________________________
Answers
Simply mark √ or X on the correct answer. After once ticking, if you want to change the answer, cancel the answer ticked,
and write the correct alphabet in the blank column (last column). 2 marks will be added for inspiring feedbacks (see question
no. 51)
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51. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION (about 5 to 10 lines AND EARN BONUS POINTS:
Q - How did you benefit from your participation in this environment quiz? What
concrete (achievable) actions will you take up to save environment (personally or as a
family or as a group?
ANSWERS – KNOW YOUR ENVIRONMENT QUIZ
1] C 2] A 3]C 4] B 5] C 6] A 7] B 8] A 9] C 10] B 11] C 12] B 13] A 14] C 15] A 16] A
17] C 18] C 19] C 20] B 21] A 22] B 23] A 24] C 25] C 26] B 27] C 28] A 29] A 30] B
31] C 32] A 33] C 34] A 35] B 36] B 37] C 38] A 39] A 40] C 41] C 42] B 43] A 44] C 45]
B 46] B 47] A 48] A 49] C 50] C
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Pope urges faithful to
protect the environment
God created
This expression, spokesman Father Federico
Lombardi said at the time, describes not only
how the faithful must respect the environment,
but also how the nature of the person —
masculine and feminine as created by God —
must also be defended.
Pope Francis' first encyclical, entitled “Lumen
Fidei,” or “Light of Faith,” was released in
2013. It was written by the pontiff as a
completion of the work initiated by his
predecessor, Benedict XVI, who resigned
before the document was finished.
Says Christians have a 'responsibility' to
care for the earth by helping it 'grow
according to its laws'.
Set to finish his encyclical on the environment
next month, Pope Francis said during his daily
Mass at the Vatican on Monday that Christians
who fail to safeguard nature do not care about
God's handiwork.
During his homily on Monday, the pope turned
to the day's Gospel reading from Mark 6:53-56,
reflecting on the account of Jesus curing the
sick, with those receiving healing simply by
touching is cloak.
This healing marks the “second creation” the
pope said, which “is even more wonderful than
the first”.
“A Christian who does not protect creation,
who does not allow it to grow, is a Christian
who does not care about God's labors” which
are borne out of God's love for us, the pope
said.
But while the “second creation” is more
important, Pope Francis said that God has
given the faithful the “responsibility” to care for
the “first” creation — the earth — by helping it
“to grow according to its laws”.
His remarks were based in part on the day's
first reading from Genesis 1:1-19, comparing
God's creation of the universe with the Jesus'
“re-creation” of that which “had been ruined by
sin”.
That said, “we are the lords of creation, not its
masters,” and are therefore called to protect it.
Pope Francis announced to journalists on his
way to the Philippines last month that plans to
have his much-anticipated encyclical on man's
relationship with creation finished in March.
With regard to the “second creation” brought
about by Jesus, Pope Francis said we are told
by Saint Paul in the Bible to become
“reconciled to God” — adding that
“reconciliation is the work of Christ”.??
Pope Francis explained that the Father, Son
and Holy Spirit are all engaged “in this recreation.” In response, we are “to safeguard
and nurture Creation,” allowing “ourselves be
reconciled with Jesus”.
A year ago this month, the Vatican had
announced the pope's plans to write on the
theme of “human ecology” — a phrase that
was originally coined by retired pontiff Benedict
XVI.
Source: Catholic News Agency
From: sjprashant@gmail.com
To: sjprashant@gmail.com
From: napm india <napmindia@gmail.com>
Date: 9 February 2015 at 14:22
Subject: NO LAND ORDINANCE! WE DEMAND LAND RIGHTS! Massive Rally in Delhi
on 24th February 2015
To:
NO LAND ORDINANCE! WE DEMAND LAND
RIGHTS!
Page 8
To protest amendments in Land Acquisition Act 2013,
forcible land acquisition and Land Acquisition
Ordinance 2014,
‘CHALO DILLI’ on 24th February 2015
Massive rally of farmers, workers, fishworkers and urban poor
Friends,
The constitution is based on principles of equality, justice, brotherhood and socialism for all
citizens and yet our nation’s farmers, agricultural labourers and working class have been
suffering from displacement and unemployment for decades. Communities that live off their
hard labour and are dependent on nature have from time to time struggled and compelled
elected representatives and the country’s governments to pass pro-people legislations.
Through the relentless opposition and struggles by the people’s movements across the country,
the UPA government was obligated to change the draconian law of the British-era, the Land
Acquisition Act of 1894, and thereafter, the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency
in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013 was brought in. People’s
movements had demanded the democratic process of mandatory consent from gram sabha, basti
sabha, farmers, peasants and fishworkers before land acquisition proceedings; minimum
displacement in every project and guaranteed employment to the displaced; no use of cultivated
land for non-agricultural purposes, only barren land for industry purposes; use of urgency clause
in disaster situations only; complete stop to forcible acquisition of land belonging to farmers and
adivasis and its transfer to industrialists in the name of development while actually encouraging
brazen loot and landlordism; acknowledgement of the rights of landless over land/pastures &
rights of fishworkers over coastal areas and inclusion of communities in the planning process.
What are the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act 2013?
While some of the demands of people’s movements were included in the 2013 Land Acquisition
Act, majority of the demands were kept out of its purview. Some important provisions such as
consent from 70% of the farmers affected by acquisition for private and public-privatepartnership (PPP) projects; no acquisition of multi-crop land keeping in mind food security; an
assessment of the social and environmental impact of the project with the participation of the
gram sabha; and using the urgency clause only in the case of a natural calamity were included.
However, despite rehabilitation being combined with land acquisition in the 2013 legislation, the
question of alternative livelihood for the affected was not resolved. 2.5 acres of land for SC/ST
families displaced by irrigation projects and only 1 acre for the rest; if possible, a job or an
equivalent 5 lakh rupees compensation for youth of affected families; and compensation of two
or four times the market or government rate were included. An important provision says that if
the land continues to be in possession of the original owners for more than five years after
acquisition and they have refused compensation then it shall be returned to them.
The ordinance has failed the basic democratic structure and planning
The Ordinance Raj that began soon after Narendra Modi came to power has put an end to the
pro-people provisions of the legislation. In the land ordinance, it is not required to have consent
of landed farmers even in the case of acquisition for private projects and includes provisions to
give multi-crop land for industry as well. Companies are allowed to acquire land for all kinds of
official and PPP projects as well as institutions such as private hospitals and schools. Despite
retaining rehabilitation and compensation provisions, the bitter truth is that higher
compensation cannot provide an alternative livelihood. The ordinance has been introduced by
the centre’s BJP government so that industrialists, Indian and foreign companies and builders
can construct industrial corridors, open mines and accumulate real estate profits in the name of
building cheap housing for the poor by grabbing farmers’ lands. 3,90,000 square hectares of
agricultural land is being seized from the hands of farmers for the Delhi Mumbai Industrial
Corridor alone and transferred to companies.
Bulldozer attacks on slums of cities like Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Ranchi are increasing
at an alarming rate. Thousands of hectares of land belonging to the public are being looted to
Page 9
increase the breadth and luster of cities. Communities whose survival is linked to nature are
being destroyed and the process of amending environmental laws, provisions of legal
regulations, labour laws, forest laws, employment guarantee and food security laws has already
begun and all this happening just to secure the wealth of the new landlords – Ambani, Adani,
Tata, Mittal.
Friends, the current central government is handing over the country’s resources to Indian and
foreign companies while dividing the society on caste, religious lines and challenging a secular,
socialist and just constitution. This is a gross violation of people, democracy and the nation’s
constitution.
It is the need of the hour to unite in a decisive struggle to oppose the state’s anti-people
ordinances.
We will not tolerate this!
Cancel anti-people ordinances!
No conversion of these ordinances into legislations through the
Parliament!
Stop grabbing land of farmers and fishworkers, effectively cease
forcible land acquisition!
Stop corporatization of governance and development. Put an end
to the devastation of villages and slums!
Massive rally at Jantar Mantar on 24thFebruary in support of these
demands!
‘Hazaaron hazaaron ki uthegi awaaz, khatam
karo punji ka raj!’
Put an end to Ordinance Raj!
National Alliance of People’s Movements, All India Union of Forest Working
People, Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan, Ekta Parishad, Yuva Kranti, Jan
Sangharsh Samanvay Samiti, Chhatisgarh Bachao Andolan, Jan Pahal, Kisan
Sangarsh Samiti, Sanyukt Kisan Sangarsh Samiti, Narmada Bachao Andolan,
INSAF, Delhi Solidarity Group, Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan, Akhil Bhartiya
Kisan Sabha
Contact: 9958797409, 9810423296, 9818905316, 9911955109
===============================================
National Alliance of People’s Movements
National Office : 6/6, Jangpura B, Mathura Road, New Delhi 110014
Phone : 011 24374535 Mobile : 09818905316
Web : www.napm-india.org | napmindia@gmail.com
Facebook : www.facebook.com/NAPMindia
Twitter : @napmindia
Fr. Cedric Prakash sj
Director
"PRASHANT"
- A Centre for Human Rights, Justice and Peace
Hill Nagar, Near Kamdhenu Hall, Drive-in Road, Ahmedabad - 380052, Gujarat, India
Phone : +91 79 27455913, 66522333
Fax : +91 79 27489018
Email: sjprashant@gmail.com
www.humanrightsindia.in
Page 10
Conservation is neither trivial,
nor absolute
Courtesy: HT
Dr Prodipto Ghosh
Unsurprisingly, recent alterations in environmental
norms have enthused corporates. Activists,however,
have been alarmed by some of the proposed
changes. The Centre has amended about 60 existing
environmental norms, all in a bid to promote
development. Many state governments followed
suit.
In Maharashtra, for instance, measures like
relaxation of coastal regulatory zone norms to
facilitate coastal roads, the BMC’s call to uproot
1,000 trees to improve urban infrastructure, and the
state government’s approval to scrap River
Regulatory Zone (RRZ) regulations-a move that
will lead several polluting industries onto the flood
plains-have raised concerns.
While many of these regulatory changes are being
just ified in the name of ‘sustainable development’,
we must bear in mind that environmental
regulations can never be viewed in static terms.
They may respond to changing circumstances and
scientific understanding but these regulations must
also state clearly articulated objectives and
principles.
And in this lies the biggest challenge – how do we
strike a balance between retaining our ecosystem
without stunting development and growth?
Sustainable development is more than just a
buzzword. In the true sense of the word it implies
that we, as a society must ensure that economic
growth respects the limits of our biosphere, and it
enables justice across our present and future
generations.
While improving living standards is imperative, it
must not worsen poverty or ill-health. It is also
crucial to maintain our vital life support systems,
namely air, water, soil, biodiversity and oceans, and
ensure that the natural resource base of the
economy remains productive.
Translating this conceptinto guidance for actual
policy requires the adoption of specific objectives
and principles.
The National Environment Policy (NEP) – initiated
by the NDA-I government in 2003, adopted by the
UPA-I government in 2006, and finally tabled in
the Parliament without opposition –sets forth seven
objectives and 14 principles like ‘incorporating
environmental concerns in economic and social
decision- making’ and how ‘environmental
standards must reflect the economic and social
development situation of the society’.
The NEP also outlines strategies to 10ealize these
objectives in a number of areas, including pollution
abatement, coastal resources, regulatory clearances,
forests and wildlife, and river systems.
The CRZ regulations, which should ideally be
based on scientific understanding and consultation
with local communities, seek to protect coastal
ecosystems and coastal waters. But they must also
strive to support livelihoods and protect vulnerable
coastal areas from extreme events like cyclones and
rise in sea levels. Application of regulations like
alignments of coastal roads must also remain in line
with the specified goals.
When it comes to the health of our rivers, it
becomes imperative to locate and assess the
environmental impact of polluting activities in the
vicinity of the rivers. For this purpose, the
Environment Impact Assessment Notification
passed in 2006 mandates a scientific study ensuring
that river and estuarine flora and fauna-which
comprise the resource base for livelihoods-and
water quality impacting the health of local
communities dependent on river resources, are not
impaired, even in the case of floods.
As for trees, it is needless to stress upon their
importance in urban centres such as Mumbai. Green
cover is crucial for the over-all environmental
quality of our city abating pollution, removing
suspended dust, mitigating noise, providing a
habitat for urban wildlife, and providing recreation.
This is not to say that urban infrastructure is not
essential In fact, inadequate infrastructure can
impose huge welfare costs on the residents and
adversely impact their livelihoods. Therefore, it is
important to avoid the extremes of tree fetishism,
and denuding all green cover in urban areas.
Also unlike natural landscapes, even old cities need
meticulous spatial planning to enable their
evolution, and such plans need to be updated
periodically as the city evolves in economic, social,
and demographic terms. Sufficient multifunctional
green areas must be provided for in these plans and
they should be conserved, even as particular trees in
particular locations may need to be moved.
Environmental conservation is part of human wellbeing. It is neither absolute, nor trivial.
Page 11
Illegal shrines, slums
mushroom on Parsik hills
B B Nayak,TNN | Feb 16, 2015
international competitions regularly.
Nobody seems to be bothered about the area's
ecosystem, which has an abundance of natural
resources. "If encroachments continue at this
rate, nothing will be left to boast of a beautiful
project like the Nature Park. I have written
emails highlighting the illegal constructions to
senior Cidco officers but am yet to get a reply.
This rich hill portion has to be preserved to
maintain the ecological balance in the region,"
said former Cidco chief planner D P Samant.
All agencies are passing the buck. Cidco
managing director Sanjay Bhatia told TOI,
"The controller of unauthorized constructions
team sent to the Nature Park found a prayer
hall and temple being constructed. A notice has
been slapped on the offenders."
NAVI MUMBAI: Rocks are being cut and
boulders smashed to pave the way for allegedly
illegal temples and slums along the Parsik
mountain range from CBD-Belapur to
Kharghar, on 2,000 hectares of Cidco-owned
forest land, where work on the Rs36crore
Nature Park is underway. Three temples have
come up at the Kharghar end of the hill, while
seven are being constructed at the CBD end.
Many are apprehensive that if Cidco fails to
control the area in its possession, what will
happen to the proposed Navi Mumbai airport
influence notified area (NAINA). The vast
expanse of forest and hillocks is unguarded.
"Most boulders have vanished with the illegal
construction of scores of temples and
mushrooming of slums," alleged Franco
Linhare, a Mahim resident and member of
Girivihar, a Mumbai-based adventure group.
Environmentalist and NGO Vanashakti
director Dayanand Stalin said, "This is a landgrabbing tactic supported by government
agencies, where slums will come up soon. I will
check the situation in a day or two before
appraising the government."
Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC)
has beautified a portion on the dam's
periphery. "We have no role to play in the
Cidco land but we planted some trees as part of
a beautification project," said Chandrakant
Tayde, garden administrative officer, NMMC.
"As part of the biodiversity survey conducted
by BNHS, I found the Artiste Village to be
richest area in the entire stretch of the Nature
Park. Nestled between Belapur and the
Kharghar hills, it provides an interesting
interface with a range of habitats. The forest
trails are enthralling, but not many nature
Environmentalists and adventure aficionados
are concerned about the systematic destruction lovers know about it," said Dr V Shubhalaxmi,
former member of BNHS.
of natural resources and plethora of flora and
fauna in one of the few surviving forest areas
A team of forest department officials, deputed
and adventure abodes in the Mumbai
to the site after a TOI tip-off listed many
metropolitan region, once a haven for wildlife
encroachments. "We will report it to Cidco," a
and adventure activities. The green cover is
forest official said. G K Anarse, general
being hacked and rich soil is being eroded by
manager, Cidco (environment), said, "We will
humans daily.
discourage such activities in coordination with
The natural course of a stream that originates
the forest wing."
from the waterfall on the Kharghar side has
been diverted to protect the illegal structures
K P Singh, chief conservator of forest and field
after cutting rocks. Adventure buffs from
director, said, "We have often written to Cidco
Mumbai and other parts of the country are
to take action. The area has been under Cidco's
losing their grip of natural boulders, where
control since 1972. We can only urge them to
they have been practicing and holding
ensure no non-forestry activity is conducted."
Page 12
Metro car shed: As
landfilling at site begins,
Aarey locals form
human chain to protest
tree hacking plan
of 2,298 trees are obstructing the
proposed car shed plan for Metro III and
need to be transplanted and cut. Of the
2,298 trees, as many as 2,044 can be
transplanted while 254 need to be cut.
By: Express News Service | Mumbai
February 16, 2015 2:59 am
However, Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation
Limited (MMRCL) does have the requisite
permission for fencing, clearing the plot
(except cutting of trees) and shifting of
water lines for the proposed car shed at
Aarey.
More than 400 residents of Aarey Colony
formed a human chain around the site
proposed for the Metro III car shed and
climbed over the JCB machines on
Sunday morning while protesting against
the landfilling that has begun at the site.
More than half of the 30 hectares set
aside for the project has been levelled
and filled with soil.
Residents gathered at Aarey picnic spot
and discussed plans to intensify their
agitation to demand a meeting with
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
“Destroying the green space is not a
feasible solution. We need to get the CM
on board to understand what we stand to
lose in Aarey. If we do not get a
meeting, we plan to sit outside Varsha or
enter Mantralaya in large numbers with
our demands,” said environmentalist
Rishi Aggarwal, a researcher with
Observer Research Foundation.
To avoid the cutting of trees, the Save
Aarey Community has suggested
building the car shed on the Mumbai Port
Trust land, or by reclaiming land in
Colaba, akin to the procedure to be
followed for the Coastal Road project.
The decision to cut 2,298 trees for the
project has been deferred by the civic
body’s Tree Authority, but citizens are
irked at the levelling and landfilling
activities at the site.
The 33.5 km long corridor is
underground and space is required only
for entry-exit points and some
amenities.
According to MMRCL’s proposal, a total
mumbai.newsline@expressindia.com
At 750MW, Madhya Pradesh to get world’s largest solar
power plant
Amarjeet Singh,TNN | Feb 16, 2015
Page 13
BHOPAL: Next year on Independence Day,
India will have the world's largest 750MW
solar power plant in Rewa district of Madhya
Pradesh, which will pip America's muchvaunted 550-megawatt Desert Sunlight solar
project in California, commissioned four days
ago.
Acquisition of 1,500 hectares of land for the Rs
4000 crore project is close to completion and
government agencies are likely to invite
tenders from developers by April. The state
government is setting up the plant in a joint
venture with Solar Energy Corporation of
India.
The expected cost of power production is
pegged at Rs 5 per/unit which would be lower
than production costs in any solar project in
the country, including the one at Neemuch in
MP and Mehsana and Patan in Gujarat.
Speaking to TOI, additional chief secretary for
new and renewable energy, SR Mohanty, said,
"We are planning to inaugurate the plant on
August 15, 2016. The plant will be developed in
three segments of 250 MW each. Land
acquisition will be over by end of month and
over 90% land for the project is owned by
government," he said.
Panchayats to have stake
in solar power projects
Sanjay Dutta,TNN | Feb 12, 2015
NEW DELHI: Amid the political debate over dilution
of the law on acquiring land for industrial units or
other projects, the renewable energy ministry has
"cracked the code" for overcoming any opposition
from the local population to setting up of big solar
power projects.
The ministry is working on a policy to make village
panchayats stakeholders in its plan to ramp up solar
power capacity to 1,00,000 mw by 2021-22 as land
acquisition has emerged as the bane of industrial
growth.
"We are looking at land that is outside the purview of
farming or urban usage. We are looking at barren
land which is not generating any revenue. Almost
every panchayat has such land... perhaps commonly
called lal dora (an extension of rural areas). These
parcels of land would be rented for solar projects,"
power, coal and renewable energy minister Piyush
Goyal said on Wednesday.
The minister said the leasing would be through
proper agreement between the solar project
promoter and the panchayats. This way, panchayats
would get a source of steady income from parcels of
Acquisition for remaining 300 hectares of nongovernment land is continuing. "There are no
hiccups as the land is non-agricultural and
barren," said Rewa district collector, Rahul
Jain.
Speaking to TOI, Mohanty said, "No clearance
from pollution control board is required for the
project. We have to sign a joint venture
agreement between state-run PSU Urja Vikas
Nigam and Solar Energy Corporation of India
and a detailed project report will be prepared.
Preliminary reports are already prepared and
we will complete formalities by April and we
will be in a position to invite tenders."
Work on laying transmission lines is under
way.
"State government will help developers get the
project financed with easy loans and little
paperwork. World Bank has given its nod to
fund 49% of the cost at concessional rates.
Developers who quote the lowest power tariff
will bag the project," said Mohanty. And at
least 20% power produced from the solar plant
will be for Madhya Pradesh, he said.
The plant is being set up in Gurh tehsil of Rewa
district and will straddle five villages of
Barseta.
land that have been of no use otherwise.
Government sources said the final policy may also
have provisions for panchayats and municipal
corporations to take stake in the big solar projects. As
first reported by TOI, the ministry has proposed a
gross budgetary support of Rs 4,050 crore for setting
up 25 solar parks of 500 mw each and ultra-mega
solar power projects to add 20,000 mw green
generation capacity in the next five years.
The money is expected to be spent in phases, starting
with Rs 500 crore in 2014-15 and rising to Rs 1,400
crore in 2018-19. Solar Energy Corporation of India
under the ministry would be the nodal agency and
manage the funding for a fee, equivalent to 1% of the
grant disbursed.
The parks would be developed in collaboration with
state government. Altogether 12 states have given
their consent for setting up solar plants, renewable
energy minister Piyush Goyal had told the Lok Sabha
in a written reply on November 27. He said project
developers would be selected through bidding as per
norms set by the central tariff regulator.
Broad contours of the scheme indicate measures to
make the parks attractive for investors by offering
readymade locations. Promoters usually have to
spend a lot of time for getting approval for changing
land use and other clearances from various state
government bodies, including consent from state
transmission utilities.
Page 14
Sunita Narain: New environmentalism
We must also realise that even as environmental problems have grown, the
institutions for the oversight and management of natural resources have shrunk
Sunita Narain courtesy: Business Standard, Feb. 15, 2015
The new year has brought India's environmental movement at a crossroads. On the one hand,
there is a greater acceptance of our concerns, but on the other hand, there is also growing
resistance against the required action. More importantly, every indicator shows that things on
the ground are getting worse. Our rivers are more polluted, more garbage is piling up in our
cities, air is increasingly toxic, and hazardous waste is just dumped, not managed. Worse, people
who should have been in the front line of protection are turning against the environment. They
see it as a constraint to local development. They may protest against the pollution from
neighbourhood mines or factories, yet even if they succeed, their livelihood from natural
resources is not secure. They are caught between mining companies and foresters. Either way,
they lose.
We must also realise that even as environmental problems have grown, the institutions for the
oversight and management of natural resources have shrunk. Most importantly, while the
environmental constituency has grown, core beliefs have been lost. In this way, the underlying
politics of environmental movements have been neutered. It is important we point to the
fundamental weaknesses and contradictions in the environmental movement. It is only then that
we can deliberate on the direction for future growth of the movement.
First, we have lost the development agenda in environmental management. Instead of working
to regenerate the natural capital for inclusive growth, we have increasingly framed action as
development versus environment. This has happened because we have successfully disconnected
environmental management from development.
The management of natural resources - swinging between extraction and conservation - is
leaving out of its ambit millions who live on the resources. These people cannot afford either the
degradation of resources or pure conservation. They need to utilise natural resources for their
livelihood and economic growth. In this way, the environmental movement is in danger of
making enemies of the very people whose interest it is working to protect. We need to move
beyond conservation, to sustainable management of natural resources. This is what we need to
discuss and work for in the coming years. Environment must become India's development
agenda again. This is the imperative.
Secondly, the debate on environmental issues is increasingly polarised and seen as
obstructionist. In this way, the positive agenda gets negated and lost. The fact is that in real life
we need to go beyond absolute positions, so that there is some resolution and some movement
forward. In an ideal world, there should be enough trust and confidence that once we begin to
move ahead, there can be reviews, assessments and course correction. This is difficult in the
current scenario where the world is unevenly divided between those with the polluters, mining
companies and dam builders, and the rest. Institutions that can help resolve conflicts and take
credible decisions have been weakened. Trust is lost all around, so the worst defence plays out.
But it is also a fact that playing defensive does not work in the long run. The environmental
movement is able to stall, but not stop, environmentally disastrous projects. Worse, since there
is no space for the middle ground that can allow discussion on how a project should function if it
is allowed, there is no improvement in the situation on the ground once the project is
sanctioned. The entire energy is invested in blocking projects and once a project is cleared the
mission is lost. There is no emphasis, or even capacity in many cases, to look at the alternative
that would mitigate environmental damage.
Page 15
Thirdly, environmental struggles are increasingly about "not in my backyard" (Nimby). This is
understandable because people are the best protectors of the environment and are saying that
pollution must not happen in their backyard. But the problem in a highly iniquitous country like
India is that this can simply mean that people do not want something in their backyard, but it
can move to the backyard of someone else who is less powerful. We must realise that even as
middle-class environmentalism will grow, which is important, it will not be enough to bring
improvement or change. This is because solutions for environmental management require
inclusive growth. Otherwise, at best, we will have more "gated" and "green" homes and colonies,
but not green neighbourhoods, rivers, cities or country.
Fourthly, and most critically, one has to look for solutions and not just pose problems. The
search for technologies and approaches to environmental management will have to recognise the
need to do things differently, so that sustainable growth is affordable to all. One must also
recognise that strengthening institutions is vital; we cannot improve performance without
investment in boots on the ground.
This demands a new way of environmentalism to embrace ideas without dogma but idealism and
purpose. This environmentalism will have to move beyond the problems of today and yesterday.
And for that we better imbibe the politics that will deliver it.
Govt begins steps to
implement environ panel
recommendations
Press Trust of India
"Despite its complexity, for pollution control
purposes the environment must be
perceived as a single, interrelated system,"
said the Ministry emphasising the need for
constituting National Environment
Management Authority (NEMA) as
recommended by the panel.
The ministry felt the proposed NEMA would
be an effective approach to pollution control
which include identify pollutants, trace them
through the entire ecological chain,
determine the total exposure of man and his
environment, examine interactions among
forms of pollution and identify where in the
ecological chain interdiction would be most
appropriate.
Environment Ministry has initiated steps to
implement some of the key
recommendations made by a high-level
committee constituted by it to review laws
related to forests, wildlife, water and air.
Sources said the ministry has decided to
carry out the process for selection of a
technical consultant, for supporting the
ministry in implementation of the "agreed
recommendations" by the panel headed by
former cabinet secretary T S R
Subramanian.
The committee, which reviewed the green
laws, has made important observations and
55 recommendations.
According to the ministry, the important
among them outline that the present set up
is not structured to make a coordinated
attack on the pollutants which debase the
air, water, and the land.
Officials said the functions carried out under
various legislations including Water Act,
1974, Air Act 1981, Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986, the functions carried
out in relation to Solid Waste Management
and authority to perform studies relating to
ecological systems could be subsumed in
the proposed body -- NEMA.
The panel has also envisaged a similar
institution with "corresponding functions" at
the state level in the name of State
Environment Management Authority
(SEMA).
Proposed roles and functions of the NEMA
and SEMA include the establishment and
enforcement of environmental protection
standards consistent with national
environmental goals, make objective and
scientific recommendations on grant of
environment clearance and establish a
mechanism for monitoring of compliances of
conditions given in environment clearance.
Page 16
Forest officials' views to be
considered before
amendments to key
environmental laws
Suggestions of 600-odd forest officers from
different parts of the country on the key
policy decisions will be taken at three
chintan shivirs
Press Trust of India | New Delhi
February 6, 2015
minister said the draft of the amendments to
five environment laws were being prepared.
He, however, did not say whether the
amendments will be brought in the Budget
session of Parliament.
The laws, reviewed by a four-member panel
headed by former cabinet secretary T S R
Subramanian, are the Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986, the Forest
(Conservation) Act, 1980, the Wildlife
(Protection) Act, 1972, The Water (Prevention
and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and The Air
(Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
Javadekar said the chintan shivir is an open
dialogue with forest officers on environment.
Their views will be taken on how people’s
participation can be ensured in areas of forest
development, pollution control, river cleaning
and other activities of the ministry. “There are
four sessions in which only participating
officers will speak. Nobody from the dais will
speak. Each one will be given five minutes,” he
said.
The government will take the views of senior
forest officials before bringing amendments to
five key environment laws enacted between
1971 and 1986, Environment MinisterPrakash
Javadekar said on Friday.
He said suggestions of 600-odd forest officials
from across the country will be taken on the
key policy decisions, at chintan shivirs to be
held in Bengaluru, Bhopal and Guwahati. The
The first chintan shivir will take place on
February 8 and February 9 in Bengaluru.
Environment ministry officials from southern
states and Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa will
attend this programme. The chintan shivir for
officers from northern region will be held on
February 20 and 21 in Bhopal. The third
meeting, for officers from eastern and
northeastern states, will be in Guwahati and
dates will be announced later, the minister
added.
Available
Educational PowerPoint Presentation (PPT) on
FORESTS ARE GREEN LUNGS
Download this PPT from our website:
www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in – GEM PPT section
From: PRASHANT Centre for Human Rights <sjprashant@gmail.com>
Date: 16 February 2015 12:06:35 pm IST
To: Cedric Prakash <sjprashant@gmail.com>
Subject: Re False and fabricated allegations against Teesta Setalvad and others
Dear Friends,
Greetings!
The false and fabricated case against Teesta Setalvad, Javed Anand and others has
been in the news these past days
The High Court of Gujarat has NOT taken into consideration the voluminous and
irrefutable responses to all the baseless charges levelled at Teesta and the others
We urge all our friends and collaborators to join us in taking a stand for Justice and
Truth and to
Page 17
ensure that the fair name of Teesta, Javed and others is cleared as soon as possible
We request you to sign the online petitions ( see links below)
<https://www.change.org/p/citizens-call-tosign?recruiter=87536130&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=twitter&utm_
campaign=share_twitter_responsive>
and <http://linkis.com/gZKPY>.
Or you can issue your own/organisation's public statement in support of Teesta
Several public meetings/ demonstrations/press conferences are being organised all
over the country in support of Teesta and others
Yesterday a well-attended demonstration was held in Mumbai and this afternoon
(February 16th 4 pm) a Press Conference is being held in New Delhi at the Press
Club
Do join / participate / organise one of these in your area/ city as soon as possible
The articles below are also self-explanatory
Let's rally together now before it's too late
In solidarity
Fr Cedric
Fr. Cedric Prakash sj
Director
"PRASHANT" (A Centre for Human Rights, Justice and Peace)
Hill Nagar, Near Kamdhenu Hall, Drive-in Road, Ahmedabad - 380052,Gujarat, INDIA
Tel :+91 (0)79-27455913/66522333
Cell : 9824034536
Fax:+91 (0)79-27489018
Blog: www.humanrightsindia.in
February 13, 2015
Press Release
As trustees of Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP), we have full faith in our
fellow trustee, Javed Anand, and secretary, Teesta Setalvad, and we stand by
them during these difficult times. We have no doubt whatsoever regarding
their honesty and integrity in the dealings of CJP. We are convinced that there
is no factual basis to sustain the charge of embezzlement, and this has been
asserted by the independent auditors of CJP.
I.M. Kadri, Nandan Maluste, Cyrus Guzder, Alyque Padamsee, Anil Dharker,
Shakuntala Kulkarni, Rahul Bose, Cedric Prakash
Page 18
Zero MLAs with serious
criminal charges: Delhi's
new assembly is the
cleanest in India
by FP Politics Feb 12, 2015
elections in 2013, 25 (36%) MLAs had declared
criminal cases against themselves and in the
2008 Delhi Assembly Elections 29 (43%) out
of 68 MLAs analysed had declared criminal
cases."
"There were no MLAs who declared heinous
criminal cases like murder, attempt to murder,
crimes against women etc which is a welcome
change and is unusual as compared to the rest
of the country."
The report also analysed the newly elected
MLAs on the basis of wealth, education and
gender.
In a welcome change from the politics we are
used to seeing in India, it turns out that most
of the newly elected Delhi MLA's don't have
serious criminal charges against them.
In a report analysing the Delhi poll result, the
Association of Democratic Reforms has said,
"Out of the 70 MLAs, 24 (34%) have declared
criminal cases against themselves. 23 (34%)
AAP MLAs out of 67 MLAs have declared
criminal cases while 1 (33%) out of 3 BJP
MLAs has declared criminal cases. Out of 70
MLAs in the Delhi Assembly
In terms of wealth, it turns out that 63 percent
of the elected legislators are crorepatis, which
is a ten percent drop from the number of
crorepatis who were elected in 2013. It is also
lower than the 69 percent crorepatis in the
2008 assembly. The new assembly is also a lot
younger than ever before. 70 percent of the
MLAs are between 25 and 70 years of age.
In fact the average age of the MLAs is 42 years,
primarily due to 28 newly-elected MLAs, who
fall in the 25-40 years age bracket, a 35 percent
rise as compared to the last Assembly.
You can read the whole report here:
ADR: Delhi Winners Analysis
General Amit Shah's Black Tuesday
Facebook forward
(Kumar Ketkar is a senior journalist, political commentator, globe trotter and author. He has covered all
Indian elections since 1971 and significant international events. He is a frequent participant on TV
debates.)
Till, February 10, most of the print media published stories with headlines declaring a neck-andneck fight in Delhi. The elite English TV channels also echoed that line, forecasting a "photo
finish" or predicting that the BJP would score between 38 and 41 of a possible 70 seats.
Even the bookies (safe to assume these were Gujarati satta operators) said a day before results
were counted that after "carefully studying" the opinion polls, they believed the BJP had
"recovered immensely."
Over 100 MPs, nearly 2000 so-called foot-soldiers of the RSS, and all the shakhas outfits were
mobilized. All the seven BJP MPs and all BJP corporators were summoned to join the "Hate
Jihad" like the army issues orders to ex-Army men at the time of war. The "embedded" media
men and women understood the "hukum" from the chieftain Amit Shah and began to circulate
stories that there would be a last-minute swing, and there would be a surge in voting after 3 pm
Page 19
and all those votes would go the BJP because of the fantastic but invisible networking by the
Sangh Parivar cadres.
Each member of the Modi Brigade, some of them even flown in from US, was given booth-wise
responsibilities. Social media, which was the main vehicle of the Sangh Parivar in the Lok
Sabha election, was re-orchestrated by the Sangh Aparatchiks, as they had realized that it was
dominated by AAP volunteers. U.S.-trained management experts who had choreographed the
Tea Party campaign and Romney propaganda machine in America in 2012 were positioned to
coordinate the Delhi cyberspace.
The print media was flooded with full page color advertisements. Almost every hundred yards,
there was a huge hoarding with the image of the messiah Modi. A quick visual estimate of the
cost of campaign suggests no corners were cut. All the moralists who had written columns after
columns about paid news and had rushed to the Election Commission earlier were quiet over
this obscene expenditure which included buying a substantial section of the media.
Indian diplomats from nearly 120 countries were specially invited to Delhi, presuming glorious
victory in the election, so they could go back to their missions abroad, impressed and inspired
by the miracle called Modi. But like in Stalingrad in 1941-42, every household joined the
electoral war to defeat Modi-Shah's Panzer divisions.
Even the "Best and the Brightest" in the media were awestruck by the Blitzkrieg. Their faith in
the BJP's organizational capacity, their trust in the grand strategy of Amit Shah who was on a
winning spree for the past nine months, their confidence in the so-called Modi Magic was so
much that they had announced victory much before the morning of their Black Tuesday, when
the leads started pouring in and getting flashed on the TV screens, resulting in an eerie silence
in their intellectual and corporate drawing rooms.
The celebrated columnist Surjit Bhalla, as my keen media watcher friend noted, put the AAP
victory down to social disharmony - last month though (on Jan 24) he had written a profound
analytical piece saying that a loss for BJP was impossible. AAP was not going to win more than
21 seats. Did social disharmony really set in over the last two weeks? Tavleen Singh purred that
nothing much has really changed. Astonishing, no? What happened to the huge aspirational
class, and the vast upwardly mobile urban community which Shekhar Gupta used to see in the
BJP victory? The middle and higher middle class joined the ranks of the jhuggi jhopri walas to
throw out the invading saffron armies. Their simple aspiration was to call the Modi bluff. And
they did. Chetan Bhagat was eloquent in his post-facto wisdom.
Then there emerged the theory that Shah, the great strategist, had planned the defeat all along
in a systematic manner. Some referred to a news article in the Gulf News in January in which it
was stated that the tacticians had worked out a plan to lose election. But it was clear to anyone
who followed that thread, that it was actually a planned camouflage for an excuse, in case the
election is lost. So if the BJP wins, it would be because of the magnificent war strategy and if it
loses, it was part of the game plan!
This was a loss, pure and simple. The General and strategy failed. Let it rest at that.
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on which can help your group
NOT ONLY TO ENTERTAIN, BUT ALSO TO LEARN!
Page 20
Modi reaches out to Christian
community, promises 'freedom
for all religions'
Courtesy: daijiworld.com
ever since the attack on churches began
in
December.
"My
mantra
is
development. In simple terms, food on
every table," Modi said requesting the
cooperation of all communities for his
government's efforts. "It is the duty of
the government, be it run by any party,
to protect all faiths," the Prime Minister
said.
Finance minister Arun Jaitley speaking at
the function, termed the recent attacks
on
churches
as
"unacceptable
aberrations." "Those who perpetrate
such attacks have no place in India,"
Jaitley said. There have been five attacks
on churces and a burglary at a convent
school since December. On February 2,
New Delhi, Feb 17 (Agencies) : Prime St Alphonsa's Church in south Delhi's
Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday Vasant Kunj area was vandalised.
reached out to the Christian community
across
the
country,
saying
his A Catholic church was vandalised by two
government
will
ensure
"complete unidentified
men
in
west
Delhi's
freedom
for
all
religions."
"My Vikaspuri on January 14, weeks after the
government will not allow any group, home ministry directed Delhi Police to
belonging to majority or minority, to install CCTV cameras inside and around
incite hatred against other communities." all religious places. On January 3, the
Modi said at a function called by the Christmas Crib at Rohini's Church of
Catholic church to celebrate the recent Resurrection was mysteriously burnt.
elevation to sainthood of two priests The windows of Our Lady of Fatima
from Kerala.
Forane Church in Okhla were broken
This is the first time the Prime Minister
has spoken on the recent vandalisation
of Christian places of worship in Delhi,
and comes closely after the BJP's
drubbing in the Delhi elections. "My
government will give equal respect to all
religions", Modi said in his first words of
assurance to the minority community
during evening mass on December 7 last
year
by
unidentified
persons.
Unidentified men broke into a convent
school in south Delhi last week, stole
some money, damaged the security
cameras and ransacked parts of the
building including the principal’s office.
Some of the comments of daijiworld readers to the above article
Ronald D, Udupi
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Broke long silence with great difficulty! Hope he will advise Togadiya's and all types of
religion extremists to respect PM's promise!
Valerian D'souza, Udupi / Mumbai
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
PM Modi's promise of freedom for all religions is appreciated. Better late than never!
We should reciprocate.
Hebrews 12:14 Scripture says, Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be
holy without holiness no one will see the Lord.
Peter , Brahamavar
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
We do not want this courtesy from you. This is our constitutional right.
Page 21
Joseph F. Gonsalves, Bannur, Puttur / Mangalore
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Shshsshsszzzzzzzz....
Silence please.
Chaaiwaala P.M., is speaking...
Trying to save the face of BJP.
Remote control opend his mouth in the south.
My question is why he has waited for eight months for for I quote: reaches out to Christian
community, promises 'freedom for all religions'Unquote.
Ahmed.S, Mangalore
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Mr.PM ,We know our rights in Constitution. There is no need of lecture ,you did not open
your mouth when the whole country was in panic mode. You have omitted secular/socialist
part in republican emblem .Your complicity in Gujarat riots is well known.Our India
deserves someone who is all encompassing like Vajpayee or Nehru.
N.M, Mangalore
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Dear Christian brethren - Please answer if you all require such permission - 'freedom for all
religions' from this man?
Who is he to give such assurance when People from all religions have already been co
existing peacefully in India since several millenniums?
vellano1, Mumbai
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
I hope the christian community accepts his staement and also ask Obama to stop treating
Hindus badly in USA and ask christian right wingers to stop attacking Hindu temples and
gurudwaras! Please... let us end this- action/reaction! ...
JSAHEB,
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Thank you Mr. Kejri... Salute you sir. I wish you all sucess to you and your party. Long live
Kejriwal Long live AAP.
Peace lover, Indian
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Modiji says"My government will not allow any group,belonging to majority or minority,to
incite hatred against other communities."but those people or group r from ur party only
who started disturbing peace and harmony of country frm day ur pary came in power and
you never said anything abt them.need inside cure first.Now we may see some wings to
protest against you as expected.
Lawrence, Mangalore/ Abu Dhabi
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Thanks to land slide victory of AAP in Delhi and as a effect 'Jnanodaya' to our PM. If BJP
had come to power, Mr. PM still be in Silent mode. 'Maunam sammati lakshanam'
Proud Indian, Mumbai
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Abdul Samad - Pls do not misunderstand our PM. Why he did not came in picture so far??
Page 22
Only today in US hindu temple vandalized with some msg so he woke up. No it is simply a
nautanki of BJP. By now they must have definitely understood their Government will not be
able to run the country. Only by inviting US PResident, only wearing Rs.10 lac suit, Only
having tea i.e. Chai pe charcha, he cannot do other than that. Gujarat is different than
running a country as whole!!!!. Vote bankers please think and vote next time. If we want
peace in India then we need to think 100 times before pressing the symbol. Wake up
citizens wake up. This is our beautiful country.
Now what face he has got?? As it is AAP gave them a tight slap. Useless Kiran Bedi is
another idiot.
Thumhara Khoon khoon aur hamara khooon paaaaani. Thum kare tho chamathkarrrr aur
hum kare tho .......
Vande Mataram.
6 questions by Muslims that left RSS pracharak fuming
Rediffnews.com
A delegation of Muslim clerics met Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh functionary Indresh in
Kanpur and posed six questions to the Sangh including whether it has prepared a format to turn
India into a Hindu 'rashtra', which he claimed left the saffron outfit irritated. The Muslim
delegation claimed that Indresh refused to answer their questions and instead said that a
conference of Muslim organisations should be called where he would give the answers.
"We had a meeting with senior RSS functionary Indreshji on Monday night during which we
asked six questions, but he did not have any answer," Sunni Ulema Council General Secretary
Haji Mohammed Salees said on Tuesday. He alleged that Indreshji, who is pracharak and looks
after minority affairs in the organisation, got "irritated" with the questions.
"Our first question was whether RSS considers India a Hindu country."
"The second one was whether RSS has prepared a format to turn India into a Hindu 'rashtra'."
"The third one was whether this Hindu 'rashtra' will be according to Hindu religious texts or RSS
has chalked out a new philosophy."
"The fourth question was what they want on religious conversion."
"The fifth one was what type of rashtra prem (patriotism) RSS wants from Muslims."
"The sixth one was how RSS views Islam," he said.
He said that these were the six questions which Indreshji "failed" to answer.
"They (RSS) did not have any format. They are shouting about 'Hindu rashtra' only on the basis
of propaganda," he alleged. Salees feared that if Hindu Rashtra was built on Hindu texts, Dalits
could once again not be allowed to enter temples.
"We asked whether a new philosophy has been chalked out by RSS. If a new philosophy has been
Page 23
chalked out that means Hindu religion is not religious culture. In that case, anyone can convert,"
he said. Salees said when the Constitution provides freedom of religion, why is the RSS afraid of
bringing a bill.
"We are not afraid. If any Muslim does not like Islam and wants to leave, he can go. We don't
have any law to keep anyone Muslim by compulsion," he said. Salees said as far as love for the
country was concerned their ancestors rejected Jinnah and Pakistan. "In 1947, when the concept
of two countries was decided, our ancestors rejected Jinnah and Pakistan and accepted Gandhiji
as our leader, India as our country and expressed faith in the Constitution," he said.
"What do they want from the Muslims? They should sing Vande Matram and bow before the
picture of Bharat Mata, which they have visualized? We won't accept it. It is against Islam," he
said. "The ultimate result of the 90-minute meeting was they (RSS) asked us to call
a sammelan(conference) of Muslims and they will reply (to our posers)," Salees said.
"I said that when you cannot answer these questions in a room, then how will you do so in a
conference? We then asked as to why we should call a conference," he said. Salees said there was
restlessness among Muslims over these issues and "I came to take reply to these questions being
raised in our community."
"I believe whatever be our religion, we should be honest towards the Constitution. Religion is
our personal thing. It is not an issue of the nation. We don't even support the statements of All
India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader Asaduddin Owaisi. "Those flaring communal passion
are not loyal to the country. The country will run on the principles of Gandhiji, it will not run on
the statements of Owaisi or Sangh," he added.
Puttur: Mosque committee sets example, provides
accommodation to Dharmasthala pilgrims
Daijiworld Media Network – Puttur (EP)
Puttur, Feb 17: In these days when people fight in the name of religion, a
mosque committee has set an example of communal harmony by providing
overnight accommodation to pilgrims going to Dharmasthala and Subramanya
at Sunkadakatte Madrasa.
A group of pilgrims from Kodagu had been to pilgrim centres at Subrahmanya
and Dharmasthala by walk, and when they reached Sunkadakatte near
Kadaba, it was nightfall. As it was dangerous to proceed by walk, the group
requested for a place to stay for the night.
As per their request, Sunkadakatte Mohiuddin Juma Masjid Jamaat committee
president Abdurrahman Kalara and committee members provided
accommodation at the Darul Islam Madrasa.
The pilgrims resumed their journey the next morning, after thanking the
mosque committee for the gesture.
Page 24
WANTED HELPING HANDS- Courtesy: Daijiworld.com
For more appeals visit – www.daijiworld.com - charity
Rolwin D' Souza(25),Golikatte, Nandalike
Post, Karkala
Baby Likitha(3½ years),#1-50, Shreedevi Nilaya,
Kere Kaadu, Beleyaru Grama, Kenchanakere
Post, Mulki
Baby Likitha(3½ years),D/o Hemachandra Shettigar,is suffering
from congenital scoliosis with intraspinal anomalies.MRI
Rolwin D' Souza(25),s/o of Robert
Thoracolumbar Spine has shown that she has Scoliosis in the
D'Souza, met with an accident on
dorso-lumbar spine noted with primary convexity to right with a
December 13, 2014 and sustained
cobb's angle of ~62 degrees.D3 left hemivertebra noted with
fusion of the posterior elements of D3-D4.D8-D9 and D10-D11 left
serious injuries on his right leg. He was
vertebral bars noted.D9 right hemivertebra.D11, D12 right
immediately rushed to Adarsh Hospital,
hemivertebrae.Hypo numerary ribs (10 ribs) on the right side with
Udupi. He has been undergoing
bifid 4th and 9th right ribs.Mildly elevated right scapula as
treatment in the hospital till now.He had
compared to the left.T1 hyperintense and T2 hypointense blind
three surgeries done on his leg. Though
ending sinus tract noted extending from the skin to the
he was operated and responding well to
the treatment, he slipped into coma a few subcutaneous plane in the posterior paraspinal region at the level
of L1 vertebrae. No e/o any associated / myelomeningocele /
days backand was taken into ICU. He
fistulous communication with the CSF space.
was in ventilator for a few days. Though
There is e/o enlarged dural sac in the lower thoracic and lumbar
his condition is stable it is still critical.
spine.Spinal cord appears to be split at the level lower dorsal
His total estimated medical expenses
spine (~D9)up to the conus with a separate central canal in each
would be around Rs 5 lacs.
cord. No obvious e/o osseous / cartilagionous fibrous
septum.Conus medullaris is noted at L4 vertebral level.Filum
The economic condition of the family is
terminale measures 2mm in thickness.No e/o atlanto-axial
poor and their savings have already been assimilation / basilar invagination.
spent on medical bills. Now they rely on
people of good will to help them in this
Impression:
Congentail scoliosis with primary convexity in dorso-lumbar spine
hour of need.
with hemivertebrae and vertebral bars as mentioned above.
Grade II Diastematomyelia of the dorsal and lumbar spinal
Hence, we request all people of good will
cord.Dermal sinus in the posterior spinal region at the level of L1
and generous heart to help Rolwin and
vertebrae.
his family by offering whatever you can
so that Rolwin would be saved. We also
She will need multiple surgeries for the treatment. The
request for your prayers for his speedy
approximate expenses will be around Rs 7.5 lacs.The parents of
recovery. Your contributions may please
Likita are daily wage workers and are unable to spend that much
be sent to the following bank account:
money. They are not covered by Yashaswini or any other
Account holder: Robert D' Souza
insurance. They have requested kind hearted donors to help them
Bank Account No.:
to save their child. Remittances can be made to the following
001300104015391
bank account:
Corporation Bank, Main Road, Shirva
– 574116
Name of the Account Holder: Geetha(Mother)
IFSC Code: CORP0000013
Bank Account No.: 111201011002468
Mobile No. 91 96329 46362 (Father)
Vijaya Bank, Mulki, Karnataka.
IFSC Code: VIJB0001112
Telephone No: 91 99454 27449 (father)
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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