Issue:August 2020

Editorial: Healing Wounds

Entire world is experiencing a set back in terms of COVID Pandemic followed by an
economic depression. People at all places are struggling a lot to gain the desired pace of
industrial and agricultural practices through activities job the basis of resources and skills they
possess.
People of villages are also badly affected because of their lack of access to
market networks. Some of their products like food items and related finished products are at
greater demand. The gap is developed because of the lack of the confluence of the rural-urban
market networks and the related supply chains. It has also brought an opportunity for marginal
farmers, small stake holders and artisans involved in small scaled cottage industries because of
a liberal policy of Reserve Bank of India. Access to capital has become an easy affair for small
business houses. They should come forward with suitable technologies for exploring the
possibilities of regaining the pace of progress through accelerated productivity.

Life risk imposed by the COVID -19 Pandemic upon world community is at its own place.
It has also paved a way out for industrial houses of rural out pockets to revive their market
networks with a new look upon fulfilling the market demand.

Science of Village intends to highlight some aspects of industrial practices and

some other environmental issues. Issues related to immunity, health and hygiene is also a
matter of concern for us. We also maintain our faith upon peace economy having a base of
agriculture and cottage industries. We should rely to a greater extent upon locally accelerated
rural market networks for fulfilling locally accelerated demands. Such kind of decentralized
market networks rarely collapse during any pandemic. That is why we can claim that in
forthcoming days, rural India will be at a better position than compared to any other market
networks of multi-national characters. CSV adheres to its development initiatives for exploring
locally available resources for accelerating the peace economy. We are also confident enough in
bringing back the normal growth at rural out pockets of our reference community.
This newsletter is a digital version of the printed one for making the delivery of the
content an easy one.

Editor, SFV
Centre of Science for Villages, Wardha
Fact finder

What a tree can do for us? This question requires lot of efforts to put in for finding out
the justifiable and viable statistics. Exact figure may not quantify our calculations. One of the
findings reveal that a mature tree can produce enough oxygen in a season to compensate the
annual breathing of ten people. Driving of a car for 26,000 miles can be compensated by a
single grown up leafy tree. 8 people per acre of tree cover having 100% canopy is the ratio of
the balance of gases that can be accomplished.1

Estimates of forest cover we have in West Bengal, as evident from the survey of
Environment and Forest, is 13.38% of the
total geographical area. Extent of water
bodies in the forest cover has been observed
increasing since 2005 onwards from 82 sq. km
in 2005 to 104 sq. km in 2015.

Percentage of open forest, as evident

from the environment and forest statistics 2015,2 indicates the importance of this cover in
maintaining a balance in the environment.

A tree can produce bio-organic litter in plenty. Such role of a tree, one can rarely replace with
any other agency of adequate potential.

1 Source: McAliney, Mike. Arguments for Land Conservation: Documentation and Information Sources for Land Resources
Protection, Trust for Public Land, Sacramento, CA, December 1993.

Nowak, David J.; Hoehn, Robert; Crane, Daniel E. Oxygen Production by Urban Trees in the United States. Arboriculture & Urban
Forestry 2007. 33(3):220–226.

2
Source: Database of Environment and Forest of West Bengal, 2015.

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Fig : Percentage of different forest types in West Bengal

(Eenvironment and forest statistics 2015)

An ideal state should have 33% of greenery. Moving up from 13.38% to 33% is a
terrific task, that the state government of West Bengal has to come across. Any ambitious
project aiming towards killing of more than a thousand of grown up trees is obviously an
objectionable initiative. One cannot pass through the process without ensuring enough
guarantee of the revival of greenery.

A Mismatch

Industrial growth, population growth and growth, in terms of economy, implies an

increasing demand upon the system for fulfilling the development in the field of infrastructure.
Roads are not up to the mark for accommodating large industries. Heavy vehicles may rarely
move across the roads for fulfilling the growing demand of business houses. There requires
modifications of roadways for accommodating rapid growth of traffic. Without ensuring
renovation of the infrastructure, without providing basic facilities to industrial houses and
without safeguarding their aspirations the growth of commerce and industries are not
accomplishable.

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 It is also the demand of people that roadways should have enough space for heavy
vehicles. One should accommodate oneself suitably along with the growth of industries and
services. Growth of any kind should not have any halt due to any reason. Roadways should be
of such type through which one can take the guarantee of safest progression of goods and
services. Widening roads means cutting down of hundreds and thousands of grown up trees
without considering impact of such activity upon the environment. Replacement of an
established greenery with that of a non-green constructive structure. If it is admissible, then up
to what extent? If it is not admissible, then what are the other best possible alternatives? If
there are no best possible alternatives, then what should be done to welcome the industrial
growth? Can we put a halt on the growth and
aspiration of people residing in semi urban
and sub urban areas of a state?

There are several other questions, to

be taken in account, for addressing the issues
related to environmental degradation. Is it
possible to replace the greenery having 100% canopy by any other effective system, having
enough capabilities of compensating the loss due to reduction in greenery?

Demand of contextual growth is compelling the government to allocate additional lands

on housing, roadways and for establishing industries. If some of the sectors are gaining lands
then some other sectors, like agriculture and forestry, are losing their land cover. Growth of
population, industrial set up and township, alongside the shrinkage of greenery with a rapid
progression, is an indication of the forthcoming threat. This threat may put the entire state in
trouble.

Progressive Trend

People wants progress. They also want to keep the environmental balance intact. They
have ambitions of modernizing roadways, railways, industries and housing estates. But none of
the initiatives should be at the cost of environmental degradations. In one of the report of ISFR,

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it is estimated that more than 170,000 villages (of the total of 650,000 villages in India) are
located in the proximity of forests. They are directly or indirectly relying upon forest produces
for earning their livelihood. It is a kind of economic return of the greenery, which often remain
unrecorded, as well as not clearly estimated. What people gain, in terms of immediate visible
economical reflections, are simply in the form of timber. People living amidst the proximity of
forest cover dependent on the forests for fuelwood, fodder, small timber, non-timber forest
produce, medicinal plants, non- edible oilseeds and bamboo to a great extent. India has
recorded an increase in dense as well as open forestry. Still the state, like West Bengal, Bihar
and Orissa, has a lot to accomplish.

Table 1: Estimated Carbon Stock in Indian Forests

Particulars Value in million tonnes

Total Carbon Stock in Forest 7,124.6

Increase after 2017 42.6

Annual increase 21.3

Source: ‘India State of Forest Report (ISFR 2019)

There are various recommendations, of both national and international types ,

that implied stress on encouraging the Social Forestry to compensate the loss of greenery due
to modernization, urbanisations and industrialisation. Government organisations responsible
for accomplishing the task are also putting adequate efforts in conserving the specified Bio
Diversity Zones in India through ambitious projects of the Conservation of Bio Diversity Zones.
54 out of 102 Bio Diversity Islands of Sundarban are already deforested. People silently and

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swiftly admitting their entry in rest of the other Bio Diversity realms of the area. Ambition of
cutting down trees for the purpose of renovating Jessore Road is also implying an additional
burden upon the Diversified Biota. It can be considered as a direct threat to such a vast realm of
Bio Diversity.

Conservation efforts are also having aspirations of people with mixed impression. Some
of the artisans, crafts persons and harvesters rely entirely upon the forest, but they rarely
maintain any idea of conserving the expanded greenery having 100% canopy with adequate
understory. They are not in a position to form any closed user group with any collective
apprehension of safeguarding the greenery. It is the reason that makes any effort of
conservation from people’s side as a fainted one.

For any organised conservation initiatives, we directly or indirectly depend upon

government agencies. Sometimes plan of government agencies move against each other. It is
also because of the lack of any sectoral coordination between related departments and
executives concerned.

There exist certain directives which can keep the progressive trend of a state intact.
Land utilization pattern should be explored in a better way for accommodating ambitious
projects duly impregnated with enhanced potential. Any area, which is already under any
threat, should not be explored for implementing such projects. During consideration of any
development or renovation project baseline situation of a Bio Diversity, alongside the possible
alternatives for securing their survival, should be addressed first.

Putting environment and forest in trouble for implementing any development of

renovation project is a kind of escapism. It insists planners and implementing agencies to keep
aside the contribution of the producer community of the ecosystem. The gap of the population
of producers and consumers is rapidly declining day by day. It, in a long run, will hamper the
pyramidal stability of the energy transfer through the associative trophic level of the
ecosystem.

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 Implications of ecological imbalance, in form of greenhouse effect and global warming,
is already with us. We, simply inflicted with some sort of negation and without putting our
efforts to come out of the problem, cannot wait for allowing the problem to become more
turbulent. Social forestry, as implemented by the forest department, is working like a
temporary remedy. It is a strategy of utilizing non forest land for increasing greenery through
issuing some encouragement for people to impart themselves in the drive of increasing
greenery. Contribution of social forestry in increasing greenery, up to a considerable amount,
cannot be ruled out. It has its own sets of benefits.

There was an instruction for government authorities to plant five times more trees to
compensate the loss due to any organised deforestation meant for the purpose of
modernization, renovation or industrialisation. Renovations of roadways caused such loss to
the state government of West Bengal, they have sanctioned budget for the purpose of the
plantation, works which was proposed earlier as a strategic initiatives of increasing the
greenery. The agencies working for implementing the scheme gets involved halfheartedly. Due
to this reason some of the afforestation program remain in vein. This kinds of halfheartedly
efforts can be easily spotted out besides any of the highways recently renovated by the
government. Plants, newly placed there, remain at the mercy of god. Situation is , more or less,
same regarding participation of people in compensating the loss incurred upon the biota. It can
be considered a kind of negligence towards community property from the side of people. They
are simply biting nails on their own wounds. They should have enough awareness and wishes of
safeguarding and maintaining a community property.

Fresh fruit is god to eat, but only a little is necessary to give tone to the system. It is an
expensive article, and an over-indulgence by the well-to-do has deprived the poor and the
ailing of an article which they need much more than the well-to-do.
Any medical man who has studied the science of dietetics will certify that what I have
suggested can do no harm to the body, on the contrary it must conduce to better health.

--- Mahatma Gandhi

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Voice of Saint: M. K. Gandhi on Vegetarianism

I have found after prolonged experiment and observation that there is no fixed

dietetic rule for all constitutions. All that the wisest physicians claim for their advice is that it

is likely to benefit in a given case as in a majority of cases they have found it to answer

fairly well. In no branch of science is the scientist so hampered in his research as in the

medical. He dare not speak with certainly of the effect of a single drug or food or of the

reactions of human bodies. It is and will always remain empirical. The popular saying that

one man’s food may be another’s poison is based on vast experience which finds daily

verification. Such being the case, the field for experiment on the part of intelligent men and

women is limitless. Laymen ought to acquire a workable knowledge of the body which plays

such an important part in the evolution of the soul within. And yet about nothing are we so

woefully negligent or ignorant as in regard to our bodies. Instead of using the body as a

temple of God we use it as a vehicle for indulgence, and are not ashamed to run medical

men for help in our effort to increase them and abuse the earthly tabernacle.

The unlimited capacity of the plant world to sustain man at his highest is a region yet

unexplored by modern medical science which through force of habit pins its faith on the

shambles or at least milk and its by-products. It is a duty which awaits discharge by Indian

Medical men whose tradition is vegetarian. The fast developing researches about vitamins

and the possibility of getting the most important of them directly from the sun bid fair to

revolutionize many of the accepted theories and beliefs propounded by medical science

about food.

Young India, 8-8-1929

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Table 2: UN Sustainable Development Goal addressed by CSV

17 UN SDG 2030: 18 Action Program of Gandhi Ji:

1) No Poverty 1. Communal Unity
2) Zero Hunger 2. Removal of Untouchability
3) Good Health and Wellbeing 3. Prohibition
4) Quality Education 4. Khadi
5) Gender Equality 5. Village Industries
6) Clean Water and Sanitation 6. Village Sanitation
7) Ensure access to Affordable, 7. Nai Talim or Basic Education
Reliable, Sustainable and Modern Energy
8. Adult Education
for All
9. Women
8) Decent works and Economic
Growth and a Global Partnership for 10. Knowledge of Health and Hygiene
Development
11. Provincial Language
9) Industry Innovations and
Infrastructure 12. National Language

10) Reduced Inequalities within and 13. Economic Inequality

Among Countries a. Kisan
11) Sustainable Cities and b. Labour
Communities
c. Adivasis
12) Responsible Consumption and
Production d. Lepers

13) Climate Action e. Students

14) Life Below Water

15) Life on Land
16) Peace and Justice
17) Partnership For The Goals

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Decent works and Economic Growth and a 11 Vows:
Global Partnership for Development:
1. Nonviolence (Ahimsa)
• CSV has technologies and
2. Truth (Satya)
methodologies for sustainable
industrialization of rural sector. 3. Non Stealing (Asteya)
• Innovative approaches have 4. Self Discipline (Brahmacharya)
reestablished traditional artisans in rural, peri-
urbane and urban areas. Some important units 5. Non-Possession (Aparigrah)
are enlisted below 6. Bread Labor (Sharirshrama)
o Village Industry: 7. Control of the Palate (Aswad)
Production of Compost and Bio- 8. Fearlessness (Sarvatra Bhayavarjana)
fertilizers
9. Equality of All Religions (Sarva Dharma
Production of Pest Repellents Samantva)
Organic Farming 10. Use Locally Made Goods (Swadeshi)
Food Processing 11. Remove Un-Touchability
Herbal Medicines Cultivation and (Sparshbhavana)
Processing 07 Social Sins
Gum Collection & Processing 1. Politics Without Principles
Tuber Crop Cultivation & Processing 2. Wealth Without Work
Non Violent Rock Bee Honey 3. Pleasure Without Conscience
Handmade Paper Unit 4. Knowledge Without Character
Rural Pottery 5. Commerce Without Morality
Agricultural tools & Equipments 6. Science Without Humanity
Eco-Friendly Mud Houses 7. Worship without sacrifice
Eco-Friendly Bamboo House

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Industry Innovations and Infrastructure:
• Selected artisans, who are being promoted by CSV, are traditional but we have tried to
rejuvenate them by adding innovative features.
o Carpenter: (Sutar) o Blacksmith: (Lohar) o Bamboo worker: (Burud)
o Potter: (Kumbhar) o Cobbler: (Chambhar) o Makers of Cattle Ornaments:
(Dhor) o The Rope Maker: (Mang)

News and Views

Reduced Inequalities within and Among Countries:
CSV gives training (in the field of appropriate technologies and methodologies) to people from
European Countries, Asia Pacific Countries and African Countries for transferring Appropriate
Technologies associated to Rural Development. In future also such programs will be organized.

Reaching the Source

Civil societies like CSV, using participatory methods, has opened number of innovative methods
of earning a living for Farmers; Artisans; Neo Entrepreneurs; Forest dwellers (Tribal); Women
and Youths from rural and urban areas by implementing Science & Technology based activities.
Hundreds of thousands of people got benefits of such interventions through a strong network
of individuals and institutions.

Regular and On Going Activities

For health & well being of masses CSV and other VOs are promoting work in the field of…
o Giving Clean Drinking Water using simple devices (Water Filters made using local
materials, methods and human resource and no electricity)
o Making villages ODF
o Implementing WASH programs in Schools and villages
o Popularizing Total Sanitation (Solid waste management, liquid waste
management, farm waste management, domestic waste management)
o Balanced diet is made available to every person etc.

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Knowledge Banking

CSV has technologies and methodologies for sustainable industrialization of rural sector.
Innovative approaches have reestablished traditional artisans in rural, peri-urbane and
urban areas. Some important units are enlisted below
o Village Industry:
 Production of Compost and Bio-fertilizers
 Production of Pest Repellents
 Organic Farming
 Food Processing
 Herbal Medicines Cultivation and Processing
 Gum Collection & Processing
 Tuber Crop Cultivation & Processing
 Non Violent Rock Bee Honey
 Handmade Paper Unit
 Rural Pottery
 Agricultural tools & Equipments
 Eco-Friendly Mud Houses
 Eco-Friendly Bamboo House

Orientation of Rural youths

Through an ongoing activity of the main team of

SFV Staff Members an open discussion on
Renewable Energy – Sources, opportunities and
innovativeness was organised at different rural
out pockets of Wardha.

Shri Mustafa Shoque addressing gathering

in the subject of Renewable Energy

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Science and Rural Medication Corner

Immunity Booster :

1. Citrus fruits and red bell peppers: Vitamin C, the superstar nutrient in citrus, is
famous for its role in supporting the immune system. While vitamin C can’t prevent
illness, it has been studied in people with respiratory infections, with benefits primarily
seen in those who had suboptimal blood levels. It’s unclear if this is partly cause or
consequence, but research does appear to support a goal of consuming about 200 mg
per day for infection prevention. This is the amount shown in studies to saturate the
body, meaning any more vitamin C will be excreted. One medium orange provides 70
mg, a grapefruit contains almost 90 mg, and a medium raw red bell pepper packs 150
mg. Eat citrus as is or paired with nuts, use sliced red bell pepper to scoop up hummus
or guacamole.

2. Baked beans and pumpkin seeds: Zinc influences multiple aspects of the
immune system. The production of certain immune cells is limited when zinc intake is
low, and adequate zinc is crucial for the normal development and function of the
immune system. One cup of vegetarian baked beans provides over half of the
recommended daily intake for zinc, and an ounce or quarter cup of pumpkin seeds
contains 20%. Combine the two: opt for baked beans as your protein source, paired with
cooked veggies sprinkled with pumpkin seeds.

3. A Best Alternative : Inasmuch as milk supplies all the food necessary for health
and growth during the first year of life, it may reasonably be expected to afford some
guidance as to the necessary constituents of a diet for the adult; although the conditions
of life being altered in the latter, we can hardly expect the same proportions of the
different materials to hold good. In the infant rapid growth and building up of new
tissues and organs are going on, involving the necessity for a larger proportional amount
of nitrogenous food than in the adult.

The following is the average composition of 100 parts of

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 HUMAN MILK. COW’S MILK.

Casein 2.4 4.0

Albumin .6 .9

Fat 2.9 3.5

Sugar 5.9 4.0

Salts .16 .7

───── ─────

Total Solids 11.96 13.1

Water 88.04 86.9

It is evident from this analysis of milk that our food must contain (at least) representatives of
all the above divisions. We have, therefore:—

1. Nitrogenous Foods. 2. Hydrocarbons or Fats.

3. Carbohydrates or Amyloids. 4. Salts. 5. Water.

Condiments and stimulants (tea, coffee, soft drinks) are not foods in the strict sense of the
word.

Source: HYGIENE: A MANUAL OF Personal and Public Health BY ARTHUR NEWSHOLME

[A copy can be obtained from the source ]

4. Food Habits by Mahatma Gandhi : Abjure brinjals or potatoes by all means, if you will,

but do not for heaven’s sake begin to feel yourself self-righteous or flatter yourself that

you are practicing Ahimsa on that account. The very idea is enough to make one blush.

Ahimsa is not a mere matter of dietetics, it transcends it. What a man eats or drinks

matters little; it is the self-denial, the self-restraint behind it that matters. By all means

practice as much restraint in the choice of the articles of your diet as you like. The

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restraint is commendable, even necessary, but it touches wide latitude in the matter of

diet and yet may be a personification of Ahimsa and compel our homage, if his heart

overflows with love and melts at another’s woe, and has been purged of all passions. On

the other hand, a man always over scrupulous in diet is an utter stranger to Ahimsa and

a pitiful wretch, if he is a slave to selfishness and passions and is hard of heart.

I am painfully aware of the fact that my desire to continue life in the body

involves me in constant himsa. That is why I am becoming growingly indifferent to this

physical body of mine. For instance, I know that in the act of respiration I destroy

innumerable invisible germs floating in the air. But I do not stop breathing. The

consumption of vegetables involves himsa, but I find that I cannot give them up. Again,

there is himsa in the use of antiseptics, yet I cannot bring myself to discard the use of

disinfectants like kerosene, etc. to rid myself of the mosquito pest and the like. I suffer

snakes to be killed in the Ashram when it is impossible to catch them and put them out

of harm’s way. I ever tolerate the use of the stick to drive the bullocks in the Ashram.

Thus there is no end of himsa which I directly and indirectly commit. If, as a result of this

humble confession of mine, friends choose to give me up as lost I would be sorry, but

nothing will induce me to try to conceal my imperfection ion in the practice of Ahimsa.

All I claim for myself is that I am ceaselessly trying to understand the implications of

great ideals like Ahimsa and to practice them in thought, word and deed and that not

without a certain measure of success as I think. But I know that I have long distance yet

to cover in this direction.

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 Abstemiousness from intoxicating drinks and drugs, and from all kinds of

foods, especially meat, is undoubtedly a great aid to the evolution of the spirit, but It

is by no means an end in itself. Many a man eating meat and with everybody living

in the fear of God is nearer his freedom than a man religiously abstaining from meat

and many other things, but blaspheming God in every one of his acts.

Young India, 6-9-1928, 1-11-1928

An appeal for Contribution and

Participation….
While implementing constructive
programs in society under “Ba –
Bapu 150” CSV made youths and
farmers to realize that they can
succeed in their carrier by using
Appropriate Technologies.
One can contribute in these
activities in many ways; by getting
involved directly, by extending
support services, by contributing in
terms of cash or kind.
Please participate in our efforts and be with us…
Dr. Soham Pandya,
Secretary
Centre of Science for Villages
Dattapur, Post Box Number 21
Wardha, Maharashtra PIN 442001
Phone- 07152-249542 and 250570 (office)
Mobile-- 09890434003
Email Id -- soham.ced@gmail.com and
csvwardha@gmail.com

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