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Advisors
Narne Prabhakar
Kaza Krishna Rao
Dr. N. Harinath
Prof. Umapathi Varma
Dr. V. Haraprasad
Advisory Board
M. Gopala Krishna, IAS
(Retd.)
M. Kamal Naidu I.F.S, (Retd)
C.S. Ramalakshmi, I.F.S,
Dr. N. Bhaskara Rao
Prof. P.G. Sastry
Er. G.Prabhakar
Prof. D.N. Reddy
S. Raghupathy
Prof. I.V. Muralikrishna
Editor
Dr. P. Narayana Rao
Edited, Printed & Published by
P. Narayana Rao on behalf of
society for environment and
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(The views expressed by
authors may not be necessar-
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magazine)
E
ven after several decades of bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki
peace on earth seems to be elusive .The two world wars perpe-
trated onmankind led to disastrous consequencesnot only for
the people but also to the planet. In spite of innumerable declarations
by the United nations on peace, the defence expenditure of allthe
leading countries is increasing without any interruption . Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaties were not being implemented by those who
were leaders of erstwhile peace movement. Arms race among domi-
nant nations has not been stopped. New weapons are being tested in
new theatres of war. The recent Iraq and Afghan wars are the clear
examples. The media is also being managed in support of such wars.
But the continuing financial crisis in the developed world is having its
roots in defence expenditure at the cost of development and welfare
of their own people. The military Industrial complex is so powerful
that the heads of those countries have to yield to its pressure and
invent new enemies for perpetuation of such wars. The suppression
of anti-war and anti-nuclear movements is order of the day. The gov-
ernments seems to have not learnt lessons from the recent
Fukushima accident in Japan. So it is imperative to stop thinking of
nuclear energy and start thinking of alternative renewable energy
options which are eco-friendly and which can create green jobs on a
large scale, if we take up in a decentralized way. The governments
have to encourage the new entrepreneurs who come forward in this
sector by offering incentives and concessions to develop them.
PEACE ON EARTH
EDITORIAL
Environment & people August 2011 2
content
Tata BP Solar sets up India's first solar plant 3
Jharkhand's fluorisis nightmare 4
Eco vocabulary 6
Will natural resources become dry 8
Health tips 10
A matter of life and death 12
Disappearing Fishermen 14
Eco Tourism - Valley of Flowers 17
Montreal protocol: The unfinished agenda 18
Eco Quotes 22
Holistic healing through rural herbal traditions 24
Eco iq 26
Fighting for Chilika 28
Environmental conferences in September 31
Eco cortoons 32
Environment & people August 2011 3
BS Reporter / Chennai July 11, 2011
Tata BP Solar India Ltd, a joint ven-
ture of Tata Power and BP Solar, has
installed and commissioned a megawatt
scale solar power plant under the Rooftop
and Other Small Solar Power Generation
Plant scheme administered by IREDA
under the Jawaharlal Nehru National
Solar Mission (JNNSM) for the first time
in the country. The plant is coming up in
Mayiladuthurai district, Tamil Nadu.
The project is owned and developed
by B&G Solar Private Ltd at Komal West
village, Mayiladuthurai in Tami Nadu.
The 1 Mw plant was synchronised to the
grid on June 10, which is a three months
ahead of the scheduled date of start of
September 16.
Subramanya, CEO, Tata BP Solar,
said, Tata BP Solar team as the engineer-
ing, procurement and construction (EPC)
contractor worked in tandem with the
B&G Solar team to achieve completion of
the project well ahead of time. The plant
was put up in 150 days. The company did
not disclose any financial details and
when contacted company officials were
not available for comment.
The project uses 4,400 crystalline sil-
icon modules of 230 Watts each spread
over 5.5 acres.
These modules will generate electric
current when solar radiation falls on
them. This DC (direct current) electricity
will be converted to AC (alternating cur-
rent) through inverters and upgraded to
11 kV via transformers so that it is fed
into the electricity grid lines of Tamil
Nadu Electricity Board at 11 kV.
The solar power plant will generate
1.49 million units of electricity per year.
Tata BP Solar has also taken the contract
to provide the Operation and
Maintenance (O&M) services to the plant
for the first 10 years after commission-
ing. The plant is designed to run for 25
years and the crystalline silicon modules
manufactured and supplied by Tata BP
are expected to perform for this 25 years
with minimal degradation in the power
output over the life
time. B&G Solar has
signed a Power
Purchase Agreement
(PPA) with the TNEB
for 25 years to sup-
ply this power to
them.
Chairman of
B&G Solar V
Bha k t a v a t s a l a m
added that this is the
first one to commis-
sion the solar plant
out of 80 such plants
totalling 100 Mw
coming up all over
India under the
rooftop solar plants
scheme of the
IREDA (Indian
Renewable Energy
D e v e l o p m e n t
Agency).
The JNNSM is a
flagship project of
the Indian govern-
ment to mainstream
the use of solar energy and has gal-
vanised industry by setting out an ambi-
tious target of installing 20,000 Mw of
grid-connected solar power generation
capacity by 2022 in addition to 2,000 Mw
of off-grid solar power.
Of this, 1,100 Mw grid connected
solar power capacity is to be installed in
the first phase, ending in March 2013.
Nearly 800 Mw of this has already been
allocated and is currently under execu-
tion.
Tata BP Solar sets up
India's first solar plant
The fluoride level in water taken
from a hand pump in Sidekhurd
and other villages of Garwa district
is more than twice the permissible
level of 1 ppm. Acute dental and
skeletal disorders plague these
villagers, but they know nothing
about fluorosis. Government
admits that of the 550 fluoride con-
trol mechanisms installed, 100 are
defunct
Environment & people August 2011 4
By Moushumi Basu
J
aitun Khatoun lives in Sidekhurd
village, Garwa block, Garwa dis-
trict, Jharkhand, in eastern India.
She is 16 years old but is barely two-and-
a-half feet tall. Her limbs are severely
stunted, her body frail and withered.
Akash Kumar, aged two, son of
Shambhu Ram from the same village,
has severe limb deformities. He has
'bowed leg syndrome' (his left leg
is bent inwards) and his fingers
are attached to each other.
Seven-year-old Roshan
Kumar, son of Amirka Ram, is
deaf, dumb and extremely frail.
All of them are from the
same village and their problems
emanate from a common cause -
- intake of water with a high flu-
oride content.
According to a report by the
drinking water and sanitation
department, the fluoride level in
samples of water taken from a
hand pump in Sidekhurd village,
and tested, is 3.5 ppm (parts per
million) as against a permissible
level of 1 ppm prescribed by the
World Health Organisation. Yet,
the villagers remain ignorant
about the dangerous situation
they live in.
There are two common types
of fluorosis (which is caused by
excessive intake of fluorine) --
skeletal fluorosis and dental flu-
orosis. As the names suggest,
the first affects the bones due to
excessive accumulation of fluo-
ride, and the latter affects the
teeth. In most cases, the knees
become severely deformed, the
eyesight weak; teeth become discoloured
and fall at a young age. Fluorosis can also
lead to cataract, prematurely ageing cal-
cified spinal ligaments, or softened
bones, and other degenerative condi-
tions such as spinal stenosis.
According to Dr R C Jha, a noted
orthopaedic surgeon in Jharkhand, the
symptoms of skeletal sclerosis occur in
three phases:
Phase 1: Sporadic pain, stiffness of
joints, osteosclerosis of the pelvis and
vertebral column.
Phase 2: Chronic joint pain, symp-
toms of arthritis, slight calcification of
ligaments, increased osteosclerosis
with/without osteoporosis of the long
bones.
Phase 3: Crippling skeletal fluorosis -
- limitation of joint movement, calcifica-
tion of ligaments/neck and vertebral col-
umn, crippling deformities of the spine
and major joints, muscle wasting, neuro-
logical defects/ compression of the
spinal cord.
"We did feel that there was some-
thing wrong with the water as utensils
that stored water developed reddish
stains," said Shambhu Ram. "Further, a
greasy scum settled on the surface of the
water yet, in the absence of any option,
we had no choice but to use it as potable
water."
Most villagers have discoloured teeth
and suffer acute joint pain, particularly
in the knees. They are unaware that the
growing number of physically challenged
children being born in the village has its
roots in the drinking water.
Chinia block is the worst affected.
The water here reportedly has the high-
est fluoride content (4 ppm) in the dis-
trict, although, according to a state gov-
ernment survey report, the results of
water tested at the Devidham hand
pump site in Ranicheri village were no
less alarming. When villagers were asked
about the so-called survey or when gov-
ernment agencies installed fluoride con-
trol equipment they appeared to be com-
pletely in the dark. Sixty-year-
old Mohammad Syed Ansari
said: "We have no inkling
about all this. If there is any
such equipment, when was it
installed? And for whose ben-
efit?" The villagers were not
informed about any equip-
ment, particularly in connec-
tion with its efficacy and
maintenance. "More impor-
tantly, where is the equip-
ment today," Ansari asked.
Mohammad Shayajuddin
Ansari's family collects water
from the same source men-
tioned above. His daughter-
in-law, aged 35, complains of
severe backache. She can bare-
ly stand erect and walks with
a limp as her knees have
become stiff.
Yet, when we visited the
State Urdu Primary School in
the village we were surprised
to find that there was no sep-
arate water source or hand
pump for the students. They
drank water from the same
hand pump in Devidham, a
couple of yards away. So we
were not surprised when ten-
year-old Vijay told us that his
milk teeth that had fallen out were yet to
be replaced by a new set of teeth. Or that
most of the children we came across had
discoloured or blackened teeth.
Rubina Khatoun complained of fre-
quent pain in her upper arm and a tin-
gling sensation that travelled down to
her fingers. "I cannot hold anything in
that situation, not even a pencil to
write," she said. Rafi Khan is unable to
run and play as he often has a severe
pain in his knee. "I can hardly walk, let
alone run, when the pain hits me," he
sighed. He is unable to sit cross-legged
Environment & people August 2011 5
Environment & people August 2011 6
and finds it hard to get up after sitting.
Their parents are no better off: joint pain
and toothache are common problems.
The worst part is that even if the vil-
lagers are made aware of the situation
they have no option. Take the village of
Nemna, in the vicinity of Chinia block
headquarters. The residents here belong
to the primitive Korba tribe. Most of the
women complain of chronic back pain.
"We could never imagine that the pain
was being caused by the water we
drank we thought that it was pure,"
said Dayamani. But are there any alter-
native water sources available?
Apparently not. "There are no ponds;
even the well has dried up. At least the
hand pump is able to provide us with
water," she said. They did not know that
the pump ought to have been fitted with
a fluoride control filter.
We were somewhat heartened when,
after touring a number of villages, we
came across four instances where pumps
had been fitted with fluoride control
equipment, on the main road in Chinia
block headquarters. But our optimism
was shortlived when we discovered that
only two of the four were functional!
The villagers of Pratapur told us that
the state government was in the process
of providing water from the Koel river
nearby. Construction of a water tank was
in progress at the time of our visit.
According to the drinking water and
sanitation department report, the fluo-
ride level in underground water is 3.25
ppm. Still, when we reached Pratapur
Urdu Middle School we found that the
hand pump there was not fitted with flu-
oride control equipment. As a result,
children displayed typical symptoms of
dental fluorosis.
So too at Utkramit Urdu School in
Lavo (the water here has a 3.5 ppm fluo-
ride content) where children were paying
a heavy price in the absence of any fluo-
ride control equipment. Farida Khatoun,
aged 12, complained of shoulder pain
and stiff limbs. Safriz Shah, aged seven,
had painful gums -- an acute stage of
dental fluorosis. The hand pump in
Sidekala village, whose underground
water contains 3 ppm of fluoride, was
also not fitted with equipment to control
fluoride levels. Most of the villagers, par-
ticularly women, suffered tingling and
numbness in their limbs, joint pain and
backache.
E-Waste
Discarded electronics (TVs, cell phones, VCRs, comput-
ers, etc.) that end up polluting water supplies and landfills
with the toxic chemicals used to create them.
Eco-Village
A small ecologically sustainable community often
powered by renewable energy such as solar or wind-
power.
Food Miles
The distance your food has to travel to reach your
plate.
EMF
Electromagnetic fields. EMF are energy waves with
frequencies below 300 hertz coming from power lines,
mobile phones, radar and microwave towers, television
and other electrical devices.
Eco
Vocabulary
Environment & people August 2011 7
Natco Pharma Limited
Regd. Off.: 'NATCO HOUSE', Road No.2, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad-500 033. India.
Tel: +91 40 23547532, Fax: +91 40 23548243
Environment & people August 2011 8
Will natural
resources
become dry
Celebrating the World Environment Day is
meaningless if political leadership does not
back their words with actions. To save our
precious natural resources, we need leaders
with broader vision and commitment
required to protect the environment.
Unfortunately, the current lot lacks the vision
and strength necessary to act decisively for
the cause of Nature.
T
he ruling UPA government has shown its true colours in
recent months. The green signal by Ministry of
Environment and Forests (MoEF) to Posco as well as to
build the untested nuclear power plants in Jaitapur clearly
exposes the governments determination to protect the corpo-
rate interests. Though, several conditions were put before giv-
ing the clearance, we know the irrelevance of such conditions
which rarely get implemented. The exchange of black money
may be huge but the destruction of the livelihood of thou-
sands of tribals and ordinary people will be immeasurable.
The neo liberal policies followed since 1991 to achieve
eight percent GDP growth have taken toll of our natural
Environment & people August 2011 9
resources. The World Bank study con-
cluded that the country lost almost four
percent of the GDP as a result of environ-
ment destruction and related issues like,
spread of water borne diseases due to
pollution, and the rising number of dis-
eases due to polluted air, and pesticide
infected soil.
Despite these clear indicators of the
disastrous impact of destroying the natu-
ral resources, why are our political leaders
and bureaucrats keen on continuing the
policies that lead to ecological poverty of
people and the country?
An analysis of decision making
process in regard to protection of natural
resources in India indicates the need for
strong leadership at the centre with a
national perspective. The support of
Indira Gandhi in 1980s to the Silent
Valley struggle in Kerala to save Western
Ghats, and Chipko movement in
Himalayas was instrumental in halting
the destructive developmental process in
the initial stages.
The much debated and controversial
Forest Conservation Act was passed dur-
ing her regime in 1980 to halt the
process of destruction of forests.
This acted as a speed breaker to
those state governments
who were willing to
sacrifice the forests at the altar of devel-
opment.
Indira Gandhi ignored the political
compulsions of short sighted policies
that were detrimental to environment.
She was able to put national interest
before the parochial interest of regional
leaders. However with the changing
times, the evolving democratic set up in
the neo liberal regime has failed to pro-
duce strong national leaders with broader
vision and commitment required to pro-
tect the environment.
Contemporary democratic practices
do not allow political parties to look
beyond vested vote bank politics. Short
term interests gets priority over national
interests. For them the natural resources
are like a bottomless pit to be used with-
out any regards to its sustainability. Even
the tribal leaders and farmers elected
representatives start to collaborate with
corporate power. Madhu Koda from
Jharkhand is a living example of this
case.
The high voltage national debate on
Bt Brinjal is an excellent example of how
the political parties
derail the deci-
sion making
process in
favor of cor-
porate interests. This strategy has paid
handsome political dividends as it is
hailed as one of pioneering attempts
towards proactive informed decision
making. What the people did not realise
was that the politicians were playing a
double game. Behind the doors, the gov-
ernment was quietly allowing field trials
of numerous GM crops without any pre-
cautionary measures, deliberately con-
taminating our centres of diversity.
Like in the case of Bt cotton where
the companies illegally released the seeds
without permission, most of our crops
are already contaminated by GM crops
due to field trials. Under compulsion gov-
ernment has no other option but to give
permission to GM crops.
The political will to take on the cor-
porate interests is limited to dialogues
and debate, not challenging their motive
to weaken the self reliance of farmers,
and the power to destroy the natural sys-
tems, affecting the countryside for gener-
ations to come. The lawmakers who were
supposed to protect the interests of the
country blindly follow the orders of the
totalitarian corporate institutions.
With the change of guard in
Environment Ministry, the environ-
ment activists were happy to have a
Used to treat
T
his weed which is commonly
found along roads and
wastelands has many medic-
inal properties.It is used to treat
many bronchial disorders, used to
treat gynec problems, problems
related to the urinary tract and
also for dysentery.It has also been
noted that it is a great help when
the leaf tea is given to people with
dengue fever. Large doses may
cause some gastric disturbances .
It is also used to increase the
milk production in a mother for
the baby.
Since this plant has anti bacte-
rial and anti viral properties it can
cure a wide range of diseases.
It is known to have anti-
helminthic or worm dispelling
properties .
The plant is made into a paste
and applied on warts-this heals the
warts and works well for other
skin infections too.
Panditha Elchuri recommends
2 drops of the plant juice to be
used like eye drops.This supposed-
ly makes the eyes healthier and
improves the eyesight.
Gynec problems
Common Spurge,Cats hair,
Bada dhudhi in Hindi
Author Madhavi
Madhurakavi.
Environment & people August 2011 10
Minister who was talking their language.
But the truth is something grotesque.
The rate of approval to various projects is
same as during the notorious Rajas
tenure. Recently, the Ministry gave per-
mission to 40 mega projects in the wild
life habitats in just three hours! And
most of these are in total violation of the
existing laws and rules.
The decision making
process shows the lack of
political will among the
rulers as well as the
bureaucracy to follow
the existing laws to con-
serve the environment.
Most of the parties have
included environment
protection in their manifesto; but it is
rarely put into practice.
It is a national tragedy that almost all
the political parties, both at national and
regional levels are unanimous about one
point agenda of development that leads
to destruction of the ecosystems that
sustain our economies. In fact it is appro-
priation of these resources for the bene-
fit of top 8 percent of the population in
the country. It also shows the ideological
bankruptcy of the parties, who are
unable to provide an alternate path of
development that benefits larger sec-
tions of the society.
Bolivia, a country equal to the size of
Karnataka, has passed the Law of Mother
Earth that grants nature the same rights
and protection as humans. This was pos-
sible due to the strong political will of
Evo Morales, the President. Even
Bhutan, our tiny Himalayan neighbor has
adopted the concept of Gross National
Happiness, an innovative path towards
development.
Why are we lagging behind? The
need of hour is to take decisions in keep-
ing the interest of future generations
above all else. Will our political leaders
show courage and willingness to con-
serve our natural resources for present
and future generations?
Villagers block entry to Dhinkia village on the Posco site
The support of Indira Gandhi in 1980s to
the Silent Valley struggle in Kerala to save
Western Ghats, and Chipko movement in
Himalayas was instrumental in halting the
destructive developmental process in the
initial stages.
Health Tips
Anu's Laboratories Limited
Office
A-49, Madhura Nagar, Vengalrao Nagar,
Hyderabad - 500 038. A.P. India.
Tel: +91-2374 1677, 2375 0035. Fax: +91-040-2374 1678
email: anulabs@anulabs.com
url: www.anulabs.com
Facotry
Sy.No. 17, Chilakamarri Village, Shadnagar, Mahaboobnagar Dist. - 509 216. Ph:
08548-252877, 250677, Fax: 08548 - 252977
Y Sandhya Srinivasan
T
he majority of illnesses Indians suffer are
linked to poverty and poor living
conditions. Children fall ill
because they are not vaccinated.
Patients die because the health
centre is too far away or
because life-saving drugs
are not available. Surely
it's an injustice that
people must
accept ill-
n e s s
and death
because they
cannot get even
basic treatment?
We read the same news year
after year. Tribal children die in a
measles epidemic - they fall ill because they
were not vaccinated, become severely ill because
they're malnourished, and die because the health
centre is too far away. Health centres are empty of
life-saving drugs. Families are bankrupted as they
pay for medicines to save their loved ones. Hospital
patients are held hostage till they pay the bill. And
hospital staff are attacked by angry patients and rel-
atives.
Such numbing reports need to be put in perspec-
life and
death
A matter of
Environment & people August 2011 12
tive.
Poverty and ill-health: The majority
of illnesses Indians suffer - such as tuber-
culosis, respiratory infections, malaria
and diarrhoeas -- are linked to poverty
and poor living conditions. Nearly half of
all children under the age of five are
undernourished. It is estimated that
some 200,000 children die from malnu-
trition-related causes every year in
Maharashtra alone. Nearly half of all
Indian women are anaemic. Some
100,000 Indian women die each year
from complications of pregnancy, includ-
ing bleeding to death because they could
not get treated. Around 500,000 people
die every year from tuberculosis, a cur-
able disease for which free treatment is
supposed to be available through the
government.
These deaths are preventable
through adequate nutrition, clean water
and sanitation, effective immunisation
and an accessible health service to pro-
vide prompt treatment. The right to
earn, to eat, to live decently, to health-
care - they're all linked. A government's
duty includes enabling its people to exer-
cise these rights. And indeed, govern-
ments do this job, in developed countries
like the US , the UK and Canada , as also
in poor countries like Cuba and Sri
Lanka. But in India a government com-
mitment to healthcare, as articulated in
various committee reports, has never
really been fully asserted, and has
become even more limited in recent
years. Surely it's an injustice that people
must accept illness and death because
they cannot get even basic treatment.
How did we arrive at this state of
affairs? An overview of trends in health-
care financing indicates that India 's high
healthcare expenditures are borne by
individuals, not governments. Should we
then be surprised that we also have some
of the worst health outcomes in the
region? A report on farmers' suicides is a
stark illustration of summarised studies
on the 'medical poverty trap'. A history
of government policy describes the role
played by international funding organi-
sations in healthcare in India . A bird's
eye view of the international scene sug-
gests that people's health is affected not
just by the country's wealth and how
much money it spends, but also by how
the money is used. Other articles exam-
ine the growth of the pri-
vate sector, access to
essential drugs, mental
healthcare, and the special
problems of women's
access to healthcare.
What is the way for-
ward? One thing is clear:
healthcare is not distrib-
uted equitably when it is
treated as a commodity in
the marketplace.
Competition does not
keep prices down. The
very poor will just get
wiped out in their efforts
to obtain healthcare.
Various models have
demonstrated that com-
munities can be mobilised
to provide effective
healthcare that is neither
expensive nor technologi-
cally complex. However,
these should not absolve
the government of its
responsibility. The effort
must be to make the gov-
ernment work.
The Jan Swasthya
Abhiyan is the Indian cir-
cle of the People's Health Movement, a
worldwide health movement which
directs attention to the social determi-
nants of health, and calls for government
provision of comprehensive primary
healthcare . Co-convenor Thelma
Narayan notes that the JSA is a platform
for organisations representing various
political as well as non-political perspec-
tives. JSA activities have ranged from
public hearings to interventions in policy
at the state and national level. One such
intervention took place before the
recently launched National Rural Health
Mission meant to integrate vertical
health programmes and reach healthcare
services to the village level.
B Ekbal, convenor of the JSA, argues
in an interview that the problems are not
just about money, but how it is spent.
The decentralisation experiment in
Kerala looked at whether people's
involvement could change the way the
healthcare system functioned, without
an increase in funds.
While these readings may not pro-
vide a complete picture, we hope that
they provoke some debate and discus-
sion.
(Sandhya Srinivasan is a freelance
health writer and executive editor of The
Indian Journal of Medical Ethics. Email :
sandhya@bom3.vsnl.net.in)
Environment & people August 2011 13
It is estimated that some
200,000 children die from mal-
nutrition-related causes every
year in Maharashtra alone.
Nearly half of all Indian women
are anaemic. Some 100,000
Indian women die each year
from complications of pregnan-
cy, including bleeding to death
because they could not get
treated. Around 500,000 people
die every year from tuberculo-
sis.
Poverty and ill-health
Environment & people August 2011 14
By R Uma Maheshwari
A
t Rajahmundry, in the middle of my journey to the submergence zone
of the Polavaram (Indira Sagar) dam in Andhra Pradesh in search of
fisher communities, I came across the official four-page advertisement
supplement issued by the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure
Corporation (APIIC), dated June 30, 2010. The advertisement highlights 10
Things Good with Godavari -- timeless river, rice bowl of south India, rich
agriculture, natural resources, social infrastructure, connectivity, access to sea
ports, a willing administration, peaceful politics, and big players already there.
The big players already there include Oil and Natural Gas Corporation
Limited (ONGC), Reliance, and Cairn Energy.
The Godavari river is a major waterway originating in the Western Ghats
at Trimbakeshwar in Nashik, Maharashtra, and flowing eastward across the
Deccan Plateau to enter Andhra Pradesh at Kandhakurthi in Nizamabad dis-
trict, where it turns southeast to finally empty into the Bay of Bengal. It trav-
els a total length of 910 miles from its origin. Rajahmundry, known as the cul-
tural capital of Andhra Pradesh, is the largest city on the banks of the
Godavari, and the river, also known as Dakshin Ganga, is at its widest here --
approximately 5 km from the town to the other bank at Kovvur.
While these are the Godavaris physical characteristics, the river enters a
contested arena in political terms on the question of utilisation of a river
wasting into the sea, as is often quoted. Even as I write this, former Andhra
Pradesh Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu is being held in custody in
Maharashtra for voicing his opposition to the Babli project that has been a
bone of contention between Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Apart from
Babli, the Telugu Desam Party (and other parties, when it suits them) has
been opposing 13 illegal (as their text messages to media persons, including
this writer, say) projects planned by Maharashtra on the Godavari. Its a dif-
ferent matter that the state of Andhra Pradesh has commenced the ambitious
Polavaram project on the Godavari, which will be affected if projects are initi-
ated upstream of the river, in Maharashtra. The ambitious Polavaram project
is a major, multi-purpose irrigation project across the river in West Godavaris
Polavaram mandal, some 34 km upstream of Rajahmundry.
In all the talk in the political sphere, the people who stand to lose their
lands, livelihoods, homes (in this case, tribal communities, fish workers, dal-
its, etc) remain invisible. This series will focus specifically on the fishermen in
the submergence zone of the four mandals (Devipatnam, Polavaram,
Kunavaram and V R Puram) in the three districts of East Godavari, West
Godavari and Khammam, in Andhra Pradesh, whose homes and livelihoods
are and will be seriously affected.
Fisher communities settled along the Godavari in the Polavaram submer-
gence zone belong to the caste groups Pallis, Vadderlu, Jalarlu and Gudallu;
some like to be referred to as Agnikula Kshatriyas. In the official caste
records, they come under A and D categories of the backward castes (BC).
I visited the villages of Manturu, Kachluru, Tuthigunta, Vadapally,
Singanapally, Devipatnam, Pochavaram, Kolluru, Kunavaram and
Environment & people August 2011 15
Environment & people August 2011 16
Kapileswara-puram in the three afore-
mentioned districts. (Kapileswarapuram
does not feature in the dams submer-
gence zone, but many fisher communities
settled in the submergence zone migrate
there seasonally.) There are also fisher
communities in Tadivada, Nadupuru,
Koraturu, Rudramakota, Tekuru,
Sriramagiri, Teleperu, Gonduru, Siduru
and other villages located across the
three districts, all of which are slated to
be submerged.
Polavaram dam will submerge a total
area of 38,186 hectares, including 22,882
hectares of un-irrigated (rain-fed) agri-
cultural land, 12,801 hectares of what is
called poramboke/government or
wasteland), and 3,223 hectares of forest
land. Officially, over 276 tribal villages in
the agency areas of East and West
Godavari districts and Khammam dis-
trict (of which 274 are in the Fifth
Schedule area) will be submerged.
Villages that will go under first are in the
Polavaram and Devipatnam mandals (in
West and East Godavari district respec-
tively), followed by Chintur, Kunavaram,
V R Puram, Kukunuru, Velairpadu,
Burugampadu and Bhadrachalam (in
Khammam district). The project will also
submerge villages in Orissa and
Chhattisgarh.
Livelihoods that will be affected
include agriculture (settled and shifting),
forest-based livelihoods (collection of
minor forest produce, etc), livestock rear-
ing (cattle, goats, and backyard poultry),
and fishing.
The states of West Bengal, Bihar and
Andhra Pradesh produce about 50% of
total inland fish production in the coun-
try. Nearly 70% of the 0.71 million fisher
workers in India, fish in rivers, reser-
voirs, lakes and other inland waters (1).
And still there is no suitable policy cater-
ing to the rights of fish workers, especial-
ly those displaced by dams.
How does the government view the
displaced fisherfolk? Perhaps in the gov-
ernments narrow vision, the fishermen
of the Godavari can move and fish in
locations that are not affected by their
plans to use the river for power-genera-
tion. The fact that these communities
have indeed moved along the river for
centuries works against them, because it
absolves the government of the responsi-
bility to compensate them for their now-
settled existence and livelihood. Fisher
communities/fish workers move with the
rivers flow, depending on the nature of
changes in fishing and the amount of fish
catch. A decline forces them to move to
newer territories to fish; where the catch
is good, they stay. Policies also force
movement on these communities. For
instance Kapileswarapuram may soon
not be home to pulasa (a fish variety) if
the sand mining there continues unabat-
ed, thanks to government sops to sand
mining contractors by way of roads etc
for the movement of heavy machinery.
The fish workers who stand to be dis-
placed by the Polavaram project do not
claim any ownership over the river, or its
fish. They simply see their vocation as
hereditary -- they were born to fish and
that is what they will do, they say. All
they want is that this be recognised by
the government.
But the stakes over the Godavari
today are high. A changing world econo-
my and liberalisation have opened up
spaces for activities that require the
whole river, leaving little room for small-
er communities with smaller needs. The
fisher community feels short-changed.
They are not even counted among the
project-affected despite the fact that the
entire stretch of the river, their livelihood
canvas, will be rendered inaccessible to
them. It would be naive not to acknowl-
edge that the Polavaram dam that is com-
ing up in West Godavari district is being
built to secure water for industry. Its not
about providing irrigation to parched
fields. The investment is big, so is the
concept and design. Who will it feed,
once it comes up? The big guys already
there, and others on the way. To quote
again from the advertisement mentioned
at the beginning of this article:
APIIC has secured four blocks of oil
fields -- two offshore and two onshore --
covering 4,587 sq km. The proposed
Petroleum and Petrochemical Investment
Region (PCPIR), covering a sprawl of
603.58 sq km is coming up with an
investment of Rs 3.43 lakh crore between
Kakinada and Visakhapatnam. An
astounding 12 lakh people will be includ-
ed in the employment footprint of this
grand project. The states chief facilitator
is the shaping hand in 300 industrial
parks, covering a cumulative extent of
1.30 lakh acres. In just the last five years,
APIIC made available 30,000 acres of land
to entrepreneurs, besides accumulating a
land bank (for future use) of 82,000
acres. The Kakinada Special Economic
Zone is coming up over 10,000 acres in
East Godavari straddling Tondangi and
Uppadakothpalli mandals. In addition,
many other projects are in the pipeline,
prominent among them being a 138 km
Petro Corridor with an investment of Rs
2 lakh crore between Kakinada and
Vizag.
Clearly, a big-time river-grab is in
progress to feed this grand industrial
vision. Do the fisherfolk stand a chance?
(R Uma Maheshwari is a journalist
based in AP. She has been covering issues
related to development and displacement
for a number of years.)
D
iscovered by Frank S. Smith, an
English mountaineer explorer and
Botanist, while on an expedition
to Mt. Kamet, the Valley of Flowers is a
Nature's Gift to Man. The Valley of
Flowers in the north Indian state of
Uttranchal is a booming bouquet of beau-
tiful, lively and multihued flowers. The
Valley of Flowers National Park, spanning
over an area of 87.5 sq km has the largest
potpourri of wild flower species. Known
to the inhabitants as the Bhyundar valley,
the Valley of Flowers is hidden from the
scrutinizing eyes of the civilization. The
valley was declared a National Park in
year 1982.
The Valley of Flowers is also associate
with the legendary story, which says that
this the area from where Hanumanji of
Ramayana collected 'Sanjeevani' herb to
revive Lakshman. The Valley of Flowers
National Park starts from Ghangharia but
the main valley starts after crossing the
gorge and the stream originating from Nar
Parvat, 3 km from Ghangharia. In front of
the Valley stands the snow capped peak of
Ratban Parvat and at the background is the
Kunt Khal. Towards the left is Nar Parvat,
which bisects the Badrinath valley from
this valley, and to the right is thick Birch
forest on the hill sides. Below the forest is
the meadow. River Pushpavati flows
through the valley and there are many
waterfalls enhancing the beauty of the val-
ley. The splendour and the dazzling beau-
ty of the valley beckons tourists from all
the corners of the world.
Eco-Tourism in Valley of Flowers -
Uttaranchal. Almost 300 species of wild
flowers bloom here in natural way. The
bloom starts immediately after the melting
of snow but the peak blooming period is
from mid July to mid of August. The abun-
dant natural resource of the valley capti-
vates a large number of nature lovers,
environmentalists and tourists every year.
The wild flowers like the Himalayan
blue poppy, daisy, dianthus, calendula,
white and yellow anemones bloom &
swing with life during the monsoons.
Some other species are Anemone,
Geranium, Marsh marigold, Prinula,
Potentilla, Geum, Asters, Lilium,
Ranunculus, Corydalis, Inula, Braham
kamal, Campanula, Pedicularis, Arisaema,
Morina, Impatiens, Bistorta, Ligularia,
Anaphalis, Saxifrages, Sibbaldia,
Thermopsis, Trollius, Codonopsis,
Dactylorhiza, Cypripedium, Strawberry,
Epilobium, Rhododendrons and numerous
others. Most of the flowers have medicinal
values too. The abundance of Asmanda
fern in this valley is a rare sight than in
other Himalayan valleys. The valley
remains in bloom for three months while
the floral arrangement keeps on changing
every few days. By September the hue of
the Valley starts changing and autumn bids
farewell to flowers and the entire vegeta-
tion remains rest-
ing continuously
for next five
months when the
valley is snow
wrapped.
Apart from the
flowers some
spec-ies of
Butterfly, Musk
deer, Blue sheep
( B h a r a l ) ,
Himalayan bear,
Himalayan mouse
hare and some
Himalayan birds & Snow leopard are also
found in this area. To conserve the nature's
beneficent gift and to maintain the natural
balance of the valley.
Reaching the Valley of Flowers
Air : The nearest airport is Jolly Grant,
Dehradun, 319 km.
Rail : The nearest railhead is at Rishikesh,
302 km.
Valley Of Flowers
Location:
On the upper expansions of Bhyundar
Ganga in the state of Uttranchal in the
northern part of India.
Time to Visit:
From mid July to mid of August. The
valley can be visited only during the
day and overnight stay is prohibited.
Weather:
Salubrious and Pleasant.
Known For:
The Rich Biological Resource.
The Valley Of Flowers
Environment & people August 2011 17
Eco Tourism
Environment & people August 2011 18
E
ven most environmentalists
believe that the Montreal Protocol,
which was signed in 1987 and has
since been ratified by 196 countries, is a
"done deal" - in other words, it has
accomplished its task in ridding the
world of dangerous chemicals known as
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which were
eating a hole in the ozone layer.
The rising use of CFCs in various
industries led to dangerous skin cancers,
known as melanoma, especially in south-
ern high-latitude areas. Australia, Chile,
Argentina, New Zealand and other
nations closer to the Antarctic ice sheet
were particularly affected, which
strengthened their resolve to fight this
environmental hazard. While such can-
cers are only contracted by white-
skinned people (brown-skinned people
have higher natural immunity), it is less
well known that people working in the
open anywhere in the world - typically,
farmers - can contract cataract as a con-
sequence of exposure to excessive radia-
tion.
The production and consumption of
CFCs, gradually reduced over the years,
has now been completely banned as of
January 2010. Even developing coun-
tries, which were originally given a ten-
year grace period to put such restrictions
into effect, have now fallen in line. This
has saved the world from excessive radi-
ation as a consequence of the widening
hole in the ozone layer. There has also
been another benefit of reducing CFC
use - nearly 135 billion tonnes of carbon
dioxide emissions were reduced between
1990 and 2010, delayed the impact of
global warming by up to 12 years.
The story of the CFCs, however, is
not complete. These were replaced by
hydro-chloro-fluoro-carbons (HCFCs)
and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) as a
result of the Montreal Protocol, but it
was only later that the realisation
dawned that even these alternatives con-
tribute to global warming. While their
ozone-destroying potential is far less
(HCFCs deplete less ozone than CFCs,
and HFCs are completely safe in this
regard), their absorption of earth radia-
tion continues to pose a risk to an
already warming planet.
At a meeting last month in Male, the
capital of Maldives, the UN Environment
Programme and a host of partners
organised an industry round-table,
which was followed by meetings of the
South Asian and West Asian regional
ozone networks. Its theme was Greening
the future through HCFC phase-out and
low carbon development.
In 2007, the Montreal Protocol par-
ties agreed to accelerate the phase out of
HCFCs by ten years in both industri-
alised and developing countries. There
will be a freeze in HCFC consumption
and use in developing countries by 2013
and a 10 per cent reduction by 2015. The
Protocol's Technology and Economics
Assessment Panel has noted that for the
treaty to reap the benefits of an earlier
HCFC phase-out, they have to be
replaced by alternative chemicals that
have a low global warming potential. At
the same time, the energy efficiency of
refrigeration and air conditioning equip-
ment has to be improved
In developing countries as a whole,
refrigerators and air conditioners
account for as much as half the electrici-
ty consumed, which provides a glimpse
Montreal Protocol
The unfinished
agenda
Environment & people August 2011 19
of the vital role of these two appliances. At
Male, Greenpeace pointed out that HFCs
were the fluorocarbon industry's primary
replacements for CFCs and HCFCs. There
were several emission scenarios for calcu-
lating the future global warming contribu-
tion of HFCs. These were estimated to con-
tribute between 6 and 45 per cent of total
greenhouse gases by 2050. By that dead-
line, which most countries, including the
US, use to set their major emission reduc-
tion targets, HFCs are estimated to gener-
ate 4 to 8.8 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide.
The choice of technologies that devel-
oping countries make as they phase out
HCFCs will be crucial. The Asia Pacific
region is already the largest producer and
consumer of HCFCs, and accounts for 90
per cent of global production and con-
sumption. According to Greenpeace, HCFC
consumption will peak in developing coun-
tries at 566,000 tonnes in 2013.
Since the pace of installation of refrig-
erators and air conditioners is far greater
in developing countries, due to their larger
population as well as tropical climate, their
HFC consumption is expected to be eight
times higher than industrial countries by
2050.
Greenpeace makes a strong case for
switching over soonest to substitutes.
"There is an emerging international con-
sensus on the fact that HFCs pose a real
danger to the climate and are therefore not
sustainable," it says. "In other words, they
are obsolete. Should developing countries
opt for primary transition from HCFCs to
HFCs during the next few years, they will
be stuck in an HFC cul-de-sac for at least
the next four decades. Instead they could
opt for natural refrigerants, such as hydro-
carbons, ammonia, carbon dioxide and
water. These refrigerants are the only low-
global warming potential refrigerants cur-
rently on the market."
At Male, Proklima, an initiative of the
German technical consultancy agency, GIZ
(formerly GTZ), cited the problems that
developing countries faced in switching
over to climate-friendly substitutes. One
was simply availability - the shortage of
low global warming potential equipment
on the market. Another was the lack of
incentives, since there was no commercial
advantage in making the switch. A third
was the shortage of investment, since few
were prepared to produce systems, parts,
components and refrigerants.
To complicate matters, consultants
developing HCFC phase-out management
plans were not recommending climate-
friendly refrigerants for projects. Besides,
the rules regarding the use of such substi-
tutes were too restrictive to allow their
use. Finally, there was a general fear of the
safety issues.
Inspite of this, GIZ has helped compa-
nies in several developing countries which
were making the switch-over to hydrocar-
bons. These included Gree Electrical
Appliances, a major Chinese air condition-
er manufacturer, which has partly
switched over to hydrocarbon refrigerants.
In China too, GIZ has initiated a plan in
collaboration with industry for low global
warming refrigerants like hydrocarbons.
This includes development activities,
training, standards and codes of practice.
Swaziland has a stand-alone demon-
stration project of hydrocarbon refrigerant
units at a company called Palfridge. These
have improved energy efficiency by 40 per
cent, thereby lowering the impact on the
climate. In South Africa, GIZ has started a
l:
T
he red tender leaves
of the Sacred fig or
Ficus religiosa * are
gathered and dried and
powdered and stored well
in a clean dry glass jar.
4-5 pinches of this
powder is boiled well with
1 cup of milk and taken
along with Mishri.
This decreases the anx-
iety symptoms , rectifies
sleep disorders,purifies
the blood and also reduces
the feeling of unnecessary
panic in a person
Raavi chettu in Telugu
Arasa maram in Tamil
Pipal in Hindi
Environment & people August 2011 20
"training the trainer" campaign to boost
the confidence of technicians and build
up safety information. Finally, in Male
itself, it has assisted in introducing a
large number of hydrocarbon air condi-
tioners on the market, building accept-
ance and confidence of technicians, sup-
pliers, end-users and exposing the mar-
ket to new technology options.
A discussion paper distributed at the
conferences cites how the industrial
house of Godrej, in India, is taking
strides to manufacture hydrocarbon
refrigerators. It is the only Indian com-
pany using hydrocarbons for this prod-
uct, which was initially perceived as a
risky option. It took up allaying con-
sumers' apprehensions as a challenge
and espoused green technology as a dis-
tinctive element in its marketing strate-
gy. Despite strong competition from for-
eign brands, it commands 16 per cent of
the domestic market for refrigerators.
It has replaced a foaming agent
(insulator) which contained CFCs with
cyclopentane. As for refrigerant, it is
currently using a hydrocarbon blend and
moving towards a single hydrocarbon in
future. In air conditioners, Godrej is cur-
rently using an HCFC, but is evaluating
more environment-friendly options.
"Over the years," the company says, "we
have developed a fair amount of experi-
ence in the use and handling of hydro-
carbons in refrigerators, hence we are
looking at this at this option in air con-
ditioners."
Godrej is registered with the Bureau
of Energy Efficiency in Delhi and all its
products are labeled for their use of
energy. It claims that its products are in
the mid to most efficient levels of the
national programme for saving energy.
It is a recipient of the National Energy
Conservation award for the last two
years.
The success of efforts to contain
global warming now rests on replicating
such initiatives, on a massive scale.
- Darryl D'Monte
The choice of technologies that developing
countries make as they phase out HCFCs
will be crucial. The Asia Pacific region is
already the largest producer and consumer
of HCFCs. (Picture: The ozone hole over
Antarctica at its peak in September 2006.)
Peepal leaves help for
Anxiety
disorder
..
N.P.K.
17:17:17
20:10:10
18:18:9
22:0:11
20:20:00
N.P.K.
15:15:15
10:26:26
19:19:19
14:28:14
14:35:14
.... ...
... ...
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... ...
(VAM)
.- ....
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.. ..: ... ...
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....
..-.. -.. ..:. -.. .. CO
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..... - ss+ sc .: J csss - ..c:s ...c:s
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.. .-..-..
}
.=:- .----
t .-e ee- e-..e
.: ....:..
,..- c- t-.,
Environment & people August 2011 22
And Man created the plastic bag and the tin and alu-
minum can and the cellophane wrapper and the paper
plate, and this was good because Man could then take his
automobile and buy all his food in one place and He
could save that which was good to eat in the refrigerator
and throw away that which had no further use. And soon
the earth was covered with plastic bags and aluminum
cans and paper plates and disposable bottles and there
was nowhere to sit down or walk, and Man shook his
head and cried: "Look at this Godawful mess."
~Art Buchwald, 1970
The problem is no longer that with every pair of hands
that comes into the world there comes a hungry stomach.
Rather it is that, attached to those hands are sharp elbows.
~Paul A. Samuelson, Newsweek, 12 June 1967
Suburbia is where the developer bulldozes out the trees,
then names the streets after them.
~Bill Vaughn
For 200 years we've been conquering Nature. Now we're
beating it to death.
~Tom McMillan, quoted in Francesca Lyman, The
Greenhouse Trap, 1990
If civilization has risen from the Stone Age, it can rise
again from the Wastepaper Age.
~Jacques Barzun, The House of Intellect, 1959
I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for
man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit
Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respect-
ing her seniority.
~Elwyn Brooks White, Essays of E.B. White, 1977
The insufferable arrogance of human beings to think that
Nature was made solely for their benefit, as if it was con-
ceivable that the sun had been set afire merely to ripen
men's apples and head their cabbages.
~Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac, tats et empires
de la lune, 1656
Quotes
Eco
Eco
Vocabulary
Electrosmog:
Refers to the electromagnetic
fields emitted by computers and
mobile phones. There is an ongoing
debate over whether exposure to
electrosmog can cause health prob-
lems.
EMF:
Electromagnetic fields. EMF are
energy waves with frequencies
below 300 hertz coming from power
lines, mobile phones, radar and
microwave towers, television and
other electrical devices.
The oldest living tree is the Sequoia
(Californian Red Tree) which has survived
more than 12,000 years.
An agricultural
implements &
machinery
manufactures
and Material
Handling and
Supermarket
products -
suppliers of all
types of
Collapsible and
Non Collapsible
Industrsial pal-
lets, trolleys and
all types of
Storage
Solutions.
Unit-I & Registered Office: Plot No. 30, Gandhinagar,
Industrial Estate, Balanagar, Hyderabad - 500 037, A.P.
Tel No. 91-40-23085959 / 23086305 / 23087804. Fax: 23087088
Unit - II: Plot No. A/36, IDA, Kukatpally,
Hyderabad - 500 037. Ph: 91-40-23078146 / 23070056.
Mekins Industries
Limited
(Formerly - Mekins Agro Products Ltd)
(An ISO 9001, 2008 Company)
Environment & people August 2011 24
By Monideepa Sahu
A
ikya Mandala, a green expanse on
the outskirts of Bangalore, is a
refreshing oasis where people can
rediscover the healing touch of natural
herbs and myriad ways in which the
human potential can be fulfilled in har-
mony with other living creatures of the
earth. Working since 1982 with rural and
tribal communities, landless groups and
members of scheduled castes and tribes,
Aikya extends their social work to
include people from all faiths. "We feel
rural people are poor, backward and
helpless," Philomena Vincent, director,
Aikya says. "Working with rural commu-
nities made us appreciate their rich
knowledge in health care, both promo-
tive as well as curative."
Aikya facilitated a unique collabora-
tive health network called Shodhini on
natural and traditional alternatives in
health care to meet women's special
needs. In the beginning, field workers of
Aikya connected with rural women to
gather local wisdom on women's health
traditions. In October 1987, 50 women's
health activists from rural and urban
areas from all over the country met to
discuss issues related to women's health.
Also present was Rina Nissim of the
Geneva Women's Health Collective, a
group promoting and training health
workers in systems of natural healing in
gynaecology.
The meeting led to the
formation of a group of
women under the banner of
'Action Research on Alternative
Medicine and Women's Health'
with Rina Nissim as the convener.
The group comprised women from
grassroots organisations like
Deccan Development Society
(DDS), Action India, Aikya,
SARTHI, Eklavya, and
others, and also
women's research and
documentation organi-
sations and individual
activists and experts.
The
Shodhini
collective
aimed to
identify com-
mon health
problems which
rural women felt shy
to discuss.
Gynaecological prob-
lems, anaemia, uri-
nary tract
infection
and night
blindness were
common
and
neglect-
ed even when
the women
had
access
to mod-
ern medical care. The
Shodhini researchers
felt that the western
health care system or
the dominant, classical
medical systems of India rarely
examine the social roots of diseases.
The patient is treated as a passive
body and medicines are pre-
scribed to treat the symp-
toms. Women's serious
complaints are often treat-
ed lightly and their healing traditions
and lore are dismissed as unscientific by
established patriarchal systems of medi-
cine.
Adherents of Shodhini treat the
patient as a whole individual who partic-
ipates along with the health care
Holistic healing through
By reclaiming traditional herbal
healing systems, training
women to use these for their
own health and that of their
communities, the Shodhini net-
work facilitates natural and tra-
ditional alternatives in health
care to meet women's special
needs
rural herbal
traditions
Environment & people August 2011 25
provider in her own healing of the body,
mind and relationships. Shodhini
attempts to create a space apart from the
male-defined concepts of women's bod-
ies and minds, where women can freely
express and share their experiences and
their understanding of their own bodies.
Tanushree Gangopadhyay, a journal-
ist and activist based in Ahmedabad at
that time, participated in the initial
founding of the movement. "Self-help is
an important aspect of the Shodhini
approach," she says. "This boosts
women's self-esteem, which in turn
improves her general sense of well-being.
As researchers interacting with rural
women healers, we examined each other
and freely discussed our health concerns
among ourselves. This eased many of our
self-doubts and gave us a psychological
lift. Training local women in traditional
medicines was ideal for rural interior
areas far from hospitals and mainstream
doctors. There were several members
and activists like me working together as
a strong team with tribal vaids and
herbal healers. As an educated urban
professional, I visited rural areas and
began to understand and respect the wis-
dom behind traditional local beliefs and
practices."
According to Shodhini, a woman's
physical health problem needs to be
approached holistically because it is
affected by her social condition and per-
sonal experiences. The healer's approach
has to be tailored to each woman's fami-
ly situation and financial status, which
can place psychological pressures upon
her. '"Getting well" has a deeper mean-
ing being alive, participating in and
giving and taking from the energies of
the universe. Pregnancy and childbirth,
for instance, are an integral part of life
and do not necessarily need doctors,
nurses, hospitals and medicines.'
Shodhini's researchers realised that
folk healers and local women empirically
knew many natural remedies to sustain
good health. But this knowledge was not
codified or coordinated with other com-
munities. The book, Touch me, touch-
me-not: women, plants, and healing,
attempts to record some of these strate-
gies of survival, of how women in India
have stayed healthy traditionally.
The book seeks to understand tradi-
tional healers and their healing practices,
document their use of herbs, preparation
of herbal remedies and practice of non-
herbal healing practices, including some
of the rituals that accompany the process
of healing. It also seeks to 'help women
take charge of their bodies through a
process of self-help so that they under-
stand the body, its rhythms as well as its
power.'
After 18 months of identifying heal-
ers, herbs and their botanical names, the
group had information on nearly 250
plants, many of them used for the same
symptoms in different parts of the coun-
try. Their work led to the Women and
Health (WAH), a national collaborative
initiative formed in 1992 with Aikya as
an active member. "We at Aikya contin-
ue to work primarily with women, while
not excluding men and involving young
children," Philomena Vincent says.
"Women's skills are a continuing living
tradition in rural India. Today, many
years after Shodhini's inception as a
trailblazer, women taking charge of their
health is a movement that is growing
and spreading. Original individual mem-
bers and new organisations are setting
up highly effective natural healing move-
ments in their respective areas."
FRLHT (Foundation for
Revitalisation of Local Health
Traditions) is a good example of such a
movement. Their work covers documen-
tation and assessment of local health tra-
ditions for management of malaria,
capacity building of traditional bone set-
ters, promotion and mainstreaming
Ethno-veterinary practices in veterinary
education and research, and establishing
162 folk healers' associations and
imparting training on oushadhikarn
(traditional methods of preparing herbal
medicines).
Deccan Development Society (DDS)
of Andhra Pradesh, one of the founder
members of Shodhini, is also among
those successfully promoting traditional
healing methods. The Medicinal Plants
Project of DDS supported by Find Your
Feet was started in 1996 to create village
medicinal commons on government
wastelands through soil and moisture
conservation works, bunding, fencing
etc. They have ensured the continuing
regeneration of traditional herbal medic-
inal resources in villages and boosted
folk healing practices.
Aikya's own programmes for
Wandering Healers, and sessions on
holistic therapies open to all, including
urbanites, for a nominal fee, are helping
people to be free of overdependence on
conventional drugs. "There is no longer
only one Shodhini," Philomena Vincent
concludes. "Its many offshoots are grow-
ing and spreading the message of natural
health care."
(Monideepa Sahu is a Bangalore-
based freelance writer of both fiction
and non-fiction, with a variety of inter-
ests including social issues and litera-
ture)
Environment & people August 2011 26
QUESTION 1 When you hear about The Environment, you think of
a. Petrol prices at the station and global warming
b. The crazy weather we are experiencing of late
c. The plants, animals, and minerals that exist on the earth
d. Our oceans, forests, creeks, river systems, and the Amazon
e. All of the above
QUESTION 2 Reducing carbon emissions important for the environment because
a. If we emit too much carbon dioxide, there wont be enough oxygen for us all to be able to breathe
b. More carbon dioxide in the ocean creates bigger waves and increases the chances of Tsunamis
c. Carbon emissions create a blanket over the atmosphere which overheats our planet
d. Petrol prices are related to carbon emissions, so more carbon means more expensive petrol
e. The ozone layer is depleted by carbon emissions and that is a real problem
QUESTION 3 More severe droughts and pollution of our rivers are a problem because
a. Without them we will not have food at prices we can afford
b. We will continue to have water restrictions and our gardens will die
c. Water prices will increase and the economy will suffer
d. Our supplies of bottled water will decrease and we will have more health problems
e. More water pollution creates more air pollution
QUESTION 4 Which of the following practices does not alleviate our impact on the environment?
a. Having shorter, colder showers
b. Buying light bulbs of lower wattage
c. Walking to the station instead of driving
d. Using clothes lines instead of clothes driers
e. Reducing infections at home by always using anti-bacterial products
f. None they all are positive for the environment
QUESTIONS 5 Which of the following environmental problems were you aware of before reading this post? (Tick
all that apply)
a. Global Warming
b. The melting of the polar caps
c. The increase in the number of species that are extinct, or at risk of extinction
d. Global deforestation
e. Peak Oil
f. Extreme Weather conditions especially droughts and floods
Scoring your eco-IQ test
Allocate points according to the following scales:
Response Q-1 Q-2 Q-3 Q-4 Q-5
a 0 -5 3 -2 1
b 0 -5 -1 -2 2
c 3 3 0 -10 2
d 3 -2 -3 -5 1
e 5 -2 -3 5 3
f n/a n/a n/a 0 1
Environment & people August 2011 28
By Aditya Malaviya
For years Maghi Mantri of Panda
Pokhari on Chilika Lake watched as local
fishermen were squeezed into smaller
and smaller spaces by unscrupulous
politicians, non-traditional fishermen
and illegal shrimp and prawn traders. In
1992 she set up two self-help groups and
began to mobilise the local village
women
We drive for two hours in a weather-
beaten Ambassador on an elevated bund
road that starts out excellent, then dete-
riorates in quality until, in the end, it's a
veritable battle against incessant pot-
holes, jaywalking pedestrians, wobbling
cyclists and drivers going hell-for-
leather. Our destination is a small fish-
ing village whose women and men are
trying hard to come to terms with a rap-
idly changing world. Their once bounti-
ful sea is now flooded with trawlers and
shrimp farms, sea pirates and members
of the fishermen mafia.
The hamlet of Panda Pokhari on the
banks of Chilika lake in Orissa's Puri dis-
trict still does not have even the basic
amenities like electricity, medical servic-
es or clean drinking water. "We are
already starving because we now carry a
smaller basket to the market," says 61-
year-old Maghi Mantri. "Our men have
to go further into the sea in their small
boats, dwarfed by big trawlers. We have
lived all our lives by the sea, but what
will happen to our children," she asks,
worry writ large on her wrinkled brow as
she lights a small oil lamp.
Around us, life in the village settles
down as dusk falls on Chilika. Squatting
on her haunches, Maghi Mantri waves a
helpless hand around as she explains:
"Fishing in Chilika has fallen drastically
and today the catch is barely enough to
feed ourselves. People from outside --
non-traditional fishermen and the mafia
-- have laid a ghera around us, just like
the gheries (bamboo barricades) they
use to breed prawns. If we fight, we are
beaten up."
Mantri's family comprises her hus-
band, five daughters and two sons. "One
son has migrated to Bangalore; four
daughters are married and live with their
husbands. But my last daughter, though
married, is a heart patient and was
declared untreatable in Bangalore. So my
husband and another person from the
village brought her back home. She now
lives with her husband, while we live
with this sadness every day of our lives."
"When I
was small, Chilika had lots of fish. We
had enough to eat -- and then some. We
even managed to save money to spend
during festivals and other occasions. But
in 1995-96 things began to change. The
government began to give Chilika on
lease, and because we had no money to
buy a lease we were left out.
"Most fishermen belong to the
Prathamik Matsajeev Samnavaya Samiti.
This society takes parts of the lake on
lease from the government-run Fish Fed,
and then, in turn, leases to smaller fish-
ermen. But the lease system fluctuates --
sometimes the Fish Fed gives the lease,
sometimes it is the district collector."
Fighting for
Chilika
Environment & people August 2011 29
Says gram panchayat worker Ranjit
Samal: "Our problems include a drop in
fish, crab and prawn production in
Chilika, and the 10% hike in lease value
by the government. The six types of leas-
es -- dian, uthapani, saharat, janav, khon-
da and bahan-i -- are hardly helping mat-
ters."
Mangu Kafi, a gram panchayat work-
er from Rebananuagon, says traditional
fishermen have no power to intervene.
The government has opened a new sea
mouth, but the dredging now allows
fresh water from Chilika to mix with the
saline sea water, further damaging
Chilika's biodiversity. "Also, while earlier
floods cleaned the lake they are now rare
because there's hardly any water in the
lake. The ensuing high salinity is another
reason for declining fish catch.
Eventually, it is us the fishermen -- at the
end of things -- who suffer."
Banamali Jana, a gram panchayat
worker from nearby Alupatana, says the
Chilika Development Authority set up by
the government of Orissa doles out a lot
of money to develop the lake but it seems
to benefit no one. "Only tourists benefit
-- from jetties, guesthouses, fancy boats
for sight-seeing, museums, parks, path-
ways"
"In 1951, the government used to
give Prathamik Matsajeev Samnavaya
Samiti a three-year lease; now it is just
one year and we have to bid for it every
year. Some get it, and those who don't
have money or clout don't. In 1991, the
Orissa government took a decision that
30% of the area of Chilika around our vil-
lages would be given to non-fishermen.
But they forgot that the shoreline is the
most productive area for us. The coming
together of unscrupulous politicians and
bureaucrats, together with non-tradi-
tional fishermen and illegal shrimp and
prawn traders and companies is slowly
driving us to penury, hunger and extinc-
tion," says Maghi.
Fed up with the status quo and the
unending daily travails, in 1992 Maghi
Mantri began to mobilise local village
women around issues that mattered to
them -- food security, unemployment
and penury, health and education. "Shri
Umakant Mohanty, secretary of Gopi
Nath Jivak Sangh, a local NGO, took me
under his wing and encouraged me to go
to my people to shake them out of their
inertia. He was constantly urging me to
think, to decide, and to act. Not to just
sit; to do something! So, very shakily, I
began to go from house to house and
speak to other women and their families.
But the traditional mindset of our
women, along with the resistance the
men put up, made things very difficult
for me initially. Nobody came forward
until, desperate and frustrated, I began
to berate them about how whining about
problems was not going to solve them.
This shook the women
out of their self-doubt,
and gradually some began
to come forward to join
hands with me," she says
with a smile.
So, in 1992, Maghi
Mantri set up two small
self-help groups (SHGs) --
Maa Tarini and Maa Kali
Jai -- whose members
contributed rice and Rs 2
per month. "Earlier there
were 30 members, but
now we have a dedicated
strength of 15 members
each in Maa Tarini and
Maa Kali Jai," she says.
"When we started I had to
speak to the women
secretly by gathering
them in my house. But
when other women saw
its success, they also
began joining. Of course
the men opposed the
idea, but we didn't stop."
After six months of
saving, Gopi Nath Jivak
Sangh helped get a loan of Rs 8,000 from
the bank. "The money was used to make
dry fish by salting it. It is more valuable.
We made a profit of Rs 5 per kilo after
meeting all our expenses (no, I don't
remember the exact sum, unfortunate-
ly!)." They loaned a portion of the profits
to village fishermen, at a minimum rate
of interest, so that they could buy nets,
baats (weights) and other implements.
They even loaned money to non-fisher-
men, who used the money to buy seeds,
fertiliser, paddy, etc. "The fishermen tell
us they mainly use loans to repair fishing
nets and boats, to seek medical help for
their sick children, to pay school fees, for
marriages and other social ceremonies,
Environment & people August 2011 30
and to improve crops. Because there are
just not enough funds they can source,"
says Maghi.
Since the amount available for loans
with the SHGs is small, all members do
not borrow at the same time; the group
decides on the sequence based on the
urgency of need. The next person can
borrow only when a loanee has repaid his
loan. The deposit in the bank now is
almost Rs 100,000. Strange as it may
sound, the SHGs loaned money on a pri-
ority to men who used the money to
advance their businesses, and returned
the money with interest. "This actually
inspired their women!" says Maghi.
But the SHGs have not meant an end
to their problems. Most fishermen still
have no pattas (title deeds) to their
homesteads, no land for agriculture,
only a lower primary school, and medical
facilities that are 4 km away, in
Panaspada. The community health cen-
tre (CHC) is in Kiranya, 14 km away.
Because of the large number of water-
bodies around, diseases like malaria,
jaundice, skin diseases and gastric prob-
lems are common. The village has only a
tubewell for its water supply.
"I earn Rs 1,500 per month as a man-
ual labourer; there's no option but to
adjust. Sometimes my son-in-law helps
support the family. Because of our BPL
card we get rations that allow us to get
by. Otherwise, there's only my husband's
old age pension -- Rs 200 per month,"
says Maghi.
K Alleya, general secretary of the
Orissa Traditional Fish Workers' Union
(OTFWU), is all praise for Maghi and her
band of women. "We are determined to
protect our way of life. Today, these
women have come forward; tomorrow
they could be important stepping stones
for us to organise ourselves if we do not
want to be squeezed by ports, tourist
hotels, SEZs or steel and power plants.
Where is the space for keotas (tradition-
al fisherfolk) to continue in their tradi-
tional profession?"
"Apart from economic security, our
groups are slowly becoming nodal points
for mobilisation," agrees Maghi. "The
women -- and men -- have discovered
that they need to come together to find
collective solutions to their individual
problems, such as unemployment and
debt. This is our way of striving to get
our Chilika back. But will we have to give
our entire lives to dharnas and rallies,"
she asks, her rheumy eyes glinting in the
wavering candlelight. No one seems to
have an answer for that -- yet.
(Aditya Malaviya is a Bhopal-based
journalist and researcher)
Fruits play a major role in detoxify-
ing your system, supplying you with a
great deal of energy for weight loss and
other life activities. We all think
eating fruits means just buying
fruits, cutting it and just popping it into
our mouths. It's not as easy as you
think. It's important to know how and
when to eat.
You must have heard people com-
plaining - Every time I eat watermelon
I burp. or When I eat a banana I feel
like running to the toilet. etc.
Actually all this will not arise if you
eat the fruit on an empty stomach. The
fruit mixes with the putrefying other
food and produces gas and hence you
will bloat! The minute the fruit comes
into contact with the food in the stom-
ach and digestive juices, the entire
mass of food begins to spoil. Graying
hair, balding, nervous outburst, and dark
circles under the eyes all these will NOT
happen if you take fruits on an empty
stomach. Other points to remember are
Eating a whole fruit is better than
drinking the juice.
When you need to drink fruit juice -
drink only fresh fruit juice,
NOT from the cans.
Don't drink juice that has been heated
up.
Let the juice mix with your saliva
before swallowing it.
Don't eat cooked fruits because you
don't get the nutrients at all. You only
get taste. Cooking destroys all the vita-
mins.
You can go on a 3-day fruit fast to
cleanse your body. Just eat
fruits and drink fruit juice through-
out the 3 days and you will
be surprised when your friends tell
you how radiant you look!
Environment & people August 2011 31
04 10th International Conference on Sustainable Energy Technologies ISTANBUL Turkey
05 Spatial Ecology & Conservation Birmingham United Kingdom
05 Towards carfree cities Guadalajara Mexico
06 Agritech Asia Mumbai India
06 Landscape Ecology and Ecosystem Services Telford United Kingdom
08 Global Vision, Local Action Bournemouth United Kingdom
08 12th International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology (CEST2011)
Rhodes Greece
08 International Conference for Environment Centres Sydney Australia
09 Emergent Critical Environments: Where Next for Ecology and the Humanities? London
10 International Conference on Environmental Aspect of Bangladesh (and the World)
Kitakyushu Japan
10 2nd International Academic Consortium for Sustainable Cities Symposium 2011 Penang
Malaysia
11 The 19th International Conference on Environmental Indicators (September 11-14th,
2011) (ISEI) Haifa Israel
12 2011 International Conference on Creativity and Innovation for Sustainable Development
Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
12 3rd Symposium on Environmental Weeds & Invasive Plants (Intractable Weeds and Plant
Invaders) Ticino Switzerland
12 B4E Business for the Environment Climate Summit 2011 London United Kingdom
13 Adapting to Coastal Change: local perspectives The Hague Netherlands
13 1st International Conference on Lake Sustainability New Forest United Kingdom
13 Global Challenges for Education: Economics, Environment & Emergency Oxford United
Kingdom
14 IV International Conference on Environmental, Industrial and Applied Microbiology
(BioMicroWorld2011) Torremolinos Spain
16 International Conference on Membranes: Environmental and Biological Applications
(ICM-2011) Kottayam India
16 Wild Law Conference Brisbane Australia
16 2011 4th International Conference on Environmental and Computer Science (ICECS 2011)
Singapore Singapore
16 2011 International Conference on Biotechnology and Environment Management (ICBEM
2011) Singapore Singapore
19 Financing Sustainable Housing and Community Development San Francisco California
19 Zhejiang-Alberta Life Science Forum - Human Health Risk Assessment, Food Safety,
Environmental Contamination Hangzhou China
19 19th International Conference on Modelling, Monitoring and Management of Air Pollution
Malta Malta
19 II. International Conference on Air Pollution and Control Antalya Turkey
19 Energy from Waste London United Kingdom
19 Climate Changes and Natural Hazards in Mountain Areas MOUNTAINHAZARDS 2011
Dushanbe Tajikistan
20 2011 Peace, Environment and Tourism Conference Pokhara Nepal
21 International Tourism Sustainability Conference 2011: Embracing Social and
Environmental Change --The Influence and Role of Tourism Balaclava Mauritius
21 4th European Conference: Innovations in the Environmental Sector Brussels Belgium
23 2011 3rd International Conference on Chemical, Biological and Environmental
Engineering (ICBEE 2011) Chengdu China
26 PHAA 41st Annual Conference - Sustainable Population Health Brisbane Australia
Environmental
Conferences in
September
Environment & people August 2011 32
Global Food Consumption
This cartoon is part of our special project on the Millennium Development Goals. It is based on this sketch by a high
school student
Enjoy the Beach!
After the largest oil spill in U. S. history, the consequences for nature and human health cannot be foreseen.
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www.cartoonmovement.com
Environment & People RNI - 63997/94