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Editorial
Advisors Narne Prabhakar Kaza Krishna Rao Dr. N. Harinath Dr. V. Haraprasad
Advisory Board M. Gopala Krishna, IAS (Retd.) C.S. Ramalakshmi, I.F.S, Dr. N. Bhaskara Rao Prof. P.G. Sastry Er. G. Prabhakar Prof. D.N. Reddy Dr. Rameshwar Rao
CORONAVIRUS AND COMMON PEOPLE hough Corona Virus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) originated in China, it spread like wild-
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fire within few weeks throughout the world taking a toll of tens of thousands of human lives. This is an unprecedented event in the recent past throwing a great challenge to
humanity in dealing with this dreaded disease. This is the first time developed countries are
S. Raghupathy Prof. I.V. Muralikrishna
equally threatened by uncertainty and instability as developing countries. This is the biggest public health crisis that engulfed every country after 1918-20 “Spanish Flu” pandemic. This crisis
Editor
has raised many fundamental questions before the present day world leadership; the foremost
Dr. P. Narayana Rao
question being is the unabated accumulation of wealth in a few hands more important than access Associate Editors
to health for all hands of humankind. Coronavirus has proved that rich cannot escape the Severe
Sweta Pendyala
Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) if it originates anywhere in the world. In 1944, ILO’s state-
Dr. B.Ramana Naik
ment that “poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere “ was restated by WHO in Sub - editor
changed circumstances as “ A health threat anywhere is a health threat everywhere “ while dis-
Swarajyam P.
cussing on epidemic and pandemic prone diseases in 2018.
Design arcongraphics@gmail.com
Government of India has taken early steps in prevention and control of this pandemic compared to many nations in the world. It declared 21 days lockdown on 24th March followed by enforcement of series of regulations in the country’s COVID-19 effected regions. An estimated
Edited, Printed & Published by P. Narayana Rao on behalf of society for
139 million migrant workers from the villages who are working in the cities and towns were left
environment and education, hyderabad.
with no livelihood. Some of them walked hundreds of miles to go back to their native places. The guidelines issued by the authorities to prevent the spread of this disease are posing new chal-
Address for communication 302, Padma Nilayam,
lenges to the common people particularly the poor who do not have running water and soap for
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continuous hand wash and adequate food for improving the resistance to counter the above dis-
Hyderabad - 500 028.
ease and they don’t have the luxury of living conditions to follow “social distancing” in their
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fight for survival. This virus has also posed a challenge to the capacity our public health system
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to cope with the large scale spread of this disease. This is the high time for all the “Haves” to come to the rescue of the “Have-nots” in this unforeseen humanitarian crisis. Last, but not the
(The views expressed by authors may not be necessarily be the same as those of
least , let us salute the brave health personnel risking their lives who are the real heroes in this
magazine)
momentous occasion. April 2020
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Environment & people
content
The world: Through Pandemics & Pandemonium
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COVID-19 IS NEW,CORONAVIRUS ISN'T
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Step Into Nature's Lap: The Top Ecotourism Destinations In India
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COVID-19: Join Bengaluru Volunteers in Providing Essentials to 500 Needy Families
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TBI Green Influencers: Nutritionist Neha Shares What’s Best For Young Millennials
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Earth Day: A day to sit Coronavirus: 6 Crucial Indian Govt, WHO Guidelines for Your Home & Office 14
up and take serious action.
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A journey towards better Himalayas
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Humanity’s last chance to save biodiversity?
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Using Nanotech, Chennai
Pandemics a product of human practices
Environment & people
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April 2020
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Engineers Are Producing Potable Water From Thin Air!
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Eco IQ
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Eco cartoons
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Handwashing in water-stressed countries major challenge in fight against Covid-19
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Boost Immunity! 7 Traditional Antibiotics You Must Have in Your Kitchen As a preventive care in the times of covid-19, include foods such as ginger and clove which are natural antibiotics in your everyday diet. CHARU CHOWDHARY ith the COVID-19 Pandemic on the rise, precautionary measures such as home-quarantine and social distancing have become a necessity. Along with that, the need of the hour is to focus on including traditional foods that act as natural antibiotics into our daily diets. It’s time to invest in our health by taking to foods that we don’t normally pay heed to. From spices to fruits, here are the top foods that are natural antibiotics and super helpful in building immunity.
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1. Honey Honey has great antibacterial properties and helps greatly when you have an infection. One of the main antibiotic components in honey is peroxide which helps fight many different kinds of bacteria. Also, it’s a great wound healer when applied topically.
2. Ginger From treating cold and flu to helping fight nausea and vomiting, ginger is an incredible natural antibiotic. Whether you have it in your tea, smoothie or put small chunks in your curries, having a small amount of this superfood is highly recommended. 3. Clove A favourite among grandparents, cloves were traditionally used greatly for dental problems. However, clove is also known to effectively fight bacteria such as S. aureus and E.coli. 4. Garlic The best way to reap the benefits of garlic is to have it raw, like in salads. If that’s too much for you, try adding them to your soups and curries on a daily basis. Garlics have great preventative and curative properties and are super effective in fighting off all sorts of bacteria, viruses and infections. 5. Cinnamon Cinnamon has antibiotic properties and
is especially effective in fighting off yeast infections. The best way to have them in throwing in a few sticks into your tea everyday. 6.Vitamin C Whether you’re a fruit lover or not, loading up on fruits with Vitamin C is the need of the hour. Fruits such as oranges and pineapples are great immunity boosters; have at least a couple of them in a week. The juice from these fruits are also great for your health. 7. Oregano Who knew our favourite Italian seasoning was a great antibiotic superhero. Oregano is known to strengthen immunity, packs in a huge amount of antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. Sprinkle them onto your salads and soups; or better yet, cook your food in oregano oil if you can lay your hands on them. These natural, traditional antibiotic foods should be a regular part of your diet if you wish for better all-round health. (Source: thebetterindia.com)
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While most of the world has already denounced COVID-19 to be the worst pandemic we have dealt with so far, let's delve into the past to see if there has been a pattern in which they appear, and how forest & wildlife encroachment get us more vulnerable to these catastrophic pandemics. Sujauddin Darbar ecent years of scientific studies have evidently proved that there's an unmediated link between the exploitation of nature and its detrimental effects on human lives. As the world is trying to scram away from the torments of the Covid-19 pandemic, it's only a matter of time until we run into a new
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undiscovered set of diseases. As Dennis Carroll quotes in his docuseries on Netflix by the name of 'Pandemic: How to Prevent an Outbreak',' "When we talk about another flu pandemic happening, it's not a matter of 'if' but 'when.'" Although Covid-19 has already caused innumerable damage, and has put the entire world on an abrupt standstill, it is only an iota of what The Black Death perpetrated in the 13th century. Also known as the Bubonic Plague, it wiped out almost a third of Europe's population. Unsurprisingly, the pious populace of the Medieval times impulsively claimed it to be God's punishment. It was only until the 18th century, when the human kind finally started understanding the cause of it. Today, scientists understand that the disease is transmitted by bites from fleas infected with the bacterium Yersinia pestis. It is most prevalent in wild rodents, but humans can also get infected from flea bites. Besides, according to researchers in Kenya, the rodents in agricultural areas are nearly twice as likely to test positive for plague as those tested in conserved forest sites. By changing the vegetation cover of the Earth's landscapes by clearing forests for agriculture, the medieval people made themselves a lot more susceptible to the plague. Since the latter of the 20th century, Malaria has become infamous for being the largest killer of children, Unicef claims that Malaria kills one child every second. World Health Organisation defines Malaria as "a life-threatening disease caused by Plasmodium Parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites infected by female Anopheles mosquitoes." But what's interesting is that a
report by National Geography claims that deforestation acts as a catalyst in the widespread of Malaria. The same report suggests that a 10 per cent increase in deforestation leads to a 3.3 per cent increase in malaria incidence. Deforestation increases the incidents of malaria because it creates several favourable conditions for the Anopheles mosquitoes to breed, which gives them more room to proliferate. These mosquitoes being the super-spreaders, traverse across vast lands to infect millions of people with Malaria. "Human Immunodeficiency Virus also continues to be a global health issue, it has so far claimed 32 million lives," says World Health Organisation. HIV, just like most of the other diseases, is also a result of the intervention of the natural habitat of animals. An international team of researchers from the University of Alabama, led by Dr Beatrice Hahn, traced the roots of HIV-1 to a virus found in a subspecies of chimpanzee. The disease was passed on when human hunters killed the Chimpanzees and caught the virus after eating them or having contact with their blood. Furthermore, by destroying primate habitats, those responsible for forest clearance caused HIV to take up residence in humans. HIV spread to humans when deforestation decimated ape and monkey populations, causing the HIV virus to adopt humans as an abundant alternative host. The origin of Covid-19 is still obfuscated with different controversial theories involving politics and bio-war. But according to Wired.uk, "The disease appears to have originated from a Wuhan seafood market where wild animals, including marmots, birds, rabbits, bats and snakes, are traded illegally. Although the hunt
for the animal source of Covid-19 is still unknown." As the dust clears, the humankind will soon find the true origins of Covid-19. Regardless of what it is, history has taught us that forest encroachment always goes hand-inglove with the discovery of new diseases. The truth is that Chimpanzees, Rodents, Bats & Mosquitos are not the only animals that have caused pandemics. According to researchers, 60 per cent of new infectious diseases that emerge in people including Ebola, Nipah, Coronavirus et cetra are transmitted by a range of other animals. Besides this, in a 2015 study, researchers at Ecohealth Alliance said,"nearly one in three outbreaks of new and emerging disease[s] are linked to land-use change like deforestation," Many viruses exist harmlessly with their host animals in forests, because the animals have coevolved with them. But humans can become unwitting hosts for pathogens when they venture into or change forest habitat. Pandemics is not a natural phenomenon, it is made by humans. According to Source Book of Medical History, "The earliest recorded pandemics have rooted back to 430 BC, starting from Athens." The occurring of these pandemics have been ebb & flow ever since human kind started exploiting nature for its own advantage. It's time that world plays its 'wise' card by learning from the past and putting an end to exploitation of nature. Otherwise, nature always has a way to fight back, and when it does, it costs us a fortune.
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A look at the history of epidemics and pandemics that caused damaged to humankind Akshat Thonangi There are certain defining moments in our lifetime, where we as humans, tend to pause and reflect on what we've managed to accomplish up until now and think about prospects in-store or more importantly, ponder upon our existence or what life has meant to us. Some of the aforementioned 'moments' are the epidemics that mankind has stood witness to in the past. We did make tremendous scientific progress and, after its 3000-year existence, in 1980, the WHO declared Smallpox as eradicated. It is by far the only human disease to be declared so. "As for adults, those born before 1957 probably got the measles because there was no vaccine back then," as per the report General Recommendations on Immunization: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Environment & people
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(ACIP)(1994) published by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As compiled by Wordflix, the word 'Pandemic' has Greek origins; Pan-Demos, meaning "all people." It is so-called because it's a disease that affects everyone in a given region. WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom said, "We have never before seen a pandemic sparked by a coronavirus, this is the first of its kind. And we have never before seen a pandemic that can be controlled, at the same time." (sic.) Now, back to where it all began, a version of the Bubonic Plague, the Black Death
(1346-1353), was the most devastating pandemic in human history. Mainly caused due to rodents, it swept through Asia, Europe, Africa and gradually to Scandinavia. Epidemiological statistics show that the tumour turmoil killed between 75-100 million people. Surprisingly, as something that went almost unreported by the media, the most recent death took place in 2019, in Mongolia. Legend has it that some citizens blamed the plague on Empress Theodora, saying "It was a punishment from God, for her sexual promiscuity," as per the research The Soldier's Life: Martial Virtues and
Hegemonic Masculinity in the Byzantine Empire by Stewart, Michael. (2012). The year 1918-19 saw a record number of deaths owing to the Influenza's influence, alongside Typhus, shortly after World War-I. A typhus outbreak requires the occurrence of both body louse outbreak and a case of bacteraemic typhus. These two conditions are often combined in wartime, where stress, lack of hygiene and no changing of clothes during the winter months are common. Speaking of apocalyptic wars, soldiers who returned to the Roman empire, after fighting in Western Asia, brought back a new enemy to battle against, the Antonine Plague. It killed 2,000 people per day, at its pinnacle. The role of insects in transmitting diseases to man was demonstrated when Ronald Ross, a British military doctor, showed that mosquitoes transmit malaria. What could arguably be touted as one of the most memorable modern-day 'occurrences' as a euphemism for an anomaly, is in the form of a remedial process called quarantining. Of course, what's taking place today could be considered nonpareil, as far as contemporary times are concerned. The concept of quarantine came about when experts had no scientific understanding of contagion. It had to be something to do with proximity, didn't it? "At first, sailors were held on their ships for 30 days, which became known in Venetian law as a trentino. As time went on, the Venetians increased the forced isolation to 40 days or a quarantino, the origin of the word quarantine and the start of its practice in the Western world," as told by Thomas Mockaitis, to various publishers. In recent years, the 2013-16 West African Ebola outbreak made headlines, but second world nations seemed to have remained largely unperturbed since authorities had managed to contain it within the continent. But, did we trace back to its origins? Adducing, the Cocoliztli (1545-1548 & 1578-1578): This is categorised in a group of ailments called viral haemorrhagic fever. A
family of illnesses that continues to attack humanity, with viruses like Ebola. Lastly, an abstract from 'Coinfection of H1N1 Influenza and Scrub Typhus: A Review', QJM: An International Journal of Medicine(2020), says, "The (H1N1) influenza outbreak in the year 2009 coincided with typical scrub typhus season in North India. This led to diagnostic difficulties due to their similar and non-specific symptoms. A systematic review of the database yielded one case
diseases (such as malaria) in certain areas. Scientists say that diseases which have adapted and can live between species (inter-species), are nearly impossible to eradicate. It would be hard to imagine as to how India would've reacted to COVID19, if it hit us, let's say, in the 80s or 90s. Far more people would've probably perished, primarily due to the lack of a steadfast communication framework, medical infrastructure or perhaps a mul-
of scrub typhus and H1N1 influenza coinfection reported from South Korea." The Swine Flu killed nine people in February 2020. It kind of got brushed under the carpet, with everything else that has supposedly taken precedence. "I found there was information about some number of people dying of swine flu in Meerut. Flu is not a disease," said UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in a statement. So, why do such cemetery-exhausting pandemics break out? The roots lie in sociocultural and political issues along with our workplace environment. Climate change, i.e. increase in global temperatures would increase the risk of
tidimensional crisis management strategy in place, and of course, the media's prevalence. However, it could be argued that there was significantly lesser transportation and immigration. Mass migration has almost become the new norm, including the refugee crisis in Asia and Europe. Therefore, governments have started imposing unprecedented travel bans and have come up with experimental 'contact tracing' and 'isolation' action plans. Millions of people are living closer than ever, and yet, it's in our best interest to keep at bay from one another.
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The entire world has come to a standstill due to the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Let us look at how various outbreaks of corona viruses have affected us throughout history. M Sai Madhur o say that 2020 has been an eventful year so far would also be a massive understatement. A lot of us were initially shocked at the prospects of a disease that can cause respiratory-tract-infections and be responsible for thousands of deaths worldwide, with mere human-contact to exist in the world. It was baffling that a microorganism would confine all of us in our homes, and halt the world. As we are adjusting to this new routine, we are also consuming a plethora of information and misinformation about this pandemic that is going around online. A video of a 2018 South Korean Drama My Secret Terrius, where a character talks about how a mutant coronavirus would be lethal enough to destroy the world, has become viral, leaving the viewers perplexed about how a K-Drama would predict something as heinous as this, two years ago. The point that should not to be missed is that while COVID-19 is new, coronavirus isn't.
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The origins of the discovery of coronavirus can be traced back to 1930s when domesticated chickens were infected by an acute respiratory infection caused by Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV). Mobile Hepatitis Virus (MHV) and Transmissible Gastroenteritis Virus (TGEV) were discovered in the 1940s, which also affected animals. The foremost cases of coronaviruses affecting humans were discovered in the 1960s when patients of common cold were tested. HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-229E are the viruses responsible for the common cold, with the former infecting cattle and the latter infecting bats along with humans. These were the only two human-coronaviruses known until the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), that was first detected in China, in 2002. SARS, an enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus which infects the epithelial cells within the lungs, was first identified when a farmer was believed to be an intermediary of civets to cave-dwelling horseshoe bats in the Shunde district of Foshan County, in Guangdong in the Yunnan Province of China in November 2002. Initially deemed to be cases of atypical pneumonia, it spread throughout China with the turn of the year. The Republic of China was criticized for notifying WHO, after three months of the outbreak and also notoriously downplaying the number of victims that the illness had claimed. The outbreak of SARS
COV-1 peaked in mid-February and over the next few months, it had spread across 29 countries with 8437 people contracting it, while 813 had succumbed to the epidemic, according to a report by WHO. One of the reports by WHO also suggests that China and Hong Kong were the most affected with 5,327 cases and 349 deaths in the former; and 1,755 cases and 299 deaths in the latter. The symptoms that the patients experienced were headaches, fever, and a type of pneumonia that could cause respiratory failure, the likes of which were ambiguous to the medical fraternity by then, subsequently creating a tremendous amount of disarray and panic. However, with effective measures taken by countries collectively to quarantine and isolate people with the illness, the person-to-person transmission of SARS was declared to be contained by WHO; on July 5, 2003. A year after the declaration by WHO that SARS had ceased to exist, a new species of Coronavirus was identified in the winter of 2004 in the Netherlands, when a sevenmonth-old child showed symptoms suggesting respiratory tract infection (coryza, conjunctivitis, and fever), while his chest X-ray showed typical features of bronchiolitis. The virus was identified as a member of the Coronaviridae family by a group of Dutch scientists and was subsequently named as HCoV-NL63. The virus, found primarily in young children, and immunocompromised
patients also had a seasonal association in temperate climates. A study performed in Amsterdam estimated its existence in approximately 4.7 per cent of common respiratory illnesses. In January 2005, a 71-yearold in Hong Kong was hospitalised with acute respiratory distress and radiographically confirmed bilateral pneumonia, and was later identified to have been infected by Human Coronavirus-HKU1 (HCoV-HKU1). Phylogenetic analysis of the genomic sequence of the virus was similar to MHV and unique from the other coronaviruses that affected humans. The symptoms included community-acquired pneumonia, common cold, and bronchiolitis. While SARS, HCoVNL63 use ACE2 receptor to enter its host cell, it was detected that HCoV-HKU1; also an enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus was found to enter its host cell by binding to the N-acetyl-9-O-acetylneuraminic acid receptor. The severity and escalation of the infection of both HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-HKU1 varied from SARS, and were less harmful than the 2002-03 epidemics. Seven years later, a viral respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus - MERSCoV was first detected in Saudi Arabia in 2012. The symptoms included fever, cough and shortness of breath with some patients also indicating gastrointestinal symptoms. Some reported cases of MERS-CoV were also reported to be asymptomatic (no signs or clinical symptoms but test positive for the infection). "Although most human cases of MERS-CoV infections have been attributed to human-to-human infections in health care settings, current scientific evidence suggests that dromedary camels are a major reservoir host for MERS-CoV and an animal source of MERS infection in humans. However, the exact role of dromedaries in the transmission of the virus and the exact route(s) of transmission is unknown", stated a report by WHO on the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. Since 2012, the MERS-CoV has spread across 27 countries, infecting 2,494 people, claiming 854 lives, with approximately 80% of the cases being reported in Saudi Arabia. The mortality rate of MERSCoV has been the highest when compared to all other coronaviruses, killing 35 per cent of the total number of people infected. Towards the end of 2019, the health-care
authorities of Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province in China reported a cluster of pneumonia cases of an unknown cause on December 31, 2019. The cases were connected to the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, so the virus was thought to have had a zoonotic genesis. "The virus (termed SARS-CoV-2) shares 88% sequence identity to two coronaviruses found in bats, batSLCoVZC45 and bat-SL-CoVZXC21, 79% identity with the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) coronavirus and 50% identity with Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus", reported an article in the European Journal of Immunology. The symptoms exhibited by the infected patients included fever, dry cough, fatigue and shortness of breath with some patients showing signs of gastrointestinal problems. The virus was found to be extremely contagious and spread among humans via small droplets produced through coughs, sneezes, and touches. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on January 30, 2020. It was renamed as SARS CoV-2 by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses on February 11, 2020; since viruses are named based on their genetic structure to facilitate the development of diagnostic tests,
vaccines and medicines, according to ICTV. The World Health Organisation had a different opinion on naming the virus to be SARS CoV-2 and decided to use the name COVID19 to communicate with the public. "From a risk communications perspective, using the name SARS can have unintended consequences in terms of creating unnecessary fear for some populations, especially in Asia which was worst affected by the SARS outbreak in 2003. For that and also other reasons, WHO has begun referring to the virus as "the virus responsible for COVID-19" or "the COVID-19 virus" when communicating with the public. Neither of these designations is intended as replacements for the official name of the virus as agreed by the ICTV", stated WHO on its announcement on 11th February 2020. WHO recognised COVID-19 to be a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Although all the aforementioned viruses are part of the same family, they vary in severity and fatality. COVID-19 has had the largest reach both in terms of the number of cases reported and the countries that it has affected. Fortunately, the mortality rate of COVID-19 has been estimated to be around 2-3 percent, which is the lowest as compared to 10 per cent in SARS, and 35 percent in MERS. Nonetheless, with the gargantuan number of victims because of COVID-19, the deaths alone have mounted to 4x the number of cases reported due to SARS and MERS collectively, as on April 1, 2020. While China was the epicentre of COVID-19 till the end of February, the momentum had shifted to Europe with Italy being the worsthit in the first 2 weeks of March, the epicentre has now moved further west, with the USA reporting more than 2,00,000 positive cases. The lessons from the fight against SARS and MERS are quite evident. Without the availability of the vaccine, the only way to stop the spread is to quarantine the affected patients. Millions of healthcare professionals from around the world have been at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19. The severity of the pandemic has forced several countries including India with a population of 1.3 billion people, to enforce a complete lockdown, and to urge the citizens to practice social distancing and break the chain to stop the spread. As the world continues to be at war with COVID19, the only way out for us is to stay in.
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We are all being told that the best way to keep coronavirus at bay is washing hands with soap and water several times a day; authorities need to quickly come up with solutions for the large number of Indians who do not have access to enough clean water. Ambika Vishwanath unty, tera saboon slow hai kya?” (“Bunty, is your soap slow?”), is the catch phrase of a popular TV ad. It shows a group of schoolchildren in a summer camp being instructed to wash their hands. Through it all, the tap is left running. Bunty vigorously scrubs his hands, claiming his mother says we must wash our hands for a minimum of one minute to be germ-free. His friend comes up and informs Bunty teasingly that it only requires 10 seconds with the advertised brand of soap. This popular messaging about hand washing in India typically ranges between 10 seconds for a ‘fast’ soap and a minute for a ‘slow’ soap. Considering the ongoing pandemic brought about by the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), one of the easiest ways to protect oneself is by maintaining the highest standards of hygiene. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised 20 seconds as the ideal time for washing hands, to be done regularly several times a day. It seems rather obvious. All of us wash our hands. In this age of the Covid-19 epidemic, while people are avoiding handshakes, touching surfaces is unavoidable. And, when you set out to think about everything we touch, the number of times you want to then sanitise your hands or wash them with soap and water increases exponentially. The Indian market, as many others globally, has already seen a spike in the demand for hand-sanitisers, almost swept clean from retail stores in major cities, forcing more people in both urban and rural areas to depend on soap and water, to have a fighting chance to ward off Covid-19. But in a water-stressed country such as India, with such lopsided messaging about hand washing, which focuses more on soaps than on efficient water-use behaviour, there is a great risk that we will run out of stocks of clean water before stocks of ‘fast’ or ‘slow’ soaps. Taps are likely to be kept open
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longer, and there is an absence of proper messaging towards the need to conserve water. It needs to go hand in hand. Covid-19, likened by many to the devastating Spanish Flu (1918- 1920), has engulfed the world at the start of the new decade. Countries are shutting down borders, trade has reduced, it is expected that several airlines are likely to go bankrupt. Tourism, hospitality and retail industries have taken a massive hit. ‘Flattening the curve’ and ‘social distancing’ are being advocated to arrest the spread of the pandemic, along with the highest standards of hygiene, the first line of defence. If we look at the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in the present context, good health and well-being (SDG 3) has become of prime importance for nations and is suddenly a topic of conversation beyond the development sector. However, there needs to be concerted national and global efforts to align this with core aspects of several other SDGs, including clean water and sanitation (SDG 6), reduced inequalities (SDG 10), sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11) and responsible consumption and production (SDG 12). The focus of targeted messaging on effective and sustainable hand washing practices must therefore include not only steps to describe specific points on the hands to be scrubbed, but also the importance of not having water running while lathering. For example, we may lather for 20 second with the tap closed and then rinse. Unfortunately, the current batch of videos showing celebrities endorsing good hygiene, in almost every case, also show water running through the entire process. Disappointingly, even a WHO video on YouTube shows a woman lathering in the prescribed manner while the tap keeps running and the water keeps going waste. In India some of the urban centres and states that have logged the highest number of cases thus far are also most prone to drought as summer approaches. These include Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. The 2019 drought, which saw close to 50% of India severely affected, included Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Haryana. Chennai faced one of the worst water stress situations with the city running dry in early 2019; Bangalore
and Delhi are both severely water stressed and also large crowded urban centres with rising cases of virus infections. The rising incidence of Covid-19 infections in Maharashtra, which has faced successive droughts over the past few years, is another case in point. Many cities are also home to a large number of urban poor in slums and overcrowded shanties that do not have access to piped water. At best, they are supplied through a common tap for every lane, for about 30 minutes a day. In rural areas, maintaining the required standards of hygiene is an even greater problem as water is often carried physically by individual female family members from the source to the house. A 2017 WaterAid study on hand washing in rural India, which looked at hand hygiene related knowledge and practices in four Indian states, found
floods and droughts will only add more water-related stress on the evolving health care situation. The access to safe and clean water is a prime requisite towards fighting the Covid-19 situation in India, and other water-stressed countries in the region, especially in Bangladesh. Dependent on India for almost the entirety of its transboundary river flows, the country was already planning to declare a water emergency in its northwest at the beginning of 2020, due to the fast-depleting groundwater table.
that at least 33% of respondents cited lack of access to water as a major barrier to hand washing. A considerably smaller 22% of respondents cited lack of access to soap as a major barrier to hand washing. In the present context, responses to Covid-19 must include a multi-track effort, from making our communities sustainable in terms of water use to bridging the gap between water insecurity and a health crisis. The Indian monsoon is still two-three months away, and the peak of the Covid-19 in the country is most likely to happen before that, running in parallel with peak summer. An already weak and insufficient sanitation coverage coupled with factors of climate change events such as recurring
various ministries especially health and water, service delivery partners and the social sector. A water-stressed situation as was seen in Chennai last year, for instance, in a Covid-19 scenario, will be the prime example of a public health disaster waiting to happen. If we cannot meet the core requirements of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a multitrack and concerted effort with effective partnerships across social, economic, water and health sectors, the only meaning of SDGs we will be left with, would be ‘Social Distancing Goals (SDGs)’, as the new normal of our times.
See: Bangladesh to declare water emergency in northwest A business-as-usual approach will have cascading effects on other sectors of the society and economy. The need of the hour is to prepare for any such eventuality well in advance, with better coordination between
(Source: thethirdpole.net)
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From sanitising stations to fumigation, every precaution is crucial for a safe, infection free environment. TANVI PATEL n 2010, the Government of India (GoI) released guidelines to control airborne diseases in healthcare and other settings. These guidelines were focused on tuberculosis prevention but are equally applicable when it comes to other airborne infections. We have curated a set of precautionary measures as recommended by the GoI and other major institutions like the WHO to ensure your office and home are safe places in these scary times.
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1. Conduct a facility risk assessment and rethink the use of available spaces Your premises must be well-ventilated, and as far as possible, the ventilation must be natural. Conduct risk assessments to identify weak spots in the premises- such as the traffic of employees or visitors. Also, proper disinfection stations should be stationed in crowded areas (more on that later). “Separate, well-ventilated waiting areas for respiratory symptomatic should be made available wherever possible… Waiting areas should be decompressed and moved out of poorly ventilated corridors,” suggest the GoI guidelines. 2.Ventilation to control airborne diseases Fresh air can dilute airborne particles (like droplet nuclei) in the room.
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“Improved ventilation in healthcare facilities is essential in preventing [the] transmission of airborne infections and is strongly recommended. Better ventilation lowers the risk of transmission of TB and other airborne infections,” states the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India. They further explain that if re-circulating air conditioners must be used, install an exhaust fan in the reverse direction to force fresh air inside the room.
best for hands that are visibly soiled,” says the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), USA.
3. Establish hygiene stations in convenient areas These stations must have masks and sanitisers. The soap dispenser in bathrooms needs to be designed in a way that soiled hands do not touch them. With the sanitisers and masks also comes the responsibility to mention how to use them. Put these instructions on a clear display. “Practice good hand hygiene protocols to avoid exposure to droplets, infected blood and body fluids, contaminated objects, or other contaminated environmental surfaces. Hand hygiene consists of washing with soap and water or using alcoholbased hand rubs containing at least 60% alcohol. Soap and water [are]
Inform people about the 20-second hand wash rule, about how they must avoid touching their mouth, eyes and nose and other precautionary measures to take. “Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing. When someone coughs or sneezes they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain the virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the person coughing has the disease,” recommends the World Health Organisation (WHO).
4. Inform your employees and visitors Spreading information is a crucial step to undertake during an airborne epidemic, especially when it comes to diseases like coronavirus, where the symptoms are not too serious (symptoms include fever, headache, cough, breathing difficulties), people should be aware.
eases The WHO recommends you stay home if you are unwell and showing signs of airborne diseases. This will protect other employees in your workspace. In such cases, make sure you inform the office admin so they can take quick, adequate measures to protect other employees of the area. At all times, follow the essential cough and sneezing etiquettes (doing it in a tissue and disposing of it properly and immediately). If you are coughing or sneezing, make sure you wear an N95 mask to not let droplets
risk the health of those around you. 6. Disinfection and fumigation Your workplaces and home need to be thoroughly disinfected and fumigated to ensure a hygienic environment. In workplaces, make sure the furniture, windows and doors are wiped clean with a reliable disinfectant. Fumigate premises after work hours. In such times, delay renovation or construction works. If any employees are showing any symptoms of an airborne disease, inform those who work with them. Disinfect their belongings and fumigate their room/cabin. (Source: thebetterindia.com)
5. Guidelines for people showing symptoms of airborne dis-
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ost of us must have come across the term Ecotourism at some point of time during our days while travelling. However, most people have a very brief idea of what exactly it is and how important it is to understand and what it actually means and entails. In simple terms, it is a form of tourism with an ecological conscience, which involves visiting fragile, peaceful and relatively untouched natural areas with an intention to support the conservation of these places. It is about observing the various kinds of flora and fauna in their natural habitats, which would actually reduce the impact of the ecological imbalance. Ecotourism is often implemented on a small scale and forms as a great alternative to the mainstream commercial tourism. Large-scale development has triggered an invasion of the green areas, which makes the survival of other species difficult, and this change directly harms the food cycle along with the habitats, which leads into a vulnerable existence in the ecosystem. Ecotourism isn't about staying in luxury resorts, dumping wastes in the streets and lakes, feed-
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ing wild animals, travelling in AC cars, destruction of habitats, which in turn disturbs the entire balance of the ecosystem, etc. We are talking about responsible tourism which asks you to trek, cycle, stay with the local tribes and experience the real jungle and learn how to conserve this. It is a brilliant way to experience the charm of an unadulterated natural bounty of the country and reduce the gap between the rural and urban India. So, take a look at some of the ecotourism places in India. Thenmala, Kerala This is the first planned ecotourism destination in the country. Thenmala offers you a combination of organised activities in the evergreen forests of the Shenduruny Wildlife Sanctuary and makes sure that every visitor has a memorable vacation here with activities such as trekking, rock climbing, jungle camping and much more. One can find a dedicated adventure zone, butterfly sanctuary, deer rehabilitation centre and a children's park area. Thenmala offers a one-of-a-kind holiday experience to those who love nature with its unique concept cleverly executed. Bisle Rainforests, Western Ghats The Western ghats is one of the major biodiversity hot-spots in the country. The Bisle rainforest is home to numerous snakes, birds and mammals. The dense forest area is covered with fog along with cool breeze, which is added on further by rains. Leeches are one amongst the creatures which you would come across and one should be prepared to have a face-to-face encounter with Wild elephants, Leopards and Wild dogs here. Tsomoriri Wetland Conservation Reserve, Ladakh Located at an altitude of 14,836 ft above sea level, the reserve showcases the best of Ladakh's beauty and its bounty. The place is thriving with an ecosystem which hosts many endemic species of birds and animals, in which many fall under the endangered category, making this place a unique habitat. The reserve is fed by the melted snow and natural springs and is surrounded by the
majestic mountains. The Tsomoriri lake and its surroundings are untouched by the human settlements and it is a place to be visited for its beautiful scenic vistas. Nagarhole National Park, Karnataka Located amidst the beautiful landscapes of Coorg, the national park is blessed with an unmatchable scenic beauty and is rich in wildlife, which makes it an ideal place for the wildlife enthusiasts. It is a place which is less crowded, but has plenty to offer. Nagarhole is one such place which is home to tigers, leopards, elephants, deer, etc., and it forms an excellent combination of dense forests along with open river banks. Sundarban National Park, West Bengal Well known as the home of the Royal Bengal Tiger, the Sundarbans is a swampy delta which can be found at the meeting point of Brahmaputra and Ganga rivers. The place also hosts a beautiful tangle of mangrove forests along with a number of jungle islands, which is home to large number of exotic animals and migratory birds that make it a very unique biosphere reserve. Kokrebellur, Karnataka The village is an excellent example to showcase the relationship between humans and threatened birds like the Spot Billed Pelican and the Painted Storks. The villagers allow the birds to build their nests atop trees and even on the roofs of their houses and treat them as a member of their own families. The residents here utilize the bird droppings as an organic manure for their crops and one would come across many stories which narrate the sustainable living conditions here. Great Himalayan National Park, Himachal Pradesh A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Great Himalayan National Park is a place which showcases some of the most outstanding natural resources and is also home to some rare species. The scenic park allows visitors to hike through its landscape, which is filled with the tall Deodar and Oak trees. If you are lucky enough, you could have an encounter
with the majestic snow leopard, musk deer, Nilgai and many more such beautiful creatures. Namdapha National Park, Arunachal Pradesh The largest protected area in the Eastern Himalayas is Namdapha and is well known as a wildlife sanctuary that is considered as home to a large variety of wildlife. The place is kind of remote and is considered to be inaccessible by many of them. Namdapha is one such destination which would offer an immense satisfaction for the nature and wildlife lover. Mawlynnong Village, Meghalaya Mawlynnong is a beautiful village which is known for its natural beauty. Located in the East Khasi Hills, the place is covered by widespread greens and breathtaking views. The village was awarded as the cleanest village in Asia in the year 2003. The major attraction here is the living root bridge and a boulder which balances itself on a rock. Kaziranga National Park, Assam A World Heritage Site, the Kaziranga National Park is home to a large number of tigers and also to the endangered species of the one-horned Rhino. The national park has a beautiful success story to narrate when it comes to conservation. It is one of the many protected places in the country, which is closely guarded, and one can witness nature at its best here. Silent Valley National Park, Kerala Nestled in the folds of the Nilgiri ranges in the Western Ghats, the Silent Valley National Park is an expanse of green, which is rich in varieties of flora and fauna. Here, visitors get to travel through the myriad forests that range from moist deciduous to evergreen ones. One can trek through the forest patches and reach the banks of the river Kunthi and witness its beautiful water flow. (Source: nativeplanet.com)
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Environment & people
Why India Needs a Network to Monitor Soil Moisture Around the Country. Raghu Murtugudde parliamentary standing committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change, chaired by Rajya Sabha member Jairam Ramesh recently issued a report on the Demand for Grants (2020-2021) by the Ministry of Earth Sciences. While the committee notes many specific needs ranging from supercomputing to deep-ocean observations, soil moisture is a critical parameter missing from the existing observational networks. It is also important for monsoon modelling and predictions, as well as for weather forecasts to better support the agriculture sector. The committee members noted the numerous activities under the purview of
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MoES through its autonomous bodies and centres, including the India Meteorological Department. India's investments in improving weather and climate predictions, including providing ocean, wave, flood, and cyclone predictions, etc., have improved in the last decade. The focus now is on gaps in observations, forecast systems, research, education, outreach and services. The members also raised questions about the monsoons' vagaries, especially of dry days followed by extreme rain and cloudbursts, which have been known to damage crops, life and property. Based on the MoES's response that about 30% of the budget was being spent on monsoon research, modelling and predictions, the committee recommended additional funds for observational systems that would improve monsoon predictions at the national level. Competing interests for the available funds come from ocean services, polar science including the third pole, i.e. the
Himalaya, research, education, training and outreach, atmospheric and climate modelling, research and observations, weather and climate services, seismological and geological sciences. The specific items that are mentioned in the report focus on Doppler radar network, autonomous weather stations, ships, tropical and deep ocean observations, and even streamflow monitoring in the Himalayas for flood forecasting. However, the role of soil moisture in monsoon and flood forecasting can be underplayed at a steep cost. Multiple other applications of soil moisture include the most critical one, i.e., the management of irrigation water use without incurring any crop yield losses. Many studies exist that show a strong relationship between soil moisture and precipitation. The Indian monsoon is unique in its active/break cycles - intercalated periods of rain and mini-droughts - which are an integral part of crop calendars and managing water resources. All variability in the
monsoon from year to year, forced by climate modes like the El NiĂąo and on multidecadal timescales forced by natural variability or global warming, are manifest in these active/break cycles. For example, global warming is seen to produce more frequent and longer lasting break periods whereas active cycles are becoming more intense, with extreme rain events and more widespread extremes. Studies at various institutions within India have shown that soil water recycling during the monsoon plays a critical role in rainfall distribution. For example, during an active period, rainfall over the Ganga basin receives a significant moisture supply from the local soil water recycling. During a break period over central India, Ganga basin supplies moisture to rainfall over northeast India. While many global satellite products are available for soil moisture, the errors in them are high over India due to a lack of a soil moisture network for local groundtruthing of the satellites. Without reliable soil moisture products, it is impossible to assess the role of soil moisture in monsoon variability and predictions, as well as to evaluate crop stresses, potential for yield losses, and scheduling irrigation water applications. In this context, farmers are often forced
to apply irrigation water more often than necessary leading to other issues such as groundwater depletion, soil water logging, and salinisation of soils. Soil moisture data will allow scientists to extend the weather and climate forecasts to provide irrigation forecasts and crop condition outlooks to manage water and food systems holistically. That of course implies an integrated management of the food-water-energy nexus as well since managing each sector separately has led to mismanagement of each sector. Studies from IIT Bombay have also shown that the chronic 'dry bias' in IMD's dynamic monsoon forecast system - a tendency to produce less than observed rainfall over the subcontinent - is likely to be reduced by a more accurate representation of soil moisture variability and recycling over the Ganga basin. Demands for better monsoon forecasts also means a demand for more accurate active/break cycle forecasts. The role of soil moisture in the duration and frequency of break periods and intensity of active periods will not be understood and modelled accurately unless there is high resolution and accurate soil moisture data over India. Soil moisture is also critical for some human health considerations. For example, air temperature variability at daily timescales are heavily modulated by soil
moisture and its evaporative cooling effects. Accurate prediction of the intensity of heatwaves requires soil moisture data and its active incorporation into prediction models. Soil moisture is also a gauge for streamflows while also having a positive feedback with soil organic carbon. Increased soil moisture or a more persistent soil moisture favours larger amounts of soil carbon. Thus, modelling and tracking soil carbon also requires soil moisture data. India's commitment to the Paris Agreement requires that India manage its land carbon carefully. The parliamentary committee noted that the allocated funds in the previous years were not fully utilised by the MoES. MoES can allocate some funds to a well-designed soil moisture network to serve its own needs for improved weather and monsoon forecasts as well as its agricultural forecasts. Many experts stand ready to implement an optimal network of soil-moisture gauges to deliver better bang for the buck to improve weather and monsoon predictions and irrigation and crop forecasts. (Source: science.thewire.in)
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Environment & people
The 21 day lockdown will be the hardest for daily wage workers and underprivileged. Here's your chance to help them TANVI PATEL e can agree that the poor, the marginalised and the daily wage labourers are some of the worst-hit people due to the COVID-19 outbreak. It is impossible for them to work from home and thus, they have been putting their lives in danger trying to earn a
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livelihood by stepping out of their homes. l Most of us have stocked up on groceries, vegetables and other essentials. But what about those who cannot afford to do that? To ensure daily wage labourers or the underprivileged don't go hungry during the 21-day COVID-19 lockdown, many people have volunteered to come to their aid. l One such amazing group is based in Bengaluru. This team of 30 volunteers are professional or aspiring Chartered Accountants (CA) of the CAPS coaching class, who have come together to help the needy living in and around Bengaluru. l In a short period, the group has benefited over 500 families! l Spreading Hope Amidst the COVID-19
Panic: l We got in touch with one of the volunteers, Shravan M Rao, a 25-year-old CA aspirant. "Even before the nationwide lockdown, we could see that the daily wage workers were badly hit by the pandemic. We wanted to help them out in our capacity and the easiest and the quickest way of doing that was to ensure they have an adequate supply of food and groceries even when the shops are shut. So that's the initiative we took," he tells The Better India (TBI). l The group started with sharing a video on social media, circulating their number in public. Their idea was for people on social media to share that number with
domestic workers, security staff and labourers who might need some help during lockdowns. The needy would give CAPS a call, leaving their name and contact information. l "We call them back and do a basic verification. For example, if an auto driver calls us, we ask for their driver's licence and registration number. We just don't want anyone to take undue advantage. After the basic verification, we get our volunteers to buy groceries worth Rs 2000 from one of the stipulated shops in various parts of Bengaluru and ask the beneficiary to collect it," Shravan explains. l As of now, their reach is limited to Bengaluru. But CAPS Foundation got calls from outside the city too. But lack of accessibility did not budge them at all. "The solution was simple. After the mandatory verification, we asked the person to go to the closest grocery store which accepts payments via UPI and to shop for whatever they need. Our only rule is Rs 2000 per family. They send us a picture of the bill and we e-pay to the store directly," the CA tells us. l BN Gopinath, a frequent contributor says, "To rise to the need of humanity is the duty of every individual when God has given the strength to give." You Can Help Too! When the initiative started on 15 March, the volunteers who are full time working CAs, paid from their pockets. When they reached about 100 families, their resources drained out and they started reaching out to others who had studied in the coaching class. Today, the group has benefited over 500 families and you can join them too. l
Here are four things that Shravan recommends you do: l If you know any shopkeepers who want to partner with CAPS and help volunteers to make care packages, let the volunteers know. It would help them greatly in a time when many shops are closing down l Better still, if you have contacts with supply agents, you can contribute greatly to the cause l If you can provide financial support to the cause, the bank details are given below. Since the foundation is registered as a not-for-profit, you will also get an 80G certificate for donations l Get in touch with daily wage and other labourers near you (but follow usual precautionary measures) and ask them what they need - food, medicines, hygiene products can be directly provided to them. Get in touch with CAPS Foundation on 9886683697 Bank Details: Account Name: CAPS Foundation Account Number: 64054464963 Bank Name: State Bank of India IFSC Code: SBIN0040159 Branch Name: Hanumanthnagar (Source: thebetterindia.com)
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Environment & people
TBI Green Influencers: Nutritionist Neha Shares What’s Best For Young Millennials
From what and when you must eat to the importance of midmeal snacking, here’s a diet plan for you if you’re always on the run. Charu Chowdhary ne of the biggest undoing of our generation is leading a sedentary lifestyle day in and day out. With incredibly demanding, goals-oriented jobs, we run from pillar to post to get things done, without so much as sparing a moment for ourselves. Whilst a healthy lifestyle entails packing in some amount of exercise and the right amount of zzzzzzs everyday, the most important of the lot is what you eat on a regular basis. Watching what you put in your mouth is extremely necessary to get your daily dose of nutrients without putting on extra kilos.
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We spoke to Neha Ranglani, integrative nutritionist and health coach about how office going millennials should chalk out their daily eating plan. Start your morning right to set the tone of the day, says Neha. “Start your morning with some natural hydrating liquid like lemon water or herbal tea and then munch on a fruit at least half an hour before eating a healthy breakfast. Breakfast can be anything from vegetable brown rice poha, millet idli, oats dosa, ragi chila, chia pudding, to millet parathas – all of which provide the fibre and carbohydrates with moderate protein and fat to fuel us for the day ahead and feed the good bacteria in the gut.” And not just breakfast; all your meals are extremely important. And what’s even more fundamental to doing it right is eating your meals the same time every day. “The best timing for lunch is between 12-2 pm when the digestive fire is at its peak
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and helps absorb and assimilate most of the food we eat. It’s always good to have regular meal timings as it helps set the body clock and prepare the body to do its job at its best,” says the nutritionist. She suggests that an ideal lunch is where one has 3-4 varieties of food with a big portion of raw salad—a bowl of cooked veggies, a bowl of dal and a small portion of grains like roti or rice. Ranglani also highly advocates midmeal snacking: “I do recommend healthy snacking between meals which include nuts and seeds, makhanas, chana, sweet potato or fruits as they add up to your nutrient intake during the day and help you to avoid overeating during meals.” We also asked the nutritionist the best time for an average office-goer to finish dinner, and the best foods to eat especially if you live alone in a different city away from home. Ranglani says for general good health, it’s best to wrap up dinner 2-3 hours before hitting the bed as that gives the body a lot of time to rest and repair while sleeping, rather than diverting its energies towards digestion. It’s always good to have a light dinner. “Dinner should ideally be more of soups, stir fry, sprouts and quinoa and less of heavy carbs. If one is living away from home, then making one-pot meals like millet khichdi, quinoa pulao or healthy bowls really makes life easier,” she adds. PRO TIP #1: Pack in 7-8 hours of sound sleep everyday and be mindful about stress management. PRO TIP #2: Good breathing techniques coupled with some meditation helps deal with situations more calmly and keeps our organs as well as our health under check. Eating right and getting just the right amount of sleep are non-negotiable if one wishes to lead a healthy life. Intersperse that with some form of exercise thrice a week and you’d be in your best form ever! (Source: thebetterindia.com)
Can’t Sleep? 5 Natural Foods That Can Help You Sleep Like a Baby!
Don’t panic the next time your sleep-wake cycle goes for a toss. Introduce these foods in your diet instead! hether you’re in a corporate rat race or grappling with a personal loss, the one thing that can keep you powering through the days is a good night’s sleep. Proper sleep, a solid 79 hours each night, is crucial. You lose your sleep or disrupt your sleep cycle, and all sorts of problems from mood disorders to digestive issues crop up.
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Now, if you’re a chronic insomniac or are battling depression, you must consult a medical practitioner for bringing your sleep pattern back on track. But if you’re skimping on sleep just because your lifestyle is out of whack, eating sleepinducing natural foods throughout the day is a great way to realign with your snoozes. After all, keeping your internal clock healthy and happy can set straight most things in life. 1. Almonds A handful of almonds right before bedtime
(or any time of the day, for that matter) are said to improve sleep quality. You’re likely to sleep longer and deeper, since it’s a source of the sleep-regulating hormone, melatonin, and is abundant in the sleeppromoting mineral, magnesium. They’re also a great source of tryptophan, known to have soothing effects on the brain and nerves. 2. Bananas Bananas are a powerhouse of musclerelaxing minerals such as magnesium and potassium. The sweet fruit is one of the easiest to eat, and a must-have if you’re having trouble falling asleep. It too contains tryptophan, an essential amino acid that helps the body make certain brain-signalling chemicals such as serotonin that majorly control mood and sleep. 3. Chamomile tea This one’s a complete superstar. All you need is some warm water, a cup and a chamomile tea bag on days you don’t feel like turning in. Chamomile tea is chocofull of apigenin, an antioxidant that binds to receptors in the brain that promotes sleepiness. You could play some soothing music on the side, and you’ll be snoring
away in no time. 4. Milk A favourite across Indian households, a glass of warm milk with some turmeric and saffron, works wonders to lull you to sleep. Another known source of tryptophan, milk has been known to majorly promote sleep, especially if you’ve preceded it with some low-intensity workout such as light walking and yoga. 5. Oats If you want a light and filling dinner that is both healthy and doubles up as a sleepinducer, look no further. A bowl of cooked oats before bedtime (just like rice) is high in complex-carbs and is known to induce drowsiness when consumed before bed. That’s because it is a known natural source of melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone and the stress-relieving Vitamin B6. (source: thebetterindia.com)
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Environment & people
Climate action is something that the world needs right now and activists and organisations world over are doing their bit in different ways this 'Earth Day'. Ruehie Karri ust like Mothers' Day or Teachers' Day, Earth also gets her own day where she is made to feel special. Several activities are organised, start-ups and other environmental organisations devise new methods of conserving our everdegrading environment and many hashtags start trending on the internet. Just as celebrating our moms and dads on one particular day rather than every single day is a pretentious effort, so is trying to protect our Earth on a single day. The world prepares to celebrate 50 years of Earth Day, this April 22, and this day should be focussed on assessing how much has been achieved the past year in terms of environmental protection. How much more needs to be done as it's an endless process, and the destruction of the ecosystem has been relentless. It is no joke how pressing the ginormous challenge of acting on climate change has become. When U.S. Senator decided to force environmental awareness onto the national politi-
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cal agenda! Gaylord Nelson is the founder of Earth Day, which was founded in 1970. When the ravages of a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California in the year 1969, painted an alarming picture of the consequences to come, Nelson decided to give a voice to these environmental concerns, thereby channelling the energies of the anti-war movement towards this cause. And, 50 years later, this movement is still going strong, spreading awareness and demonstrating support for all things environmentrelated. This year, the theme to commemorate this day is 'Climate Action'. Earth Day in India India is the 14th most climate change affected country in the world, according to the Global Climate Risk Index released by Germanwatch. Economic losses to the tune of Rs 2.7 lakh crores due to climate change were recorded by this report. This is the second-highest record in the world. All these statistics and reports cement the
fact that we are not doing enough. We need to step up our efforts to battle environmental degradation. Who exactly can take steps towards environmental conservation? Nobody is too young or too old to bring about change. Taking that first step to making a difference is all that matters. The following stories are of individuals and startups that work tirelessly round the clock to make the world a better place. Heralding the next generation of youth activists "As the world warms, climate-fuelled extreme weather events will increase in magnitude and frequency. To fight this, we need a change from grassroots to global levels", writes Licypriya Kangujam, in her e-mail to Earth Day Network. This eightyear-old from Nepal, who is a climate activist, started battling for climate action ever since she was six. She also established an organisation to bring about climate law in India, called 'The Child Movement'. Rightly assessing the harmful impact of climate change on our environment to be both economic and social, she asks the government to transform India into a sustainable, low-carbon and high-impact economy.
Bringing about environmental awareness to the tribes of Aarey Cassandra Nazareth, the founder of the Nazareth Foundation, works with the Worli women who live in the jungles of Aarey Milk Colony, Goregaon, Mumbai. Facilitating cultural exchange between the Worli tribes of Aarey forests and the urban Mumbaikars, Cassandra collects funding in the form of necessities required by the tribal people. Smokeless chullahs(stoves) have been installed in nearly 3,500 households. This helps in reducing the consumption of firewood by almost 50per cent. Also, 16 bio-toilets have been constructed which help reduce the usage of water. Human waste is converted into a source of gas that can be reused as energy. Bringing solar power to the Himalayan peaks A recent act of climate action by Earth Day Network and its coordinator, Prerna Rathuri, resulted in providing solar lighting to the monastery in Markha, Ladakh. Due to the monastery being located on top of a hill with a sheer drop on one side, there was no way of setting up a power grid. As documented by the Earth Day Network on its website, the all-women team, led by Prerna Rathuri trekked for 10 days to a height of 13,000 feet and set up the equipment in the Markha monastery,
this enabled the lighting of 10 light bulbs and a street lighting system. Harnessing new technologies to generate clean energy It is imperative for our automotive industry to switch to clean energy to ensure a sustainable future. Air pollution is a major contributing factor to climate change, of which nearly 4 million people die every year in the Asia-Pacific region alone, according to the UN Environment's report. Polarity Smart Bikes, co-founded by Sachin Jadhav and Anand Mohan, is a Pune-based start-up that manufactures electric bikes. With a top speed of a 100 kmph, these bikes promise a reduced carbon footprint and of course, run on clean rechargeable energy. Happy Earth Day! Together, it is possible to steer our country towards a sustainable, ecologically safe environment and ensure that the next generation doesn't face the consequences of our carelessness. This 50th Earth Day lets join hands to decrease the impact of climate change and pledge the safety of our environment. In the words of Kathleen Rogers, president of Earth Day Network, "For Earth Day 2020, we will build a new generation of environmental activists, engaging millions of people worldwide."
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Environment & people
A journey towards better Himalayas Himalayan yeti foundation contributes in maintaining the picturesque Himalayas by managing waste. Nishitha Pokala he Himalayas is one of the most scenic places in India and registers a large number of tourist footfall, if not taken care of, it could turn into a junkyard. Hence, waste management in such places should keenly be entertained. Taking this idea forward, Nagendra Pratap has taken up an initiative for the same and started a foundation named Himalayan Yeti Foundation. This foundation came into existence in the year 2019 and, covers major parts of Himalayas and Leh Ladakh. It not only focuses on managing waste but also, instructs the residents of that region to get major behavioural changes. The foundation is all about conducting workshops on
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waste management and mainly educating the students in different schools of Ladakh about the collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of waste. Currently, this team, with the help of Wipro Earthian program is associated with 15 schools in various regions of Ladakh to teach students about 'Sustainable Environmental Education' and more. Adding to this, the foundation recently got selected to work on the idea of making 3D printer filament using plastic waste. By pitching in this idea, they had been granted an amount of Rs 1.5 lakh, to create a prototype and they have been successful in doing the same. Himalayan foundation's current grail is to procure funds and obtain the raw materials needed for making recyclable 3D printer filament and organising more workshops with the capital acquired. Nagendra Pratap, founder of Himalayan Yeti Foundation said, "While I was a part of Gandhi Fellowship in Mumbai, I came across a competition called KBTNM (Kaun Banega The Next Millionaire). The competition allows young lads
to pitch in ideas which can positively impact millions of people in the next 10 years. I came up with an idea of waste management in Himalayan regions and, won the first prize in this competition. Even though the competition was done, the idea of waste management stuck with me. After my fellowship, I travelled throughout India for a few months, to understand the concept of waste management and its workings, before setting up this foundation. And finally, when I thought I was ready, I started this foundation on January 11, 2019." "I was always fascinated by the thought of living in the Himalayas, far away from this chaotic world. Upon research for the KBTNM competition, we got to know that
waste management is challenging in those areas as the cost of collection and disposal is huge. Also, the thought of a scenic place turning into a junk pile traumatised me. That's when I felt like I found my Ikigai and decided to pursue the thought of waste management in the Himalayas. I then decided to start a foundation to contribute my part and try to reconcile the scenic beauty of Himalayas," he added. The team is currently conducting workshops for all the teachers in Leh Ladakh region and its vicinity on educating students about biodiversity, waste and water management. They are also in constant contact with the local government of Himalayan and Ladakh domains on making the waste man-
agement system a lot more feasible. At present, the foundation is waiting to procure more funds, forthwith, they would like to set up their recycling unit to reduce the carbon footprint caused by the transportation of garbage in large and heavy trucks. Quotes: "The thought of a scenic place turning into a junk pile traumatised me. I then decided to start a foundation to contribute my part and try to reconcile the scenic beauty of Himalayas." - Nagendra Pratap, the founder of Himalayan Yeti Foundation.
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If we want real biodiversity targets then we need to address problems with the existing negotiation draft for the Kunming biodiversity talks, argues Peng Kui oronavirus has forced many to look again at how humanity relates to animals and nature. In Kunming this October, a meeting of importance to all life on the planet will take place: the Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CDB) 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15). It is no exaggeration to describe this as of historical significance. The most important task at COP15 is to decide upon a post-2020 global biodiversity framework, setting biodiversity targets for the next decade and a 2050 vision of “living in harmony with nature”, as well as producing an ambitious action
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plan to achieve these goals. On 6 January 2020, the CBD published a “zero draft” to serve as the basis for negotiations. This initial version of a 2020 framework was discussed last week in Rome. But there is still a clear gap between the text and the vision for biodiversity protection. Aichi disappointments Since 1992, when the CBD was opened for signature, humanity has failed to prevent the loss of biodiversity – and in many countries, the situation has worsened. At COP6, in 2002, a Strategic Plan for the Convention on Biological Diversity was adopted, with a bold aim: “to achieve by 2010 a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss”. But assessments found that first decadal goal was unachievable and species extinctions actually accelerated.
In 2010, COP10 was held in Nagoya, Japan, producing the 2011-2020 Strategic Plan. This included 20 headline targets, known as the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, and called for “effective and urgent action” to avoid the loss of the natural biodiversity on which humanity relies. But progress was difficult. In 2018, France’s Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations determined that most of the 20 Aichi targets were unlikely to be achieved by 2020. In April 2019, IPBES (the Intergovernmental SciencePolicy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) said in its Global Assessment Report that one million of the planet’s eight million species, and 40% of amphibious species, were facing extinction, with the scale of nature loss worsening. International society has no choice but to re-examine its approach and clear structural failings in order to set the CBD on
the correct path in Kunming and avoid repeating earlier errors. Learning Aichi’s lessons The failure of the Aichi targets can teach us several lessons. First, there was a lack of scientific backing and strategic focus. Biodiversity loss is a crisis occurring in every corner of the globe, yet there is not enough scientific modelling. Compare this with climate change, where quantitative models are used to set a 1.5C warming target, which leads to concrete actions being assigned at the national, regional and sectoral levels. The overall target provides practical guidance. The inherent complexity of nature and biodiversity makes it hard to identify a single measure that tells us how much land or how many species we need to protect to achieve “harmony with nature”. This makes systematic global action harder. Second, there was a gap between the design of the Aichi targets and their implementation. Too much time was spent designing and negotiating the targets instead of internalising them in national strategies and actions. Similarly, too little time was spent designing mechanisms, such as international and national policymaking, implementation mechanisms, resource mobilisation and evaluation and incentives – and these were not made adequately binding. Third, the rights and participation of indigenous peoples and local communities were not covered. At least one quarter of land globally has traditionally been owned or managed by indigenous people, and there is increasing evidence that communitymanaged ecosystems have better biodiversity outcomes. Although the Aichi targets recognised the importance of local populations and traditional knowledge, and tried to promote poverty relief and sustainable development through fair distribution of genetic resources, there was insufficient recognition of the rights and contributions of indigenous people and local communities, as well as a lack of guarantees of these from governments and society. Protection of biodiversity is not just a matter for governments and elites. Finally, there was a failure to take advantage of non-state actors such as civil society groups and the public. International organisations, national non-governmental
organisations, businesses and the public were not able to participate widely in the creation and implementation of the framework. Such involvement is crucial to leveraging private resources and market mechanisms, mainstreaming protection of biodiversity, and rebuilding the relationship between humanity and nature. Zero draft not enough The Civil Society Alliance for Biodiversity Conservation, a group of Chinese bodies working on biodiversity and
versity loss whilst balancing ambition with practical action. For example, in China the SEE (Society of Entrepreneurs and Ecology) Foundation has linked environmental protection aims with business practices to create green supply chain standards. It is also encouraging businesses to practise green procurement and make environmental improvements. We also suggest the background section of the draft describes the extra risks posed by climate change, to highlight the urgency of realising transformative change.
environmental governance, has carefully examined the current “zero draft” and found the following five issues. These leave us concerned that humanity will not be able to protect life on earth over the next 10 to 30 years. First, it is unambitious and will not produce the transformative change needed to protect and restore nature that was called for in the IPBES report. The 2030 target should be raised so it states the goal: “to stop and reverse the loss of biodiversity by 2030, setting biodiversity on the road to recovery.” Producing action plans for key industries could tackle the root causes of biodi-
Second, “action targets” have not ensured the effective protection of biodiversity. We note the framework divides its targets into “long-term goals” and “action targets” – an effective method of encouraging concrete discussions. But action targets (such as “protect X% of land area”) only serve as starting points for policymaking, and do not ensure the actual protection of biodiversity. So, targets which can be used to evaluate the outcome of policies are needed to monitor actual progress. We also suggest a focus on actions to be taken for 2030, rather than setting goals for both 2030 (cont.. on page no.32)
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Using Nanotech, Chennai Engineers Are Producing Potable Water From Thin Air! “A person with an Atmospheric Water Generator at home can ensure a timely and safe supply of water for themselves using electricity or solar energy. No more dependency on tankers, water cans or RO purifiers”, says the innovators. #Innovation #ChennaiWaterCrisis Rinchen Norbu Wangchuk ike any engineering aspirant, Ramesh Kumar Soni’s dreamed of securing admission in one of the prestigious IITs. Unfortunately, it did not happen. However, during his preparations in Kota, Rajasthan, he encountered the exciting field of nanotechnology, and shed-
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ding his disappointments aside, he decided to join Chennai’s SRM University for a BTech in the subject. His growing understanding of nanotechnology propelled his interest towards developing atmospheric water generators (AWGs), a device that extracts pure, safe, clean, potable and remineralized water from humid ambient air. He finished his BTech degree in May 2014, and joined the chemistry department at IIT-Madras, as a project associate the same year. Here, alongside Professor T Pradeep from the Department of Chemistry, and PhD student, Ankit Nagar, he co-founded Vayujal on September 20, 2017, which develops AWGs. Thus far, the startup has produced five units of AWGs, of which four generate 100 litres a day, and one generates 400 litres per
day. “The company’s patented surface engineering technology and unit design increases water collecting efficiency of AWG units and provides water at a cost 10-20 times less than the current bottled water costs,” says the company website. The IIT-Madras incubated startup designs and structures the critical components like air filters, water purifiers, heat exchanger coils, condensers, evaporators, compressors and some fans and assembled all of them together. Ramesh’s expertise in nanotechnology comes into play in the condensation process. How does this machine work? Speaking to The Hindu, Ramesh draws comparisons with how an air conditioner works, where there are different surfaces
involved and where there is condensation of water. “This condensed water is filtered, treated, mineralized and made fit for drinking or cooking. The structures used for cooling the air draw inspiration from cacti. Just as the cacti have small thorn-like structures, the cooling surface in the AWG too has some structures that is used to cool the air. When air passes through it, the relative humidity content goes high, and water starts to come out of it. The rate at which water is produced depends on the ambient temperature, humidity level, volume of air passing over the coil and the unit’s capacity to cool the coil,” explains Ramesh, speaking to the national daily. Speaking to The Better India, Ramesh says that developing AWGs to generate potable water isn’t a groundbreaking innovation, but Vayujal is developing units with higher efficiency. For a city like Chennai, which is suffering from its worst water crisis in recent memory, these machines are critical. “Today, many cities in India, particularly Chennai and Bengaluru, are suffering from a severe shortage of groundwater. In some cities, this water is expected to run out soon. Moreover, surface water bodies have been devastated. Right now, we are entirely dependent on the rain, and for drinking water, we are either reliant on water cans or RO purifiers. But conditions in Chennai make RO water a less viable option. Meanwhile, the supply of water in cans has been completely disturbed. The price of water has been hiked, while there are fears of impurities. In these conditions, a person with the AWG at home can produce their own water on conventional electricity or solar energy. They are ensured of timely supply of water and assured of what kind of water they are getting because ultimately they are making that water. This dependency on water supply goes away. You have independent control over your water. That’s a value addition our units can do,” says Ramesh. Vayujal is also currently developing the 30 and 2000 litres per day (on solar backup) units as well. “The cost of water generated from this
machine is somewhere around Rs 1.5-3 per litre if the electricity tariff is at Rs 6 a unit. However, the cost of water depends on electricity tariffs, relative humidity and ambient temperature as well,” informs Ramesh. What helps Vayujal in generating water at such low prices is the high levels of humidity in Chennai, but Ramesh informs that they are looking to mitigate the effect of ambient humidity. They want this machine to run efficiently in dry and hot states like Rajasthan. Another challenge is ensuring that the condensation process is more efficient and less power consuming. “If somebody makes 100 litres of water per day on a particular surface area, can you make 150 litres of water on the same sur-
That’s where we come to the next challenge, which is to reduce the cost. Today, the 100 litres per day unit costs approximately Rs 1.5 lakh, while the 400 litres unit costs Rs 5 lakh. For the 30 litres per day unit, they are trying to keep it below Rs 50,000. VayuJal will soon start scaling up the production of AWGs in Chennai, helping them to reduce the cost of production further. “We are essentially working on raising operating efficiency and reducing costs. A school may be able to buy our machine, but an individual school teacher may not. A proper manufacturing structure in place will help us reduce capital costs. The objective is to ensure minimal costs for maintenance and power consumption, running these units
face area? Moreover, while doing that, can we achieve the same objectives with a little more power efficiency? We are trying to minimize power consumption. By raising the heat transfer and condensation efficiency, there is a real possibility we will consume less power per litre of water produced,” explains Ramesh. “For every litre of water we produce, we consume 0.3 to 0.4 units of electricity. We need to bring that down so that it is affordable. If we go below 0.3 units per litre daily under Delhi’s semi-arid like climate, we would be happy. That will be a real milestone,” he adds.
for 10-15 years,” informs Ramesh. The moment these AWGs are available to individuals at affordable prices, what you’ll have is an era of democratized water, where individual households can have complete control over their own supply of potable drinking water. (Source: thebetterindia.com)
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(page no. 27 cont..) and 2050, as currently seen in the zero draft. Including 2050 goals will consume scarce time and resources and hold back the talks. Third, the targets should give full play to the roles and contributions of non-state actors. The widespread changes needed for the 2050 vision demand unprecedented cooperation and participation. The zero draft emphasises the rights and actions of indigenous people, local communities, civil society and the private sector in multiple sections. But it lacks content on how to incorporate the goals and actions of non-state actors, and in particular the contributions of civil society, indigenous peoples, local communities and the private sector towards the 2030 biodiversity targets. For example, Chinese environmental groups such as the Global Environmental Institute and the Paradise Foundation have protected around 8,000 km2 of land, protecting many key species and habitats. But those protected areas are not currently recognised in legislation and so are not counted as part of China’s contribution to the protection of biodiversity. Fourth, better definition of the responsibilities and duties for protection of ocean biodiversity. The nature of the ocean means its protection requires regional or global cooperation. We note the current draft mentions communication and cooperation with other international organisations and multilateral environmental agreements. We hope to see the legal definition of oceans made clear, alongside responsibilities inside and outside of areas of national jurisdiction. Member states should also be encouraged to cooperate on biodiversity protection and sustainable development of the high seas, to assess the impact of fishing, shipping and other activities on the ocean environment, and to take measures to minimise that impact. Fifth, strengthen implementation mechanisms supporting the targets. We note that talks on implementation mechanisms, resource allocation, responsibilities and transparency are ongoing, with no concrete language in the zero draft. We call for implementation mechanisms which match ambitious targets, to ensure the effectiveness of the post-2020 framework. For example, China has put forward the “ecological civilisation” concept, backed up by policy reforms and action, such as setting ecological redlines and carrying out environmental implementation inspection. This provides a model for mechanisms protecting biodiversity. The ecological civilisation is already a COP15 theme, and the framework should include examples of implementation mechanisms to be considered. The world is already undergoing its sixth mass extinction, sparked by humanity itself – and only humanity can stop it. The coronavirus sweeping the world, the plagues of locusts in sub-Saharan Africa and beyond – these events show the biodiversity crisis our vulnerable planet is facing, and the urgent need for us to “live in harmony with nature.” The Kunming conference will be humanity’s last chance to save biodiversity, but the window of opportunity is closing. Using the coming seven months to produce an ambitious yet practical plan is the life-or-death challenge we now face. (Source: thethirdpole.net)
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Eco Eco Facts Only 28% of the Indonesian Rainforest remain.
IQ
1. Is the following statement true or false? A billion trees capture atmospheric carbon
The United States is a net exporter of most raw materials used by indus-
equivalent to the emissions of one million cars
try today.
every year.
2. Which one of the six most common building materials can be produced Every hour, at least 4,500 acres of forest are
with the least impact on the environment?
burned, cut down, or bulldozed. More than 3.4 million people die each year from water, sanitation, and hygiene-related causes.
An American taking a five-minute shower uses more water than the average person in a devel-
Would it be: brick, concrete, aluminum, steel, wood or plastic? 3. The area covered by forests in the United States today is approximately how much of the land that was covered by forests in the 1600s? About 20 percent, 50 percent, 70 percent or 100 percent.
oping country slum uses for an entire day.
4. Is the following statement true or false? Every 20 seconds, a child dies from a water-related illness
The average person consumes 168 water bottles a year.
Excluding Alaska, the United States has more forested area today than in 1920. 5. Which of the following three statements about United States forest production is correct? Annual forest harvest exceeds net growth of new wood.
1.5 million barrels of oil are used to manufacture a year’s supply of bottled water in the US.
Annual forest harvest about equals net growth of new wood. Annual forest harvest is less than the net growth of new wood.
1 Million – Estimated number of plastic bags that are handed out worldwide each minute.
6. What percentage, by weight, of the total amount of paper used in the United States last year was recovered for reuse?
500 Billion to 1 Trillion – Estimated number of
Would you say it was less than 10 percent, 20-30 percent, 40-50 percent
plastic bags that end up in landfills each year worldwide.
or 60-70 percent? 7. What percentage of the fiber used to produce U.S. paper last year came
A plastic bag can take up to 1,000 years to decompose.
from recovered paper? Would you say it was about 5 percent, 20 percent, 40 percent or 60 per-
The two main sources of energy used to make
cent?
plastic bags are oil and natural gas. April 2020
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Working Remotely : Working from home can be challenging.
Poverty & Corona : For millions of people, staying home is not an option.
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Environment & People
RNI - 63997/94
