08 Agriculture It is time to make our farmers smarter and farming more efficient
28 Environment
24 Street Food With rising lead levels, Kolkata’s beloved street food might take a hit
Dia Mirza goes green with her lifestyle starting with a bamboo toothbrush!
29 Sports Minerva Punjab Football Club climbs the rankings and makes headlines again
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RNI No. DELENG/2016/71561
A Good News Weekly
li e f
n o i t a t ci
Vol - 2 | Issue - 01 | December 18 - 24, 2017 | Price ` 5/-
Lifetime
Achievement Award
to ‘The Legend of Cleanliness’ Dr Bindeshwar Pathak will be featured in prestigious “Marvellous Records Book of India” in the chapter “Marvellous Personalities of India” for his various outstanding achievements in the field of social work
Dr Pathak Receiving award from Ram Naik and Dr Rita Bahuguna applauding him for his work
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Cover Story
December 18 - 24, 2017
Lifetime Achievement Award to ‘Legend of Cleanliness’
Third edition of ‘Marvellous Record Book of India’ Lifetime Achievement award to Dr Bindeswar Pathak Marvelous Personalities of India is to honor the Indian legends
QUICK GLANCE
Governor Ram Naik felicitates Dr Bindeshwar Pathak
ayodhya p singh
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he celebration of Shame-Awadh was adorned with stars from different fields. Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, the cleanliness legend, shone like a sun. The event was “MARVELLOUS LEGEND SUMMIT2017” held on 9th December 2017 at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan, Vibhuti Khand, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow. Marvellous Records Book of India felicitated Dr Pathak with the “Marvellous Lifetime Achievement Award-2017 in the field of Social Work” at the event. Also, Dr Pathak was awarded the ‘Marvellous Personalities of India-2017’. The Editorial Board Selection Committee of `MARVELLOUS Records book of India’ has decided to publish the Biography of Dr Pathak in `Marvellous Records Book of India-2017’. The program was organized by Media Planner in Indira Gandhi Foundation, which included a large number of people including Cabinet Ministers in the UP Government including Minister of Women Welfare, Family Welfare, Maternity, and Child Welfare and Tourism, Dr Rita Bahuguna Joshi, Law Minister Brajesh Pathak, Chief Editor of Marvellous Book Dr Shashikant Tiwari, organizer Amit Singh, film producer Nitin Mishra and Anurag Batra along with many legends were honoured beside
actor R ajiv Khandelwal and Sanjeev Jaiswal. In this summit, various legend ary personalities from all over India were also invited. Some of the Guest Legends were: Padma Sri Soma Gandhi, Padma Bhushan Rajan Sajan Mishra, Manoj M u n t a s h i r , Bollywood Film Writer, Chetan Sharma, Cricketer, Piyush Chawala, Cricketer, Rajpal Yadav and many more from the field of social work, Art & Performing Art, Film & Television, Public Affairs, Academics, Sc i en ce & Technology, Sports, Corporate, etc.
‘Marvelous Records Book’ released by Dr Rita Bahuguna Joshi & Governor Ram Naik
Release of “Marvellous Records Book of India” 2017 edition On this occasion, the third annual edition of ‘Marvellous Records Book of India’ was released by the Chief Guest, Governor Ram Naik, Cabinet Minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi, Brajesh Pathak, and Founder of Sulabh Sanitation and
Social Reform Movement, Dr Bindeshwar Pathak. Marvellous Records Book of India is an annual reference book documenting the records made by Indians at home or abroad. This is a catalogue of wonderful, amazing, strange and extraordinary records related to human being and nature. Marvellous Personalities of India is one of the most popular chapters of this book the biodata and activities of Legend ary persons who have done extraordinary
work in any field. MRBI also recognizes accomplishments such as firsts, innovative research, honours, awards and really unique activities. Salute to Dr Pathak Chief Guest Governor Ram Naik expressed his happiness on the event ‘Marvellous Records Book of India’. While honouring Dr Pathak he said that “he is truly the forerunner of cleanliness to make the most number of toilets in
Cover Story
December 18 - 24, 2017
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Guests at the event posing for a group photo
the country.” He told all the awardees that he hopes that they will continue to do similar work in the future. Referring to himself, he told that from being diagnosed with cancer at the age of 60 to his conquest against it, he never looked back and kept moving in his life. While praising Lucknow, he said that Mumbai is the economic capital of the country, Delhi is the political capital of the country, Varanasi is the cultural capital of the country and Lucknow is the capital of the art of this country. He also praised the newspapers of Lucknow for dedicating a complete page for art. Dr Pathak’s presence is a matter of pride On this occasion, Uttar Pradesh’s Women and Family Welfare Minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi said that Dr Pathak is a globally known personality. She said that the presence of Dr Pathak is a matter of pride for all of us. Joshi, while expressing her happiness on the third edition of the ‘Marvellous Records Book of India’, said that she has been present on the release of all the three volumes. There is no
dearth of talent in India, we just have to find and polish it. ‘Marvellous Records of India’ is doing the same thing. accelerating cleanliness drive Describing the occasion historic, Uttar Pradesh Law and Justice Minister Brajesh Pathak said, those who have been honoured today are at the pinnacle in their respective areas. Referring to his school days, he said “since the days of my school I have been seeing the movement by Dr Pathak in the field of cleanliness. With the help of Dr Pathak, the cleanliness drive has been accelerated.” Dr Pathak has given new direction to society Dr Shashikant Tiwari, Editor-in-Chief of ‘Marvellous Records Book
The Editorial Board Selection Committee of `MARVELLOUS Records book of India’ has decided to publish the Biography of Dr Bindeshwar Pathak in `Marvellous Records Book of India 2017’
of India’ appreciated Dr Pathak’s work and said that he has shown a different outlook to social service. He has shown a new way to the people with his work and how we can give a new direction to society with our work. Referring to Dr Pathak’s book, he said that reading him is also a pleasant experience. Governor Ram Naik is the most popular governor till date, added Shashikant. He said, reading Naik’s book ‘Charaiveti, Charaiveti’ gives you the motivation to do something. This Marvellous record book is also inspired by his book. To honour Marvellous personality is a matter of pride for us. We will keep organizing this event every year. “Marvellous Records Book of India” The Marvellous Records Book of India is published by the Aviral Foundation every year, in which the wonderful works performed by people from every region across India are compiled as records. Dr Pathak has been honoured in the field of social service in this book. Dr Pathak has built more than 20 million
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Cover Story
December 18 - 24, 2017
Dr Bindeshwar Pathak welcomes Dr Rita Bahuguna Joshi
Mrs Amola Pathak with actor Rajiv Khandelwal and actress Meenakshi Dixit
The Editorial Board Selection Committee of `MARVELLOUS Records book of India’ has decided to publish the Biography of Dr Bindeshwar Pathak in `Marvellous Records Book of ndia 2017’ toilets under the Sulabh Foundation. His ‘Two-pit Toilet’ flush technique is considered to be the cheapest technology for the purpose. In this edition, women biker and record holder Pallavi Fauzdar has also been honoured. Pallavi is the first woman in the world to make three world records in the field of biking. Dangal also has been included as the first Indian film to earn 2000 crores all over the world. Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli has an average of more than 50 per cent in all three formats of cricket. Year’s ‘Marvellous Personalities of India’ is also included in the book. ‘Marvellous Personalities of India 2017’ Awards include films and television, public affairs, academics, science technology, sports and adventure, art and art exhibition, distinguished functionaries of social work, organization and corporate sector. Dr Shishikant Tiwari, Editor of the book, says that people who get honoured for their excellent work do not only inspire the new generation but also motivate them to do good work. This is the main purpose of this book.
The event was attended by many prominent personalities
Other celebrities Who were Honoured ‘Marvellous Lifetime Achievement Award’ was given to 4 others besides Dr Pathak. Padma Shri Soma Ghosh and former cricketer Chetan Sharma were conferred with Lifetime Achievement Award for their contribution in the field of Art and Sports respectively. Apart from this, Padma Bhushan, Rajan Sajan Mishra was given the Lifetime Achievement Award in the field of art and former Uttar Pradesh cricketer Gyanendra Pandey for his priceless contribution in the field of sports. They both, however, were not
present in the ceremony. The people honoured at the event were: Padma Bhushan Dr Bindeshwar Pathak in the field of social service, former cricketer Chetan Sharma in the field of sports, Shaista Amber who fought against ‘triple talaq’ in the field of social service, Urvashi Sahni working for the rights of children and women in the field of social service, Manoj Dixit, Vice-Chancellor of Avadh University in the field of education, famous scientist Manoj Patriya in the field of science. Famous actor Rajiv Khandelwal, lyricist and writer Manoj Muntasir, renowned director Sanjeev Jaiswal, actress Meenakshi
Dixit, actor Rajneesh Duggal and comedian Rajeev Nigam were honoured for contributing to the field of cinema. Dr Sankalp Jain was honoured for his contribution to the health sector. A total of 31 persons were awarded ‘Marvellous Personalities of India 2017.’ This book is promoted by U.K. Public Academic Society, Recognized by Govt. of India. Various eminent personalities featured in this book are Narendra Modi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Sonia Gandhi, Sachin Tendulkar, Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Kangana Ranawat and many more.
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Agri Horti Tech Summit
December 18 - 24, 2017
lucknow
The 5 Agri Horti Tech Summit th
The exhibition aims for the progress, harmony and development in India by setting new horizons in agriculture industry ayodhya p singh
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he 5th Agri Horti Tech Summit in Uttar Pradesh has started. The exhibition, a 3-day event, has been organised by PHD Chamber Of Commerce and Industry in association with the Government of Uttar Pradesh from 12-14 December 2017 at Manyawar Shri Kanshiram ji Sanskritik Sthal (Smriti Upwan), Ashiyana, Lucknow. The chief guest, Dr Prem Kumar, Agriculture Minister of Bihar and Dr Bindeshwar Pathak was the “Special Guest of Honour” inaugurated the event. Gracing the occasion were renowned dignitaries, Saurabh Sanyal, Mukesh Gupta, Dr Tetsuya Uetake, Avinash Kr Verma, Amit Mohan Prasad, Dr Lalit Khaitan , Anil Khaitan, Dr Prem Kumar, V.K. Mishra , Narendra Sinha and Mukesh Bahadur Singh. The Exhibition aims to promote harmony and development in Uttar Pradesh as well in India by setting new horizons in the agricultural industry. The event aimed to bring together thought-leaders, policymakers, academicians, scientists, investors, technologies, innovators, entrepreneurs and farmers on a common platform. This event showcases products like fork lift and handling of the equipment, software and hardware, fertilizers and chemicals and many related products and services in Industrial Products, Agriculture & Forestry industries. Eighty-four companies, including 28 from Japan took part in the Agri Horti Tech Exhibition. Companies from US, Anil Khaitan, President of Is rael , PHD Chamber Denmark of Commerce and Industry and France
Quick Glance The highlights of the event was Eighty-four companies from all over set up their installations at the Event
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To increase the income of farmers, Integrated Agricultural Systems can be adopted
Sulabh Stall at the Agri Horti Tech Fair was the centre of special attraction
also set up their stalls. Agriculture, horticulture, livestock, dairy, fisheries and food technology related stalls came up at the Smriti Upvan. Apart from this, agriculture and related industries, banks, NABARD and other financial institutions, insurance agencies and agricultural research institutions also took part in the expo. Manure from Human Excreta Addressing the audience, Dr Pathak spoke about the Sulabh’s Two-pit Pour-Flush Ecological Compost Toilet technology which has two pits. He informed that how one pit is used at a time and the other remains as stand-by. When the first pit is full, it is switched over to the other and in the first one after two years, human excreta gets converted into manure or fertiliser with the help of bacteria present in the soil. This fertilizer has a good percentage of plant nutrients. It contains 1.8% nitrogen, 1.6% phosphorus and 1% potassium and if some lime is mixed in it, it can be used as fertilizer in the
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Agri Horti Tech Summit
Dr Bindeshwar Pathak with his book on PM Modi
December 18 - 24, 2017
Dr Prem Kumar addressing the attendees
field to raise the productivity or it can also be used for flowers, plants and fruit trees. Dr Pathak said that Sulabh International has done a lot of work in the arsenic region of West Bengal and it has also played a lead role in providing clean water to the masses, the cost of which is estimated to be as lowly as 50 paise per litre. He has also talked about the world’s largest toilet ‘Sulabh Toilet complex’ built by Sulabh International in Maharashtra. There are 2858 seats in this toilet. 4 lakh people can use it on a daily basis. He said that fertilizers can be obtained from this toilet on a large scale.
Minister Modi’s aim is to double the income of the farmers, for which this fair will contribute ideally. The present income cannot be doubled by the traditional method of farming; farmers have to opt for the modern way of cultivation. Kumar said that we have to reduce the cost of farmers and moreover focus on increasing the production. A larger population of the country lives in villages; a large part of the country is dependent on agriculture which influences the economy too. The main livelihood of the people of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and other states depend majorly on agriculture. Thus, there is immense potential in the field of agriculture here. The government is constantly striving for the betterment of agriculture. Under the leadership of Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh too is into the fast lane.
all about modern farming The seven-time MLA, Dr Prem Kumar, Agriculture Minister of Bihar said that he was happy at this kind of event being organized in Uttar Pradesh. The objective of ‘Agri Horti Tech Uttar Pradesh Exhibition’ is to reach out to farmers of Farming in Bihar Uttar Pradesh and other The Agriculture parts of India with Minister observed There were also a technological that, when the first innovations and Krishi Road Map number of Exhibits, educating them on was brought in the including Standees, modern methods of state of Bihar in Models, Photos, farming and its 2008, there were etc. depicting application for indeed better contributions enhancing farming results. Second of Sulabh in a sustainable Agricultural Road International manner. Map was brought in He said that Prime 2012 which led to a
third Krishi Road Map has widespread progress in Dr Prem Kumar been started by the President production and productivity. felicitating Ram Nath Kovind on 9th Bihar has been awarded the Anil Khaitan November 2017. With the National Agricultural Work total cost of 1.54 lakh crores, Award by the Government of India for its outstanding achievement the work is going ahead in the in the year 2012 for the production of coordination of 12 departments rice; wheat production in the year related to agriculture. 2013 and maize production in the year 2016. It is worth mentioning that organic farming in 2012, a world record for the The Minister said that Bihar is also organic farming. production of 224 quintals per hectare encouraging of paddy and 729 quintals per hectare Promotion of organic farming is of potato was also established. Bihar priority of Bihar government. has also made a world record in the Knowingly or unknowingly, the field of potato cultivation. Now the farmers of our country use chemical
December 18 - 24, 2017
Agri Horti Tech Summit
Dr Pathak showing Dr Prem Kumar Sulabh toilet systems
Dr Pathak showing Sulabh’s water purification technology that removes arsenic
fertilizers and insecticides in farmers in the areas of Dr Pathak the fields and thus pave way mushroom cultivation, fish addressing the for many of its side-effects. nurturing, vermi-compost attendees He cited the example of etc. Sikkim and said that the government is trying to give the Crop insurance farmers an environment similar to Referring to the Prime Minister’s that of the states thriving in organic Crop Insurance Scheme, he said that farming. now farmers can insure their crops with lesser money. This initiative of Focus on soil testing Prime Minister Modi is proving to be At the same time, Health Cards for very beneficial for the farmers. Now farmers are being prepared and the farmers can avail maximum 2% for soil is checked so that they know kharif and 1.5% for Rabi crops and what is suitable for sowing and how the maximum premium rates for much fertilizer has to be used. This horticulture and commercial crops helps in increasing their production. can be insured on 5% per annum. On the occasion of World Earth This has increased the hope of the Day, the Soil Health Card was farmers. He also added that this distributed to 5 lakh farmers. Its initiative of the Prime Minister will results are overwhelming. To increase help the farmers to deal with natural the income of farmers, Integrated calamities. Most of the funds will be Agricultural Systems can be adopted. given by the central and the state Fisheries and farming can be both governments and a very small share done in the same campus. Moreover, has to be given to the farmer in the training is also being given to the form of a premium. Referring to the
ever increasing production, he said that the Bihar government is also working in the area of storage. He hoped that such events would be held in Bihar.
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which must be the main purpose of this Agri Horti Tech. At the same time, he also observed that many Japanese companies have come to this conference which can also invest in Uttar Pradesh in future.
The participants with the chief guests
Focus on farming On this occasion, Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Amit Mohan Prasad, said that there are only three methods to increase the income of farmers – reduce cost, increase yield and get value of the yield. Also, the diversification of yield is very important. That is why agriculture has been given importance than mere farming. Which means gardening should be also done with farming. Describing Million Farmers School, he said that the farmers in the state will be taught about agriculture in gram panchayats. On this occasion, Anil Khetan, the president of PHD Chamber said that the farmers of Uttar Pradesh can get a platform
Sulabh stalls Sulabh Stall at the Agri Horti Tech Fair was the centre of special attraction. The most affordable twopit pour flush technique for toilets increased the eagerness of the visitors. Books written by Sulabh Sanitation and Social Reform Movement founder Dr Pathak were also available at the stall and people showed interest in reading them. Dr Prem Kumar also reached the stall at Sulabh and inquired about the technology from Dr Pathak. Dr Pathak presented a bouquet and a book written on Prime Minister Modi by him and honoured the minister.
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Agriculture
December 18 - 24, 2017
agri-tech
Making Farms Efficient And Farmers Smarter! Adoption of technology is essential in agriculture to enhance productivity from whatever small holdings Indian farmers have
Quick Glance • The average size of land-holding of an Indian farmer is only 1.15 hectare • Adoption of technology is essential to enhance productivity from such small holdings • A technologically smart and economically sound farmer will further improve yields
swastika TRipathi
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gricultur e has remained the backbone of human societies for millennia. It has been no different in India. Agriculture has been the secret of prosperous India in the ancient and medieval periods. And it continues to the base of Indian society and economy even in the 21st century. A major section of the population is engaged in agriculture as an occupation for a living.
Agriculture in India is the largest employment source which cuts poverty twice as fast as industrial growth because one per cent increase in agricultural output raises industrial production by 0.5 per cent and GDP by 0.7 per cent. Hence, it is a significant index of the overall socio-economic development of India. Now, while on the one hand, agriculture sector is the mainstay of India’s economy and accounts for almost 14 per cent of the GDP, on the other hand, the water level is
declining rapidly and the farm-land area is shrinking, too. According to the latest agricultural census, the average size of land-holding of an Indian farmer is only 1.15 hectare (with more than 70 per cent Indian farms falling in the very small category). Therefore, to enhance productivity from such small holdings and to further boost (or at least maintain at the current level) the contribution of agriculture sector, adoption of technology is essential.
MECHANISED BHARAT Agricultural mechanisation is an important factor for sustainable development of this sector. It helps in increasing production through the better management of costly inputs. It is noteworthy that variation in productivity at same level of irrigation and lower yield in India compared to the world average are due to poor level or low adoption of technology. Mechanisation leads to output optimization and ensures
Agriculture
December 18 - 24, 2017
NUMBER OF OPERATIONAL LAND HOLDINGS IN INDIA AS PER AGRICULTURE CENSUS Dominance of marginal land-holdings over the years in India suggest adoption of adequate technologies is a must for productive and fast growth of farmers to meet with future demands 92826 83694
75408
71179
20092
21643
13923 7580 1654 1990-91
14261 7092 1404 1995-96
22695 14021 6577 1230 2000-01
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The basic advantage of tech-enabled agriculture is that farmers become economically sound because of increase in the level of production’ efficient farm management. Most importantly, it boosts farmer’s income.
63389
23930 14127 6375 1096 2005-06
24779 13896 5875 973 2010-11
Marginal holdings: Size 1 hectare or less Small holdings: Size 1 to 2 hectares Semi-medium holdings : Size 2 to 4 hectares Medium holdings: Size 4 to 10 hectares Large holdings: Size above 10 hectare
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Sound farmers An advantage of tech-enabled agriculture is that farmers become economically sound because of increase in the level of production. A technologically smart and economically sound farmer will further improve yields and boost production capacity of the nation. This will not only grow the farmer, but the agrarian Indian society as well. Demand-Supply equilibrium Even though we have been nearly sufficient in food production, we have to keep ourselves prepared for rising future needs. A research paper prepared by Grant Thornton and industry body FICCI has projected food grain demand to reach 355 million tonnes in the next 13 years from the current 250 million tonnes. Ecologic Technology Now that the importance of technologies in agricultural sector is
recognised, the even more important aspect is to know the technologies available in the market. The other major challenge is to create awareness about technology. Here are a few of the better-suited and successfully tested technologies by Indian Agricultural Research Institute: Drip Saviour The agricultural sector accounts for 83 per cent of the total water consumption in the country. It is the biggest consumer but not the only one in the league. Industrial and energy sectors are gradually spreading their tentacles across India and their water needs are increasing by the day. Thus, water availability to agricultural activities is depleting rapidly, limiting expansion of irrigated area (which currently stands at about 36 per cent of the net sown area). These constraints can be considerably reduced by adopting drip and sprinkler irrigation methods. Among all the irrigation methods, the drip irrigation is the most efficient and it can be practised in a large variety of crops, especially
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Cover Story
December 18 - 24, 2017
Manpur / Bihar
Tech-pro Rani blossoms
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research on all these things. Today, Rani’s knowledge helps not only her but also the other farmers of the surrounding areas to produce better flowers, that too in bulk. Manpur used to be quite backward and poor. The same town has now emerged as the center of flower markets with a tremendous surge in demand. The farmers of Manpur are now challenging the ‘Flower Mandi’ of Kolkata by cultivating hybrid genda flowers. Farming is getting better in lesser time and profits are rising. Alongside the traditional methods, alternative How come? This is the story of Rani Sinha – a small farmer from farming has paved way for extra income with cash crops. Bhasunda village of Manpur (a short distance from This is happening not just in a couple of households, Gaya), Bihar, who once lived the life of poverty but but many more of them. People who had once lived a turned it around with the will to learn of technologies life of poverty like Rani, have now reached the point of prosperity and becoming inspiration and an example for others. Rani and fellow farmers Today, Rani’s chosen this business at knowledge helps not have the right time. The place is also quite suitable, and there only her but also the are a number of pilgrimages other farmers of the including the world-famous temple nearby. The surrounding areas to Vishnu Bodh Gaya temple is in close produce better flowers, proximity too, which makes it good to grow flowers at local that too in bulk level. Apart from this, due to good connectivity to the Howrah market and the railways, produce from here is sold at and compete in the flowers market. Back in her not-so-tech-active days, Rani used good prices. The market in Gaya has become quite to cultivate flowers in the traditional manner. She vast due to the main rail line, from where flowers are struggled to compete with the outside market. After sent to various flower markets including Varanasi, a lot of efforts, Rani learned of technologies from Vindhyachal, etc. Like Rani, another farmer – Bablu, outsiders to improve the growth of flowers. Henceforth, has also emerged in the category of advanced farmers. she adapted the new methods and turned around her He admits that today the area has become a popular farming ways. Post her technological evolution, Rani village of flowers, thanks to the help of Rani. Rani’s now earns thousands of rupees from a small piece of idea is to bring yet more quality in this area, especially land. She estimates that she earns Rs 8,000 per bundle in packaging and in the field of fragrance. Apart from in a month. Flowers are grown three to four times this, it is necessary to bring new seeds and techniques monthly from a wet land, which can amount up to in which Manpur nursery will progress a lot. Imagine more of Ranis and Bablus across the nation, two quintals a month. She knows what kind of variety should be produced, what is the demand, what season and the technological adventure the agricultural sector is good for the harvest, et al. Rani is continuously doing of India will embark upon! hat echoed with the sound of gunshots and bomb explosions, and smelled that of gunpowder once, is now filled with the fragrance of flowers. The land of the Mahatma Buddha, who taught the lesson of non-violence, had long been tarnished with the nefarious acts of the criminals and Naxalites. But serenity has been restored to the land ,with added beauty and fragrance of hybrid ‘genda’.
vegetables, fruits, flowers and plantations. In drip irrigation, water is applied near the plant root through emitters or drippers, on or below the soil surface, at a low rate varying from two to 20 litres per hour. The soil moisture is kept at an optimum level with frequent irrigations. This results in a very high water application efficiency of about 90-95 per cent. Low-cost preservation Owing to inadequate post-harvest storage facilities, India loses over 10 per cent of ~227 million tonnes of foodgrains, 30-40 per cent of ~46.97 million tonnes of fruits and ~88.62
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The degree of farm mechanisation is expressed as a ratio of mechanical power to cultivable unit area, which in India has increased at a very slow pace’
million tonnes of vegetables produced annually. This results in poor return to farmers and high cost to consumers. The storage of fresh horticultural produce is a major challenge in the tropical climate of India. Horticultural crops are considered a viable diversification for the traditional food grain crops owing to their higher per unit returns. Thus, indigenous low cost methods for storage of horticultural crops and food grains are designed to check microbial, enzymatic and oxidative spoilage in the stored/preserved materials. These can be stored safely up to a few months without excessive spoilage. Land improvement Excess water and salts in the soil forming the crop root zone are injurious to plants. Crop yields may drastically reduce on poorly drained soils. Under prolonged waterlogged conditions, the crops eventually die owing to lack of oxygen in the root zone. The main purpose of drainage is to provide a favourable root environment, which is conducive to the proper growth of plants. Artificial drainage is essential in poorly drained agricultural fields to ensure an optimum air-water-salt regime in the crop root zone. GOVERNMENT ON THE ROLL The degree of farm mechanisation is expressed as a ratio of mechanical power to cultivable unit area, which in India has increased at a very slow pace from 0.48 kW/ha in 1975-76 to 1.84 kW/ha in 2013-14. However, from the year 2014-15 to 2016-17, it has increased to 2.02 kW/ha which is mainly due to concentrated efforts for promotion of agricultural mechanisation through various schemes of the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare. The government is promoting
Agriculture
December 18 - 24, 2017
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The government’s target is to increase the average income of a farmer household at current prices to Rs 219,724 by 2022-23 from Rs 96,703 in 2015-16’
farm mechanisation by subsidising purchase of equipment through a scheme of Sub-Mission of Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM) that promotes models of custom hiring as well. The model not only includes the traditional component of training, testing, demonstration of agricultural machinery and procurement subsidy but also includes-Farm Machinery Banks for Custom Hiring, Hi-Tech High Productive Equipment Centres on custom hiring model, and Farm Mechanisation in selected villages for enhancing productivity and
creating ownership of appropriate farm equipment among small and marginal farmers. In addition to the Agricultural Mechanisation Submissions, farm mechanisation is also promoted through various other schemes and programmes of the government such as Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, National Food Security Mission, National Horticulture Mission, National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm, etc. EXPECTATIONS GALORE Indian government has set the ambitious target to achieve the goal
of doubling farm income by 2022. The government’s target is to increase the average income of a farmer household at current prices to Rs 219,724 by 2022-23 from Rs 96,703 in 2015-16. The agriculture sector in India is expected to generate better momentum in the next few years due to increased investments in agricultural infrastructure such as irrigation facilities, warehousing and cold storage. India is expected to be selfsufficient in pulses in the next few
years due to concerted efforts of scientists to get early-maturing varieties of pulses and the increase in minimum support price. All of these expectations can be turned into reality on the back of technologies which would improve the yield, hence the income, for Indian farmers. According to the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), the Indian agricultural services and agricultural machinery sectors have cumulatively attracted Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) equity inflow of about Rs 250 crore and the food processing sector has attracted around Rs 780 crore during April, 2000 to June, 2017. Farmers remain the unsung heroes of Indian society as even after immense painful hard-work and uncertain outcomes, they play the major role of feeding society at large. A tech-pro farmer is the soul of not just an agrarian society but of society at large.
Uttar Pradesh
GSBM
UP tops in toilet construction The target set by CM Yogi Adityanath is declaring 30 out of the 75 districts free of open defecation (ODF) by December 31, 2017
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ssb bureau
ven as Uttar Pradesh topped construction of individual household latrines in the country, the state lags behind the target set by the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for declaring 30 out of 75 districts open defection free (ODF) by December 31, 2017. Soon after the Chief Minister fixing this year’s target in April, the Panchayati Raj department went full throttle constructing over a record 20 lakh Individual household latrines (IHLs) across state till date. But it could barely make only eight out of 30 districts ODF, which is merely 25 per cent of the target fixed by the state government for
this year. Part of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Gramin Swachch Bharat Mission, the Centre and State governments give a subsidy of Rs 12,000 to the beneficiary for the construction of IHLs. Department officials claim that the task to construct toilets in each and every household in 98,498 villages and 58,766 village panchayats is a big challenge. The Additional Chief Secretary CK Tewari said that the department has put in extra efforts in December to achieve the target within the deadline set by the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Disclosing the December strategy for achieving the targets, department officials claimed that instead of promoting the scheme across state, they are concentrating in villages where only a few toilets are left
G la n ce
December 18 - 24, 2017
Q u i c k
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to declare the village ODF. The state was supposed to get a fund of Rs 8,800 crore this year to achieve targets in 30 districts by December and the department has received Rs 2,500 crore so far. The Central and State grant ratio is 60:40 for the IHLs. “The state government is ready with the funds but that could be released only after Centre releases its contribution for
NO. of toilets built in india in the last 15 years Source: NSSO
UP has constructed a record of 20 lakh home latrines
Still, nearly 25% people prefer defecating in open
The state needs to boost awareness and focus on districts
the scheme,” pointed a senior department official. As a result, the department is forced to divert funds of other districts in order to construct toilets on priority basis in 30 districts first. Another official pointed that lack of motivation among villagers who still prefer to go in open for defection is another reason which is delaying the project. To top it all, sudden increase in cost of building materials is another factor due to which many beneficiaries are not ready to take benefit from the scheme. The government has already requested the Centre to increase the Rs 12,000 grant in view of rise in prices of construction material. “The amount of grant is certainly low keeping the price rise. Many of those who had submitted applications are now shying away to seek benefit of the scheme fearing that they will have to invest from their pocket to construct the toilet in their houses,” admitted the department official. The official claimed that most of the districts which have been declared ODF come from Western Uttar Pradesh mainly due to greater awareness about health and hygiene. Despite several constraints, claimed Director Panchayati Raj Vijay Kiran Anand, the state ranked first in the country in toilet construction. He said that the department has sought help from NGOs and launched many community programmes to motivate people in rural areas to take benefit of the scheme by constructing toilets in their households. Though the department claimed that to have made 2,627 villages ODF along the banks of Ganga to save the river from pollution, r e p o r t s emanating from villages declared ODF differ from the claims of the department officials.
Enviro-Ratnas
December 18 - 24, 2017 In Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency Varanasi, about 55 villages have so far been declared ODF with a grant of over Rs 39 crores but villagers claimed that 20 to 40 per cent people still go to defecate in the open as they do not prefer toilets. Jagdish Rajbhar, Gram Pradhan of the village said that about 30 per cent people still go out to relieve themselves. The Panchayati Raj department officials, however, say that the fund has already been released for construction of remaining households and it was on that basis these villages were declared ODF. “Since money is transferred in beneficiaries account there is a possibility of money being spent on other heads than constructing the toilet,” clarified an official. But the officer has no answer when asked who is responsible for it. As per the rules, from construction to its use, responsibility of monitoring lies from gram panchayat level to CDO, DM and department officials to ensure the grant is not misused and the toilet constructed was being used by the beneficiary.Similar reports came from
awarded
India’s Environment Ratnas Honoured
India’s Environment Ratnas were awarded for their significant contribution in the direction of environmental protection and conservation
Dr Bindeshwar Pathak being felicitated
SSB BUREAU
Government has warned department officials with suspension if the minister found that any village was declared ODF without completing the work Mirzapur district where the department spent over Rs 90 crores for construction of toilets in 281 villages and declared them ODF but villagers alleged that many villages were declared ODF on papers without constructing required number of toilets. Reports from villages in Allahabad, Kannauj, and Shahjahanpu also tell similar tales. Following complaints from Gram Pradhans in Meerut, Ghaziabad, Noida and Hapur that DPROs (District Panchyati Raj Officer) declared many villages ODF without completing toilet construction, the Meerut Commissioner Prabhat Kumar had instituted an inquiry. During the course of the inquiry it was found that complaints were genuine. The Commissioner has recommended action against the erring officials. Minister of State for Panchayati Raj (Independent Charge) Bhupendra Singh has warned department officials with suspension if he found that any village was declared ODF without completing the work.
13
E
nvironmental pollution is the most critical issue of today’s time, but it is necessary for all of us to understand the problem. The destruction of this world will be due to the nuclear bomb, urbanization and industrialization. The environmental problems are increasing day by day due to these three reasons. These words were spoken by Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of Sulabh Sanitation and Social Reform Movement, at ‘Environmental Conservation: Scope, Achievements and Challenges – Through Gandhian Thoughts and Perspective’ national seminar organised by Environment and Geoinformatics Institute, along with Career Plus Education Society and the Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti, in the Constitution Club, New Delhi. During the seminar, those personalities were felicitated with a trophy, shawl and an ‘Environment Ratna’ award for their significant contribution in the direction of environmental protection. On this occasion, Dr Pathak, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister of State Krishna Raj, National Safai Karamcharis Commission President Manhar Valjibhai Zala, Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas National Secretary
Dr Pathak with Manhar Valjibhai Zala
Dr Pathak with Swaraj Vidwan
Atul Kothari, National Scheduled Caste Commission member Swaraj Vidwan, Acharya Shailendra and young songwriter Gajendra Solanki were also
present. All will have to understand their responsibility towards environment - Dr Pathak Dr Pathak said that everything depends on one design, we are all living on the basis of a single design. We are sitting in this hall, it too has its own design. Similarly, our culture also has a design, due to which the problem of the environment is increasing. By breaking these designs and doing a few different things, it can be improved. He said that for the first time this design was broken by Mahatma Gandhi. He had said that all the villagers will themselves clean their own waste, and for the second time, the constitution broke this design, under which a person from any caste can be admitted in the army. A design has been made in our country that I will not clean the dirt lying on the road because I am a Brahmin and this is not my job. Therefore, the biggest reason for the problem of dirt in our country is that it is produced by 99.5 per cent people while only 0.5 per cent cleans it. All of us have to be aware of this and need to understand our responsibility, only then the problem of environmental pollution can be overcome. Not only those 0.5 per cent but the major 99.5 per cent of the people will have to clean their own waste and be alert about environmental protection.
‘Environment Ratna’ Awardees • Dr Satya Prakash Mehra, Rajputana Society of Natural History • RK Gupta, CMP Bagpost • Sanjay Kashyap, Ananya Foundation • Rajesh Goyal, Conductive Organizer • Mrityunjay Kumar, Assistant Professor Galgotia University • Kaushalendra Kumar, Founder of Kaushalya Foundation • Arun Tiwari, Senior journalist • Dr Manoj Kumar, Mahatma Gandhi International Hindi University Wardha • Nikhil Saroj, Startup Prennor • Gita Routela, Social worker • Usha Shukla, social worker • Usha Thakur, Social worker • Gita Rani, Social worker • Vikranta Thamde, Environmental Protection • Dr Sumesh Singh, Vice Chancellor Sangam University, Bhilwara • Dr Rajyavardhan Kumar, Assistant Professor R. Mangalam University Gurgaon
14
Sanitation
December 18 - 24, 2017
Yamuna
Garbage
Centre To Revive River Yamuna
The central government was directed by the NGT to bear 70 per cent of the cost for constructing sewage treatment plants Quick Glance The centre will fund the construction of 14 Sewage Treatment Plants
Cities’ Ratings On Cleanliness
The Delhi Jal Board has been directed to cover the remaining 30 per cent The Yamuna revival project is called “Maily Se Nirmal Yamuna” plan
The government will give star ratings to garbage-free cities in order to promote healthy competition in the race for SBM IANS
W
ith the aim to enthuse Indian cities with a spirit of healthy competition, the government has decided to come up with star rating for garbagefree cities, it was announced recently. “The new star rating protocol is expected to be formally introduced in the next few weeks,” a statement from the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry said. “Given its potential as a developmental-cum-aspirational tool for cities to incrementally improve their overall cleanliness, while working towards a garbagefree status, this is expected to greatly enthuse the city administrators,” the ministry said. It added that the star rating protocol was different from the Swachh Survekshan ranking survey, as the former would allow multiple cities to be awarded the same star rating. The star rating protocol was introduced during a national workshop titled “Accelerating Implementation of Urban Missions” organised last week by the ministry for its two missions -Pradhan Mantri Avaas Yojana and Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban). The workshop was inaugurated by Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.
SSB BUREAU
T
he National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday directed the Central government to bear 70 per cent of the cost for constructing 14 Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) under the first phase of the Yamuna river revival project which has been delayed by over eight months due to lack of cooperation among agencies and a fund crunch. The bench, headed by NGT Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar, also directed the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to bear the remaining 30 per cent of the cost. “For sewage management in Yamuna at Delhi, NMCG and DJB will share 70-30 per cent of the cost. “If the cost exceeds 30 per cent, then the Delhi government will provide financial assistance to the DJB,” Kumar said. Currently only active on papers, the “Maily Se Nirmal Yamuna” plan aims at treating the sewage and waste water reaching Yamuna through drains. Under the first phase, supposed to
“The centre and Delhi’s Jal Board
will fund the Phase-1 of the “Maily Se Nirmal Yamuna” plan NGT Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar
have been completed by March 31 this year, 14 STPs are to be made at Najafgarh drain and Delhi Gate -- the most polluting. More STPs are to be constructed at other drains along the Yamuna under Phase-II that will include drains along Shahdara, Barapullah and others. The DJB had earlier said that it will construct seven out of 14 STPs, and expected the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) to extend financial support -- the major cause of delay. At present, DJB has started working on five STPs while a survey is being done for the other two. The estimation of Phase-I of the project, under which 14 STPs are to be built,
is still unclear. The tribunal, in a January 2015 judgment, ordered to deal with all components of controlling and preventing pollution in the Yamuna. The green panel had noticed that almost 67 per cent of the pollutants reaching the Yamuna would be treated by the two sewage treatment plants at Delhi Gate and Najafgarh in Phase-I. The Yamuna traverses a distance of about 46 km along Delhi. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, while the river’s stretch between Wazirabad barrage to downstream Okhla barrage is less than two per cent of the entire river stretch, it receives around 70 per cent of the total pollution load there.
Sanitation
December 18 - 24, 2017
15
progress report
LG Wants Weekly Progress Report The LG wants weekly reports on the progress made on beautification and hygienic conditions of toilets in NCR SSB Bureau
D
elhi Lieutenant-Governor (LG) Anil Baijal has reviewed the progress of sanitation and beautification works undertaken by the three municipal corporations — north, south and east — in the national Capital. He told the civic bodies to maintain hygienic conditions in the toilet complexes, streets, and public parks of the city. Besides, the LG directed the three corporations to send a weekly progress report about these works to the Urban Development (UD) Department. “All three municipal corporations told the LG that efforts were being made to ensure that all toilets complexes have proper lights. Also, they informed about the upcoming projects such as building toilet units and installing LED lights in their respective areas,” a statement issued by the LG’s office read. Baijal also told the corporations that they must continue to take steps that focus on cleanliness and sanitation of the areas
and also ensure that the communities were involved in maintenance of assets. Further, LG also reviewed the progress of encroachment removal on 29 identified stretches. “Baijal emphasised that places that are made encroachment-free should not be allowed to be encroached again. These places had bottlenecks holding up vehicular movement for hours,” the statement read. The meeting was attended by chief secretary Anshu Prakash, senior officials from the Urban Development Department, Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), and all three municipal corporations. Meanwhile, earlier this year, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) launched the first public ‘Pink Toilet’ equipped with a sanitary pad vending machine and incinerator in the city. While all three municipal corporations had announced Longevity opening of toilets at public places and busy markets, under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), this was the first toilet
to have a sanitary pad vending machine. The corporations had in 2015 received Rs 120 crore from the Centre under the SBM to build toilet blocks, besides other sanitation work in the national Capital. According to the SBM guidelines, there must be a toilet complex available at a distance of every kilometer in the national Capital. According to a report
published by the north corporation on sanitation earlier this year, the civic body, which has over 800 toilet blocks under it, has built 50 women toilet seats in the last one year, which became functional a few months ago. The east corporation, which has 400 toilet blocks under it, has built 70 new blocks under the Mission.
Bengaluru lake
General Electric Helps Unclog Bengaluru Lake General Electric has partnered with NGO United Way to restore the clogged Kundalahalli Lake bengaluru bureau
G
eneral Electric (GE) has restored the clogged Kundalahalli Lake in the city’s south-east suburb with the help of an NGO (United Way Bengaluru), the American multinational said. “A new lease of life has been given to the lake at Whitefield with clean water after removing its pollutants through sewage treatment plant set up on
its banks,” GE India Technology Centre’s Chief Executive Munesh Makhija said in a statement here. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) partnered with GE and the nongovernmental organisation to revive the lake, protect the environment and create a cleaner and greener community. “The treated water replenishes the lake. Our volunteer teams found that it (lake) had many inlets that allowed sewage to seep
into it, forming silt and reducing its storage capacity by almost half. The garbage pile-up had detrimental effect on the lake spread over 30 acres, the environment and people in the area. Its restoration has increased water level by six inches in six months and helped flora and fauna florish, Makhija said. The civic body (BBMP) will invest in cleaning, maintaining and fencing the lake. GE and United Way have also
built six eco-friendly toilets, including one for the differently abled to prevent open defecation near the lake and maintain cleaner environment. “We will maintain the lake for two years and plant 5,000 saplings in surrounding area,” United Way Chief Executive Manish Michael said. As part of its ‘Wake the Lake’ campaign, the NGO is working to restore/revive 15 other lakes across the city with the help of corporates like GE.
16
December 18 - 24, 2017 “Advances in Medicine and Agriculture have saved vastly more lives than have been lost in all the wars in history”
Dr Sheetal Kapur
Convenor of Consumers Club and Associate Professor at Kamala Nehru College, University of Delhi
VIEWPOINT
Carl Sagan
Consumer rights get an edge new agriculture
Vertical Farming Is Here To Stay
Vertical farming can get yields upto 350 times the norm
T
he concept sounds like science fiction--instead of spreading out across acres and acres, the farms of the future will grow lettuce and strawberries inside climate-controlled, light-controlled cylinders. Less land, less water, but year-round light and perfectly controlled moisture. The California company behind this concept, Plenty, announced that it will open a 100,000 square-foot farm in Kent, Wash., south of Seattle, where it intends to grow pesticide-free, “backyard quality” produce for regional consumers. It’s the start-up’s first full-scale farm. The plants (fruit, vegetables) grow in 20-foot tall towers inside a climate-controlled facility with LED lights without using pesticides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers, o r GMOs. Instead, thousands of infrared cameras and sensors collect data that is analyzed to optimize how the plants grow. Vertical farming can achieve yields of up to 350 times greater than traditional agriculture while using 1 percent of the water and barely any land compared to conventional methods. Vertical farming companies like Plenty have received investments from tech majors like Amazon and grocery major, Whole Foods based in the USA.
Editor-in-Chief
Kumar Dilip Edited, Printed and Published by: Monika Jain on behalf of Sulabh Sanitation Mission Foundation, owned by Sulabh Sanitation Mission Foundation Printed at: The Indian Express Limited A - 8, Sector -7, NOIDA (UP) Published at: RZ - 83, Mahavir Enclave, Palam - Dabri Road, New Delhi - 110045 (India) Corporate Office: 819, Wave Silver Tower, Sector - 18, NOIDA (UP) Phone: +91-120-6500425 Email: editor@sulabhswachhbharat.com, ssbweekly@gmail.com
It is after coming into force of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, the consumer rights have become rooted and gained momentum
A
fter the opening up of the Indian economy, the India consumer has access to many brands and he/she is able to choose from among them. In every segment, whether it is the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) or consumer durables or it is the services sector, the Indian buyer has a choice of more than 20 brands. Because of access to a plethora of goods and services, there is a wide choice available to the consumer. The question that however arises is whether the consumer is getting his or her money’s worth that he or she spends on the brands. The importance of the consumer for the market and consumer awareness, have been the milestones in nurturing the interests of consumers in the country. When it is a seller’s market, then the consumer is at the receiving end, he or she is at a disadvantage. It is only when both the sellers and the buyers are large in number that the buyer gets to exercise his choice and look for alternatives. Before the Consumer Protection Act of 1986, India was basically a seller’s market. It is for this reason that 1986 turns out to be historic because it is only after this that the consumer rights gain the momentum. It is only after the 1991 economic liberalization that the Indian consumer got a taste of competitive pricing. Until then, the government had protected the Indian manufacturer from foreign competitors. As a consequence, the Indian consumer did not have much choice, and the in terms of quality, the domestic goods were highly unsatisfactory. To buy a car, one had to book for it much ahead and the choice was limited to two brands. No one cared to protect the interests of the consumer,
and it seemed that the basic aim was to provide protection to the domestic producer. It is after the coming into force of the Consumer Protection Act that for the first time the satisfaction of the consumer and his or her basic rights to get quality products for the price were given prominence. The consumer has been recognized as the essential element of the social, economic and political system. That is, the seller-buyer equation was seen as having an impact on society at large. It is natural that large scale manufacturers and their dealers have a tendency to make profits at the cost of the consumer. Faulty products, bad services, fake and cheap versions, misleading advertisements have become so common that the unsuspecting consumer is an easy prey of these snares. The United Nations had on April 9, 1985 adopted a resolution by which membercountries had entrusted the UN Secretary General with the responsibility to persuade developed countries to evolve policies and make laws to protect the interests of consumers. Today the consumer wants his or her money’s worth. The consumer expects the goods and services to be of the quality that is claimed by those marketing them, and that they also ensure the safety of the consumer while the product and the service are being used. The consumer also wants the uniqueness of the product or the service on offer. These expectations of the consumer have been turned into rights of the consumer. March 15 is known as the Consumer’s Day. It was on this day that the lawmakers in the United States had presented the bill to enshrine the rights of the consumers. Then president of the US, John F Kennedy said, “If the consumer is served low quality goods, if the prices are high,
Any country’s economic system orbits around its markets. When there are a large number of sellers, the buyers get the freedom to choose
December 18 - 24, 2017 if the medicines are unsafe and ineffective, if the consumer is not able to choose based on the information provided (for the product and the service), and if his (her) dollar is wasted, if his (her) health and safety are endangered, it will damage national interest.” Consumer International (CI), which is the first International Organisation of Consumer Union (IOCU) had increased the rights embedded in the US legislation to eight, which are as follows: 1. Basic needs; 2. Safety; 3. (Product) Information; 4. Choice; 5. Representation; 6. Prevention; 7. Instructions for the consumer; 8. Good ambience. CI is a huge organization and more than 100 countries and 240 voluntary organizations are associated with it. This manifesto has universal validity because it expresses the needs and desires of the poor and dispossessed people. It is based on this that the UN has passed the resolution setting out goals for the protection of the consumer. It is as a signatory to this resolution that India has prepared the Consumer Protection Bill in 1986 and this was made into an Act by the Parliament in December of that year. It came into force in April, 1987. The aim of this Act is to protect and enhance the rights of the consumer. According to this law, consumer disputes are to be resolved by consumer councils and other organisations. This Act provides safeguards on scheduled goods and it is a powerful, people-friendly legislations. This Act is applicable to goods and services in the private, public and cooperative sectors and the only condition is that no good or service has been kept out of the gazetted list. The Consumer Protection Act is an improvement on the existing laws because it is liable to indemnity or damages. Most other laws are retributive, and offer relief only under special provisions. The Consumer Protection Act provides for relief and remedy apart from what is available in the law, and in doing so it does not infringe any other law. The Act gives form to six of the consumer’s rights – right to safety, right to information, right to make a choice, right to have one’s say in the matter, right to resolution of complaint and right to consumer rights education. There is provision in the Act for aid and for remedial action through legal means. And accordingly, Consumer Protection Councils are appointed at the central, state and district levels. These councils are based on the principle of public-private partnership. The purpose of these councils is to review consumer-related policies. The Consumer Protection Act is a comprehensive and effective socio-economic law which protects the interests and wellbeing of the consumer. It is a weapon in the hands of the consumer against exploitation by service provider, seller and manufacturer and against illegal and unfair trade practices. From its establishment in April 1987 till January 1, 2010, 33, 30, 237 matters have ben filed and 29, 58, 875 of these have been disposed of by the consumer courts at the district, state and national level.
OpEd
17
Spirituality Subverts Addictions
mihir paul
Mihir Paul is a graduate of Philosophy and Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States
One cannot compare spiritual fulfilment with any amount of fame, beauty, power, knowledge, success, or achievements
upfront
W
e can define spirituality in many ways but in general, spirituality refers to living with a belief in a power governing the universe that is greater than one’s ego self. Now whether this power is a deity, the universe, or something entirely different, the crux here is that spirituality is the primary belief in something larger than the limited ego. So then, the spiritual process can be defined as the process of growth of a deeper connection with this part of our being that is larger and purer than the ego and its impulses. The desire to be “spiritual” is an innate longing for deeper connection with oneself and others. It is a desire to feel complete and peaceful. Addiction People fill this innate longing for ‘wholeness’ with substances, passions, religions, relationships, and beliefs. While some ways of feeling complete are healthy like following one’s passions and being in healthy loving relationships, when one turns to substances or other addictive behaviours, it becomes a problem. An individual using his/her
free-will to consume a substance is usually chasing the feeling of detachment and disconnection from the present moment. Such an individual finds his/ her present reality uncomfortable and is in a perpetual state of longing for escaping their reality. The individual seeks to avoid responsibilities a n d reality via self-medication through substances. Addiction is a problem of isolation. An addict suffers from deep-rooted feelings of inner insufficiency. Our spirituality becomes stagnant and the addiction leads us into a deep bondage with a substance or process. What perpetuates addictive behaviours is -- A lack of connection with one’s authentic self, lack of other relationships in life, lack of belief in a higher power, and social isolation. These contribute to feelings of constant isolation and emptiness along with low self-esteem and a continuing sense of unhappiness. Freedom One only needs to take a break
and introspect one’s deeper self. An addict needs to reconnect with who he/she really is and face the dark parts of their reality that they are constantly trying to repress by chasing a particular substance. An addict just needs an opportunity to shine the light of conscious reasoning onto the shadow ego self. The ego stores all the traumas, ideas, and experiences that push one to pursue a substance in the first place. When an addict can let go of the judgments and thoughts of selfdenial, they can experience what they’ve been trying to avoid for what it is in the present moment. One cannot compare spiritual fulfilment with any amount of fame, beauty, power, knowledge, success, or achievements. The experience of existing in connection with everything and everyone in existence is literally the greatest fulfilment in life. Having a regular spiritual practice allows one to find meaning in his/her life and deal with recovery from any condition including addiction.
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REMEMBRANCE
SARDAR PATEL
His thoughts on Indian economy were clear and closer to Nehru’s
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for Rising India
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HERITAGE
MUMBAI’S CLOCK TOWER
NEWSMAKERS
MOHAMAD AL JOUND
S
E
got The 16-year old Siryan Prize 2017 Children’s Peace for his work on refugees
There are sixteen of them and and offer amazing sights, history insights, into the city’s
Quick Glance
MEN
PHENOMENAL WO
Divas with Dreams
Indian Navy, the For the first time, woman as a pilot appointment of a n is the country’s Nirmala Sitharama defense minister first full time woman won for Manushi Chillar has 2017 crown India the Miss World
“you code when the phrase g toward a future order Our society is inchin be a compliment of the highest like a girl” will
deep sense of Development.” The bility he feels concern and responsi of women has UROOJ FATIMA towards the situationin the Indian resulted always stood directly many strides to NDIAN women have fought their government taking an equal and and with them up for their rights ns and provide platform in every aspect. battles despite restrictio equitable is not only paying are the shining The Prime Minister limitations. They of the and have displayed full attention to the development to beacons of hope n in their respective country but also giving importance exemplar y dedicatio is inclusive the fact that its character t. fields. everywhere you role in it is importan Women are leaders a and women’s runs who reason why women’s CEO Perhaps this is the look—from the to the housewife representation in India le Fortune 500 company has gained respectab her raises who recognition in many her heads and children areas today. household. is not too task The for The need The of difficult to achieve. empowerment sincerity and honesty women arises from on the part of those subordin ate If the involved is a must. position they havea the lots of women been accorded for y it change, definitel The time. long will have a positive has empowe rment to impact on society. been felt as a tool in women’s the Hence, bring about changes the development is sociotheir hour. economic felt on need of the to science, condition. It has been as well From sports to defence, bar across have been raising the the part of the nation that no women e of fields this year. While as the individual multitud have now till women, a a society can progress lag behind. some of these achieverswoman’ tag, Indian society, major constituent of Minister of the earned the ‘first out on some exciting others are setting these women are The present Prime empowerment of country sees women He says, “The journeys. Some the world a better look. working to make in with a whole new are earning laurels y is incomplete progress of humanit ment of women. place, while others These women clearly without the empower longer Women their fields. ovation. The issue is no is Women-Led deserve the standing it Development but
I
There’s somethinga
so special about woman who dominates in a man’s world. We need to reshape our own perception
creative spirituality! The article’ The spirituality of creativity’ is an interesting article. It may make the reader believe that it happens with them too. Yet it is true that
the spirituality is not about following a religion but it educates the person how to concentrate and stop thinking and focus on his / her day to day activities. It helps in attaining peace. It helps one to think better and take better decisions in life. These are some points due to which one could really connect with and judge that the article was excellent. We would love to read more of such mind calming articles in our hectic life’s. Mitali Shankar, Delhi Renewables The article ‘ Renewable energy is here to stay’ is an excellently written piece but makes me ask a question that renewable energy is nice in
all the spheres, but can it compete with the traditional energy methods. if we look around the globe and count the population and then focus ourselves on the fact that whether we could cater this crowd efficiently and successfully . Renewables are catching on quickly and one can see that with the decline of coal industries among others. Even big corporations have started to go green and that is great for the environment. The main and the biggest news is that insurance companies have also stopped insuring businesses associated with the coal industry. We are moving towards a greener world. What a great time to be alive!! Rohit Batra, Mumbai
Please mail your opinion to - ssbweekly@gmail.com or Whatsapp at 9868807712
18
Photo Feature
The Agro-climate of India The agriculture sector is the backbone of agri-society that India is, and its contribution to the GDP is mammoth. The sector has of late declined to some extent with depleting land and water sources, but technology has proved to be a saviour Photos: jairam
December 18 - 24, 2017
December 18 - 24, 2017
Technological awareness and adequate adoption is necessary for the small land holdings available with Indian farmers. If executed with precision, the outputs will soar irrespective of the minimal land available and scarce water resources. The future demand is increasing, and the responsibilty is on the sector
Photo Feature
20
Science & Technology
December 18 - 24, 2017
Reward-Punishment Doesn’t Work: Study Adolescent behaviour simply boils down to individual wiring, personal experiences, and hormonal mechanisms
agency
The Editorial Board Selection Committee of `MARVELLOUS Records book of India’ has decided to publish the Biography of Dr Bindeshwar Pathak in `Marvellous Records Book of ndia 2017’
G
etting a teenager to focus on something other than the teen’s personal interests is a task that is extremely difficult for both parents and teachers. Stern warnings fail and so do bribes. Some of the reasons for that includes the development of the teen’s sense of personal independence and peer pressure from social circles. According to the study published in Nature Communications correlates adolescent behavior to its specific wiring. This furthers the nature argument in the nature and nurture debate. Defined as a period of life that starts with the biological changes of puberty and ends when the individual attains a stable personality, an adolescent eventually finds an independent role in society. During adolescence the brain undergoes tremendous rewiring that is shaped by genes and
Th
g rin , Du ence al c u es id re ol iv o ad nd m ive e i es ls th com pu im be
Adolescent
Factoid
e im is d puls of m ue to ivity the atur lack rea ity i son n circ ing uit s
Adolescents lack the “cost-benefit” analysis mechanism
external experiences. During adolescence, the brain’s grey matter starts to thin. This is part of the brain’s system of ‘synaptic pruning’ which rids the brain of unnecessary nerve cell connections to boost neural communication efficiency. The thinning starts from the back of the brain and ends at the front near the pre-frontal cortex. The pre-frontal cortex is responsible for executive functions such as cognitive control and decisionmaking. A shift from local connections to more widespread global links between different parts of the brain, adolescence is associated with this maturing process as a ‘neural upgrade’. One needn’t be a neuroscientist or psychologist to understand that impulsivity, sensation-seeking, and risk-taking increases during adolescence. One aspect of risk behaviour in adolescents appears to be an apparent inability to match their behaviour to the likely rewards (or punishments) that might follow. While a mature brain can efficiently predict the necessary balance between effort and reward, the adolescent brain cannot. The mature brain uses links between the cognitive control systems, found in the highly evolved prefrontal cortex, and the reward circuitry, made up of evolutionarily older sub-cortical structures, which controls motivation and “wanting”. These include the striatum and the anterior cingulate cortex. This skill is described by psychologists as the ability to adjust
one’s cognitive performance to environmental demands, whereas business gurus would refer to it as “cost-benefit analysis”. The study looked at the brains of individuals from 13-20 years old. The researchers did this by collecting data from functional magnetic resonance imaging, which measures brain activity indirectly by tracking changes in blood flow, from participants while they played a video game. This was part of a cognitive test wherein the players get either high or low financial rewards or punishments in response to correctly sorting the given pictures of planets. In this kind of task, one would expect to see improved performance when there are higher stakes involved. But the study showed that this was only the case for older participants (1920 years old). Younger players were less efficient at the task whether the stakes were high or low. The defining characteristic of brain activity in the better performers was increased use of the prefrontal areas and, perhaps crucially, more powerful connections between the prefrontal cortex and the sub-cortical striatal areas. Effectively, this study demonstrates the emerging efficiency of a “cool” cognitive control system moderating a “hot” motivational assessment system, resulting in the appropriate balance between the rewards offered and the actions required to maximise performance. If your brain is younger, you are simply not very good at matching what you need to do with what you will gain if you get it right or lose if you get it wrong. This is indeed evidence of an adolescent lack of the necessary finetuning in the reward system which (thankfully) appears to emerge with age.
Science & Technology
December 18 - 24, 2017
Chocolate
bengaluru
Asia’s First Scientific Gallery
Stressed Cocoa Trees Produce Tastier Chocolate Researchers have found ways to make chocolate taste even better ssb bureau
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hocolates taste great, but they can become even tastier when the cocoa trees are grown in dry season and in high-stressed conditions, new research suggests. But more than the agricultural methods, the weather conditions in which cocoa trees are grown could have greater impact on the flavour of chocolates, according to the study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Cocoa trees grow in hot and humid climates near the equator. Traditionally, these trees are raised together in mixed groves with other types of trees and plants that can cool the air and provide vital shade. The system, called agroforestry, provides a low-stress environment, increases nutrients in the soil and helps maintain ground water levels. But to gain higher yields, growers sometimes plant cocoa trees in solitary, “monocultural,” groves, in which the trees are exposed to stressful conditions.
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The Science Gallery Bengaluru will be the first of its kind in the Asian continent IANS
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he science and technology hub of India, Bengaluru is going to have a special science gallery where the arts meet the sciences. The gallery is the product of partnership between Dublin-based Global Science Gallery Network and Karnataka along with scientific institutions. The gallery is called Science Gallery Bengaluru. (SGB) King’s College London, Trinity College Dublin, and University of Dublin-based Melbourne are some Global Science of the members of Gallery Network the global network. is a partner The SGB will be the first of its kind in the Asian continent. The SGB has the National Centre for Biological Sciences, the Indian Institute of Science, and Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology as its partners. The Science Gallery Bengaluru is not going to be another science museum as such as “we do not and will not have our own collections,” insists Jahnavi Phalkey, a historian of science and technology, who is the Director at the gallery. “You can think of it as a participatory laboratory where
discovery
World’s Oldest Eye Discovered A 530-million-year-old sea creature fossil has been unearthed and is believed to be the world’s oldest eye
group of 15 to 25. “We will not only change how we view often-disparate areas but also see how we might work together. I am particularly keen on students learning alongside scholars through tinkering and experiments,” said Phalkey. She said the gallery’s activities will engage young people - higher secondary school onwards into the last university years. “The goal is one of engagement with science and not science communication alone.” “Activities in our own building will start in 2021. In the meanwhile, we hope to use public and institutional The gallery spaces in the city to begin will be like a with programming,” Phalkey participatory laboratory said. “We will produce events and exhibitions to nurture a creative and critical appreciation of science – and its relationship to nature and culture – in Indian public life.” The gallery would also be a platform for year-round public Jahnavi Phalkey, engagement for the research Director carried out by participating institutions. Science Gallery International (SGI), the charity established Construction to develop the Global Science will start in Gallery Network, hopes to establish 2021 eight university-linked galleries worldwide by 2020.
artists and experts from across disciplines engage with each other and with students to come up with interesting questions, and interesting solutions to them in the long run. This engagement will produce material that will become part of the exhibitions at SGB,” Phalkey said in an interview. The gallery will promote crosslinking of disciplines and social issues in novel ways, and will try to engage young people in the age
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esearchers have unearthed what they believe to be the “oldest eye” in a 530-million-year-old fossil of an extinct sea creature.The fossil of Schmidtiellus Reetae, which includes an early form of the eye seen in many of modern animals, including crabs, bees and dragonflies, was discovered in Estonia, while the researchers were examining the remains of a fossil called as Trilobite. Trilobite -- the hard-shelled ancestors of spiders and crabs -- lived in coastal waters during the Palaeozoic era, between 541-251 million years ago. Its eye consisted of approximately
100 ommatidia, and did not have a lens, like the modern compound eyes, probably because the primitive species lacked parts of the shell needed for lens formation.These compound eyes have changed little over 500 million years, the researcher said.
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Bihar
December 18 - 24, 2017
Urine sanitation
a Better Fertiliser
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A pilot project shows that treated urine mixed with water is a safer fertiliser
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Quick Glance
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Yield per unit of land fertilised by urine is the same or more than NKP
Locals said that the produce looked and tasted better than commercially fertilised ones
An NGO has shown that urine is free of cost, and instead of being drained into the soil or water bodies, can be treated and save money for farmers
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ou might cry out, “Eeks!” if told that your cabbage has been fertilised by urine, but the total efficacy of that is being shown in Bind village in Bihar’s Nalanda district. It shows urine is a safe, effective and free substitute for commercial agriculture fertilisers. Benefits of urine harvesting prove a powerful incentive for local adoption and promotion of sustainable sanitation in view of the wide-spread open urination in many parts of Bihar, causing serious implications in water quality and health. The Nalanda project has successfully demonstrated the potential economic benefits of ecological sanitation (ecosan) to local farmers. It introduced urine harvesting facilities and sought to recast human urine as a valuable agriculture resource to boost livelihoods. Detailing the project, Sanjeev Kumar, director, Systematic Agro-Based Research Institute (SABRI), a non-governmental organisation, which has implemented the project in collaboration with Swedish Environmental Institute (SEI) and the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Institute (WASHi) India, said, “The aim of the project is to save water and provide alternative to commercial fertilisers.” Sanjeev (53), a mechanical
A family could save at least Rs 4,000 annually by replacing commercial fertilisers with urine, which also has known insecticidal properties that could save more money
engineering graduate from BIT (Sindri), said a five-member family needed 40,000 liters of water to flush out the urine a year. He said, “The concept is to use treated urine from the waterless urinal for cultivation of vegetables’. Sanjeev has already introduced five waterless community urinals in Nalanda district. He said, “In a country like India, where availability of safe
drinking water to every human being is a challenge, we cannot risk flushing feces by 10-15 liters per flush drinking water. A five-member family roughly requires 250 liters of water per day and together it becomes 75,000 litres of water per annum”. He said: “Researches show that treated urine is an excellent fertiliser. About 90 per cent of the nitrogen, 65 per cent of the phosphorus and 73 per cent of the potassium is found in urine and its composition is quite similar to chemical fertilisers.” The urine produced by one person in one year is sufficient to fertilise 300400 square metres of cereal/vegetable cultivation, he added. He said: “The treated urine does not pose the same pollution risks as chemical fertilisers, which generally contain elevated levels of heavy metals, potentially contaminating both food crops and local water resources.
Further urine is readily available and free fertiliser, which doesn’t require major investment.” The field trials which were carried out by installing six urinals showed the production of ladies finger, tomato, brinjal, cabbage, chilli, banana and papaya in per square meter were almost same and even more than using NPK fertilisers. Sanjeev said: “The process is simple. We use 250 ml of urine adding equal amount of water per application in vegetable crops while for banana and papaya it requires 1 liter of urine with equal amount of water per application every second week”. “In the trails NPK fertilizers and treated urine were applied to parallel strips of land growing similar crops. The fertiliser doses and related crop yields have been carefully documented and we found that urine gave similar
Behaviour
December 18 - 24, 2017 or better yields for all of the different crop types,” Sanjeev commented. He said local farmers and agriculture specialists were invited to visit the site and inspect the results. “Local people stated that urine-fertilised products looked and tasted better than the chemically fertilised counterparts. Furthermore, the urine fertilised plants were healthy and the products had a longer shelf-life”, he added. He said a family could save at least Rs 4,000 annually by replacing commercial fertilisers with urine, which also has known insecticidal properties that could save more money for farmers. Sanjeev, who is also known as “Mushroom Man” of Bihar as he trained 10,000 people mostly women belonging to the weaker section of the society the farming techniques of mushroom cultivation, said the then Nalanda district magistrate Sanjay Kumar Agrawal (now Patna DM) had shown keen interest on waterless urinal and urine harvesting. “He also asked me to set up another urine harvesting facility at the Bind block administrative office”, he said. He said the waterless urinal has some distinct advantages as it is eco-friendly, productive, waterless suitable for flood prone as well as dry and rocky areas, sustainability, less space requirement and it does not require high-end maintenance. Union minister Nitin Gadkari has been working on his idea of using urine as an organic fertiliser since long. Earlier in May 2015 while addressing a meeting in Nagpur, Gadkari had said he had been using urine for the plants at his Delhi residence and claimed that plants showed better growth. He then stated that presence of nitrogen in urine would provide essential nutrients to plants and urine could emerge as cheap alternative to chemical fertlisers. Gadkari said farmers are expected to collect urine in 10-liter plastic cans, provided by the government and bring it to taluka centres. An amount of Rs 1 per liter would be paid to the farmers. Referring to Gadkari’s remark, Sanjeev said the collection centre or urine harvesting centre would be a separate entity, no way linked to toilet. He said a common man in India discharges about 2.3 kg of nitrogen, 300 gram of phosphorus and 1.1 kg of potassium in a year through urine. Sanjeev said the theory of application is simple. “Use treated urine and water in 50:50 ratio in the plants or crops. Leave it for a few days and then irrigate the plants adequately,” he said. “See the results within a week,” he concludes.
taxi driver
Good Behaviour Campaign For Taxi Drivers
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The Police has planned a campaign for 2018 at IGI airport for teaching good manners to taxi drivers
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drive to teach good manners to taxi drivers has been planned for the next year at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. This campaign will be launched by the Police and other related agencies to check instances of drug addiction in drivers and to keep them away from criminal activities. The success of the campaign is being acknowledged as over five hundred participants have already enrolled in the program. The reason behind the campaign is to improve the behaviour of taxi drivers. With the tourists coming from all around the world and passengers’ reactions being important as they land in the national capital, such a program is urgently needed. In addition to this, the idea is to stop incidents of drunken and criminal offences on the part of drivers, misbehaviour with women passengers and other obscene acts. Delhi Police has seen this campaign as linked to the security of women passengers. Sanjay Bhatia, the Deputy Commissioner of Police at Indira Gandhi International Airport, believes that an airport is a place where travellers first hire a taxi for their destination. The behaviour of cab drivers is always remembered by the passengers when they reach their home or any other destination. Occasionally, the events that happen in this place keep revolving in the passenger’s memory at a later time. If the experience has been a negative one it becomes a traumatic memory for them. This is especially bad for women travellers, and it becomes a very unpleasant memory for them. Therefore this is the police’s initiative to prevent such a negative
impression. It also aims to create an image of the airport that becomes memorable for every person and the agencies. The police will study after this campaign whether such a plan has reduced the number of mis-happenings. The behaviour of the taxi drivers will be tested and it will be publicized in a big way. According to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, many times our country gets a negative image due to drinking and pornography addiction. Therefore, it has been taken up as a campaign to save the reputation of the drivers as well as that of the country. Under the campaign, the counselling and d-addiction of taxi drivers are being done in separate batches per day. This campaign will last for one year during which about 5000 taxi drivers running their vehicles from the airport will participate. On further success, it will be extended to other drivers.
Many believe that this campaign will prove to be a milestone in bettering the reputation of taxi drivers at IGI airport
Police Deputy Commissioner also claimed that many taxi drivers have given up their bad addictions after joining the program and are justifying the campaign. Taxi driver Amarendra says that after dropping the habit of alcohol, there has been a lot of change. Psychologist Manoj Sinha says that this campaign will prove to be a milestone. India’s image is believed to be exemplary in the matter of reception of guests all over the world. Occasionally there is a small incident which defames the whole country. Such disclosure, for the police, which takes charge of security matters, proves to be a challenge. Therefore, if the taxi drivers working at the airport are alert, then the information about such smugglers can be reported to the security agencies before the incident takes place, and the police can thwart their plans. Due to the taxi drivers’ role in bringing the citizens of the country and abroad from and to the airport, their help in these matters could be important. Therefore, the purpose of this campaign can be useful in many ways for the country’s interest.
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Street Foods
December 18 - 24, 2017
The crucial point that the GSI study has highlighted is that about 75 per cent of the lead contimination in Kolkata markets has been contributed by atmospheric lead
Quick Glance The GSI study on food sold in the open has found serious levels of lead toxicity Most of the lead has come from suspended lead from diesel cars The study has warned that there is immediate need to stop diesel vehicles
toxicity
Diesel cars May Go Off Kolkata Streets Prasanta Paul
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nacks in Gariahat are mouth-watering; variety of fish in Ballygunj is indeed, awesome; the red lentil (cooked mosur dal) in Tollygunj is too inviting to be ignored; chopped chicken in Garden Reach is jaw-dropping; eateries around the Sealdah station are dirt cheap....the food fest for the Bongs and wanderers in Kolkata is simply irresistible. So is the level of lead in them. And if the government and municipal corporation heeds the warnings of the Geological Survey of India, Kolkata is set for a major push into green transportation, as most of the lead in food has been found to be atmospheric. Believe it or not, the lead
concentration in the city’s food has shot through the roof. A new survey recently conducted by the GSI has found that the raw foods and vegetables sold in most of the markets that have sprung up on places and sidewalks in close proximity to the streets have lead concentrations way above the permissible limits. The GSI scientists who had collected samples of raw food items like polished rice, red lentil (masoor dal), red spinach,
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chicken, fish (without scales), biscuits, spice (cumin seeds) and a common medicinal herb (Holy Basil or Tulsi) from 12 markets in the city found a mean Lead (Pb) concentration between 3.78 and 43.35 mg/kg against a normal average of 23.56 mg/kg. “The mean lead concentration found in the raw food materials is very high compared to the threshold value of 2.5mg/kg specified by Food Safety &
We must encourage LPG/CNG for the mass transport and switch over to battery operated electric cars, solar cars & metro rail”, GSI
Standards Regulation (2011), India,” senior scientist of the GSI, Avijit Das, who headed the group conducting the two-year study, said here. The crucial point that the GSI study has highlighted (keeping in mind the Kolkatans’ reputed penchant for street foods) is that about 75 per cent of the lead contamination in the food items sold in Kolkata markets, has been contributed by atmospheric lead, mainly produced by the combustion of diesel. Apart from collecting soil and vegetable samples from Dhapa ground, alongside the EM Bypass, for the study of lead contamination, the scientists had also collected street dust samples from major streets and roads of the northern and southern parts of the city. “Coal samples were collected from Jharia and Ranigunj to assess the presence of atmospheric lead from the use of coal, while Galena (ore of lead) samples from Alwar (Rajasthan) were brought to calculate the Lead Isotopic Ratio (LIR) of Indian lead,” Das said. This apart, rainwater and diesel samples have been collected from city markets for the study. “All these samples have been collected to compare their LIR and lead concentration with that of the raw food items sold in Kolkata markets,” he added. Elaborating on the findings, Das said
Review Column
December 18 - 24, 2017 that the maximum Lead concentration in rice was 14.39mg/kg found in the samples collected from a market in Kidderpore in the western part of the city. “The lead concentration in red lentil samples collected from markets in Tollygunge in south Kolkata was found to be between 1.82 and 7.44 mg/kg, which is quite alarming.” As for vegetables sold in different markets, the study revealed a lead concentration ranging from a low of 3.28 mg/kg to a very high value of 145.47 mg/kg while fish had a range of 1.33 to 17.80 mg/kg. Interestingly, there’s a shocking news for chicken lovers; samples of chicken collected from a market at Garden Reach in the city’s port area showed a lead concentration of 9.58 mg/kg. “This is simply unbelievable,” the GSI scientist stated. The entire cumin seeds samples collected from a market in Tollygunge area had a lead-concentration value of 31.25 mg/kg. Among the herb (tulsi) samples, the range of lead concentration was from 8.92 to 33.27 mg/kg. The GSI scientists who had already shared their findings with the senior health officials of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and the West Bengal government, felt that there is an urgent need for launching a sustained campaign to drive home the message how lead poisoning has reached an alarming level in the city and neighbouring areas. People’s fascination to have a go at the snacks on the streets requires to be contained if they know that the lead concentration in locally made snacks have been found to be in the range of 4.82 to 10.71 mg/kg; and the place where the samples of snacks are found to be quite deadly is Gariahat in south Kolkata. The survey, according to Das, found that the lead concentration in street dust of the city has touched a dangerous level. “The mean concentration of lead found in the 29 sites of the city is 383.2 mg/kg with a range from 23.82 mg/kg to a very high value of 2,697.24 mg/kg at Amherst Street in north Kolkata,” he said. Asked about the means to contain the contamination, he stressed that measures have to be immediately undertaken to drastically reduce the use of diesel-powered vehicles and by urging people to use green energy in vehicles. “We must encourage adoption of green energy sources like LPG/CNG for the mass traffic movements and draw people’s awareness to the need to switch over to battery operated electric cars, solar cars and commuting in metro rail network,” Das said. The GSI study was published in the peer reviewed international journals of “Environmental Science and Technology (2017) (online publication)” and “Environmental Science and Pollution Research (2016)”.
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book review
rajeev bhattacharya He is a senior Guwahati-based journalist. He’s a Chevening scholar and has worked with the Times of India, Indian Express, The Telegraph and Times Now television. He is the author of two books on the Northeast dealing with insurgency
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he very mention of AIDS has been hushed, or even muted, in India for ages. The lack of knowledge has primarily attached a social taboo to the disease. The stigma associated with HIV/ AIDS can be eradicated through dissemination of knowledge where the media can play an active role. The more the issue and its different aspects are discussed, the more are the chances of generating a feeling of acceptance for HIV positive people. Therefore, it is imperative to highlight cases of HIV/ AIDS where patients have charted an unusual path and which could help spread awareness and put an end to the discrimination. “I am HIV Positive, So What?” narrates such an inspiring story India and the rest of the world would be eager to read about. It is an incredible tale of a man from the northeastern Indian state of Manipur, who could reverse the fragility of his HIVinfected physique through sheer determination and became a bodybuilding champion. And that’s not all; he made his HIV status public in order to fight the stigma and discrimination faced by millions of people infected with this disease across the world. Terror & silver lining It was the year 2000 which pushed the then 29-year-old fitness freak Khundrakpam Pradip Kumar Singh into a dark phase of his life. Pradip
The AIDS Beater The story of a man who destroyed contemporary myths about the malady and stood out as an emblem of courage had suddenly fallen ill; and his condition worsened so fast that he was confined to bed for an unusually long period. To his terror, the doctors in Manipur found the deadly HIV in his blood samples. He felt as if his life was hurtling towards an abrupt end. Then one day, he saw a silver lining amid the cloud of uncertainty looming over his life. He determined to mend his failing health and took the plunge into
community of HIV AIDS fighters. It could unshackle the minds of even the educated class, which usually tends to avoid discussions on this vital issue. The author, Jayanta Kalita, has painstakingly woven together the bits and pieces to construct an unputdownable narrative, which oscillates between Pradip’s past and present. Kalita seems to have taken liberty to dramatise certain episodes of Pradip’s life, thereby infusing a fictional flavour into a flesh-and-blood tale. Needless to say, it’s an artistic attempt to catch the imagination of the reader. Simply put, the lucid writing style will help the reader comprehend the events unfolding in Pradip’s life and times with a greater clarity.
He snubbed the naysayers and clinched the Mr Manipur title back in 2007. The next five years, he won several medals at events bodybuilding. He snubbed the naysayers and clinched the Mr Manipur title in 2007. In the next five years, he won several medals in competitions ranging from Mr South Asia to Mr World. Sneak peak Against the popular backdrop of newsmaker Pradip Kumar Singh, this book can be seen as a bold attempt to bring out the universality of his story. It could reawaken our consciousness to the grim realities confronting this huge but marginalised
Judging the book by cover They say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” but it is safe to say that one can fairly judge this book by its its well-thought and splendidly designed cover. Moreover, the author has ensured that the text inside is interspersed with dozens of visuals. This helps not only cut the monotony, but also establish the authenticity of Kalita’s work. One might, however, be left wondering as to why the author has delved deep into certain sub-chapters on drugs problem of Manipur, insurgency and human rights violations as well as evolution of sports in the state. Except for few minor hiccups, this piece is bound to generate interest among readers in India and abroad.
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Environment
campaign
Bamboo Toothbrush: Plastic Free Living Dia Mirza, Indian actressproducer, is living a plastic-free lifestyle from using a bamboo toothbrush to using metal water bottles
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ctr e ss producer Dia Mirza said she has replaced a large amount of plastic from her life. She’s using toothbrush that is made of bamboo instead of plastic. And she believes in refilling her metal water bottle. “The basic things which you can do in your life can go a big distance,” Mirza said in an interview. “My toothbrush is a bamboo one. ,” Mirza said in a candid conversation. “I ensure the vehicles I move around are on the highest emissions standards. I would love to use an electric car. I wish the government of India will reduce the taxes on sustainable alternatives.” She said: “I have switched from using normal sanitary napkins to biogradable ones.” Mirza, who is also the Wildlife Trust of India brand ambassador, took up the role as the United Nations brand ambassador to her work on raising awareness and seeking solutions for environmental issues that the world, and India in particular, faces.
December 18 - 24, 2017
air pollution
AFFORESTATION IS THE KEY TO BEAT DELHI’S SMOG Deep forests surrounding the city complemented by emission control measures provide the complete answer to Delhi’s air pollution Central Pollution Quick Glance Control Board from 10 different Delhi’s smog is due to emissions, he city’s levels of air locations in the burning of cooking gas pollution are once again city reveals a Dust storms across West Asia, as dangerous as they are systematic wavePakistan also contribute unrelenting. Everyone is affected – like pattern: Air the rich and powerful as well as the pollution peaks Forests will be able to winter poor and vulnerable. The new High every modify the weather Level Committee set up by the central from October to government with the state Chief January. My published Secretary as a Member may soon usher in a well-organised and tangibly research has now effective programme in an attempt to q u a n t i t a t i v e l y established that resolve this deadly problem. Delhi’s air pollution problem arises the flaring up of air pollution in Delhi dust, rubber particles, etc -- will be from vehicular emissions, burning of in winter is due to an unusual seasonal a well-tolerable 50! This “weather cooking gas, farmers burning husk climate change effect – resulting from factor” which amplifies AQI in Delhi in expanded farm lands outside the a peculiar combination of ambient is lower in the summer and rainy city and, above all, massive dust air temperature and dew point – that seasons when the Delhi air is washed storms from across West Asia, amplifies the pollutant particulate clean by rainfall. How then does Pakistan, Rajasthan and density to dangerous levels in winter one address this environmentally overwhelming “weather factor”? The the Thar desert. Analysis by a factor of seven. In other words, if the “air quality fundamental cure (complementing of three-year data (20132015) on particulate index” (AQI) is now, say, 350 other technical and administrative air pollution (PM 2.5) micrograms per cubic meter, the measures proposed) is to surround in Delhi gathered by the actual density of pollutants – carbon, Delhi with a deep ring of forests. Not only will this modify the weather within the city, but the forest will absorb a major portion of airborne dust from across the Thar Desert and from Pakistan that further adds to air A massive afforestation programme may take 10 pollution levels in the capital city. I recall much more forested areas in years to implement and call for new land laws in and around Delhi in the 1940s. Forests have been replaced by large dense several states surrounding the capital populations, thermal power plants, cars, auto rickshaws and scooters/ motorcycles. Without afforestation, even if you take all cars off road or all millions of cars and auto-rickshaws are made electric, it would just scratch the surface of Delhi’s air pollution problem. In my opinion, unless this huge climate-driven air pollution amplification factor and other dustdriven environmental conditions is addressed comprehensively by afforestation, the cost and efforts made by the government will give little relief and large numbers of people living in Delhi will continue to suffer from respiratory ailments. A massive afforestation programme may take 10 years to implement and call for new land laws in several states surrounding the capital. R Gopalaswami
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Environment
December 18 - 24, 2017
Tech-Help
Inverters
Siemens’ Solar Generators Siemens’ Indian arm plans to start making solar photovoltaic inverters in India for the domestic market IANS
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erman manufacturing conglomerate Siemens’ Indian arm announced plans to start making solar photovoltaic (PV) inverters in the country that will initially serve the domestic market. The company said in a release that the Sinacon PV inverter will be manufactured at its Kalwa
plant near Mumbai. “Siemens India launched with Sinacon PV a new generation of photovoltaic central inverters with an output up to 5,000 kVA. The inverter is part of the Siemens’ new electrical Balance of Plant (eBoP) solution for PV power plant installations,” the release said. “The state-of-the-art Sinacon PV inverter will be locally manufactured at Siemens’ Kalwa
The Sinacon PV inverter will be manufactured at the Kalwa plant near Mumbai. The solar PV inverter directly converts the PV solar panel into utility frequencies
Quick Glance Siemens India launched Sinacon PV new generation inverters
The are capable of an output up to 5,000 kVA
plant near Mumbai for the domestic market as well as for export into the region,” it added. “Siemens aspires to contribute to this with local value addition in line with Make in India,” Siemens Executive Vice-President Harald Griem said in the statement. A solar PV inverter converts the variable Direct Current output of a PV solar panel into a utility frequency Alternating Current that can be fed into a commercial electrical grid or used by a local, off-grid electrical network.Siemens said the Sinacon PV inverter has an outdoor design for harsh environment with fluid cooling and can operate up to 60 degrees Celsius ambient temperature. “The new inverters and inverter stations target large scale, groundmounted solar PV power plants comprising Electrical B a l a n c e of Plant solution,” it said.
The endangered Amazonian pink river dolphins are being tracked and monitored via satellites in Brazil
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hreatened by hydroelectric projects, pollution and fishing, Amazon’s pink river dolphins are now being tracked and monitored via satellite, an initiative in the Brazilian region to increase knowledge about a species on which little data exists. Considered to be the “Ambassadors of the Amazon River”, the freshwater dolphins were included by the IUCN in the category of animals about which there is “insufficient data”, reports Efe news
Environment Secretary Turns To Whatsapp The Delhi Environment Department is utilising Whatsapp to sound the alarm AQI
The company also plans to set up a local assembly chain
Conservation
Satellite Eyes Pink Dolphins
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Now, a group of governmental and civil organisations, have started to monitor the dolphin populations in the Amazon region’s rivers in Brazil, Colombia and Bolivia, a project that can help fill the gap in knowledge about the aquatic mammals.
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he Delhi Environment Department Secretary will sound an alarm on Whatsapp if Air Quality Index (AQI) crosses a particular mark, asking authorities to carry out pollution control measures, official sources said. “On the basis of AQI, an alarm will be triggered by the Secretary (Environment), GNCTD on Whatsapp. The followup action by authorities concerned is expected without delay,” an Environment Department communique said. The SOP (standard operating procedure) for controlling severe air pollution in Delhi asks city Municipal Corporations, Public Works Department, Delhi Development Authority and others to carry out different measures like sprinkling of water, checking of biomass burning, diesel generator sets, and polluting vehicles. The heads of authorities concerned will work out an internal mechanism to carry out the task and communicate the name and mobile number of their nodal officers, the order said.
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Sports
December 18 - 24, 2017
had to prove myself to people right from the beginning. “I have had to face a lot of obstacles. First of all I am a girl, and as a result I had to fight initial disapproval from my family and society in general when I took up boxing. Then I got married which meant I had to adjust my schedule and lifestyle. Then I became a mother which meant more adjustment,” Mary said. “Now I am fighting against age. At my age, it is a challenge to maintain Mary Kom appeared in the Olympics arena when women’s boxing was first Boxing fitness and compete against younger introduced 15 years ago, but stayed with just a bronze opponents. Now I have grown old for this sport. I have achieved a lot in my career. I have nothing left to prove. But I will keep on competing as long as my passion is alive. I want to wear the India jersey and contribute towards my country. I want to win medals for the country,” she added. With India winning five gold and two bronze medals at the AIBA Women’s Youth World Championships last month, Mary is confident that changing social attitudes will see the country Ajeyo Basu Boxing Association (AIBA) debating age widely considered old and over the achieving even more glory in women’s over the prospect of including the 48 hill for a physically demanding sport boxing in future.“Social attitudes he has achieved almost kilogram division at next year’s Asian like boxing. towards female participation in sports is everything that women’s Games and probably the 2020 Olympics, Mary, however, does changing slowly. Earlier boxing can offer, but five- Mary is filled with renewed hope. not let such mundane girls from the north, time World Champion M.C. “I still have not won an Olympic gold. details distract her specially Haryana Mary Kom is still yearning That is my ultimate target. I am working from her goal. She and even those Quick Glance for the greatest accolade in the world of very hard with the 2020 Olympics in is determined to from the south, Mary Kom had to shift out of sports winning gold at the Olympics. mind. I am trying my best. The rest is up overcome the used to face a lot her favourite 48-kg category Mary’s only appearance at the to God,” the Manipur icon told IANS. problem of problems from in the 2012 Olympics Olympics came at the London Games “As long as I am alive, winning gold at advancing age their families in 2012 when women’s boxing was the Olympics will always be my greatest just as she while taking up She regrets that but it had introduced for the first time at the dream. That will remain a target till the has defeated boxing. This is to be done as it was not quadrennial sports spectacle. Having end of my career,” she added. every other true even now to included at the Olympics moved up to the 51 kg category, she had Mary added another title to her obstacle that some extent. But ended up with a bronze medal. come already overflowing trophy cabinet has attitudes have Mary is filled with renewed She had admitted later that it was recently by winning gold at the Asian her way since changed,” she hope since there is chance of difficult to move out of her favourite 48 Women’s Boxing Championship her childhood. asserted.“People the category being introduced kg category in which she had won her fifth title at the continental level and “My real strength should let their five world titles but the change had to has now set her sights on defending her is my will power. An daughters play be made as it was not included at the Asian Games title next year. athlete needs to be sports. Only then Olympics or the Asian Games. That may prove to be a tall task for mentally strong. This is we will win medals at However, with the International the average athlete, specially at 35, an more so in my case as I have the Olympics.”
Mary’s ‘Holy Grail’: Olympic Gold
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Sports
December 18 - 24, 2017
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football
I-League: Minerva Climbs Points Table The Minerva Punjab Football Club beat its southern counterpart in an I-League exhibition game ssb bureau
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inerva Punjab FC beat a spirited Chennai City FC 2-1 in an I-League encounter at the Guru Nanak Stadium here to climb to the top of the points table.French striker Jean-Michel Joachim put Chennai ahead in the fifth minute but the hosts struck back through William Asiedu (49th) and Kassim Aidara (59th) in the second half to pocket all three points. Minerva football club has been making headlines with their recent wins. Local club football has been rejuvenated by such championships that promote the sport in India. The I-League exhibition games are such an example. The result saw Minerva climb to the top of the table with 10 points from four matches. They displaced Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan -- who are on seven points from three matches -from the pole position.
golf
Shubhankar Wins Golf Tournament
Indian golfer, Shubhankar Sharma won the Joburg Open and qualified for 2018’s British Open
IANS
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hubhankar Sharma of India won the Joburg Open golf tournament in sensational style to qualify for next year’s edition of the British Open. The 21-year-old closed with a three-under-par 69 and was bogey-free in the final 54 holes as he ended his first tournament in South Africa with an impressive winning total of 23-under-par 264 at the Randpark Golf Club. Sharma defeated local favourite Erik van Rooyen (66) by three shots while two-time Asian Tour winner Shaun Norris of South Africa and Tapio Pulkkanen of Finland settled for third place with final round scores of 65 each. Van Rooyen also booked a spot at the British Open and he will be joined by compatriot Norris who earned his second appearance at the prestigious tournament after being ranked higher than Pulkkanen on the official World Golf Ranking. Sharma showed no ill effects from the overnight delay when he returned to birdie the ninth hole before parring his way home for a 69 to become the first Asian and Indian golfer to win the event.
cricket
India To Host Afghanistan For First Test agency
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ndia will host newly promoted Test side Afghanistan for their first-ever Test match, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced. India will also host 81 matches across all the three formats from 2019 to 2023 according to the new Future Tours Programme (FTP). The historic test will mark the country’s first international test game.
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Saving Life
December 18 - 24, 2017
app
MillionGenies’s Dreams Of Millions of Genies
The MillionGenie smartphone app aims to end the blood shortage problem in India
Anand Bharti
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here are a plethora of stories in our society on blood relations. Films have been made and counting the associated dialogues regarding blood relationships is practically impossible. The other side of this coin is the presence of those who play their Holis with blood. Those who live like this, upon getting angry, make it imperative to either bleed or shed the blood of others. There’s even a saying in Hindi that roughly translates to -- the eyes bloodshot with anger. The biggest bane of our civilization is that while the world needs all the blood it can get to save lives, our civilization is more focused on the bloodshed in riots, conflicts, and wars. It’s a strange paradox that countries don’t prioritise ending this unnecessary bloodshed but the effort to stop the scarcity of blood donations has transformed into a campaign. In this campaign, not only the government and the Red Cross are working tirelessly but also the private institutions. In this effort, MillionGenie is a prominent name. The name MillionGenie signifies -- ‘that every person can help others’. This means that anyone can be crucial in changing the life of someone going through troubles. MillionGenie is a mobile application that is preparing a database of all the blood donors in the country. The app also promotes blood donations and tells donor users the location of nearby blood donation centres. The app also connects those needing blood directly to blood donors. This app is a platform that solves issues related to blood donations in the blink of an eye. The app has successfully created a big network of blood donors around the country. MillionGenie is determined to assist those facing a blood shortage crisis in every way possible. The app is the brainchild of the youth from five different
corners of the country. The developers were already placed in good jobs living lives of peace and convenience. They all met at TCS. They witnessed an incident -- a member of the group, Ram Solanki’s father suffered a heart attack. During his bypass surgery, there was a blood shortage due to his father’s rare blood group. Seeing country, they wondered just how a problem like this in a big metropolis like worrisome the situation really was. They Chennai made them think about what conducted online surveys, read paper people from small towns must go through clippings, visited governmental and nonduring such times. This introspection governmental organizations, studied showed them a path -- that one could start reports, and consulted with physicians a blood emergency service. All of them and experts. They got very disturbed after met a couple more times after that, being exposed to the blood-shortage thought about their decision, and related problems faced by hospitals finally, started their work. They and nursing homes. While they started working towards this were doubtful if they’d ever be while also working their regular successful, eventually, their jobs. But the interruptions wills became stronger. The from work didn’t allow five colleagues, like five Quick them to put their focus fingers, got together and energy towards like a strong iron fist Glance the new project. and continued They thought working hard. about quitting The five MillionGenie is a free app on the PlayStore and working colleagues – and AppStore independently Ram Solanki, but kept Govind Mali, The app provides information on blood thinking “How Nayanapriya, donors, camps, etc would life run Vishwajit w i t h o u t Sharma, and The app directly money?” How Suraj Pari matches donors with those in need would their dedicated all families react if their time and they found out? efforts towards the This was because new project. The risk everyone’s parents want that these people took their children to succeed serves as an example of and live a happy and comfortable life dutiful service towards one’s while also lowering the financial burden fellow citizens. Milliongenie has offices in of the family. But because none of these Chennai and Mumbai and is slowly youths had the responsibility to run a expanding to other parts of the country. family and their families were financially The way Govind Mali and Nayanapriya well off, to begin with, they decided to helped a needy person in their Mumbai take the risk. They quit their jobs to office is like a positive sign for the society. exclusively focus on the project. When They two are so young yet they display so these five colleagues started studying much compassion and understanding. about the blood bank system in the Govind explains, “I was confined to
reading and writing and then a good job limited me to myself, but now the tune of living for society has come.” At the same time, Nayanapriya explains, ‘I have seen the problems of people since childhood. The lesson learnt is that it is my job to help them. Showing sympathy and helping the needy also seems like virtuous work. All our partners have the same mentality.” MillionGenie’s ‘Hum Panch’ (Us Five) believes that it isn’t necessary that the government undertakes all the work. Dependence on the government prevents one from moving forward and doing something new. One should do as much as one can for their country and society. ‘Why should it be the government’s responsibility to teach the benefits of cleanliness? It is indeed our own responsibility. MillionGenie is a safety and security company that inspires the general public to help people around them in times of emergencies. It also spreads the message that at least during times of emergency and great duress, we must help one another. To serve this purpose, the mobile application has been created by MillionGenie, through which anyone can help anyone. The brand is based on the underlying belief that every person has the potential to be a genie for someone. According to a research, 5 per cent population of every country must donate blood to maintain a balance between demand and fulfilment. But India is far from this figure. Every year there is a need for six million units of blood, whereas the supply is only three and a half million units. Millions of people want to contribute to ending this shortage. This application can be easily downloaded from PlayStore.
Events
December 18 - 24, 2017
events & more... events
SSB crossword no. 1
Kids Christmas Carnival by Mom Wears Prada
The two-day festive extravaganza, promises a weekend full of fun and excitement. A well-curated Santa’s workshop arena will be created for the kids to participate in fun and recreational activities and they can also be a part of the magical performances by the Guinness world record holder, Tulsi Jadugar.
Venue:
Let us all come together and be a part of only “F.R.I.E.N.D.S. CLUB of INDIA”.
The Plaza, Select Citywalk A-3, Distt. Centre, Saket, New Delhi 23rd Dec 2017, 12PM - 24th Dec 2017, 12AM
Ho Ho Ho! Meet and Greet with Santa At Select Citywalk
Its Christmas time and we can’t wait to collect our candies already! Go and meet Santa Claus and get your selfie with him throughout the week along with much more exciting surprises for those who can’t help but shop!
Venue:
Siri Fort Auditorium A-25, Siri Institutional Area, Asian Games Village Complex, Siri Fort, New Delhi 23rd Dec 2017, 11AM - 5PM
review
Venue:
Select Citywalk A-3, Distt. Centre, Saket, New Delhi 20th Dec 2017, 3PM - 25th Dec 2017, 5AM
Friends TV Show Screening
“First Time Ever in India” The Season Screening of Most Popular and Loved TV Show of all times i.e. F.R.I.E.N.D.S.
Swag Fest With Diljit Dosanjh Enjoy Diljit Dosanjh. The heartthrob actor, singer and sizzling performer.
Venue:
Leisure Valley Ground: Gurgaon 287, NH 8, Sector 29, Opposite IFFCO Towers, Concrete Ground, Gurgaon, NCR - 122021, Saturday, 23rd December, 2017.
Reality meets myth in ‘Lost in Time’
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ACROSS 3. Which one of the following is a water borne disease? 4. Who started Swachh Bharat Abhiyan 7. The Indian government has made building toilets a priority and has pledged that every household will have a toilet by which year? 9. When did the Central Rural Sanitation Programme (CRSP) begin? 10. Which Company has pledged to construct 860 toilets in school by 2015 end? 12. Which human activities need the most water? 14. In which month ”Bal Swachhta Week” observed every year ? 15. What is the position of Swachh Bharat logo on new currency 18. N N Vohra inaugurated the second International Yoga Festival in 20. Who is the Ambassador of Swachh Rail Mission in india DOWN 1. Major illness caused due to non availability of sanitation facilities? 2. How many times a day should you brush your teeth 5. What is the logo of Swachh Bharat 6. Who is the inspiration behind the concept of SWACHH BHARAT MISSION 8. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan was launched on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary. Which one was it? 11.Which of these countries uses most water per person per year? 13.which program was launched as Swachh bharat abhiyan ? 16.Where was Swachh Bharat launched 17. Which month the Zero Hunger Programme to be launched? 19.Recently who launches ‘Shaheed Gram Vikas Yojana’ in Jharkhand to provide houses to freedom fighters?
sudoku
‘Lost in Time: Ghatotkacha and the Game of Illusions’, is told in the voice of a young protagonist who discovers himself inexplicably trapped in the days of Mahabharata where he befriends Ghatotkacha and his mother Hidimba.
on the lighter side by dinesh patel
Please mail your solution to - ssbweekly@gmail.com or Whatsapp at 9868807712, One Lucky Winner will win Cash Prize of Rs 500/-. Look for the Solution in the Next issue of SSB
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POSTAL REGISTRATION NO. DL(W)10/2240/2017-19
Newsmaker
December 18 - 24, 2017
Unsung Hero
Gurbir S Grewal
New Jersey’s First Sikh Attorney Gen Gurbir S Grewal will become the first SikhAmerican state Attorney General in USA
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n a historic first, a distinguished Sikh public prosecutor “who has experienced hate and intolerance first-hand” has been nominated to be the next attorney general of the US state of New Jersey. If Gurbir S Grewal’s nomination by Democrat Governor-elect Phil Murphy is approved by the State Senate early next year, he will be the first Sikh to assume the top state law enforcement position in the United States and the second IndianAmerican, after Kamala Harris, who held the position in California before her election to the US Senate. Grewal, 44, is the prosecutor of Bergen County, an important district across the river from New York City. He was appointed to by the current Republican Governor Chris Christie and that is likely to mute any opposition the senate. Symbolic of the public acceptance of minorities despite scattered incidents of bigotry, two Sikhs were elected mayors last month, Ravi Bhalla in Hoboken, New Jersey, and Preet Didbal in Yuba City, California.
s m i t c i V r e c n a C ’ a n p a S ‘ m a e r D Lucknow’s Sapna Upadhyay is making the dream of better treatment for cancer-poor children
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erving and helping others can be learned very well from Sapna Upadhyaya living in the Eastern Colony Sector-H of Lucknow. Sapna is helping the children of poor families suffering from cancer from 16 years. Every month she sets a blood donation camp, so that family does not have to wander around for the blood during the treatment. To make women self-reliant of poor families she helps them in the cottage industry and also bares the expenses of education of 160 children who have won the battle of cancer. The NGO of Sapna is currently helping 120 people in KGMU and the treatment of 30 cancerinfested children in Lohia Institute. Their rations cost an average of two lakh rupees every month. According to the Sapna, about three to four thousand people are giving regular donations inspired by the work of NGO. Sapna is also running a campaign ‘ek muthi aanaj’ to provide ration for children suffering from cancer and their families.
ande
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RNI No. DELENG/2016/71561, Joint Commissioner of Police (Licensing) Delhi No. F. 2 (S-45) Press/ 2016 Volume - 2, Issue - 01 Printed by Monika Jain, Published by Monika Jain on behalf of SULABH SANITATION MISSION FOUNDATION and Printed at The Indian Express Ltd., A-8, Sector-7, NOIDA (U.P.) and Published from RZ 83, Mahavir Enclave, Palam-Dabri Road, New Delhi – 110 045. Editor Monika Jain