Cost Effective Solution to save Coconut trees during forth coming water scarcity months due to El Niño : Olla Irrigation - Ancient Wisdom for Modern Droughts. 🏺 Echoes of Ancient Clay pot Irrigation Long before the term olla entered agricultural vocabulary, ancient Tamil farmers practiced remarkably similar methods. In Sangam‑era Tamilakam, clay vessels called “ māṇ paṇai ” or “kulam paṇai” were used to store and seep water near tree roots - especially for coconut, banana, and areca palms. These pots were often placed in earthen basins (thottam) lined with coir, husk, and leaf mulch, creating a natural moisture‑retention system. Inscriptions and temple garden records from regions like Pollachi, Thanjavur, and Madurai mention such paṇai neer vaḻi (pot‑water channels) as part of sustainable irrigation networks. This continuity of wisdom - from ancient Tamil pot irrigation to modern olla systems - shows how indigenous knowledge can guide regenerative farming in the...
As an environmental scientist, I am always fascinated by the forest resources near my house in India (Pollachi) and Asian elephants living there.
My previous article on Elephants.
I got an opportunity to write a proposal to save these great animals and submitted it to a funding agency - Asian-Elephant-Conservation-Fund:
EASMSAE PROJECT SUMMARY:
A. EnviroApps Sustainable Model for Saving Asian Elephants
Proposal Summary:
EnviroApps Inc, an environmental application entity, is proposing a model project directed to save the Asian Elephants with a committed team. Our previous experience includes providing GPS consulting to government authorities to capture dangerous illegal poachers who had destroyed several threatened fauna and killed invaluable Asian Elephants for their tusks. Also we have created awareness through our blogspot and other partners about Environmental Awareness and Eco-Justice.
Proposed areas of the project -:
Area (Figure 1):
Tamil Nadu – India – Western Ghats – Anamalai
Figure 1: Map of Proposed Trans-Boundary Project Area
Table Information:
Location Area Forest Area Elephant
Population Threat
Tamil Nadu
Anamalai 130,058 km² (50,216 sq mi). 22,643 km² (8,742.5 sq mi). > 4000 Reduction in forest area elephant population and their habitat
Threatened Elephant Population:
The proposed area consists of various threatened environment including elephant reserves. Even though the elephant population in the State is reasonably stable, their habitat is shrinking and they move towards the urban land, which is an immediate threat to the pachyderm population. Another major threat such as poaching had come down in this region, and this could be one of the reasons for the reduction of the elephant population. Current male-female ratio of the elephants in the wild in Anamalai is 1:10. This area needs to be mapped as “protected area” and elephants need to be identified, radio-collared and data should be stored and available to everyone in need. If immediate action is not taken, Eco-justice will not be served to the remaining few wild pachyderms in this area.
However after few days got a reply as follows:
This is to inform you that your proposal (ASE-0428) titled “Enviroapps sustainable model for saving Asian elephants (EASMSAE),” was reviewed recently by the proposal review committee. The review committee decided not to fund this project.
We appreciated the opportunity to review your proposal and please continue to do your part in protecting the Asian elephants.
Good Thing: There are lot more scientists who are putting their efforts in saving these Great Animals.
My Sincere Thanks to KinathuKadavu MLA Mr. S. Damodharan and K. Selvaraj, Forester for giving their support letters in a short notice. It is good to know that several people are interested in saving our forest, environment and animals including pachyderms.
We will be working with - EnviroApps Sustainable Model for Saving Asian Elephants - EASMSAE - Palindrome for Pachyderms in whatever ways we can.
One thing which I felt very much satisfied after submitting the proposal was that I got an email from someone whom I don't know with the following photos:
Guruvayoor Elephant:
Guruvayoor Elephants:
Elephant's mouth - it is like saying thank you:
Offering Bananas
It was like God sent thankyou note for the true work to protect the elephants.
Makesh Karuppiah, Ph.D
Environmental Scientist & Information Technologist
I got an opportunity to write a proposal to save these great animals and submitted it to a funding agency - Asian-Elephant-Conservation-Fund:
EASMSAE PROJECT SUMMARY:
A. EnviroApps Sustainable Model for Saving Asian Elephants
Proposal Summary:
EnviroApps Inc, an environmental application entity, is proposing a model project directed to save the Asian Elephants with a committed team. Our previous experience includes providing GPS consulting to government authorities to capture dangerous illegal poachers who had destroyed several threatened fauna and killed invaluable Asian Elephants for their tusks. Also we have created awareness through our blogspot and other partners about Environmental Awareness and Eco-Justice.
Proposed areas of the project -:
Area (Figure 1):
Tamil Nadu – India – Western Ghats – Anamalai
Figure 1: Map of Proposed Trans-Boundary Project Area
Table Information:
Location Area Forest Area Elephant
Population Threat
Tamil Nadu
Anamalai 130,058 km² (50,216 sq mi). 22,643 km² (8,742.5 sq mi). > 4000 Reduction in forest area elephant population and their habitat
Threatened Elephant Population:
The proposed area consists of various threatened environment including elephant reserves. Even though the elephant population in the State is reasonably stable, their habitat is shrinking and they move towards the urban land, which is an immediate threat to the pachyderm population. Another major threat such as poaching had come down in this region, and this could be one of the reasons for the reduction of the elephant population. Current male-female ratio of the elephants in the wild in Anamalai is 1:10. This area needs to be mapped as “protected area” and elephants need to be identified, radio-collared and data should be stored and available to everyone in need. If immediate action is not taken, Eco-justice will not be served to the remaining few wild pachyderms in this area.
However after few days got a reply as follows:
This is to inform you that your proposal (ASE-0428) titled “Enviroapps sustainable model for saving Asian elephants (EASMSAE),” was reviewed recently by the proposal review committee. The review committee decided not to fund this project.
We appreciated the opportunity to review your proposal and please continue to do your part in protecting the Asian elephants.
Good Thing: There are lot more scientists who are putting their efforts in saving these Great Animals.
My Sincere Thanks to KinathuKadavu MLA Mr. S. Damodharan and K. Selvaraj, Forester for giving their support letters in a short notice. It is good to know that several people are interested in saving our forest, environment and animals including pachyderms.
We will be working with - EnviroApps Sustainable Model for Saving Asian Elephants - EASMSAE - Palindrome for Pachyderms in whatever ways we can.
Simple steps such as building bee population using bee boxes in the borders where potential wild elephants and human interactions can happen. Camel urine crystals (Must be available from states like Rajasthan & Gujarat) can be used as a detterent. Flying sarees, or huge balloons looking like giants along with sounds can also work. Thorn trees such as lemon trees can be grown in borders. Still they are very intelligent giants - many different combined options have to be tried that work for both elephants and humans.
One thing which I felt very much satisfied after submitting the proposal was that I got an email from someone whom I don't know with the following photos:
Guruvayoor Elephant:
Guruvayoor Elephants:
Elephant's mouth - it is like saying thank you:
Offering Bananas
PROTECT AND SAVE ELEPHANTS
Makesh Karuppiah, Ph.D
Environmental Scientist & Information Technologist
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