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olla

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...

Environmental Research - A Look Back - On Positive Note

A look back at my   Environmental Research : From my childhood, I was interested in Nature and Environment. We have planted numerous trees in schools.  What we planted as small saplings have grown into beautiful trees:   Bharathiar University - Environmental Sciences  Science was my subject. When I learned about  Limnology  and used Secchi disc during my undergraduate degree, I decided to become an Environmental Scientist.  Beautiful Water Body from where I studied Limnology I joined Master’s degree (PSGCAS) and focused towards Environmental Chemistry. My research was - Color removal from pulp and paper mill effluent . Then got admitted to another Masters (M.Phil - Bharathiar University) and focused towards Environmental Physiology. I got chance to work with plants, bioindicators,  bioremediators , fishes and scary scorpions.  Portulaca oleracea (Linn) AS BIOINDICATOR AND PHYTO (BIO) REMED...

EVIL HELL TEARS PRAYERS and FIND CAUSE

When evil takes over, it is hell that is displayed on the fragile EARTH and every HEART is broken. When bright little flowers were destroyed by evil force, all we could do was to cry and pray. Hearts are broken and when strong leaders are shedding tears, something is not right here. If the problem is dug down deeply and logically thought, many truths come out. Human body functions properly, by the way of proper food and other intakes such as water and air. As we all know every vital organ is formed from a single cell. When the pregnant mother consumes proper food the cells develop healthily and vital organs including brain of the fetus forms healthily and an angelically looking new healthy child is born. Beautiful and simple wiring of Brain. Why to short circuit with unwanted chemicals? As a Toxicologist and Scientist, I can surely say that if a pregnant mother consumes unhealthy chemicals such as alcohol, disturbing chemical drugs and inhaling carcinogeni...

Peanuts-Groundnuts-Giving Healthy Food

During this week, I received a wonderful email from my beloved brother: We are harvesting the Peanuts (ground nuts) already at EAFARMS . The harvest is not bad this time. I already went to Anamalai Gandhi Ashramam -  today and gave them 10 kilos of the produce (Peanuts). This is what I dreamt of when we started EAFARMS .Thanks to my brother we have achieved this and we will move forward. In Anamalai Gandhi Ashramam, at any given point in time, there are about 50 to 60 children between the age group of 4 to 13 years. These children either don’t have the support of their parents or they are orphans by birth. People at Anamalai Gandhi Ashramam are doing an excellent good deed. We are happy that from EA FARMS, where we practice Natural Sustainable Agriculture, we could give Organically grown peanuts to these kids at the Ashram. Peanuts(ground nuts) are rich in energy and contain many health benefiting nutrients, minerals, antioxidants and vitam...

Dr. Hatha Environmental Scientist - Marine Microbiologist's visit

As soon as my friend Dr. Hatha told me about his Full bright (MSU)  trip to USA from CUSAT , I was envisioning to spend quality time with him on all ends - professional, recreational and personal - during Thanksgiving week, 2012. The day came and Hatha was with our family. I got the true feeling of friendship when I received him. That's when I actually experienced the following-  Even though friends are apart from each other, when they meet, it will be the same as before. Bharathiar University Days Next day I drove Hatha and my family to Everglades , a sub tropical wetland - an important ecosystem. As we both are Environmental Scientists and nature loving people, we had wonderful time at Everglades. During boat ride to Coot bay from Flamingo center, we were watching Mangroves, beautiful birds and alligators and walking in the Anhinga Trail was excellent. As usual, I stopped at "Robert is Here" and had a tasty mango shake. Evening after visiting a ...

Teach In - Kids - Environmental Sciences - Save the Earth, Environment and Nature

I had the opportunity to teach Environmental Sciences to small kids (bunch of 3rd graders) during this week. I have taught the subject to under and post graduate students. After few years of break, I had this opportunity. Since, lots of news about BP oil Pollution (They were going to pay billions of dollars as fine) was going on, I choose to create a model that explains how oil pollution happens and how it gets cleaned. Marine Oil Pollution and Clean Up: I bought some sand from Home Depot. I used a plastic box, shoe box and filled with the sand sliding from top to bottom. I created blue water using water and blue colored ink. It turned out as a good Ocean model. All the kids were watching with full curiosity. I made an 'Oil Barge' with simple small candle light stand on small ship shaped wooden plank which I got from 'Michaels' store. I used left over cooking oil (which I take to recycling center) and colored it with some black color. That cooking oil now looked lik...

Poor Animals and Idiotic Poachers

Idiots are still killing majestic animals for wrong reasons: Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news , world news , and news about the economy Rhinos  - Poached in a National park.                                              A majestic rhino crossing  - view from my car: Tiger  - Poached in Zoo. A Tiger relaxing at Disney Animal Kingdom: For God sake, there are medicines available  now for your dysfunctions. Rhino's horn and tiger parts wont do it. Animals are not even safe in National Parks and Zoos. How one can protect these animals from these greedy morons?. These greedy mongers want to erase all the national wealth including majestic animals. Great Dr. Kalam is saying to give whatever you can and these low lifes are doing exactly the apposite of what he says. Recently, on Gandhiji's birthday Dr. Kalam  told that children s...

Important Occupational Safety

It is becoming norm and every year number of victims are increasing - One fire accident in a fire cracker unit has killed several poor working people. Why dont people learn from previous mistakes. What is the necessity of greed in making crores of ruppees playing with life of poor people. Safety Measures in this type fire cracker industries is Zero.  (I think when bought in bulk, gloves, masks would have been cheap and the owners could easily afford that). Pollution Control Board - Environmental Inspectors, Occupational Health Inspectors and other authorities should inspect these places frequently. I think above mentioned personnel are well educated and should do their part instead of getting bribe and keeping quiet if these industries violate the rules. Innocent poor workers are lost. It is sickening to see the families suffer because of some ignorant and greedy people. India had great leaders who had great visions. Our Mahamata Gandhiji's vision was foll...

How to change negatives by being sustainable

தமிழன் என்று சொன்னால் தலை நிமிர்ந்து நில்லடா என்ற காலம் போய் இப்படி செய்து கொண்டே போனால்: மலையை, மண்ணை  சுரண்டி எடுத்தாலும் ... Mountain Mining மரத்தை அறுத்து போட்டாலும்... Deforestation Cutting Trees பல மணி நேரம் மின் வெட்டு செய்தாலும்... தண்ணீரே கிடைக்காமல் போனாலும்... இயற்கை வளத்தை அழித்தாலும்... Titanium Mining விவசாய நிலத்தல் வீடு கட்டினாலும்... Industries Flocking கழிவுகளை கொட்டினாலும்... Cancer Village , Dumping அரசாங்கமே சாராயத்தை விற்று மக்களை குடி மகன்களாக்கினாலும்... Liquor தமிழ் மீனவனை சுட்டாலும்... இனத்தையே அழித்தாலும்... Innocent Deaths கோடி கோடியாய் ஊழல் செய்தாலும்... Food Adulteration அரசியல்வாதிகள் என்ன சொன்னாலும்... என்ன செய்தாலும்.. Selling Expired Drugs தமிழ் நாட்டு மக்கள் சகித்து  கொண்டே இருப்போம்... தமிழன் என்று சொன்னால் தலை குனிந்து நின்று விடுவோம் போல்.... What we can do and are doing: Grow trees, Grow agricultural products with out contamination, Treat people equally and give opportunities, make sustainable awareness, create enviro...

MOUNTAINS, ROCKS - SAVE THEM

Every day we hear about aggressive mining of Granite for making crores of rupees. Greedy irresponsible people who don't care about future of the country make huge mountain disappear. Mountains are there for a reason. They are very important resource for the country. They provide minerals to the ecosystem. By mining aggressively along with cutting numerous trees these people for sure, will turn the nation into a desert. In doing so, they affect the health of poor people who work there. Mining causes to release dust and radon gas that are inhaled by poor workers which affects their lungs that leads to lung cancer. Mining also can cause voids, affecting balances in rocks that leads to seismic waves which induces earth quakes. Environment and Health deteriorates because of such mining practices. With all that money, they and their future generations will be only enjoying the Desert Environment in the future. Rocks are very important for soil for...

TREES - SAVE THEM

It is been a while I posted. I was on tour to South Western USA (California, Nevada and Arizona). I had the chance to see the Mojave Desert , Yosemite Valley and the Grand Canyon . Enjoyed every minute of the nature tour and the different Biomes. Each time you see these places, it looks different. I had a chance to take a snap with statue of John Muir , one of pioneer Environmentalist. Because of him everyone could enjoy these Natural National Parks. Grand Sequoia Trees are unimaginable and one feel the greatness of them when you are close to them. These giant trees grow from a small seed. Year by year they store their history as rings and grow into these grand giant trees. All over the parks there are different kinds of trees and when you are there, you breathe fresh air and you feel healthy. One thing I noticed during the national park tours is they strongly insist to never even take anything from these areas, which is good. These parks will be preserved f...