Boosting Rice Cultivation in Tamil Nadu, India

Email from worldbank on 06/17/2008:

India ’s agricultural growth has been stagnant at less than 2 percent since the 1990s, well below the growth rates of other sectors. Any significant growth in agriculture in India depends on increasing the efficiency and productive use of water. India is a water stressed country, 45 percent of all available water is utilized for agriculture. Among this 80% is used for Rice cultivation alone.

The World Bank is assisting the southern state of Tamil Nadu to improve irrigation service delivery and productivity of irrigated agriculture. Some farmers in the State are using a technique that requires less water and fewer seeds but grows more rice. It is a new way of cultivating rice, and it is raising hopes that the rice yield will increase without draining the country of scarce water resources.
India - A new way of Cultivating Rice

Water Management must be done properly before water scarcity comes into play. I have seen huge amount of rainfall destroying the Rice fields, esp, in Tanjore Delta. The fields should have proper drainage system and government should fund such systems along with world bank and should be properly maintained. The link 'A Small Drop' to Siruthuli and its Gallery shows how excess water can be saved and stored.

Eco-Justice for Elephants

I received an email from someone to give Eco-Justice for Elephants:

Eco-Justice for Elephants

Care for the wild

Since forests are shrinking, these majestic animals are running out space and enter into the near by villages near Anamalai and Mudumalai Sancturies. Some elephants came into Bharathiar university recently and also entered the farms and destroyed sugarcane fields. Solar powered electric fences were installed, even which did not stop these elephants.
Elephant crossing road:


Elephants_in_road:

Elephants in estate:


There are other natural ways to scare the elephants instead of the electric fence:
Tiger Urine Crystals (From Zoo animals) spread along the border and
Camel odors also scare elephants.

Hopefully one day human and elephants will live in harmony like the following picture taken in Top Slip, Tamilnadu, India:

EcoWarrior - Mr. Yoganathan from Marudhamalai, Coimbatore

Mr.Yoganathan, bus conductor from Coimbatore has planted more than 50,000 trees and created Environmental awareness in Tamilnadu especially among students and children.
He had been recognized for this achievement by Indian Government and was awarded "Eco-Warrior Award".
Mr. Yoganathan with his award - (www.dinamalar.com)

I had personally heard of his work from team members in Pollachi.

Good work Mr. Yoganathan.

Bharathiar University - Environmental Science Department - Near Marudhamalai - This is where I did my M.Phil degree and we planted these trees as small saplings during that time (1991):








Makesh Karuppiah, Ph.D
Environmental Scientist

Going Green and Environmental Awareness Catching Up

Going Green and Green Awareness Catching up:

The future is SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Dockers Pants made up of Cocono fabrics:

Coconut Fibers

The site indicates that Cocona fabrics provide comfort while utilizing natural technology.

Natural Dockers was as comfortable as other Dockers. Also saw some nature awareness from a.n.a clothing with words like "Hug a Tree" in shirts.

We are moving towards sustainable Green awareness world, which is a good sign.

Green Clothes:
Green JCPenney

In India:

Read a headline on 07/07/2008:
Collector for steps to enhance green cover of Annamalai hills - The Hindu:
TIRUVANNAMALAI: The district administration will take steps to provide green cover to the 2,170-metre high Annamalai hills in the Tiruvannamalai town, according to Collector M. Rajendran.

Mr. Rajendran, who climbed up the hills on Saturday to assess the vegetation, told reporters that a project on “greening the hills” was launched in 2001. Based on the project, steps would be taken shortly to increase the green cover by planting more saplings.

Of the 933.77-hectares on the hills, 699.03 hectares were under the control of the Forest Department and 234.74 hectares under the Revenue Department.

Some areas on the hills had less vegetation and some had no trees.

The growth of the trees had been affected by excessive heat conditions prevailing in the town.

The Collector suggested that tea gardens could be raised on 40 to 50 hectares of land in Thenimalai area.

The hills abounded in herbal plants, including single-leaf lotus, garlic, Keezhanelli, sambrani, vettiver and nannari.

Wild animals such as black-faced monkey and wild fowls are also found on the hills.

Steps would be taken to provide thick vegetation cover by planting saplings, sowing seeds and growing grafts, he said.

Forest Department and Revenue officials accompanied the Collector.





Also take a quiz on E-Wastes:

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/01/high-tech-trash/trash-quiz-interactive

MakeSH

Rich & Poor

Rich: Diamond studed IPL Trophy:

Poor: A Village boy's hurt leg by playing cricket without shoes:


My View: With all the profits IPL made, they should atlease provide shoes, gloves and equipments to the underpriviliged children who play cricket in villages of the corresponding teams (Chennai Super Kings - to Tamilnadu Village schools, Rajasthan Royals - to Rajasthan Village Schools, something like that).

One more photo: Poverty leading to this - Child dangerously playing with a venomous Cobra to make money:(www.dinakaran.com)



makeSH

Hero or Zero

Excellent piece of video for building the future.
My Suggestions:
We need to build the school infrastructures with at least basic needs even in rural areas.
Create more awareness in education, environment and sustainability.
I have seen rural young children walking in hot tar road without any footware for miles to get education.
People with God given higher living conditions must provide these basic necessities for unpriviliged children.
Praying to God to give this good mentality to everyone.

Question to the authorities:
How will these children get their education with the basic necessities such as food, shelter, clothing and footware, etc? (If these things are provided, then they will have interest in going to school instead of working as child labourer).

Hard Working Children
makeSH

Chemical used to make non-stick coatings may be harmful to health - research

One more example of a chemical which might show effects after long term usage:

Source: Environment News Service (ENS) Published May 14, 2008:

A chemical, perfluorooctanoic acid, used to make non-stick coating for pots and pans, food wrappers and stain-resistant fabrics may harm the immune system, liver and thyroid and cause higher cholesterol in children, according to the initial findings of a study of 69,000 people who live near a DuPont manufacturing plant. The health effects observed in the study population in West Virginia and Ohio are believed to have been caused by exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid, PFOA, also known as C8, released from the DuPont plant in Washington, West Virginia. PFOA is one of a class of perfluorinated chemicals used to make Teflon coating and other nonstick products, oil-resistant paper packaging and stain-resistant fabrics.

Info of PFOA in EPA website:

http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/pfoa/pubs/pfoainfo.htm#long

PFOA is very persistent in the environment and was being found at very low levels both in the environment and in the blood of the general U.S. population. Studies indicated that PFOA can cause developmental and other adverse effects in laboratory animals. PFOA also appears to remain in the human body for a long time. All of these factors, taken together, prompted the Agency to investigate whether PFOA might pose a risk to human health and the environment at the levels currently being found, or at levels that might be reached in the future as more PFOA continues to be released into the environment.

More info on PFOA in Wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfluorooctanoic_acid

MakeSH