THE OTHER SIDE: environment

Showing posts with label environment. Show all posts

World Environment Day

A day is dedicated to think and take care of the environment. But it is not a one day task and need our continuous efforts to reuse, reduce and recycle. From past more than 100 years we forget about the environmental changes and damages due to our unplanned growth models as a result of which we are now experiencing global warming which are shrinking our glaciers posing threat to our coastal areas, endangering wildlife, depletion of ozone due to increase in Chlorofluoro Carbons , etc.

Since world is not build in a day, we have no second chance to restore it back to the normal but we can reduce the damage and help its further increase. Reducing carbon footprints i.e. the emission of carbon dioxide gas in to the atmosphere should be our first priority this can be done by using more public transport which are using green fuels or emitting less pollution. Industries which produce more pollution should modernize to decrease it. Cars on road should be reduced so are things which are responsible for damaging the environment. We must plant more and more trees because there is no better way to do your bit to save the environment than to plant trees. They not only gives us life running Oxygen but also cool the atmosphere. It is also an integral part of water cycle responsible for bringing rain which is the main source of drinking water. Using water wisely, saving the consumption or power, generation more power through renewable sources of energy, protecting wildlife and many more such measures should be adopted by all of us to save the environment.

Sadly we are dealing with many other problems to think about environment first but we can make it our priority to select the law makers who are concerned with protecting the environment so that they can get chance to work towards that field. This is just a small article as a reminder of our duties towards our world and environment you can read many things more offline and online to plan your role for the environment. Till next post God bless the world.

Nadiya Ke Uss Paar - The Art of Living

In ancient times saints and sages used to sit Nadiya Ke Uss Par or across the river to meditate in calmness for the world peace and order. Today a contemporary saint has taken this practice to an all new height to teach the world his art of living here in Delhi on Yamuna flood basin. Ever shrinking river Yamuna has reduced to a drain by negligence of government and ignorance of Delhihites is now posing a threat of irreparable loss to its flood basin due to this World Cultural Festival.

Rivers were never our government's priority not even when we consider them as god and not even after so many programs running from so many years to save them. 60% sewage water goes straight into the river Yamuna without treatment. It is on the verge of extinction when 57 million people are directly dependent on its water including farmers and fisherman. The various NGO's are working towards replenishment of the river but unless there is a strong will from both the central and the state government the river's condition is not going to recover.

from Newsflicks.com

The Congress government neglected Yamuna during the construction of Commonwealth's Game Village and also during the construction of Akshardham Temple and now both the government in the center and state which boost their quality of being different from Congress are doing the same mistake by giving nod to this cultural festival which causing immeasurable and irreparable loss to the river( according to NGT ruling before festival starts). The presence of Prime Minister Narender Modi and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in this function shows their indifferent attitude towards environment and ecology.

From Newsflicks.com

The decision of using army to make a bridge for a private function is also under scanner but I give so called nationalists opportunity to critique that action my concern here is the river which is facing a slow death in phases. The effect of encroaching natural lakes and rivers we have seen time and again in Uttarakhand, Kashmir and recently in Chennai yet we are not caring about nature. Those who are buying flats and attending festivals are equally responsible for the damage caused to the river than those who are building permanent and temporary constructions in flood basin.

Sometimes I think our Parliament or Delhi assembly building should be near Yamuna so that they would have acted like British Parliament had acted after unbearable foul smell from river Thames. The time has come to value a political party not only on the ability of fulfilling basic necessities but also on its ability of safeguarding nature and its resources. I would have appreciated Sri Sri Ravi Shankar if he has changed the venue to some stadium after realizing his mistake rather than sticking to a wrong decision.

I don't know even after pointing out so much negativity in our society, politics religion, culture and traditions I still hope for a better future for a better society perhaps because there are still many people who are working for a new dawn. Till next post God Bless India.

Chennai Floods

Chennai received its heaviest rain in a century resulted in a flood like situation. The death toll has reached around 200 in the rain affected parts of Tamil Nadu and the condition is still critical. Army and Navy have arrived for the rescue operations in Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu. The excess rain coupled with improper drainage system resulted in disastrous circumstances in the city of Chennai.

Chennai always receives more than normal rainfall in every twelve years, although situation became out of control due to heavy rains the authorities were not prepared for even the excess rains. According to environmental surveys of Chennai city, natural drainage system has been destroyed for the development purposes. Ponds, marshes, streams and other natural waterways have been damaged and replaced with illegal constructions.

Chennai is not the exception; every metropolitan city is prone to such urban floods which caused due to excess rains as these cities have altered their natural drainage and sewage system for the sake of development which is unplanned and not researched for effects on environment. The changing climate has affected the seasonal pattern of the world over and many world cities receive untimely rain, excessive rain or no seasonal rain. The climate conference going on in Paris i.e. COP21 (Conference of Parties) is useless if they can't find the way of development without hurting and destroying the environment. We have only one world which has limited resources which need to be conserved and cared.

Hope for relief from rain in Chennai soon. Pray For Chennai #chennaifloods, #ChennaiRains

Coming back to the current problem of Chennai, I can only hope and pray for conditions to normalize soon and hope for discussions on strategy to deal with such problems in future and to find out ways to prevent them. One think I also like to mention is that every human being in Chennai is helping other irrespective of caste and religion.The country is concerned for Chennai even though the mainstream media has not given it much space. I appeal same concern for climate related issues. Governments act when there is a public outcry, crops are being damaged, islands country feeling threat of submerging, people leaving in coastal regions are migrating to the main land due to rise in sea level, climates have altered patterns and air quality have worsen, this is the right time to raise your voices and jolt your governments to act for the environment.

Pray for Chennai. Pray for world.

Winning Is Creating Winners

India Today conclave since its first edition in the year 2002 became a global platform for discussions on big issues of the country and the world. A different theme each year brings ideas of global leaders and personalities responsible for bringing change in world in front of the masses for that particular theme. We can't ignore the thoughts and ideas if a head of a state or a country is speaking,neither we can ignore those brains behind policy making or shaping public opinion through cinema and media. This initiative by India Today group put forward the hopes,aspirations,reality,truth,ideas,etc of common people much like the magazine itself on the bigger and impactful platform.

This years theme of India Today Conclave is 'Winning'. The theme will bring lots of new ideas to the public domain about this topic from the eminent speakers like Amitabh Bachchan,K. Radhakrishnan,Vasundhara Raje,Henrick Scharfe,Jairam Ramesh,etc.Winning is a small word which can be interpret in many ways by different people. Winning for me is creating an environment where every one emerge as a winner. Winning is creating winners whether in homes,in offices,in a state and in a country. A home where winning of a single person is celebrated reduce other members to mere spectators who just enjoy with him or her but never become part of that achievements. That person started seeing others inferior to him and thus suppress their hopes and aspirations. Same is the case with governments.

The governments which try to win only a section of society or if promote a single agenda make the whole nation a country of losers. Leading in a way where everyone emerge as a winner is the true leadership. Governments policies and decisions should aim at maintaining that balance. A project beneficial for one group may become obstacle for the growth of the other thus taking opinions of both the sides is required before the implication of the project, a mid-way or the other way may suits the both and will create winner out of both which in turn make the policy maker as winner.

Balance of resources will create winners. Winning doesn't mean stepping ladders upwards and become unreachable for those standing below but to stand among those who have faith in you infuse some goals in them and then to work towards achieving these goals. It takes time and it will take time. Winning is to stay with your goals even when the time is unfavorable to them. Winning is also not to lose hope ,keep your hopes alive along with the hopes of those associated with you.

All subsidiary points mentioned above strengthen my main point that winning is creating winners. This can be achieved by leading in a way where everyone emerge as a winner,by balancing the available resources by creating and staying with goals and by never losing hope in yourself. Winning is a continuous process and not a destination where sometimes a small defeat become a reason for a big win. So always think to win as a team and not as an individual. You can find yourself alone in this thought but escaping the fear to be alone is winning.

This post is written for 'Winning' for India Today Conclave 2014 and Indiblogger

Gifts For Life

HDFC Life's initiative to collect 1001 gift ideas for children give me a chance to think about this topic. Since I am not married and I don't have children I may think differently on this topic but on the other hand children of my brother and sisters who are fond of me may make me think like a parent itself.

A child's requirement changes with age and at each period of his/her age there are few things which parents wants to be constant. It is not an easy task and one has to plan these things early. Things will be very different after 10 to 15 years from now,that's why gift for futures which you are planning should also be different and unique. Below I am mentioning five gifts which I think I should give a child or a child should have to have a secure future:

1. An education policy which would be helpful in the future when education will be costlier from now and that investment for future should not burden your present budget. That means a policy with low premium and high returns like those offered by HDFC SL youngstar plans.

2. Environment to grow to one's total capability. An environment in home where there is no quarrel between parents which has very adverse effect on a child's growth. Positive environment in society specially for a girl child where girl should not considered as a burden but equal to a boy. An environment where safety is ensured for both girls and boys. This would be the best gift for today's child.

3.Opportunities for all. This is the gift which each generation demands after attaining their youth. Quality higher studies became useless when one doesn't get a job of his/her choice not because they are not capable but because there are no opportunities to show their capability. An assure opportunity regardless to cast,region,religion and gender will surely be a wonderful gift.

4.Independent you. This means that one should be self sustainable at an older age or on that stage when a child starts earning so that he/she may not feel burden to take care of your financial requirements during his's/her's struggling days in their respective career. Children have to take care of their parents but they should not burdened at onset of their earning life. Your happiness is also a gift for your child.

5.Healthy youth. Healthy youth starts from a healthy childhood. Eating habits developed earlier in life follows you throughout in your life. It's parents duty to give healthy and nutritious food to their children. No gift is better than a healthy body and as you prepare for every future requirements of your child right from its birth similarly for good health you have to start early. Investment in health will return you with health.

Above all a child needs lots of love at every stage,give them so much of your love so that they think every day of their life a beautiful gift from god instead of cursing themselves and their destiny for not having a desired life.

This post is a part of the 1001 Gifts Activity by HDFC Life in association with BlogAdda.

Faltu( Waste)

Faltu(Waste)

Nothing is faltu or waste in India,everything considered waste elsewhere hold it's value in this part of the world. In other words we can say that we know how to make waste useful. We are actually resourceful (Jugadu as called in desi language) thus utilise everything to it's full extent, take for example a school uniform,i elder brother or sister's uniform is preserved for the younger sibling if it's doesn't fit to the elder one.

There are many things like that old clothes are exchanged for utensils which are again used to make pillow covers,foot mattresses and many other things,even cow dung is used as fuel in our country. Those who consider us backward must see how we use waste products like old clothes,shoes,broken glass,plastic bottles,old newspapers,old wooden doors and windows,etc.productively.

This habit also have a drawback,it is true that less waste is generated in reusing,reducing and again using old things which put less burden on our natural resources and environment but this make us greedy and selfish also,we kept old clothes with us to be exchanged with utensils which can be given to someone who don't have clothes,instead of selling old school or college books back to the book seller at half rates we can give them to poor students who can't afford such books easily,people keep extra chapatis to sell them to dry chapati vendor instead of feeding a hungry person.

Our habit of liking waste products also make us to accept anything useless like our MP's and MLA's again and again,we keep refresh old issues don't let them die and thus misuse by politicians,we are still governed by old laws of eighteenth century repacked with some modifications,people with useless ideologies bring forth there views every time in new ways and we accept them. It is said that a good scrap dealer(kabadi in hindustani) can find usefulness of a waste thing,so keep an eye of a scrap dealer to judge waste things but an human heart to utilise them well.