Vknardep May 2014

8/12/2019 Vknardep May 2014

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Echoes of EcoGreen Rameshwaram: Takes off - 2

In this issue:

Green Rameshwaram: Takesoff-2

Teerthams: a New Discovery

The Happenings-I

The Happenings-II

From our Publications

Visions of Wisdom: Eco-Symbolism Becoming Eco-Literate No Life is Inferior

In Indra the worlds consist; in IndCreative Fervor and Order have

their ground. You I have known, OIndra, face to face, in the Suppor

wholly established.Homage to him of whom the earththe model, the atmosphere his bel

who created the sky from his heaHomage to this supreme BrahmaHomage to him whose eye is thesun and the moon which is ever

renewed, whose mouth is the FireHomage to this supreme Brahma

-Atharva Veda

Earth, Atmosphere, Sky

May, 2014 Vivekananda Kendra- nardepNewsletter Vol:6 No:3

Service to humanity is the highest form of worship Swami Vivekananda

Last month we saw how the GreenRameshwaram project has taken offand the way deliverables had beenfixed for Archeology and culture sub-group as well as landscaping andbeautification.The sub-committee on the marine

biodiversity of the Gulf of Mannar Flora and fauna of Rameswaram andGreening of Rameswaram, haddiscussions on the following aspects:

Algae cultivation for improvinglivelihood opportunities for thebenefit of coastal communitiesthrough the women self-helpgroups etc.

Creation of Mangrove forest.

Re-forestation by identifyingspecies which are best suited forRameshwaram island.

Value added algae products likehealth drinks can be developed.

Special care to be taken not toaffect the livelihood of the peoplewho now depend on charred fuel-wood trade based on Juliflora:however this is a scenario true foroutside Rameshwaram island.

The deliverables for this group weredecided to be the publication ofbooklets related to the bio-diversityshould be started and at least onebooklet brought out.

Another one deliverable fixed for thisgroup is the identification andexecution of the effective steps thatneed to be taken to eradicate Julifloramenace. It was decided that a pilotplot of land would be given and thismenace should be countered and

removed holistically.

Then the sub-committee on the waterharvesting inside the temple and inthe island made their presentation. Aninteresting discussion followed thepresentation.

District Collector pointed out thatthis sub-committee has alreadydone work in renovation whichformed the basis of the entireproject.

There was a divided opinion withreference rain-water harvestingdue to the nature of soil. Theviews of CGWB may be obtained.

Installation of Rainwaterharvesting systems in Individualhouses

Awareness creation Installation inPublic places

The fodder cultivation to be linkedwith sewage treatment group

Then the deliverables for this groupwere fixed.


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Echoes of Eco - Newsletter, Vivekananda Kendra nardep, May 2014 Vol. 6 No: 3

One need not leave the earth to find the Truth, one need not leave the life to find his soul,one need not abandon the world or have only limited beliefs to enter into relation with theDivine. The Divine is everywhere, in everything and if He is hidden, it is because we do not

take the trouble to discover Him. The Mother

The deliverables for the water harvesting sub-committee groupwere fixed as the following:

Rain water harvesting mechanisms should bedeveloped based on CGWB recommendations.

Booklets and awareness campaign on waterconservation

Identification of Rainwater harvesting systemsInside the temple

Installation of Green pilgrimage oaths in otherteerthams

The next sub-committee Sewage Treatment andunderground drainage made a presentation onsewage treatment with Vettiver. A detailed discussionwas made taking into account the following points:

Vettiver herbal cultivation as a means of both

resource creation as well as sewage treatment.Its commercial value makes it ideal for waste towealth creation.

An input was provided for horse-waste basedtreatment of sewage water along with Kalvazhai(Canna indica)

Muncipal commissioner Thiru.Kannan also madea presentation of the efforts that have been takenso far in the same area by the Rameshwarammunicipality.

The major deliverables set for this group are asfollows:

Namma Toilet scheme is ready to beimplemented shortly. Project should take anactive role in making that successful.

Advisor of the group will provide initial inputs andassistance for two technicians to assist municipaladministration in sewage treatment.

The advisor for this group is Smt. JayashreeBalachander (IAS retd.) and the Coordinator is theMunicipal Commissioner of RameshwaramSri.Kannan.

[The deliverables set for the other sub-committees shall be continued in the next

month newsletter]

Spend just 9 minutes watching thesedocumentaries and see for yourself how youcan make the pilgrimage to Rameshwaram

cleaner and greener!

English: http://youtu.be/B-2omYexqDY

Tamil: htt :// outu.be/XAX0fbPxdbA

To know more about Green Rameshwaram Pilgrimage Project contact:Secretary, Vivekananda Kendra - Nardep, Vivekanandapuram, Kanyakumari-629702;

Phone:04652-246296, 9442646296 Email: [email protected]

[Above] Exploring new and innovative ideas inthe Brain-Storming session on GreenRameshwaram conducted at Ramnad DistrictCollectors building.

[Below] Meeting of minds extraordinary:Terracotta artisan, Entrepreneurial expert, experton ancient irrigation systems and epigraphisthaving an informal discussion of their ideasdurin the visit to Teerthams.


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Feel, my children, feel; feel for the poor, the ignorant, the downtrodden; feel till the heartstops and the brain reels and you think you will go mad; then pour the soul out at the feet of

the Lord, and then will come power, help and indomitable energy. Even the least workdone for others awakens the power within; even thinking the least good of others gradually

instills into the heart the strength of a lion. - Swami Vivekananda

To know more about Renovation of Rameshwaram Teerthams Project contact:Secretary, Vivekananda Kendra - Nardep, Vivekanandapuram, Kanyakumari-629702;

Phone:04652-246296, 9442646296 Email: [email protected]

The Teerthams renovation work is progressing. Meanwhile as part ofthe Green Rameshwaram project epigraphists Ramachandran andRajendran studied the archeological aspects of the water bodies. Atthe preliminary study itself some very interesting forgotten aspects of

history come to life

Echoes of Eco - Newsletter, Vivekananda Kendra nardep, May 2014, Vol. 6 No: 3


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Honor the sacred. Honor the Earth, our Mother. Honor the Elders.Honor all with whom we share the Earth:

Four-legged ones, two-legged ones, winged ones,Swimmers, crawlers, plant and rock people.

Walk in balance and beauty. Native American Prayer

Workshop on agriculture with DSTcore support was held on 24

thof this

month at Kalluvillai. Smt. Premlathawas the resource person.

Nardeps staff have been interviewedby the programme Co-ordinatorShri.Shanmugaih, AIR, Nagercoil. VK-

Nardeps activities in the field ofSustainable Agriculture. This wasmade as a direct broadcast on 29

thof

this month.

Happenings this month:SUSTAINABLE

AGRICULTURE

Tested water from 14 wellsKanyakumari Dist. as a parthe programme of CenGround Water Board, Chenn

Green Health Camp sponsored

UNICEF, Chennai was held at Panchayat Union School, UdirupRameshwaram on 27

th of

month. 73 persons benefitted frthe camp. The resource perswere Dr.V.Ganapathy and his tea

Happenings thismonth:

Water Managemen

On 22n

of this month Solar Electrificationwas inaugurated at Dhanuskodi byBrahmos Aerospace, New Delhi. Thevenue was the Govt. Primary School,Dhanuskodi. 200 people attended.Shri.K.Nanthakumar, IAS, Dist. Collectorinaugurated the unit. Cmde.S.K.Iyer andCmde.A.C.Anand, attended the functionon behalf of Brahmos Aerospace, NewDelhi.

To know more about Green Rameshwaram Pilgrimage Project contact:Secretary, Vivekananda Kendra - Nardep, Vivekanandapuram, Kanyakumari-

629702; Phone:04652-246296, 9442646296Email: [email protected]

Happenings this moGreen Health Camp

Rameshwaram

Happenings this month:

NETWORKING


VK-nardep activities done

with DST core support

Green Health Home of Vnardep functioned for 6 da

and treated 166 patients.

Happenings this month:

NETWORKING

On 22n

of this month Dr.SatishKumar, Chief, Tamilnadu & Kerala,UNICEF inaugurated the programmeon Eco Awareness Camp for staff of

Rameshwaram Municipality at theSatsang Bhawan, RameshwaramShri.Arun Dobhal, WASH specialist,Unicef, Chennai attended the functionas chief guest.83 persons attendedthe programme.

Green Health Camp Rameshwaram: part of GreeRameshwaram

As a part of studying the flora bio-diversity for Green RameshwaramDr.Kamalasanan Pillai made apreliminary survey of various plantsin the island . Some species areshown above.


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We stand now where two roads diverge. But unlike the roads in Robert Frost's familiar poem,they are not equally fair. The road we have long been travelling is deceptively easy, a smooth

super-highway on which we progress with great speed, but at its end lies disaster. The other forkof the road - the one 'less travelled by' - offers our last, our only chance to reach a destination

that assures the preservation of our earth. Rachel Carson

Happenings this month:BIO-METHANATION PLANT &

RENWABLE ENERGY

Camp for the creation scientific temper in the minof school children

This camp was organized TRC, Kalluvillai The camp wheld from 4

th to 8

th of this mon

and 63 students attended tcamp. The resource persowere: Dr.Usha Raja NandDr.Umaiyoor BhagaShri.V.Ramakrishnan a

Sis.V.saraswathi etc.

Training programme on Bio-methanation plant was held at TRC,Kalluvilai on 24

thof May

(under DST core

support). Shri.V.Ramakrishnan asresource person. 4 persons benefittedfrom training.

Refresher course for FamilyMembers

The camp for the fam

members was held at the TRKalluvilai from 1

st to the 3

rd

this month.37 family membeand staff attended the camThe resource persons were:

Shri.V.Ramakrishnan

Sis.V.Saraswathi and

Dr.Umaiyoor Bhagan.

Bio-Methanation Plants

installed

Happenings thismonth:

Networking

Happy moments in the family camp.


Shakthi-Surabhi Installed this month:

Portable 1 cum - 9Portable 2 cum -5

Portable 0.5cum 1

Unless we are willing toencourage our children to

reconnect with and appreciatethe natural world, we can't

expect them to help protect an

care for it.- David Suzuki

Every month biogas/bio-methanationplant training provides those who attendit a complete idea of the technology as

well as a hands-on-training experience ofthe lant.


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From our

Publications

In continuation of giving eco-toons from Samagraha Vikas Development with a human face, in this newsletter we give eco-cartoons that speak about the fundamental problem that thedirection of science is facing. We also proudly present thecurious green technological development of solar panels for car

parking. A decade ago our publication has presented a solarpower based fuelling for cars. It seems quite closer next green-technological step : Electric cars getting charged by solarpanels? Read on


Human being is the master of his destiny. He is the architect of his fate. He has nothing to fear in thisuniverse, nothing except his own wrong actions and thoughts. He has to say: Who has the power to giveme any experience that I do not choose to select for myself? No one on earth has the power to injure me,to bring sorrow upon me, to inflict destruction or evil upon me! Swami Chidananda

Marine Life affected byCO2emissions

As more CO2 is released

the atmosphere, the sebecomes more acidified wi

CO2 reacting with wat

forming carbonates: Thimpedes calcification anformation of shells;


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There is no life that is inferior. Allives enjoy the same importance inthe Universe and all play their fixedroles. They are to function togetheand no link in the chain is to be lost

If some link is lost, the wholeecological balance would bedisturbed. All kinds of lifeinsectsbirds, and animalscontributetoward the maintenance oecological balance, but what ishumanitys contribution toward this?Humans are intelligent animalsTherefore our contribution shouldbe the biggest. But it is not. We arenullifying the benefits of thecontributions made by other speciesof life. We are disturbing the

balance because of our greed fomaterial enjoyment and our crazefor power. We do not allowearthworms and bacteria tomaintain the fertility of the soil byusing chemical manures andinsecticides that kill them. Wedestroy plants and forestsindiscriminately and come in theway of plants providing oxygenessential for the very existence o

life. the language of the hear

only can sustain uswhen we star

speaking through the language othe mind our destruction becomesinevitable. Therefore, a thinkinganimal has to be very careful whileit uses its mental abilities.

Sacrifice does not just mean ritualworshipit means an act thatprotects life. Personal healthdepends on eyes, ears, and other

sense organs working together inharmony; human prosperity andhappiness depend on a well-orderedsociety and nature; the universe issustained by the cosmic powers suchas the sun and moon workingtogether in unison. Sacrificereinvigorates the powers that sustainthe world by securing cosmic stabilityand social order. It activates thepositive forces of the universe, andprotects the Earth from degeneration.Humans have to realize the

interconnectedness of living entitiesand emphasize the idea of moralresponsibility to oneself, onessociety, and the world as a whole. Inour cosmic journey, we are involvedin countless cycles of births anddeaths. The life progresses intohigher forms of life or regresses intolower forms based on our good orbad karma. Kinship exists betweenall forms of life. Reincarnation warnsus against treating lower forms of lifewith cruelty. Man has evolved fromlower forms of life. We are, therefore,

related to the whole creation. Theprinciple of cow protectionsymbolizes human responsibility tothe subhuman world.

The Eco-Symbolism Becoming Eco-Literate No Life is Inferior

wamiVibudheshaTeerthaMonk

To me the key to an operationaldefinition of sustainability, which is whatwe need I believe, the key is to realisethat we do not need to start from scratchbut can take nature as a model. Nature'seco-systems are models of sustainablecommunities. They are communities ofplants, animals and micro-organismsthat have evolved over billions of yearsso as to maximize their long termsurvival or sustainability. In fact whenyou study the biosphere from the point ofview of biology and ecology you find thatone of its outstanding characteristics isthat nature has sustained life for billionsand billions of years. So a sustainablehuman society should be one that isdesigned in such a way that it does not

interfere with nature's inherent ability tosustain life. So our technologies, ourbusiness organizations, our economies,our physical structures, all that, ourlifestyles should be designed in such away that they do not interfere withnature's ability to sustain life. Now thisdefinition is operational because the firststep naturally must then be tounderstand, how nature sustains life We need to become ecologically literateto understand the basic principles oforganization that eco-systems have

evolved to sustain life. Principles like thefact that matter is being constantlyrecycled, that energy flows from the sun,that diversity assures resilience, that thebasic pattern of organization is a networkpattern.- Dr. heshagiriRao

Indologist

-Fritjof CapraPhysicist-Deep

Ecologist

Human consciousness arose but a minute before midnight on the geological clock. Yet we mayflies tryto bend an ancient world to our purposes, ignorant perhaps of the messages buried in its long history.

Let us hope that we are still in the early morning of our April day. Stephen Jay Gould

Vivekananda Kendra nardep, Kanyakumari-629702 Phone:91-4652-246296 www.vknardep.org

Vknardep May 2014

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