Project Smile India

http://projectsmileindia.wordpress.com/

2010-04-22T04:53:00.000+05:30

http://projectsmileindia.wordpress.com/

Quote of the Day

2010-04-16T01:35:00.002+05:30

“All day I think about it, then at night I say it. Where did I come from, and what am I supposed to be doing? I have no idea. My soul is from elsewhere, I’m sure of that, and I intend to end up there.”

~ Jalal ad-Din Rumi (Persian Poet and Mystic, 1207-1273)

Oil spill threatens turtle nesting site

2010-04-16T01:34:00.002+05:30

Oil spilt from a coal carrying ship from Indonesia, anchored at Gopalpur Port in Ganjam district of Orissa, is washed ashore at the Rushikulya Olive Ridley turtle rookery. The hatchlings are expected to emerge in a fortnight in the same beach.

Spillage of oil from a ship at the Gopalpur port in Orissa has threatened the nesting site of Olive Ridleys near the Rushikulya rookery.

The authorities of the Gopalpur Ports Limited (GPL), Forest Department, and environmental activists are making efforts to reduce the impact of the spill on the coast.

Executive Director of the Gopalpur Ports Limited (GPL), P.K. Panigrahi said the spill occurred on Monday evening.

A barge lost control due to rough weather and hit the Indonesian ship MV Malavika anchored near the port. A storage chamber on its side cracked and oil started to spill out. The engineers immediately made efforts to transfer the oil from the damaged unit to restrict spillage. But by that time around 7,000 litres had poured into the sea. The engineers say this oil may be the ship’s furnace oil or waste oil of its engine.

The spilt oil has started to reach the coast near the rookery blackening the sand. But it is yet to reach the stretch where the Olive Ridleys had nested. The Berhampur Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), A.K. Jena said the nests are not yet affected.

The Olive Ridley eggs are to hatch in another fortnight.

The toxic effect of the spill may lead to increased mortality of the turtle hatchlings this year, environmental activist Rabindra Sahu said.

Quote of the Day

2010-04-06T01:31:00.001+05:30

“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.”

~ Mary Anne Radmacher

‘Evil twin of global warming’ threatens world’s oceans

2010-04-06T01:21:00.002+05:30

Fishermen venturing into the sea near Kannur. Ocean acidification is caused when the CO2 emitted by human activity, mainly burning fossil fuels, dissolves into the oceans.

Scientists have warned that ocean acidification, which is dubbed the ‘evil twin of global warming’, caused by a rise in human emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), threatens the world’s oceans.

“Ocean conditions are already more extreme than those experienced by marine organisms and ecosystems for millions of years,” researchers said in the latest issue of the journal Trends in Ecology and Evolution (TREE). “This emphasises the urgent need to adopt policies that drastically reduce CO2 emissions,” they added. Ocean acidification, which the researchers call the ‘evil twin of global warming’, is caused when the CO2 emitted by human activity, mainly burning fossil fuels, dissolves into the oceans. It is happening independently of, but in combination with, global warming.

“Evidence gathered by scientists around the world over the last few years suggests that ocean acidification could represent an equal -or perhaps even greater threat -to the biology of our planet than global warming,” said co-author Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and The University of Queensland. More than 30 percent of the CO2 released from burning fossil fuels, cement production, deforestation and other human activities goes straight into the oceans, turning them gradually more acidic.

“The resulting acidification will impact many forms of sea life, especially organisms whose shells or skeletons are made from calcium carbonate, like corals and shellfish. It may interfere with the reproduction of plankton species which are a vital part of the food web on which fish and all other sea life depend,” said Professor Hoegh-Guldberg.

The scientists say there is now persuasive evidence that mass extinctions in past Earth history, like the “Great Dying” of 251 million years ago and another wipeout 55 million years ago, were accompanied by ocean acidification, which may have delivered the deathblow to many species that were unable to cope with it.

According to lead author, Dr. Carles Pelejero, from ICREA and the Marine Science Institute of CSIC in Barcelona, Spain, “These past periods can serve as great lessons of what we can expect in the future, if we continue to push the acidity the ocean even further.” “Given the impacts we see in the fossil record, there is no question about the need to immediately reduce the rate at which we are emitting carbon dioxide in the atmosphere,” he added.

Twisting a tomato gene can increase yield by 60%

2010-04-06T01:20:00.000+05:30

Scientists have discovered a gene that promotes ‘hybrid vigour’ in tomatoes

Tomatoes can be made sweeter by tweaking a gene that can also increase its yield by 60 per cent, a new study has found.

Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York identified the gene that promotes ‘hybrid vigour’ while hunting for genes that boost heterosis, the phenomenon by which cross-breeding two varieties of plants produces more vigorous hybrid offspring with higher yields, the Telegraph reported.

Expressing hope that the technique should work for all flowering fruit plants, Dr Zach Lippman, the lead author said: “This discovery has potential to have a significant impact on both the billion-dollar tomato industry, as well as agricultural practices designed to get the most yield from other flowering crops”.

For their study, Dr. Lippman and his team cross bred more than 5,000 plants with slightly different genetic make-up. They observed that when a gene called SFT, which produces a protein called florigen, mutated, the yield increased by 60 per cent.

Scientists believe that right levels of florigen — the protein that instructs plants when to stop making leaves and start making flowers, which in turn produce fruit — helps increase yield.

“It’s the Goldilocks concept. What we find is that to maximise yield, you can’t have too much or too little florigen. A mutation in one copy of the gene results in the exact dose of florigen required to cause heterosis,” said Dr. Lippman.

In addition to superior yield, the hybrids displayed another, perhaps equally important quality, taste. Tomato plants only produce a finite amount of sugar, which they distribute equally among their fruits.

So higher yields usually result in each fruit having less sugar. Remarkably, the florigen gene also boosted the sugar and sweetness of individual fruits.

Lines to make you smile :)

2010-03-27T18:11:00.000+05:30

1.. My husband and I divorced over religious differences. He thought he was God and I didn’t.

2.. I don’t suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it.

3.. Some people are alive only because it’s illegal to kill them.

4..I used to have a handle on life, but it broke..

5.. Don’t take life too seriously; no one gets out alive.

6.. You’re just jealous because the voices only talk to me.

7.. Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.

8.. Earth is the insane asylum for the universe.

9.. I’m not a complete idiot — Some parts are just missing.

10.. Out of my mind. Back in five minutes.

11.. God must love stupid people; He made so many.

12.. The gene pool could use a little chlorine.

13.. Consciousness: That annoying time between naps.

14.. Ever stop to think, and forget to start again?

15.. Being ‘over the hill’ is much better than being under it!

16.. Wrinkled Was Not One of the Things I Wanted to Be When I Grew up.

17.. Procrastinate Now!

18.. A hangover is the wrath of grapes.

19.. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a cash advance.

20 .. Stupidity is not a handicap. Park elsewhere!

21 ..They call it PMS because Mad Cow Disease was already taken.

22. He who dies with the most toys is nonetheless DEAD.

23.. A picture is worth a thousand words, but it uses up three thousand times the memory.

24.. The trouble with life is there’s no background music…

25.. I smile because I don’t know what is going on.

Appreciate every single thing you have, especially your friends!

Life is too short and friends are too few.

Lights to go off for ‘Earth Hour’ tomorrow 27 March 2010 – 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm IST

2010-03-26T20:15:00.002+05:30

Delhi Chief Mnister Sheila Dikshit and Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan at the launch of the campaign for Earth Hour 2010, in Delhi on on 27 March 2010, 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm IST.

It’s time to plan for a candle light dinner on Saturday as Delhi will join other world cities in observing the ‘Earth Hour’ by turning off the lights for an hour on 27 March 2010 from 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm IST.

With almost 50 million supporters across the globe and a network in over 100 countries, the annual ‘Earth Hour’ initiative, organised by the World Wide Fund for Nature, has emerged as one of the largest global campaigns to combat climate change.

Pledging its support to the initiative, the city government has already started a campaign asking people to observe the event by switching off all the lights and electrical appliances for an hour on Saturday.

“I appeal to all the residents to observe the Earth Hour tomorrow. We have already launched a campaign to make the event a great success,” Delhi Environment Secretary Dharmendra told.

He said the government had already asked shopping malls, hotels, restaurants, educational institutions and major markets to observe the event which is celebrated across major cities of the world on the last Saturday of March annually to pledge support for protecting the environment.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, herself a strong votary of eco-friendly measures, will participate in an event at the lawns of the India Gate and switch off the lights there at 8.30 pm IST.

“I can assure you that all the households can have romantic candle light dinners sitting at their homes on March 27,” Ms. Dikshit had said at a function organised by WWF here.

City Discoms BSES and NDPL have also pledged their support to the ‘Earth Hour’ initiative and appealed to their consumers to observe the event.

“On NDPL’s part we have undertaken a campaign for consumer sensitisation which includes putting up of posters, hoardings, banners at all customer touch points,” said an NDPL official.

Several hotels and malls have also announced their support to the initiative and plans to organise special events.

An official of the InterContinental Hotels Group said the hotel will encourage in-house guests to switch off lights in their rooms and join the ‘guestogether’ parties being hosted by them between 8.30 and 9.30 pm.

Hotel ‘Crowne Plaza Today’ in Gurgaon will turn off all the non-essential lights to mark the ‘Earth Hour’ and organise a candlelight dinner for their guests.

The WWF India said the event will also be celebrated in Pune, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Bangaluru, Chennai and Kolkata, apart from several other cities where people will be urged to turn off the lights in their homes and offices for a hour.

It said Delhi and Mumbai will be leading the country in making the campaign a success in India. Both the cities had observed the event last year and saved a total of 1,000 MW of power.

Started in Sydney in Australia in 2007, the ‘Earth Hour’ had become a global event in 2008 with participation of 35 countries. India joined the Earth Hour campaign last year.

Delhi alone had saved 700 MW of power by supporting the campaign.

In 2009, millions of people took part in the third ‘Earth Hour’. Over 4,000 cities in 88 countries officially switched off lights to pledge their support for saving the planet.

China leading in clean energy spending

2010-03-26T01:14:00.000+05:30

Wind turbines of the Donghai Bridge Offshore Wind Farm in Shanghai, China. The Chinese government will spend billions of dollars on building nuclear and solar power plants, wind farms and on research into renewable energy technology

China has taken the lead in investments in clean energy, spending nearly double what the U.S. did in 2009, as it ramps up projects in both renewable and traditional energy, a report said Thursday.

China’s investment and financing for clean energy rose to $34.6 billion in 2009, out of $162 billion invested globally, according to the report by the nonprofit Pew Charitable Trusts. U.S. spending ranked second, at $18.6 billion, with European nations also recording strong growth.

“Countries are jockeying for leadership. They know that investing in clean energy can renew manufacturing bases, and create export opportunities, jobs and businesses,” Phyllis Cuttino, who directs the Pew Environment Group’s Global Warming Campaign, said in a statement.

The report comes as China is clinching a slew of energy and resource-related deals meant to help ensure access to the commodities needed to keep its fast-growing economy booming: On Wednesday, China’s offshore oil and gas company CNOOC agreed to buy 3.6 million tons of liquefied natural gas a year, for 20

years, from an Australian energy project operated by BG Group PLC.

Though a value for the deal was not released, Australian media reports estimated its worth at 80 billion Australian dollars ($73 billion) – the country’s biggest single company-to-company contract ever.

Just days before, CNOOC announced plans for a $3.1 billion joint-venture with Bridas Energy Holdings Ltd., a major Argentine energy firm.

On Tuesday, Royal Dutch Shell PLC said it plans to explore for natural gas with China National Petroleum Corp. in southwestern China’s Sichuan province. That followed news that Arrow Energy Ltd., an owner of gas assets in Australia, had accepted a joint takeover bid from Shell and PetroChina worth $3.15 billion.

Over the weekend, China signed 15 deals with Russia worth $1.6 billion.

Natural gas is cleaner than the coal that now fuels about three-quarters of China’s electricity generation. But Beijing also is throwing massive resources into nurturing renewable energy, both to counter environmental damage from fossil fuel emissions and to curb its soaring reliance on imports.

The U.S. still leads the world in installed renewable energy, with 52.2 gigawatts of wind, small hydroelectric, biomass and waste generating capacity, the Pew report said.

But China is quickly closing the gap, as a doubling in wind energy capacity alone boosted its own installed renewable energy capacity to 49.7 gigawatts in 2009. Germany trails with 30.9 gigawatts, the report said.

It said much of the impact from $184 billion in stimulus spending earmarked for clean energy by governments of the Group of 20 industrial nations is yet to come. Of that amount, China is due to spend nearly $47 billion on improved energy efficiency, clean vehicles, installation of solar power and improvements to its overtaxed electricity grid.

Spending on clean energy is forecast at $200 billion for 2010, up about 25 percent

U.S. spending on renewable energy fell 42 percent in 2009 from the year before, constrained by tight credit and the lack of a strong policy framework, the report said. But it is likely to rise faster this year, helped by the enactment in 2009 of production tax credits for wind energy and investment tax credits for solar power.

The report noted that the U.S. still dominates venture financing and technology innovation for clean energy, but in manufacturing it lags behind China, which has become a powerhouse in production of both solar cells and wind turbines.

With climate change legislation stalled in the U.S. Congress, the outlook for faster growth remains uncertain, the report noted.

In terms of clean energy investment relative to the size of its overall economy, China ranks third in the G-20 at 0.39 percent, well behind Spain, which leads at 0.74 percent. The U.S., at 0.13 percent, was 11th, the report said.

“There are reasons to be concerned about America’s competitive position in the clean energy marketplace. Relative to the size of its economy, the United States’ clean energy finance and investments lag behind many of its G-20 partners,” the report said.

2009 is fifth warmest year: WMO

2010-03-26T01:13:00.002+05:30

A file photo of delegates looking at a giant balloon displaying the warming of the world's oceans, during the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen.

Noting that the decade 2000-2009 was warmest-ever recorded, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has said that 2009 was the fifth-warmest year since climate records began in 1850.

In a report on its 60th anniversary, the UN weather agency said the nineties were warmer than the eighties.

The report showed that the decade 2000-2009 was warmest ever recorded.

The World Meteorological Day was celebrated yesterday to commemorate the entry into force of the WMO Convention that led to creation of the Organisation in 1950.

“As we celebrate today the 60th anniversary of the World meteorological Organisation, I would like to pay tribute to the meteorological community worldwide working together continuously beyond all borders to save and protect people, their homes and their livelihoods,” said WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarrud.

Quote of the Day

2010-03-24T22:24:00.002+05:30

“Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it”

~ Albert Einstein 1879-1955 (German born American Physicist who developed the special and general theories of relativity. Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921)

Save the Yamuna Campaign

2010-03-24T22:23:00.002+05:30

Once considered a pious river in Hindu Mythology today Yamuna is counted among the most polluted rivers in India. Delhi contributes around 3,296 MLD (million litres per day) of sewage by virtue of drains falling in Yamuna. Some 3.5 lakh people live in the 62,000 jhuggis (slums) on the Yamuna river bed and its embankments. Poor condition of trunk sewers, shortage of sewage treatment capacity and lack of sanitation facilities in unsewered areas of Delhi accounting for nearly 50% of population are responsible for continued pollution of Yamuna in Delhi. The problem is compounded by lack of minimum perennial fresh water flow in the river along the 22 km stretch between Wazirabad and Okhla.

The picture shows garbage floating on the Yamuna river.

Black Water of dirty Yamuna receives holy offerings.

Divers hunt for garbage in Yamuna river, Delhi.

Magur Fish, a regular catch from the dirty Yamuna river, Delhi.

Ducks swimming in the Yamuna river.

Settlers on the bank of Yamuna river.

A variety of birds flock to the filthy Yamuna river in Delhi.

Meditate to rejuvenate

2010-03-24T22:19:00.000+05:30

Meditation leads to ultimate rejuvenation

“Happiness in life comes not by manipulating what you want to achieve but by paying attention to something seemingly totally unconnected with it,” said the great philosopher Swami Vivekananda.

For thousands of years, the wise of many of the world’s cultures have offered this as the key to happiness — meditation. It is said that meditation creates a state of metabolic restfulness far deeper than that of sleep. Scientific studies prove that meditation results in a better flow of blood to the brain, which helps relax the muscles and decreases the stress hormones. This rest leads to a quick rejuvenation of one’s mind and body, leaving them healed from the effects of fatigue, stress and tension.

So profound are the benefits of chanting that people from different walks of life have taken to chanting and meditation to get away from the stress of their high demanding jobs and lifestyles.
But is mental peace and happiness the only goal of meditating? Spiritual guru, Nandini Sen, sheds light on the benefits of meditation. “I feel meditation helps one just in being more in the present moment, because only in this moment can one do something. The basic idea is to relax in that very moment. All anger, anxiety and negative thoughts are carried forward until you don’t let go. Meditation simply gives the mind a holiday,” she says. The moment you include a goal to meditation, its purpose is lost.

“A goal is always set for the future,” says Nandini, “but meditation is about the present moment.” Meditation deals with forgetting everything for that moment and concentrating on knowing one’s inner self. This way, one tends to ignore the problem and concentrates on meditating, thus, dissolving the problem altogether.

Can meditation and chanting be considered the means of escapism from the materialistic lives people live? “Not unless one chants 24/7,” says model turned actress Aditi Govritkar. Juggling between her house, kids and work, she at times finds it difficult to take time off for meditation. “I try and chant at least 10 minutes daily to decrease my stress levels. This helps me feel more calm and at peace.” Event organiser, Sharmilla Khanna agrees. “Of course, one cannot escape from the real world with meditation. I do everything that I’m entitled and responsible to do. I don’t escape from anything, not even my problems. Instead, meditation has helped me face my problems with a clear mind, heart and soul.”

Quote of the Day

2010-03-24T22:18:00.002+05:30

“A master can tell you what he expects of you. A teacher, though, awakens your own expectations.”

~ Patricia Neal

“A good teacher is like a candle – it consumes itself to light the way for others.”

Quote of the Day

2010-03-22T12:25:00.002+05:30

“Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.”

Precious drops

2010-03-22T03:51:00.003+05:30

WORLD WATER DAY – If we do not take conservation of water seriously, we are likely to have a dry future

How often have you walked down a road and seen a pipe with fresh water bubbling up and flowing down into a drain? It is a common place occurrence, but how many of us will take the trouble of calling the BWSSB and informing them of the leak? Bangalore has the dubious distinction of being one of the primary cities in the country for wasting fresh water.

Population growth, climate change, pollution, and careless management of this scarce commodity is the cause of this escalating problem. On the occasion of World Water Day today, nd and with a hot and difficult summer looming ahead, it’s time we took water conservation seriously. Waste water from sinks, showers, toilets according to figures off the BWSSB website equal the three stages of the Cauvery water projects.

This is a mind boggling and frightening scenario.

Shivkumar from the Karnataka Council for Science and Technology says: “Bangalore has a peculiar problem. Water has to be pumped 95 kms from the river Cauvery to the city and up the gradient of 500 metres. This is why 300 crores of the BWSSB funds go on electricity to pump this water. However, Bangalore is lucky to have a natural undulating gradient to be able to collect rainwater and we do have good showers periodically. So instead of planning mega projects it’s better to conserve ground water and harvest rain water for the city. There is a 41 per cent loss of fresh water and we do not know where it goes, 16 per cent is the water supplied in unmetered water fountains across the city, so 57 per cent is a very large figure of unaccounted water loss. The water pipes in the city are over 100 years old and with road expansion, they are now almost in the middle of the road. Huge amounts of money will be required to change the entire piping system. Some sort of accountability is being brought in by the BWSSB Chairman in each locality.”

The Director of the India Water Portal, Vijay Krishna says that on the occasion of World Water Day or any day, as citizens we have to make sure that regulations concerning rainwater harvesting are taken seriously.

“We have all taken fresh water supplies for granted and we need to plug leaks and conserve water seriously today. The Cauvery Water supply is in its fourth stage. There is no more water left to tap and Bangalore cannot sustain this huge growth in population. Large companies must also look at waste water treatment where waste water can be used for flushing, cleaning and use outside in the garden, rather than using fresh water supplies.”

Explaining the new system which the BWSSB has come out with where the engineer of every layout is responsible for the outflow of water, Shivkumar says, “There are meters in individual homes, but there are also meters attached for bulk supply so the inflow and outflow is being monitored. Plugging of leaks is taken seriously and hopefully with citizen participation and awareness, fresh water is being carefully used.”

Both officials warn that if the citizens of Bangalore do not take cognizance of the problem of pressure on fresh water supplies and help themselves with rain water harvesting, Bangalore is heading for a massive problem with regard to lack of fresh water in real time, today, now, and not in 2015.

Tighten those taps, check leaks , have bucket baths and avoid hosing down your cars and lawns from today onwards. Check out http://www.bwssb.org/water_conservation.html to see the various methods of conservation of water that the BWSSB suggests.

Craft session @ Project Pehal

2010-03-22T03:51:00.000+05:30

A craft session @ Pehal on Sunday 22nd March 2010 from 1pm onwards. The main objective is to initiate a livelihood program. We can then put stalls of the products at various corporates during the festive season.

We will start with fairly easy stuff like pen stands, photo frames, wall hangings, book marks, folders etc.

Location : Opp. DT Mall, Shalimar Bagh, New Delhi, INDIA

We Adopted a tree today @ Project Pehal

2010-03-18T22:34:00.002+05:30

Location: Project Pehal, Shalimar Bagh, New Delhi, INDIA

At Pehal, we learnt how to plant trees, how trees are beneficial for us.

All the children were full of questions and adopted one tree each. They promised to water them in the morning and evening.

A tree plantation drive where Children themselves will plan trees will happen next week

Quote of the Day

2010-03-18T16:05:00.001+05:30

“Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life – think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success, that is way great spiritual giants are produced.”

~ Swami Vivekananda (Indian Spiritual leader of the Hindu religion (Vedanta). Disciple of the famous 19th century mystic-saint Sri Ramakrishna of Calcutta. Founder of the Ramakrishna Order of Monks. 1863-1902)

Even the Sun can’t save us from global warming !

2010-03-17T22:07:00.002+05:30

A new study has determined that even if the sun commenced avery long period of low activity, it cannot put the brakes on the relentless rise of global temperatures caused by greenhouse gases.

Since the 13th century, the sun has gone through four “Grand Minima”, one of which is thought to have contributed to the anomalously low temperatures in Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries.

This extended cold period, known as the “Little Ice Age”, coincided with a very long period of calm on the solar surface.

Tracking sunspot numbers, astronomers noticed that from 1645 to 1715, the sun’s disk was “blank”, that is, it had few, if any, sunspots.

This period became known as the “Maunder Minimum”.

If the sun lacks spots, that means there is a reduction in magnetic energy, signifying a lower energy output, or a slight reduction in brightness, or “irradiance”.

Typically, every 11 years, the sun goes through peaks and troughs in energy output (known as solar maximum and minimum, respectively) and this abnormally long minima is largely attributed with contributing toward the Little Ice Age.

Solar minimum went on for a little longer than expected during Solar Cycle 24. Unfortunately, it didn’t help our warming climate much.

Scientists have pondered that if the sun endures another Grand Minimum, could the solar cycle slow down – or even reverse – the amplified global heating caused by greenhouse gas emissions.

“The notion that we are heading for a new Little Ice Age if the sun actually entered a Grand Minimum is wrong,” said study lead author Dr Georg Feulner of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.

If greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase unchecked, global average temperatures are predicted to rise by between 3.7 degrees Celsius and 4.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the 21st century.

If the sun enters another Grand Minimum, the reduction in solar energy will slow heating by a paltry 0.3 degrees Celsius by the end of this century.

But, global warming will overwhelm any “cooling” effect caused by reduced solar output.

According to Julie Arblaster, a climate researcher at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology and the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado, a reduction of 0.25 percent in solar irradiance is “on the extreme end of what we would expect for the next century.”

“This shows that any changes in the Sun, even large changes, will only have a small impact in offsetting that warming,”

New Delhi’s Yamuna River — a catastrophe in the making

2010-03-17T22:06:00.002+05:30

A Drive to clean the polluted River Yamuna is in progress.

Methane gas is bubbling up from the black-coloured stew, and the water smells horrible.

The holy river Yamuna, once teeming with life, is practically dead, yet a homeless man is rinsing his mouth with the noxious liquid.

Under a nearby bridge, scavengers on a self-made raft are fishing out votive offerings that drivers throw from their cars to Yamuna, which is worshipped by Hindus as a goddess.

But it is people and politics that are choking Yamuna to death, and ecologists are warning of a looming environmental catastrophe as World Water Day approaches on March 22.

The river, New Delhi’s lifeline, is reputed to be India’s most polluted as well as one of the most toxic waterways worldwide.

The Yamuna provides an example of Indian government policies that are focused on economic growth, often at the cost of the environment.

In the meantime, the river is dying a slow yet unpublicized death, partly because it has mostly vanished from public sight behind concrete after the river was moved. A highway now runs along the old riverbed.

Access to the river is possible at only a few points and glimpses of it can be gained only from road or subway bridges.

Vimlendu K Jha, executive director of the environmental organization Swechha, estimates that 60 per cent of New Delhi’s 14 million people have never seen the river.

“How can you save the Yamuna if nobody ever sees it?” he asks.

The river is indeed rather beautiful — before it reaches New Delhi and is polluted with raw sewage and toxic waste.

Outside the capital, its waters are clear, birds are sailing above its surface and fishermen cast their nets.

But at this point of its course, most of the river’s waters are held back by an irrigation dam in the neighbouring state of Haryana in violation of federal agreements, which is one of the causes for the problems downstream.

The sluice gates let pass only a trickle, which is then “replenished” with human and industrial sewage as soon as the river reaches New Delhi.

Eighteen major sewage canals in the capital are emptying into the holy river, depleting it of its oxygen.

Authorities in New Delhi have assessed the water as so toxic that they have even prohibited cleaning animals with it. It may only be used to cool industrial machinery.

But the many homeless people living along its banks have no access to a regular tap water supply. They are forced to use the Yamuna’s waters to wash themselves and their clothes. Some even use it for cooking and drinking, according to Jha, because they had no alternative.

“For them, it is better to have unhealthy water than no water at all,” he says.

The Yamuna stretches for 1,370 kilometres, but only 22 kilometres of these flow through New Delhi. It is in this short stretch during which 80 per cent of its pollution is inflicted, Swechha says.

Another 9 per cent of the pollution is attributed to the city of Agra, home to the world-famous Taj Mahal, behind which the Yamuna passes.

The river eventually spills its toxic floods into India’s holiest river, the Ganges.

Although millions of dollars have been spent in recent years to revive the river, Jha said: “We don’t know where the money has gone.

The action plans were useless. Nothing happened. The river is your witness.” Instead, he claims, the pollution is increasing because most sewage treatment plants in New Delhi are not functioning properly.

The river still constitutes the capital’s most important source of drinking water, which is simply pumped from the river before it enters New Delhi. But its toxins also contaminate groundwater, another important drinking water source for the ever-growing metropolis.

“We are just waiting for a disaster to happen,” Jha warns.

“Everyone seems to be thinking the city is run by malls and the metro. It’s not.” That disaster might happen “when people start dying in a plague-like situation” in the capital because of their toxic drinking water, he says.

NDTV Greenathon raised: Rs 3 crore and counting

2010-03-07T21:39:00.002+05:30

Join the second edition of the NDTV-Toyota Greenathon and help light up a billion lives.

Marathon Man Milind completes 100 km run
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8 million tonnes of methane seeping out from Arctic annually: Study

2010-03-07T13:43:00.002+05:30

Methane, the second most common greenhouse gas from human activities after carbon dioxide, is bubbling out from the frozen Arctic much faster than expected and could stoke global warming, scientists have warned.

A study by researchers from the University of Fairbanks in Alaska showed that methane, trapped in the permafrost — soil at or below the freezing point of water for two or more years — over time and now 8 million tonnes of it is seeping out every year due to rising temperatures.

According to co-author of the study Natalia Shakhova, “Release of just a small fraction of the methane held in East Siberian Arctic Shelf sediments could trigger abrupt climate warming”.

“Subsea permafrost is losing its ability to be an impermeable cap.”

“The amount of methane currently coming out of the East Siberian Arctic Shelf is comparable to the amount coming out of the entire world’s oceans,” she wrote in journal Science.

Shakhova said there was an ‘urgent need’ to monitor the region for possible future changes since permafrost traps vast amounts of methane, the Daily Mail reported.

According to Martin Heimann from the Max Planck Institute there is, however, no proof they are increasing. “These leaks could have been occurring all the time since the last Ice Age 10,000 years ago.”

The release of eight million tonnes of methane a year was “negligible” compared to global emissions of about 440 million tonnes, he said.

NDTV Greenathon, Marathon with Stars to Save Environment

2010-03-07T11:47:00.002+05:30

Greenathon, a 24 hour live television fundraiser event to save the earth environment, begains on 6th march 2010 at 7pm on NDTV Channel.

Leading the movement are Campaign Ambassador, Priyanka Chopra and TERI’s Dr. R. K Pachauri & Chief Ministers from across India unite for the Greenathon.

NDTV Greenathon is back with its second edition to provide solar lanterns to villages that would otherwise be without electricity for a decade or more after lighting up over 55 villages in India through TERI’s Lighting a Billion Lives initiative.

Taking forward their nationwide Green Campaign to create environmental awareness, NDTV in association with Toyota, will telecast Greenathon.

Dr. R.K. Pachauri, Nobel-prize winner, Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Director-General of TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) will also give his green message to the citizens of the country.

The 24-hour programming will be hosted by Vikram Chandra and Cyrus Broacha. Priyanka Chopra, the campaign ambassador, will co-anchor the event to lend her support to the cause and urge people to do their bit for a greener tomorrow.

It’s the first of its kind green initiative for the environment. India’s first ever 24-hour live event, The Greenathon, will be telecast across all NDTV channels from March 6-7 to raise awareness about the environment and find ways to create a cleaner, greener & healthy.

Mumbai Runathon:- Marathon Man “Milind Soman” will run a 100 km in 24 hours to reinforce his commitment to the green cause.

Starting from Carter Road in Bandra on March 6th and ending at the Yash Raj Studios in Andheri, celebrities like Rahul Bose and Nikhil Chinappa will join Milind during the run.

Last year, the Marathon Man ran 60 km for the Greenathon and helped raise Rs 30 lakh for the campaign.

Sunderbans will drown in 60 yrs: WWF

2010-03-06T16:48:00.000+05:30

The World Wildlife Fund(WWF) has warned that days are numbered for much of the sensitive Sunderbans eco-system and in 60 years vast tracts of the rare mangrove forests, home to the Bengal tiger, will be inundated by the rising sea.

The study, focussed on Sunderbans in Bangladesh, says the sea was rising more swiftly than anticipated by
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2007 and would rise 11.2 inches (above 2000 levels) by 2070. This would result in shrinkage of the Bangladesh Sunderbans by 96% within half a century, reducing the tiger population there to less than 20, said the study.

Unlike previous efforts, WWF’s deputy director of conservation science Colby Loucks and his colleagues used a high-resolution digital elevation model with eight estimates of sea level rise to predict the impact on tiger habitat and population size. The team was able to come up with the most accurate predictions till date by importing over 80,000 Global Positioning System (GPS) elevation points.

The study, Sea Level Rise and Tigers: Predicted Impacts to Bangladesh’s Sunderbans Mangroves, has been published in the journal, Climatic Change. Though the Indian part of the Sunderbans will not be so badly affected, conservationists wonder how many tigers would be able to survive here with nearly 60% of the habitat gone. Of the total Sunderbans, nearly 60% is in Bangladesh. Tigers do not recognize international borders though and cross over from one side to the other as and when they choose.

Experts say that every tiger requires a large territory of its own (known as range). An ever-spreading human habitat in the Indian part has already resulted in a drop in the big cats’ territory, leading to frequent incidents of straying.

Tigers have adapted to a life in the mangroves and crabs constitute an important part of their diet. Though tigers are a highly adaptable species, occupying territory from the snowy forests of Russia to the tropics of Indonesia, the projected sea level rise in the Sunderbans may outpace the animal’s ability to adapt,” a WWF source said. There are no accurate estimates, but conservationists estimate the mangroves could be home to upto 400 big cats.

The sea level rise will also have an impact on the lives of people who depend on the Sunderbans for their livelihood. The mangroves protect human habitation from cyclones and other natural disasters.

WWF has recommended that governments and natural resource managers take immediate steps to conserve and expand mangroves while preventing poaching and retaliatory killing of tigers. Neighbouring countries should increase sediment delivery and freshwater flows to the coastal region to support agriculture and replenishment of the land.