Kishor Rithe

Learning from a “carbon Neutral” Green Life.

Can we say a life complete for the person who died? I think that the “complete” is a relative term which differs in its meaning from person to person. However in case of the sad demise of Ramesh Ganorkar, I personally feel that he lived a complete life. More important in todays world is that he lived a “carbon neutral” life. 

Ramesh Ganorkar a “marathi” person who lived a “Korku” life was a unique personality for the people who knew him. He was perhaps the only man who could speak English and Korku language fluently. He was known as Babasaheb in Amravati. Ramesh Ganorkar (Babasaheb) was born on 8^th September 1937 at Mani village in Morshi Tahsil, a tribal dominated village which is situated on the southern tip of Satpuda hills in Maharashtra state. His father was Malguzar in British days of Mani village where he spent his childhood along with Korku tribals. Obviously he picked up the Korku language since birth and later he studied the Korku culture too. After his schooling and graduation, he served at the physical education department at Amravati as a HOD. However he could not detached him from the Korku tribals. Rather he continued visiting Melghat forest with the forest officers more frequently and spending time with Korku tribals in learning different cultural aspects. He became the expert in Korku culture. Apart from the command over the Korku language, he had gained a mastery over the culture specially when the old Korku tribal people died with their great wisdom and the tremendous knowledge.  

 After his retirement from Bhartiya Mahavidyalaya, he started spending more time in the forest of Melghat. However I must note that he himself use to live like the Korku person which is uncommon among the city dwellers like us. While living a city life at Amravati, he always preferred to walk while travelling even a long distances.(He use to select only forest offices to visit along with the individuals  who are attached to Melghat forest.)

 He did not buy a motor cycle or car for himself. Neither he wear fancy and too many clothes. He lived in a 10 feet X 10 feet room at his old ancestral bungalow in Amravati. His old room on first floor of this old building was decorated with spider webs, having one old carpet on the floor, some wooden sticks kept at the places of his own choice (which nobody could changed).All the stuff with some meaning, gifted by tribal youngsters who regularly use to visit the city for some office or market work. The only wealthy material in the room was his 20-30 old books, mostly describing Shikar days of Indian forests. I use to notice some old yellow pages properly kept in the respective books with his ballpen writings which were his personal notings.

The visitor like me use to encourage him to tell many stories and mysteries of the central Indian jungles. Some time the mood even permitted him to pick up thepali (a small equipment which Korku tribals –female- use while dance) and perform few steps of a Korku dance. As he loved spending time with Korku tribals and no fixed agenda of his own, he use to wander freely with Korkus on some forest excursions. Being a wildlife lover, he use to sit on machans with Korku friends and observe the wildlife behaviour. However he made a point to explain his every such wild experience with the then forest officer in charge of the area.

 He use to write short messages on post card and send to green people on any green achievement. He wrote some articles on Korku language and Korku culture when compelled by some forest officers to do so. Babasaheb helped many Korku youngsters in education and jobs for which he spent from his own pocket. He many times helped the forest officers in taking participation of Korku tribals in actual forest and wildlife conservation. He has worked as a honorary wildlife warden of Amravati district for the long time till 2009 and was also associated with many wildlife organisations like Nature Conservation Society Amravati and Satpuda Foundation. Many students, nature lovers and forest officers use to visit his place to learn about Korku language and culture.

 Such a legend  passed away yesterday on Tuesday 28^th December 2010 at Amravati in Maharashtra at the age of 73.We not only lost the renowned wildlife expert and a friend of Korku tribals in Melghat but also lost the university of Korku culture.

 The dominance of forest related people at his funeral was enough to tell about his life. One short sms about his departure could generate many responses from the former forest officers who served at the highest positions in Maharashtra. Is it not the real strength of the green “carbon neutral” life. Last month he called me to hand over some books to NCSA and by picking up every book he said “I got notia of this”. I did everything. Now do not want to do anything. You are doing it nicely and keep doing the good for the Korkus.” His every sentence was followed by again a long story. I knew that he actually has now grasped the entire essence of the books and already caught the best memories to breathe the last moments.

I can surely say that Babasaheb set a real example for children of this country, how to fight the climate change by keeping our carbon footprint at the lowest level. My forest officer friend said “Babasaheb, was a unique character who set many ideals for us”.

We miss you………..Baba!

 Kishor Rithe

 

 

 

WILD TALKS

KISHOR RITHE

Mr. Jairam, Kids (Child labours) and Global warming

12th March 2010:

I have become the fan of my Union Minister Mr. Jairam Ramesh, a risky statement for any conservationist to make as politicians have always been unpredictable, but still I dare to say this. I am saying this because I know how difficult (actually easy with legal weapon) for any politician in the present context (politician-corporate nexus) to stop mines on tiger habitat. Mr. Ramesh has done this in Maharashtra’s Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, a home to 30 odd Tigers and 20 more resident tigers in the adjoining forest.

 

Recently I read a piece appeared on editorial page of the Wall street Journal, Asia by Mary Kissel, New Delhi under the title “A Climate-Change Chameleon” (March 8,2010). The author is editor and has interviewed Mr. Jairam Ramesh while drawing the conclusion “whether New Delhi really understands the economic cost of fighting ‘global warming”. The interview start with the “dark office room” and a “spotlight” on Mr. Jairam trying to draw some concrete commitment from Minister to fight the “Climate Change” and Minister sees in a dilemma of committing something on the backdrop of so many environmental issues facing to rural and tribal India which author may not understand.

 

The end result, Mr. Jairams answer: “When AIDs hit the international agenda, it just meant that malaria, tuberculosis, diarrhea, dysentery all got [pushed] into the background. Climate change has become the AIDs of the environment!” It’s a bit dramatic, but not too far off the mark.”

 

After reading the piece, the person like me, always in a “bright sunny light-sometimes too harsh- working with tribals and wildlife, still fighting a “Climate Change” battle ,start thinking “whether this country of 1.15 billion population would really follow the real “sustainable development” model by taking most appropriate grass root actions in the interest of “poorest of the poor” which will actually help us in fighting “Climate Change”.

 

On 26^th January 2010, the Republic day of India I was with Mr.Jairam Ramesh near Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra on the field visit of proposed mining sites in tiger habitat. The proposed mines had to supply coal to thermal power project of Adani power limited coming in the Gondia district of Civil Aviation Minister Mr. Prafulla Patel.

 

Union Minister stuck up at the site when somebody in the crowd made the allegation that Prafulla Patel who was earlier doing the business of “tendu leaves” now wants “power” and ready to destroy this tiger habitat. Mr. Jairam out of curiosity started asking about the tendu (Diospyros tomentosa) leaves, its business, bidi (local cigarette) making etc. I showed him the tree. He looked at it carefully, from the top to bottum. One forest officer plucked few leaves to hand over to Minister. But discussion ended at bidi making (tobacco wrapped in tendu leaves) and tendu leaves collection “business”. I tried to extend it further by saying that massive forest fires take place during the summer due to this business which is actually a big issue in the “climate change” context and it also affects water conservation capacity of the soil.(contractors believe that due to fires, leaves sprouts fast and they get more yield within a short period)

 

Last week I was in the forests of Gondia district where I saw a army of tribal kids (child labours) going to the forest with axes on the shoulder to work of cutting the tendu tree tops (actually shrubs). Contractors believe that by doing so, they would get more sprouting/ branching horizontally and thereby the more yield at the human chest level. The 29 tendu areas of this district have been auctioned to contractors by the forest department for leave collection. As the labour is costly due to NREGA and increased minimum wages, contractors deployed child labours (cheap) for cutting the tree (shrub) tops at 20Rs.a day (4hours in the morning and 3 hours in the evening).I was more worried about the kids as these days my daughter is busy in preparing for her exams. Though this is a very serious issue for our developing, poor country, this is not new to central India as it has been continued since last 60 years after independence when tribals have been given this kind of “anti-social-development” employment. The rural poor Indians were fond of bidi smoking and hence the trade flourished in central India, specially in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh state.

 

In fact the full grown tendu tree grows up to 20 feet and sequesters 1-2 metric tonne of carbon per hectare every year. More important thing for local tribals and their children is tendu fruit. The tree gives fruits in the month of April-May and it taste like the Sapodilla fruit (Chikoo). But the leaves business has restrained the trees to grow to fullest height and contribute in fighting the climate change by sequestering carbon. On the contrary its “collection, trade and business” has provoked people to set the fire in the dry deciduous forests of central India emitting more carbon in the atmosphere.

 

I don’t know how this kind of issues would be addressed and resolved by Mr. Jairam’s Ministry (issues of agreement from “Indian development” and “climate change” point of view)? Will the state Governments listen to him as this business giving an employment (of cancer) to thousands of “poor tribal people” and enormous revenue to the state Governments. (In many forest divisions the revenue realised from the sale of timber is comparable or even far less to that realised from sale of Tendu leaves)?Will REDD mentioned in the “Copenhagen accord” address this sort of grass root level serious issue which is actually the issue of poverty alleviation and sustainable development of developing countries like India.?

 

Satpuda Foundation plan to form the “Teams for Tigers” where urban kids would help the “tribal kids” to convey the message to allow tendu trees to give fruits rather than cutting their tops for producing more leaves for cigars. I hope that my army of tribal kids would demand Jairam uncle to pay their families the forest fire protection money adding carbon stock and carbon sequestration funds for the amount of hector of forests they have not chopped and not burnt.

Kishor Rithe

WILD TALKS

KISHOR RITHE

 21January 2010

Dear Friends

Yesterday on 20^th January 2010, Vidarbha was completely closed in support of the demand of having separate Vidarbha state. Let me reiterate that it was a “Total Bandh (closed)”.It showed that the people living in Vidarbha feels that the historic injustice has been done with them as far as their development is concern. However people did not come out openly and joined the protagonists in support because they do not trust the present leadership which has come on street with this demand. As I personally support the idea of having small, beautiful and manageable separate state, I too preferred to sit at home, call my likeminded friends and gather their thoughts on the demand.

 

I chatted with my friends in social sector too. We mainly have discussed on why Vidarbha did not achieve its expected development in Maharashtra in past 50 years (not a small span)? The essence of the discussion was mainly a “Panchasutri”(five points),failure in implementing of it, lead the demand of smaller states like Vidarbha. Almost all my like minded friends expressed that the 50 year old Maharashtra has not implemented the “region specific sustainable development agenda” and hence made the people from region like Vidarbha unhappy. Following are the points in the “Panchasutri (five points)” why people in the forested region like Vidarbha feels that some “historic injustice” has been done with them?

 

 1) Development of any region depends on the “planning and policies”

 

Presently there is no focused, advanced “sustainable Development” planning/ agenda (including mission and vision) for the entire Maharashtra state. So Vidarbha region is suffering in this. As the entire planning and policy matters are mainly influenced by senior political leaders and they have been from Western Maharashtra and Marathwada, they never planned the matters from the Vidarbha perspective (Agriculture in hilly, forested region, treating forest “conservation” projects as employment giving Industry).  Same time the leadership coming from Vidarbha has also shown a complete apathy in participating (forget about taking lead) in that crucial planning and policy making process. They kept themselves happy in what they were given by political heads from the Western Maharashtra.

 

2)Lack of equitable budgeting and region specific budgetary allocation for the “sustainable development” of different  socio-political bio-geographic region like Vidarbha.

 

The important key for the development of any state is equitable budgeting and region specific budgetary allocation for the “sustainable development” of various socio-political, bio-geographic regions in the state. Presently the Budgetary allocation is mainly done by the finance Minister who has been always from Western Maharashtra or influenced by political heads from Western Maharashtra. The public representatives coming from Vidarbha had to literally beg for each and every small project for funding. Some times the allocation to projects in Vidarbha was like the obligation and not treated as a “right”.

 

Vidarbha has got 31% geographic area of Maharashtra but the budgetary allocation was not done proportionately. Vidarbha is a forested region and has protected 57% forest of the state recharging underground water table and contributing water to rivers, irrigation projects but it has received roughly 200 crore annually to manage the resource. On the contrary annual allocation of approximately 7000crore was done for irrigation projects in Western Maharashtra. Irrigation based agriculture projects in Western Maharashtra were treated with priority than forest conservation based community development projects in Vidarbha. Same is about the power projects. The power projects were established in Vidarbha, coal and required minerals were extracted from this region but the royalty, “cess” and the “revenue” earned was not returned back for implementing development agenda of this region. (However I won’t advocate thermal power projects now on the context of climate change)

 

3) Allocation of advance technology for the poorest of the poor: The most crucial factor in “sustainable development”.

 

As Vidarbha is mainly forested region, having 37% forest area of its geographical area covered with forest the tribal community and rural community living around the forested areas have got huge pressure on the natural resources for their livelihood. The planning department has to follow the parameters of “sustainable development” and ensure that every “modern appropriate technology” which addresses the issues of fuel, fodder, food, shelter, energy and transportation should be made available to such regions of the state. So that they should not feel that resource as a“curse” but the “worship”

 

However if you look at the “Annual budgets”, it seems like  the Finance department curtailed the forested region from the entire planning process of Maharashtra and allocated funding to “development” (?) of urban communities and little bit to rural communities in the Maharashtra. While doing this, they neither strike the regional balance nor addressed the regional priority issues. They even took out the allocation done for Vidarbha like forested regions (even in Khandesh and forested areas in Western Maharashtra) and utilised the same for the development (?) of the regions from where the influenced political leaders come. For doing this, they have even gone to the extent of “not” posting “capable”, sufficient and bright bureaucrats/staff (and required infrastructure and equipments) to spend the “allocated money” fully in such region.

 

4) No focus on “agriculture based development” and “agro-forestry based development”

The entire world has stamped on the “Sustainable development agenda” designed by the visionary people like Mahatma Gandhi (which was influenced by Tukdoji Maharaj and Vinobha Bhave’s ideology).This was based upon the “rural development” and “less” consumption of natural resources.

 

Hence initial India’s development vision, reflected during freedom struggle movement activities, seems supported this ideology. But in past 60 years, we Indians dragged away from this basic agenda due to the too much influence of corporate sector on political sector. It has started from Pandit Neharu and continued till Indiraji and Atalji which is at present at its highest peak.

 

 

5) Need of young people (engines) to drive any powerful process of development. It was not done in Maharashtra.

 

We always need young people (engines) to drive any powerful process of development. This is the law of nature. But in past 60 years of Independent India, no systematic attempts have been made to build the young leadership in political sector in India or Maharashtra which also affected Vidarbha. This was not a deliberate attempt but nothing concrete was done to make it happen.

 

In India 70% population is under the average age of 37 so India is a young country without capable young leadership in the state. This is serious for the entire nation.

 

At the end of the day, everybody expected that something good would come from this protest.

 

Kishor Rithe

 

1st Floor, “Pratishtha” , Bharat Nagar, Akoli Road, Near Sainagar, Amravati Pin-444607

 Dear Friends,

Though the thermometer indicating sudden drop in the temperature at Nagpur as low as 6 degree, politically the “orange city” was hot this week. However the citizens who see the same old political faces in the protests, with the usual mad ideas of “development”, have still skeptic about the demand. But the drama has already set a serious tone this time among the general masses and that is why lets have the “WILD TALK” on this topic.Its worth  consuming “some energy” on it.(we wont afford to consume more as presently the Vidarbha is using thermal power)

 

Let me tell you, in the beginning, that I support the move of formation of separate Vidarbha state but not on political ground. There should be purely “Development plan” based demand.

 

While supporting the move, let me put my dream plan of Vidarbha. I would like my Vidarbha state (with 11 districts on board) with grid interactive Solar power driven state. I would like this state to follow stream based irrigation and small irrigation projects as an option due to its hilly and forested terrain. I would also like to protect its 37% forest intact for my next generation (along with minerals) and explore the beauty of this forest to attract tourism which can bring money for my local communities (like Kenya) to live happily at the places where they live. There should not be any migration for jobs in my Vidarbha state. My leaders should “earn 30% commission” (Less if possible. That is an essential part of our corrupt system. Let us not try to eliminate this at this moment) by promoting agro-based industries like cotton, orange, rice and dairy. Hey, and the most important, I would like to keep the identity of my Nagpur city as a “Tiger Capital of India”, by protecting 3 Tiger Reserves (Melghat Pench and Tadoba ) and their corridors which actually help provide us ecological services like climate, water, wildlife to pollinate in our agriculture to increase the food grain production.

 

“Jay Vidarbha! Jay Vidarbha!!”, ….hey, who is there? Stop….He has gone to participate in the protest. However I must tell you what he told me.

 

“If Vidarbha becomes the separate state it will have more than 33% forest cover and so we will be able to cut the “surplus” forest and build the mega irrigation projects”. However I had asked him to read “Times of India” story under caption “Statehood no green signal for tree felling” published on January 13, 2010.

 

My comment was published in TOI regarding the wrong notion of politicians about the forest cover. I said ”Vidarbha will still be the part of India like other forested states like Arunachal Pradesh and Chattisgarh and it will have to follow the Forest Conservation Act 1980 while considering any developmental project like dam, mine and highway on forest land”. That is not at least what my generation would want in a separate Vidarbha state.

 

Let me explain to readers of “WILD TALK” that Mr. Banwarilal Purohit, former MP sent a clarification to “Times of India” on this green concern expressed in the news item.

 

Mr. Purohit has called it an “erroneous impression” and he further gave a totally wrong and false historic background while trying to remove this impression, advocating for curtailing the forest lands.

 

However let me first appreciate what he has stated that “Protagonists of Vidarbha statehood are not anti-forests, nor do they want development at the cost of forests and ecology”. Thanks Mr. Purohit for expressing this understanding as its good for our grandsons and grand-daughters.

 

But I am worried on what he wrote further. He said that “Vidarbha which was part of Madhya Pradesh became part of Maharashtra in 1956(?). At this time, a very large area known as gaothan (grazing grounds) was handed over to forest department whereas in MP it was with the Revenue Department. And these grazing grounds were recorded as “Zudupi jungle”. As Forest Conservation Act 1980 applies to all forests including “zudupi jungle”, we could not use this area for developmental projects” (So he supports bringing down present “surplus” forest cover by supporting big developmental projects on these lands)

 

This is totally wrong explanation which he gave to TOI and he needs to verify this from the lawyer or expert forest officer, whom he trust.

 

Let me tell him that the Vidarbha Region which was part of Madhya Pradesh till 1959 basically formed from two erstwhile different land administrative entities, viz. Central Province and Berar. The Berar Region (Varhad) was assigned to the British by the Nawab of Hydrabad in 1853 and  was controlled by a Resident stationed at Hydrabad. By the turn of the century, there were six districts in Berar, viz. Amraoti, Ellichpur, Akola, Washim, Wani and Buldhana. When Vidarbha joined the Maharashtra, these districts came to Maharashtra with the following land classification-

 

Hydrabad Residency Notification No. 184, dated 6 June, 1892, notified the following classes of State Forests -

Class A    :    Forests for the production of timber and firewood

Class B    :    High Grasslands or Ramnas

Class C    :    Grazing lands

C (i) : Grazing lands not ordered to be reverted during settlement

C (ii) : Grazing lands ordered not to be reverted during settlement.

Class D    :    Other forest areas which may eventually be included in one of the above classes of forests or to be reverted to the ordinary control of Revenue Department.

 

The Forest administration had already got separated from the Revenue Department in 1901, forest areas of Classes A, B and C ( i ), which were directly controlled by the forest officers, remained with the Forest department. Other State forests including class C(ii),D,E,F,G,H and I were retained by the Revenue department.

 

Mr.Purohit is talking about the “gaothans”, he wrote, (grazing lands). Lets see where these words are in the classification-

Class E :        Survey numbers assigned for free grazing not included in the forest area

Class F :         Survey numbers assigned for village purposes other than free

grazing, such as gaothan, Khalwadi, burial ground, playing fields, assessed grazing fields, land set apart for purpose of Nature etc.

Class G :        Uncultivable fields not included in any of the following:

Class H :        Assessed fields available for cultivation

Class I:         Areas such as village sites, tanks, rivers etc. not included in any survey number.

 

This clearly states that Mr. Purohit has put up the issue of “Zudupi jungle” and development of Vidarbha wrongly. “Gaothans” and “grazing lands” are two different land entities under “F” class and “E” class respectively. However both were not with the forest department when Vidarbha came in Maharashtra.

 

(In 1954, The M. P. Land Revenue Code was promulgated and the Berar as well as Central Provinces Land Revenue Code were repealed. The M. P. Code extended to lands other than those classified as reserved forest under the Indian Forest Act, 1927.The M. P. Code was not implemented till 1959, and in 1960, the State of Maharashtra came into existence with effect from 1 May, 1960.)

 

I will go further and state that the interim order passed by the Supreme Court on 12 December 1996, in Civil Writ Petition Nos. 171/96 and 202 / 95, has, actually put the issue of “Zudupi jungle” in the proper perspective. As per this order, all lands recorded as “forest” in any government record, irrespective of their ownership, are covered by the provisions of the Forest Conservation Act. Further, while deciding the status of “forest” in respect of any land, the dictionary meaning of the word “forest” is to be taken into account. The Supreme Court order goes beyond the official status accorded to these lands and directs that provisions of the Act be made applicable to all such areas as are traditionally recognized as forest by the common man, “irrespective of its ownership”.

I think, the readers of “WILD TALK” who want separate Vidarbha just on the “development basis” would understand this. The political leadership of new Vidarbha state should be more studied and should actually discuss the “development agenda” rather than simply making sentimental appeals.

 

Jay Vidarbha!! Jay Vidarbha!…Hey…who is there? Let me listen and argue with this protagonist now. We will talk later…….

 

Jay………!

 

Kishor Rithe

 

1st Floor, “Pratishtha” , Bharat Nagar, Akoli Road, Near Sainagar, Amravati Pin-444607

Dear Friends

As you know that India has achieved an average 7% GDP in last decade by adopting a “energy intensive (consumption based) development model”, producing high emissions from mainly power generation, transportation and industrial sector. On the other hand, we have also allowed to loose our forest lands for the big developmental irrigation, power and mining projects That is how, at present India has become the 5^th largest-and growing-emitter of GHGs.(No doubt we can blame the USA and other developed nations for the same which they did in last so many years)

 

However as the entire planet is passing through a crucial phase and facing climate change crisis, we need to seriously take actions. India has already announced its position to bring down the carbon intensity by 20-25% by 2020 and now we need to explore some innovative ways and ideas to achieve the same. Here I am suggesting two-

 

1. Every Indian citizen can reduce his/her “carbon footprint” by changing modern lifestyle (it is far better than American but still…) and by participating in carbon sequestration initiatives (planting more trees).However the Government also need to support such actions at individual as well as institutional level.

 

2. The offices like Rashtrapati Bhavan, PMO and some highest offices like Ministries have got the highest carbon footprint in India. The common activity among all these offices, responsible for the highest footprint, is their travel and type of celebrations/functions they participate. They need to be selective now and should try to select only most essential one.This is also because of the present administrative system, security issues and protocols designed. The carbon footprint of this activity (travel and functions) can be measured by the MOEF and the domestic and international visits of the President of India, Prime Minister and other Union Ministers can be made as carbon negative?

 

However I would like to suggest these offices a very innovative idea to do this which will help India to alleviate poverty, increase the forest cover and save the Tigers and Wildlife. I hope that the President,PM and Ministers along with the policy makers would definitely think over this innovative,constructive and very unique proposal.

 

Proposed Action:

 

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) of Ministry of Environment and Forest (MOEF) has decided to relocate roughly 65000 families from 1500 villages from 28 Tiger Reserves (Presently number of families have been almost doubled due to new definition of “family” and the number of Tiger Reserves have reached to 39) to release the biotic pressure on “Critical tiger habitats” so that these safe breeding “gene-pools” produce wildlife for forest regeneration and sustainable development of our country.However this requires more than 10,000 crores.Presently NTCA has got only 150 crore and even they get money from CAMPA funds, it would not be sufficient.So this needs great financial support where we can bring the carbon fund.

 

Once MOEF comes out with the actual carbon cost (as per current international carbon rate) according to carbon footprint, the Ministry of Finance should allocate the equivalent amount  to all the highest offices so that they can transfer the same to MOEF, before their every essential trip/function. The MOEF should spend the same by strictly executing the “village resettlement programme from Tiger Reserves, eco-restoration of vacated places as well as tiger corridors”

 

This proposal will help the Government of India to contribute in-

 

1.Poverty alleviation of these 1500 villages situated in remotest forests living against all odds like heavy crop depredation, cattle lifting by wildlife etc, by providing them Rs.10 Lakh per family package to avail 18 civic amenities including agriculture land.

 

2. Increasing forest cover of India by vacating the space (approximately 1,62,500 hectares minimum) which will subsequently be converted in to the “forest” suitable for wildlife. This carbon sink would help the world (not only India) to sequester the carbon from the atmosphere.

 

3.Tigers (our national animal) and in general wildlife (conservation) will be benefited which will subsequently help us in forest regeneration, contributing water for development and providing other important ecological services.

 

To make this happen, Ministry of Finance can allocate “Carbon fund” to all highest offices and they can give it to NTCA through MOEF for executing this programme. NTCA of MOEF also needs to promptly release that money to respective state before any visit of President, PM or any Union Minister to that state. However similarly we can also calculate the “carbon footprint” of other “most essential” carbon intensive activities/projects of these Ministries and the money can go to NTCA of MOEF for executing the village resettlement, eco-restoration programme.  

 

I am now eager to see this happening. Can I ?

 KISHOR RITHE

 January 12, 2010

 Dear Friends,

“Change” is must in our daily life to make it more beautiful and peaceful. But this should be the positive change. I consider that the religion, laws only gives us an outline but does not provide the micro-details of the actions. We need to think logically, apply our brains, use these outlines given by religions and laws and define the activity whether it is good or bad for the humans on this planet “Earth”

 

In India, though our traditions and customs have been supporting and following mostly conservation culture, we still have started many modern actions which goes against the “law of nature” to make human happy and live peacefully on the planet earth.

 

The use (misuse) of aeroplanes and Helicopters in playing sport, showing military drills, showing respect by offering flowers from the sky have been common practices throughout the world. In India too, Governments use the same along with offering flower on some religious places to show the respect. However when the world is facing climate change crisis, and these activities release enormous amount of GHGs in the atmosphere, we need to stop these activities on this planet earth.

 

This issue clicked me at Amravati district of Maharashtra state in India. Saint Tukdoji Maharaj from Mozari in Amravati district (President of India’s district) was a great person who played an important role in “freedom struggle” by his speeches and patriotic songs. He wrote a Gram-geeta, a geeta (a bible) on sustainable living and village development, the implementation of which actually influenced Mahatma Gandhi, Vinoba Bhave and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru those days.

 

“Gram-geeta” actually gave this nation a “mantra” of sustainable development (in 1940’s) and specially how we can protect the biodiversity (including lakes, rivers, birds, wildlife) environment at village level. Today in the “climate Change Crisis” the entire world needs to take lessons from Gramgeeta how every human should reduce the carbon footprint by changing our behaviour and support in strengthening “village economy and ecology”.

 

The people of Maharashtra are celebrating birth anniversary of this great man. On 7^th January Thursday President of India and Chief Minister of Maharashtra visited the Ashram at Mozari to observe the birth anniversary grand function of late Tukdoji Maharaj. On saturday the Government of Maharashtra had sent two aeroplanes to do rehearsal to shower flowers on his “Samadhi sthal”. On Sunday the planes did their job.

 

As we know that the Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) is in the form of kerosene and produces roughly about 2.158 kg of CO2 emissions per liter consumed. Mumbai to (Mozari) Amravati air distance is roughly 800 km (one way) which roughly requires 1100 liters for return flight of any Helicopter and more for smaller planes. This produces and emits minimum 2373 kg of CO2 in the atmosphere. So its roughly more than 10000 kg of CO2 emission.

 

Our Indian Government has internationally announced its position to bring down the carbon intensity by 20-25% by 2020 so we Indians now need to seriously think to avoid such wrong ways of celebrations and showing respects.

 

If we do so, that would be the best tribute to the great personality like Tukdoji maharaj who gave us a message of sustainable village development and following  pro-environment practices at village level.

 

“Jay Gurudev”

We don’t want to learn a real message from the great people of this country but would only show respect by “environment destructive ways” even sometimes against the very ideology of these great people. One such act has been condemned by a reputed green NGO Satpuda Foundation.

Saint Tukdoji Maharaj from Mozari in Amravati district (Prez’s district) was a great person who played an important role in “freedom struggle” by his speeches and patriotic songs. He wrote a Gram-geeta, a geeta on sustainable living and village development, the implementation of which actually influenced Mahatma Gandhi, Vinoba Bhave and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru those days.

“Gram-geeta” actually gave this nation a “mantra” of sustainable development and specially how we can protect the biodiversity (including lakes, rivers, birds, wildlife) environment at village level. So today in the “climate Change Crisis” the entire world needs to take lessons from Gramgeeta how every Indian should reduce the carbon footprint by strengthening “village economy and ecology”.

On 7th January Thursday President of India and Chief Minister of Maharashtra visited the Ashram at Mozari to observe the birth anniversary grand function of late Tukdoji Maharaj. Yesterday on Saturday it is learnt that the Government of Maharashtra had sent two Helicopters to do rehearsal to shower flowers on his “Samadhi sthal” on Sunday.

This way of showing respect by showering flowers from Helicopters becomes wrong in todays world of climate change crisis, says Satpuda Foundation. Though it has been one of the usual practice earlier in the country, but now as we have identified “aviation Turbine Fuel” causing more CO2 emission we need to stop such practices in future at least for celebrations or the act of showing “respect”.

India has internationally announced its position to bring down the carbon intensity by 20-25% by 2020. So we Indians now need to seriously think to avoid such wrong ways of celebrations and showing respects. We need to change our modern practices like this.

Satpuda Foundation also has provided rough estimates of Carbon emission by this act.
Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) is in the form of kerosene and produces roughly about 2.158 kg of CO2 emissions per liter consumed. Mumbai to (Mozari) Amravati air distance is roughly 800 km (one way) which roughly requires 1100 liters for return flight of any Helicopter. This produces and emits 2373 kg of CO2 in the atmosphere.

Yesterday on 9th January two helicopters did the rehearsal and today the helicopters are expected to do the actual showering of flowers. So its roughly 9492 kg of CO2 emission. Satpuda Foundation has urged the state Government to stop such practices in the context of Climate Change crisis. SF will shortly write to civil aviation ministry, Kishor Rithe, President of SF informed through a press note.

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