This document summarizes an e-newsletter about promoting environmentally friendly weddings in India. It discusses how traditional Indian weddings produce a lot of waste but one woman, Shyamala Suresh, is helping couples have "zero-waste" weddings. She encourages couples to use reusable or compostable decorations and serve meals without disposable plastic. This reduces wedding waste to just one small bag compared to truckloads from regular weddings. Shyamala hopes to become a full-time green wedding planner to help more couples celebrate sustainably while lowering costs. The newsletter promotes reflecting on how human greed and overconsumption harm the environment and encourages living more simply.

1. E-Newsletter-7/21
Green Earth Movement
An E-Newsletter for the cause of Environment, Peace, Harmony and Justice
Remember - “you and I can decide the future”
Want lavish wedding, guilt-free? This
Bangalorean plans zero-waste weddings
https://yourstory.com
Shyamala Suresh is helping her friends and colleagues tie the knot
in an eco-friendly manner.
The big fat Indian wedding is an overwhelming affair, with the glitziest of decorations and the fanciest of
food. But what isn’t as well documented is the wastage and environmental damage that go hand in hand
with the celebrations. Apart from all the leftover food, piles of dirty plastic spoons and plates, Styrofoam
cups, and disposable glasses make their way over to landfills already bursting at the seams. In this sorry
state of affairs, it’s refreshing to see someone who is not only showing people a different way of
celebrating their special days but going down the path herself. Shyamala Suresh, a 27-year-old
professional from Bengaluru, is helping people celebrate special occasions in an eco-friendly manner.
Going zero waste
“In 2012, I spent my summer vacation with my friends Dr Meenakshi Bharath and Vani Murthy,
understanding waste and how it is affecting our environment. We started spreading awareness on source
segregation and composting and had made it a part of our lives,” says Shyamala. Subsequently, they took
it one step at a time and switched from single-use disposables such as plastic/paper/Styrofoam cups,
plates, and spoons to reusables. Shyamala says, After that first experience, Shyamala has helped six
couples along the zero-waste path to a happily married life. “We are a team of people who work on waste
management who all pitched in to make it happen. The credit of the individual weddings goes to the
couple and their families who took this through,” says Shyamala.

2. Green wedding
The first step towards going eco-friendly is to do away with things that are either disposed of after one use
or things that aren’t biodegradable. These green weddings do just that. Shyamala and her friends
suggested that printed invitations be reserved solely for the elderly, with the younger generation being
invited via the digital medium they use for everything anyway. The decorations were free from shiny
plastic and instead used only things that could be reused or composted. The flowers that were used were
local or seasonal flowers since they could be easily strung together and did not require to be pinned up on
Styrofoam. Shyamala says, The serving tables are covered with tablecloths, and all the cutlery — whether
steel, glass, or melamine — is reusable. Filtered water is served instead of bottled water.
It takes two to tango, and the same goes for a wedding to be eco-friendly. While the bride and groom take
all these measures, it is important for the guests also to comply, which means, among other things,
absolutely no bouquets, since they serve no purpose and are nothing more than waste. Cloth bags and
paper bags made out of newspapers are used for return gifts. “There will be leftover food, waste food,
banana leaves, and flowers at the end. The leftover food can be donated, food waste can be sent to a
piggery or a composting unit, banana leaves can either be fed to cows or composted, and flowers can be
composted or put in a biogas plant.There may be some plastic, like the packets in which groceries are
bought, and these are kept aside and sent for recycling,” says Shyamala.
Comparing conventional weddings
Shyamala says that an average wedding with 1,000 people attending will have two truckloads of garbage
going to the landfill. “At a friend's wedding, there was one small bag. What did that bag contain? Things
swept from the hall. That's it. Everything else was either reusable, composted, fed to a biogas plant, or
completely avoided. The average wedding has each person using a minimum of five to seven pieces of
disposables at the lunch area. However, with just a little thought, that number can be zero,” says
Shyamala. Just doing away with single-use disposables reduces carbon footprint greatly, right from the
resources and energy used to packaging, storage, transport, and then the transport to the landfill after just
one use. It is mind-boggling when we think of how much lower the carbon footprint is for a steel cup,
which can be used thousands of times.
While not many people are sensitised towards the environment, they are open to going green and having
an eco-friendly wedding. Shyamala feels that what makes them switch is merely the understanding that
their actions have a huge negative effect on the environment and knowing that they can easily change that.
Irrespective of the scale, the cost of a green wedding is lower than the usual kind. The wedding, right
from its look to the experience, is a lot better when we avoid environmental hazards. People who are
looking for a low-cost wedding can get one without compromising on the quality of the experience.
Shyamala says, Shyamala, who is currently working on the editorial board at the Indian Institute for
Human Settlements and also teaches solid waste management from time to time, says that there are
tremendous prospects for green wedding planners, and she may soon turn into one. Talking about her own
wedding plans, Shyamala says her guests will be served a naturopathic meal, with no processed or animal
food in it.
Although she’s not a wedding planner, she says she’s happy to help people get started, and can be reached
on her Facebook Profile. However, to reach a green wedding planner in Bengaluru, one can contact
Ganesh: ganesh@artyplantz.com.

3. Pope Francisin his encyclical ‘Laudato Si’says, destroying‘God’s
creationis a sin’. Havewe givena thought to thissin which all
pervading? In so many ways, we destroyGod’s creation, but,
perhaps, we have never confessedit during our confession.Belowis
an articleon “Earth CentredPenitentialRite”which we can reflect
on and prepareourselvesto make a good Lenten Confession. This
“Earth CentredPenitentialRite”also can be used for preparing
groupsfor individual confession.
Fr Felix
Earth Centred Penitential Rite
Introduction: From our simple knowledge of creation story in the Bible, we can conclude that, the root
causes of most of the environmental problems of today are due to human greed. The sin of greed
originated from Adam and Eve is being inherited to all human beings. Adam and Eve were not satisfied
what God had given them, they wanted more. As a result of this greed, they disobeyed God. Thus greed,
the greatest sin originated from our first parents.
The sin of greed inherited by our first parents dominates our life even today. Human beings are never
satisfied. They want more and more, even at the cost of depriving fellow human beings their share, and
also at the cost of destroying God’s creation.
Jesus’ life and His teachings are a model for all of us as to how we can live a sustainable, eco-friendly
life. Taking Jesus and His teachings as a cue, we shall have this Earth Based Penitential Service, which
can help us to reflect on lot of our sins as they are connected to material desires and greed.
1] SIN OF ANXIETY: Jesus says, “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into
barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matt 6: 26) Jesus
gives the example of birds of the air for us to live a life without being too much anxious about our future.

4. We are much more valuable than the birds of the air.
Questions to ponder: Am I too much anxious about my future material stability, and preoccupied myself
saving for the future like, investing in properties, flats, vehicles etc? When I do this beyond a limit, I
deprive others, especially the lesser privileged their basic needs. When I posses more than one house,
vehicles, properties etc, naturally, I put extra burden on environment, besides depriving the deserving for
their basic needs like housing where they may have to pay higher due to demand and supply principle.
2] SIN OF OVER POSSESSION: Jesus says, “Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the
road” (Luke 10:4). When Jesus sends his disciples on a mission, he commands them to carry only basic
necessities of life. This would help them to depend on the providence of God, and identify themselves
with the poor.
Questions to ponder: Do I posses too many material things, clothes, gadgets, foot wears etc, most of
which I use rarely, or never use at all? More things I posses means, I put more burden on environment as
it take lot of natural resources to produce those things. I do it at the cost of lesser privileged as they may
have to pay more.
3] SIN OF SELFISHNESS: When crowds were following Jesus, and were hungry, Jesus told his disciples
“You give to them something to eat." (Mark 6:37). The boy who had two fish and five loaves was
generous to share them. This inspired Jesus to work the miracle of multiplication of the loaves, and feed
thousands.
Questions to ponder: Am I a selfish person thinking only about myself and my near and dear ones. When
I think only about myself and my own family, I am tend to accumulate, and this will lead to burden on
environment.
4] CRAVING FOR COMFORTS: “And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their
synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.”
(Matt 9:35). Jesus’ mode of travel was walking. No doubt, Jesus’ time there were not many facilities of
cars or other luxuries for travel. But if Jesus was living even today, he would surely use eco-friendly
mode of travel.
Questions to ponder: If God has blessed me with a vehicle, do I give lift to others, example while going
to the church, school, market etc? Can I use my vehicle sparingly or only when I absolutely need it? Can
I also get used to public transport? If it is a walking distance, can I totally avoid using a vehicle, and take
walk?
5] GOD’S GIFT TAKEN FOR GRANTED: “And after Jesus had dismissed the crowds, he went up on
the mountain by himself to pray”. (Matthew 14:23), and also read John’s gospel chapter 18: 1, “After
Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley to a place where
there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered”. (Jn 18:1). Jesus communicated with His Father
in prayer in a natural set up like mountains, gardens, open spaces etc. Nature helped Jesus to experience
His Father.
Questions to ponder: In the techno savvy world, do I give time to appreciate nature - The trees, the cool
breeze, flowers and plants, the sun and moon, lakes, rivers and seas? Or I take the creation of God for
granted, or worst I pollute them with my recklessness, like cutting trees, polluting water, air etc?
6] DISHARMONY WITH OTHER LIVING BEINGS: Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know
them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). Jesus has a harmonious relationship with nature, including
animals. Therefore, he uses the imagery of sheep to describe his relationship with his people. This
indicates Jesus respected and loved animals created by God.
Questions to ponder: When I reflect on my life, do I appreciate the beautiful creation of God? Chirping
and singing of the birds, the friendliness of a dog or a cat? The service rendered by domestic animals? Am
I sensitive to the declining number of birds like house sparrows and bees which are all important for
environment?

5. 7] LAVISH CELEBRATIONS: Jesus says, “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the
lame, the blind” (Luke 14:13). Jesus wants us to go against the current. In today’s world, we make our
celebrations like weddings, First Holy Communion grand, even to the extent of making a showoff our
wealth, power and position.
Questions to ponder: It is time for us to reflect and ask, how do I celebrate my family or social
functions? Example when I have a celebration like wedding, First Holy communion etc. in my family, do
I spend lavishly just to get a short lived name and fame? Am I concerned about the waste these kinds of
celebrations cause and put a heavy burden on environment?
8] DISHARMONY WITHIN MYSELF: Jesus says, in Mathew chapter 15 - “not what goes into the
mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man. What comes out of the mouth
proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery,
fornication, theft, false witness, slander” (Matthew 15:11-18). According to Jesus, our behaviour with
fellow human beings and with nature is only a symptom. The root is there in our heart and mind. Our
external human relations and relationship with external world, including environment are formed by our
heart and mind.
Questions to ponder: Am I person of gratitude? Do I appreciate my own life, my body, mind and spirit?
Do I experience God’s presence in my fellow human beings? Do I see God, even in a tiniest creature
created by God? Do I listen to God speaking to me through nature?
Conclusion: Pope Francis in his encyclical Laudato Si, Praised be to God says, “This sister earth now
cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the
goods with which God has endowed her. We have come to see ourselves as her lords and masters, entitled
to plunder her at will. The violence present in our hearts, wounded by sin, is also reflectedin the
symptoms of sickness evident in the soil, in the water, in the air and in all forms of life. This is why the
earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor; she
“groans in travail” (Rom 8:22). We have forgotten that we ourselves are dust of the earth (cf. Gen 2:7);
our very bodies are made up of her elements, we breathe her air and we receive life and refreshment from
her waters. (1-2)
“BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE”
(Mahatma Gandhi)
Development and caring for environment must go together. Lopsided development without
caring for the environment can be disastrous for the future generations. Therefore, there is a
need to bring awareness on environmental issues, especially amongst the younger generations.
One of the ways to bring environmental awareness among young and old is to conduct ECO
QUIZES. Awareness can bring change in our attitudes, life-style, actions and our relationship
with nature around us leading to “BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE”.
Following is a plan of ONLINE ECO QUIZ proposed to be conducted during the coming summer
vacations for the students of all the schools of Jogeshwari, Mumbai.
If you want to replicate this ECO AWARENESS PROJECT, here is an opportunity for you. For
ready to use MEGA ECO QUIZ SETS with 100 ECO QUIZES, visit www.infantjesusjogeshwari.in
go to GEM section, click MEGA ECO QUIZ part 1 and 2. MEGA ECO QUIZ can be conducted in
various creative ways as a holiday activity or a regular activity throughout the year.
Fr Felix
@@@@@@

6. INFANT JESUS CHURCH AND SCHOOL, JOGESHWARI
COMING SOON - SUMMER SPECIAL
Online Eco Quiz Contests from April 10 to June 10
WIN CASH PRIZES Rs 100/- EACH FOR TOPPERS IN EACH QUIZ, AND GEM MERIT
CERTIFICATES AND PRIZES FOR THE TOP TEN IN ALL THE QUIZES (total) AT THE END
OF THE SUMMER SPECIAL CONTESTS.
Few rules:
1] This SUMMER SPECIAL ECO QUIZ is open to all the students from 1st to 11th std from any
school of Jogeshwari.
2] For the SUMMER SPECIAL ECO QUIZ, you have to read just one GEM PPT every week
from www.infantjesusjogeshwari.in website, GEM PPT section.
3] There will be only 5 objective type questions per week.
4] The first SUMMER SPECIAL ECO QUIZ will be posted in the INFANT NATURE CLUB
WhatsApp group when the holiday begins (after April 10).
5] To answer each quiz, you will get 3 to 4 days (to read the PPT and find answers).
6] Please send your answers only in this format. example – 1a, 2c, 3a, 4b, 5c etc.
7] Do not post your answer in the group as this will be copied by others. If you do this, you will
lose your marks. Send your answers only on my personal Mob. 9819688630. Write your name,
std and division.
8] You are free to take the help of others, including your parents to answer this quiz.
9] From the answers received, 5 winners will be decided by taking a lot, and they will get the
cash prize of Rs 100/- each for each quiz, and at the end prizes and certificates for top 10 total
marks scored.
10] Since it is an online quiz, you can WhatsApp your answers even if you are on holidays or out
of Mumbai.
11] Your cash prizes for each SUMMER SPECIAL QUIZ can be collected from me immediately
after the results of each quiz.
12] Merit Certificates for the top 10 will be awarded when the school reopens. You will be kept
informed about it.
******
So children, don’t miss the opportunity to participate in all the SUMMER ECO QUIZ
CONTESTS, and win cash prizes and certificates. Also inform your friends and neighbouring
children to join this group and encourage them to participate in this environment quiz. To join
the group, ask them to simply send a message on 9819688630 (Father Felix) with their name
and std. Your enthusiastic participation in this quiz will help you to know more about
environment and protect it. Remember the words of Mahatma Gandhi “Be the change you want
to see”.
See the attached photograph of toppers with Bishop Percival Fernandez in the regular ONLINE
ECO QUIZ held during this academic year 2016-17. These toppers got their prizes and
certificates during the ENVIRONMENT RALLY held on March 5th this year. hoping to see you
amongst the SUMMER ECO QUIZ TOPPERS!
PPC members/Eco Kids animators forward this mail to your SCC and ECO KIDS groups, so that
more and more children from Jogeshwari can avail of this beautiful opportunity to grow in their
knowledge for environment by participating in the SUMMER SPECIAL ECO QUIZ.
ALL THE BEST FOR YOUR FINAL EXAM.
Fr Felix

7. For a bright future: Thane society gets solar-powered
streetlights
Akash Sakaria, HT
The residents estimate that they save around Rs17 every hour, and will save approximately Rs 80,000 a
year.(Praful Gangurde)
Residents of Thane’s Pawar Nagar claim that the sun never sets in the area. When the sun goes down,
street lights powered by solar energy are switched on in Harasiddh Apartments, an eight-building housing
complex. Located near a hillock close to the boundary of Sanjay Gandhi National Park, the colony did not
have street lights for years. Tired of waiting for the municipal corporation to install them, the residents
reached out to the local corporator in February, who helped them install four solar panels and five street
lights. The residents were funded by the Thane Christian Welfare Association (TCWA), a non-
government organisation (NGO) of which the corporator is a member.
Jerry David, president of TWCA, said, “Since years, there were no provisions (for lights) for the residents
and the area was dangerous. They urged us to help, so we processedthe work on fast track basis.”
The solar panels generate approximately 300 watts of electricityto power the five street lights. The
residents estimate that they save around Rs17 every hour, and will save approximately Rs 80,000 a year.
“The total cost took about Rs 80,000. The move will now help the societysave 1.5 units each day,” said
Vikal Chaurasia, who runs a company called Urja Setu. “Such initiatives would help make appropriate use
of the natural resources available to us and will also save a lot of electricity,”Chaurasia added.
Before the solar lights installation, residents say they were scared to use the unlighted lanes after sunset.
“Though the area is tranquil, the lanes were dangerous at night. There have been cases of thefts as well,”
said Sameer Deshmukh, secretary of the society. The solar-powered system offers uninterrupted
electricityfor around 12 hours, which is enough to cover the period between sunset and sunrise. “There
are working women and men who come late in the night. So it was definitely not safe for them,” said
Rajendra Raut, resident of the building. “It is much better now with the by-lane lit up. The best part is that
it also saves on our maintenance bills, since it reduces electricityconsumption.”
Before the installation, there were differences among the residents about the funding for the project for the
project, since the road is used by residents of other buildings too. The dispute was resolved when they
decided to go to the corporator for funding. The housing society is now thinking of adding solar powered
street lights in the building compounds too.
Mahim residents play watchdog to ensure
clean beach
ANAGHA SAWANT | Wed, 15 Mar 2017-07:25am , DNA
In February 2016, residents had taken up the initiative to clean up the beach
themselves once a week

8. Aiming to reclaim the beach in their area, a citizens group of Mahim has turned watchdog to
keep an eye on contract workers, who clean Mahim beach every day. In February 2016, residents
had taken up the initiative to clean up the beach themselves once a week. Now, along with the
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), a few residents have formed a beach committee
to keep track of the daily clean-up done by contract workers assigned by the civic authority.
Speaking about the initiative, Anwar Khan, President of the Advanced Locality Management
(ALM) of Dargah Street, said, "We meet once a month, along with the BMC, to discuss the
agenda and list out the work done in that month. We also discuss solutions to issues like poor
lighting, inaccessible roads and anti-social activities. A WhatsApp group called Mahim Beach
updates the beach committee about garbage issues through photos. Few residents from the
committee regularly visit the beach to ensure that the contractors do a good job of cleaning up
the beach." The residents started the initiative to clean up the filthy-looking beach and make it
people-friendly.
"The beach had been neglected earlier but now we have been getting a good response from
residents and the BMC. Many more citizen forums have joined hands, and are creating
awareness about the initiative. We still have to tackle the issue of littering on the beach as
visitors too litter the beach leaving no space to walk. With the beach being cleaned regularly, the
number of people visiting the beach has increased," said Neena Kulkarni, a resident of Mahim.
Khan said the residents also meet up once or twice a month at the beach for community
activities.
"The children play cricket and football together, it also gives a platform for senior citizens to
meet each other," he said.
E-waste drive to start in H/W ward schools from
next week
Anaga Sawanth, DNA, March 17, 2017
The project will include 40 schools comprising Bandra (West), Khar and parts of Santacruz

9. In a bid to curb the steep increase in the quantity of e-waste generated, about 40 schools from
H/West ward, comprising Bandra (West), Khar and parts of Santacruz, will spur students to go
on a electronic waste (e-waste) drive on their respective premises from next week onwards.
The BMC officials requested that schools participate in an e-waste recycling drive in February.
As part of a primary project, students of Kamla High School in Khar collected eight kilograms of
e-waste in four days.
Speaking about the initiative, Sharad Ughade, Assistant Commissioner of H/West? ward, said,
"We should be responsible enough to manage e-waste. Educational institutions in different
wards play a major role in teaching the best waste handling practices to students. The BMC will
provide necessary support to ensure better e-waste management." A recycle box will be placed in
each school by BMC to collect e-waste. "Once a week, a vehicle belonging to the civic body will
visit and collect the e-waste," added Ughade. Besides raising awareness, residents of the H/West
ward have taken steps to reduce waste generated in the ward office and government hospital.
In June 2016, the ?ward installed a biodegradable waste generator in the ward office. Another
generator was installed at the government-run Bhabha Hospital in Bandra (West).
Speaking about the biogas plant in the ward, Ughade, said, "We generate over 1.5 kg of gas per
day through leftover food from the canteen. Annually, about 548 kg of bio-gas is generated and
used for cooking." Ughade added: "While processing of food waste into bio-gas kick-started
about 20 days ago in civic-run Bhabha Hospital, it has the capacity to contain over 450 kg of
food waste for processing. So far, about 110 to 180 kg of food waste is processed from the
hospital. Soon, leftovers from the other two ward office building's will also be collected and
processed in the bio-gas generator at Bhabha Hospital."
MANAGING E-WASTE
As part of the project, the BMC will provide necessary support to ensure better e-waste
management in schools. A recycle box will be placed in each school by the civic body to collect e-
waste. while once a week, a civic body vehicle will visit and collect the e-waste.
In arid Marathwada, village turns into oasis
with water management
The collective water storage made it possible for Kadwanchi to go in for high
value crops such as grapes, ginger and chillies.
Written by Kavitha Iyer | Jalna | Published:March 17, 2017 4:06 am
KADWANCHI’S 400-ODD farmers received 412 mm of rain in 2015-16, about 60 per cent of
their average annual rainfall, but the cultivators weren’t unduly perturbed. For Kadwanchi
village, located in arid Marathwada’s Jalna district, has witnessed a rare triumph. Even as the
rest of Marathwada’s economy was being crushed by three droughts in four years, Kadwanchi’s
agricultural output grew — from Rs 27 crore in 2012-13 to Rs 29 crore and Rs 32 crore in the

10. subsequent years. In 2015-16, their agricultural output was Rs 42 crore, and per capita income
up from Rs 3,264 in 1999 to Rs 1.27 lakh last year.
Even as neighbouring villages in drought-hit Jalna reported a next to nothing yield in the kharif
season of 2015, Kadwanchi’s villagers were adding 40 new farm ponds to the existing 347,
repairing farm bunds and tanks and desilting contour trenches, updating an exhaustive
watershed management programme they have benefited from since its completion in 2000.
“You think vast vineyards are possible only in Nashik? We have grapes on nearly 1,200 acres of
the 3,700 acres of cultivable land in Kadwanchi, because there’s water in our wells and farm
ponds nine months of the year,” says Chandrakant Kshirsagar, 45, the village sarpanch.
They owe that success to an initiative that began in 1995-1996, when the Krishi Vigyan Kendra
(KVK) of Jalna, established by non-profit organisation Marathwada Sheti Sahaya Mandal,
undertook a watershed project in Kadwanchi, 18 km from Jalna city, through a sponsorship
from the Indian Council of Agricultural research (ICAR), New Delhi. The project was completed
in 2000-2001, at a cost of Rs 1.2 crore, and covered a total watershed area of 1,888 hectares,
comprising Kadwanchi and the two smaller villages of Waghrul and Nandapur. “When we
started, Kadwanchi had all the markings of a severely drought-prone village — poor farm
incomes, poor farmland productivity owing to poor quality of soil, migration for work elsewhere
and the marginal farmers barely earning subsistence-level farm incomes,” says Prof Pandit
Warse of the Jalna KVK.
Over five years, a scientific watershed management plan was implemented, starting with soil
conservation, including bunding of farm boundaries to prevent soil erosion. The ridge portions
of the watershed were given trenches with plantation on the soil mounds, water absorption
trenches were excavated to check the erosive velocity of water and to improve ground water
recharging. Earthen embankments were built across natural nullahs or rainwater streams as
water harvesting structures, along with other structures such as gully plugs and gabions to
impound water for longer and help recharge wells.
Warse, who the villagers have remained in regular touch with even 15 years after the project was
officially completed, says the 455 families have nearly 600 wells. Nine check dams were built,
nearly 25 km of stream were widened and desilted. As many as 347 farm ponds were excavated,
and another 40 are now being added this year for the coming monsoon. “Not a drop of water is
wasted,” he says.
The collective water storage made it possible for Kadwanchi to go in for high value crops such as
grapes, ginger and chillies. Nearly 350 families now have grape orchards, a few have
pomegranate plantations too, with vegetables, ginger and Rabi sorghum accounting for the rest.
The grapes are the true measure of the watershed approach’s success — an acre of grapes
requires 10 lakh litres of water through a season. Jalna now has 10,000 acres of vineyards, over
one tenth of it in this one village alone.
“We showed the way for Jalna’s vineyards. Villagers also invested nearly Rs 25,000 per acre on
drip irrigation systems so 100 per cent of Kadwanchi’s farmland is drip-irrigated, many with a
pump-set and centralised control system from where a specific part of a farm can be watered at a
time,” says Kshirsagar. The sarpanch even has a rain gauge alongside, so he can monitor the
village’s water budget carefully.

11. A Husband-Wife Duo Is Harvesting Rainwater
& Solar Energy at the Same Time – Using an
Umbrella!
Tanaya Singh, March 16, 2017
http://www.thebetterindia.com
Bootstrapped in the beginning, ThinkPhi was started by Samit and his wife Priya Vakil Choksi
in 2015.
“Rainwater is the purest form of water. It’s just that once it hits the ground, it does not remain
pure anymore and requires high levels of filtration. We thought of collecting the water in its pure
form and filtering it for drinking purposes,” says Samit Choksi, the co-founder of ThinkPhi, a
green technology startup focused on developing products for a more sustainable tomorrow.
ThinkPhi’s flagship product called Ulta Chaata converts rain water into potable drinking
water during monsoons, and produces energy with the help of solar panels in the dry seasons.
One unit of Ulta Chaata can collect 8-10 lakh quintal of water annually and capture energy with
maximum peak power of 1.5 Kw. It is currently being used at over 50 locations across the
country.
Ulta Chaata, Hindi for inverted umbrella, is a device that looks exactly like it is named. During
monsoons, Ulta Chaata’s concave canopy captures rain water, which then trickles down to reach
a filter. The water is filtered using active carbon filtration – a method that uses a bed of activated
carbon to remove impurities. The filter reduces the turbidity of water flowing through it, thereby
making it potable. “According to WHO, water below 5 Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU) is
potable water,” says Samit. A cluster of 15 Chaatas are connected to a Phi box with another fine
filtration layer to remove bacteria, after which the water becomes usable. During dry months,
solar panels fixed on the canopy harness clean energy that is stored in a battery within every
Chaata. This further powers the Chaata and also supplies energy for the lighting system installed
in the Chaata. The energy stored can be used to provide power backup for internal lighting on
the premises where it is installed too.
Some of Ulta Chaata team members were recently invited by the Indian Railways to speak about
how the product could benefit them. “What we realized is that while Ulta Chaata can provide
clean water and energy it can also provide environmentally friendly shading at a lower cost in
comparison to the archaic railway platform roofs, which are costly to install and maintain,” says
Samit. The Chaatas cost between Rs. 4.5 and 5 lakh and are warrantied for 10 years. But
according to ThinkPhi, the amount of water and energy generated helps users get their returns
in about a year.

12. “For people to believe in such a system we didn’t want to come up with another purification
device that sits in your backyard and no one sees it. We wanted to make it look good to instil a
sense of curiosity among people. That’s why aesthetics was an important part for us and Ulta
Chaata looks like a well-designed piece,” says Samit, emphasizing that one of ThinkPhi’s major
aims is to change behaviours and encourage people to use sustainable products. The Phi box has
sensors for the Chaata clusters to interact with the company and the users. The first one is to
detect whenever the filter is about to clog due to dust and dirt and needs cleaning. It sends a
message to ThinkPhi informing which device needs servicing.
The second sensor is meant to calculate the amount of energy and water collected. This further
helps bring about behavioural change among people by showing them inspiring numbers. The
other sensors measure water purity and also inform the company in case the lights on any of the
Chaatas are out. Additionally, users can interact with ThinkPhi about using an app on their
phones to register complaints, ask questions in case of any problems, etc. Ulta Chaata is being
used on campuses of large organizations in Bombay and Pune. The company is gearing up to set
up devices in Gujarat and Bangalore too.
Priya had finished her masters in sustainable design and graduation in architecture, while Samit
has spent most of his time working on software in the development industry. The couple
returned to India after working and studying in places like Singapore, London, Atlanta, and San
Francisco. “After moving back here, we saw that the pollution and the increasing climate change
are major reasons of concern in India. The one thing that struck us was that we get heavy rains
here and yet all this water is getting wasted,” says Samit. Nature lovers since forever, the couple
decided to do their bit for the environment by starting ThinkPhi. Today, their organization has
grown to a team of 12 people.
“If you do not believe climate change is a problem caused by humanity’s desire to over consume
then you would be guilty of living in denial…The world has always gone through periods of
global warming and cooling which is an effect of natural causes. However, in this century we
have gone through the biggest shift in the last 400,000 years and this time it is driven solely by
man-made causes, us,” concludes Priya, talking about the current environmental condition.
LISTEN TO OUR CRY
Today environment is taken from granted. The world political leaders think only about how to
keep the present generation happy. Therefore, they speak of ‘development’ even at the cost of
destruction of God given beautiful nature.
We the children of today would like our elders, especially the political leaders to listen to our cry.
Please do not think only about today’s generation, but think even about us children whom you
will inherit this beautiful Mother Earth.
Please do not destroy this earth only to make the present generation happy with your lopsided
development, by destroying forests, reclaiming seas, creating concrete jungles, polluting air,
water etc etc. Please think about us. We need forests, open spaces, clean water, greenery around,
clean surroundings etc when we become old like you. Pleeease listen to us.
To make the voice of the kids to be heard by our decision makers of today, it is a wonderful idea

13. to start the SCC ECO KIDS CLUBS in every parish. If every parish can recruit a modest number
of 100 kids, we will have 10,000 future SOLDIERS OF THE EARTH to fight for the protection of
Mother Earth (100 Mumbai parishesX100 kids=10,000). These ECO KIDS CLUBS consists of
kids irrespective of their caste, creed and religion.
We, at Infant Jesus, Jogeshwari have done our bit by starting the SCC ECO KIDS CLUBS which
have been successfully working for the last 2 years. If you want to know more about it,
visit www.infantjesusjogeshwari.in go to GEM section and click the link - Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQs) on Infant Jesus, Jogeshwari SCC ECO KIDS CLUBS. You may have many
more ideas to improve on this. Please share in this group your ideas to further improve this Kids
Green Movement.
Pope Francis warns “Safeguard creation. If we destroy Creation, Creation will destroy us. Never
forget this”. As tender they are, kids may not think so much about their future. But as elders,
priests, religious and lay leaders, can we galvanise our kids and guide them to act, and safeguard
their future?
Fr Felix
How a Bunch of Farmers from Punjab Transformed
a Drought-Prone Village in Tamil Nadu
Sanchari Pal, March 22, 2017, Positive news
Ramanathapuram, also called Ramnad, is one of the driest districts in southern Tamil Nadu.
Nestled in the dusty, sun-baked interiors of this district is a lush green patch of land replete with
orchards of mangoes, guavas, gooseberries and watermelons. But this wasn’t always the case.
Till about a decade ago, the land here was arid, rocky and covered with kaattu karuvelam (a
thorny bush). The transformation from barren land into a productive field is a result of the

14. tireless efforts of a group of hard working farmers from Punjab who migrated here about 10
years ago.
It all began in 2007 when Manmohan Singh and his friend Darshan Singh chose to travel over
3,000 km to the drought-prone village of Vallandhai in district Ramnad of Tamil Nadu. They
were following the advice of their mentor, Baba Iqbal Singh (former Director of Agriculture,
Himachal Pradesh), who had suggested that they try their hand at farming this arid land.
Back home, cultivable land was in short supply and the duo wanted to provide a better life for
their families. Despite being told by the locals that the area was prone to long dry spells,
Darshan and Manmohan decided to take on the challenge of breathing life into the parched land.
The friends pooled in money and jointly bought 300 acres of land as the local farmers, sceptical
about the fertility of the land, sold them at throwaway prices. Their next step was renting a small
house in nearby Virudhunagar.
For the next three years, Darshan and Manmohan travelled everyday to the fledgling farm
(named Akal), clearing the rocks from the land, digging borewells, installing sprinklers drip
irrigation and preparing the soil for plantation. The hard-working duo also learnt as much as
they could about the weather of the region before carefully selecting their crops. Darshan and
Manmohan planted mango trees on 80 acres, amla and guava trees on 40 acres, papaya and
coconut trees on 10 acres and a mix of cashew nuts, dates and almonds on five acres.
Additionally, they also planted an assortment of vegetables and fruits, like carrots, cucumber,
pumpkin, custard apple, chikoo and watermelon, in an inter-cropping pattern.
Soon, a few friends and relatives arrived to pitch in with their efforts. The men pooled in the
land that they bought with the Akal farm, before building dormitories for themselves and small
cottages for their families on the periphery of the now 900 acre land. They also built a common
kitchen and meditation room on the farm – the nearest gurudwara, Guru Nanak Dham in
Rameswaram, is about an hour away. The friendly farmers also built warm relationships with
the locals, devoting much of their free time to learn Tamil from them. From lending their
tractors to imparting tips about the latest farming techniques, they were quick to lend a helping
hand to others in the village. The farmers also participated wholeheartedly in the local festivals
and functions and slowly, the villagers started doing the same.
The group’s hard work, patience and spirit of enterprise finally started yielding results with the
farm breaking even in 2015. Today, the farm is earning a good income with most of the kitchen
needs of the families being met by their own kitchen gardens. The farm’s ‘Lucknow 49’ variety of
guava and prized ‘Imam Pasand’ mangoes are famed in the regional markets for the size and
taste. The success of Akal farm has become an inspiration for the local farmers who now come to
the Akal Farm to learn about farming equipment and arid land cultivation. Darshan and
Manmohan Singh are often invited by the District Collector to address the local administration
and farmers from the region.
The Punjabi farmers plan to increase organic horticultural cultivation on the Akal farm and have
roped in experts (from the regional agricultural
This Scientist Hasn’t Paid a Water Bill in 23 Years,
& His Ideas Could Solve Bengaluru’s Water Woes!
Sanchari Pal
March 22, 2017, http://www.thebetterindia.com

15. A municipal water tanker trundles into a neighbourhood that has not received water in its taps for days.
Amid much jostling, a swarm of hassled residents promptly converge on it, carrying bottles, buckets,
vessels, drums and basically anything that can store water. This is a familiar scene during the scorching
summer months in many Indian cities. Every year during summer, India appears to be on the verge of a
water crisis once again despite witnessing bountiful rains the previous year. The fast-growing metropolis
of Bengaluru, India’s IT capital, too is no exception to these water woes. Its elevation (the city is around
3,000 feet above sea level) and hard granite-gneiss terrain have also meant that sourcing water for
household use has always been a challenge.
Cauvery, the closest perennial river, flows over 100 km away and at an altitude that is nearly 1,000 feet
lower than Bengaluru’s, making it extremely expensive to pump water to the city’s residential areas. Also,
with the city’s population swelling over the years, ground water levels have decreased sharply.
One man believes that this dire situation can be turned around. A R Shivakumar believes that a lot of
water is being wasted due to mismanagement and that planned rainwater harvesting (RWH) can
effectively sustain the city’s water supply.
A senior scientist at the Karnataka State Council of Science and Technology (KSCST) at Indian Institute
of Science (IISc), Shivakumar is not a new convert to the concept. A vociferous proponent of RWH, he
does not have a Cauvery water connection in his home and he has been relying entirely on collected
rainwater to serve all his family’s needs for over two decades. Shivakumar has also invented tools that
simplify RWH at home and has even worked with local authorities to popularise rainwater harvesting in
Bengaluru! In 1995, when Shivakumar started building his house, he did a lot of research to look for
alternatives that would fulfill his family’s needs without harming the environment. His first step was to
analyse the water bills of residents of the locality to map the water consumption of an average family.
He found that his findings matched the water consumption norms published by WHO – a family of four
uses approximately 500 litres of water per day. Next, he sat and tabulated the rainfall data in the city over
the last 100 years. He was surprised to discover that as per the data, there is more than enough rainfall in
the city, even in the worst monsoon-deficient years. The only catch was that while it rained for about 60-
70 days in a year, the water had to last for 365 days. Each tank has been fitted with an innovative filter
device that has been built and patented by Shivakumar himself. Called Pop-Up Filter, the device uses a
simple silver sheet to remove all impurities from the collectedrainwater before channeling it around the
house. It can be vertically installed on the walls of a small buildings (for bigger buildings, Shivakumar has
designed a ‘First Flush Lock and Diverter’ that performs the same function).
Careful not to let even a drop of rain water go waste, Shivakumar has also dug percolation pits in the
garden around his house that help in the direct recharge of the ground water table. (Incredibly, within one
year of recharge, the groundwater table around Shivakumar’s house ‘Sourabha’ rose from 200 ft to around
40 ft!) This system is also a backup for the rare case in which it doesn’t rain in Bengaluru for more than
100 days – water drawn from a shallow tube well, recharged by the rainwater, helps meet the family’s
requirement.Othe r than RWH, Shivakumar is also judicious while using water at home. He has designed

16. and installed an effective greywater recycling system at his home – the outlet water from his washing
machine is stored in a separate tank and is used for flushing toilets in the house. In the same way, water
from the kitchen is stored and used for gardening.
Shivakumar has also tweaked his household devices to make them more eco-friendly. For instance, the
containers used to store water from the solar water heaters have been lined with rice husk to ensure that
the water stays hot throughout the day. The LED lights in the house are solar powered while the rooftop
water tanks and surrounding garden help naturally air condition the house.O ver the years, Shivakumar
has designed and implemented hundreds of rainwater harvesting projects in Bangalore, including at
Vidhana Soudha, the Karnataka High Court, corporate offices (such as Arvind Mills and Intel India) and
several housing societies in the city. He has also trained Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board
(BWSSB) plumbers, building contractors and architects in the integration of RWH in construction.
Shivakumar’s RWH systems are also being used in Africa as well in some European countries. The
Norwegian government has also selectedit for its joint project with the Indian government. He has been
honoured with several awards like central government’s National Innovation Award, Karnataka
government’s Ammulya award and Rotary International’s Citizen Extraordinary award.
The RWH expert also played a key role in getting the Karnataka government to pass an amendment to the
(BWSSB) Act that made rainwater harvesting compulsory for houses and offices with an area greater than
2,400 sq. ft. in the core of Bengaluru.
Shivakumar’s expertise and technical know-how is now being utilised by the government of Meghalaya to
build a RWH infrastructure in the state. Home to Mawsynram and Cherrapunji (the wettest places in
India), Meghalaya receives one of the highest rainfall in India, but still suffers from acute water scarcity
when the precipitations drop sharply from November until March.
Farmers Defeat POSCO Steel, Turn to Reclaim Betel
Leaf Economy
Basudev Mahapatra
March 20, 2017, 6:23 pm
https://www.thequint.com/environment/
In a unique case of victory of the agrarian economy over mineral-based industrial economy, betel leaf
farming in the Jagatsinghpur district of Odisha proved to be more dependable and promising than the
proposed $12 billion integrated steel plant project planned by one of the world’s largest steel producer
POSCO. The betel leaf stood firm against steel and forced the South Korean steel major out of its Odisha
project. POSCO confirmed the withdrawal of its project by requesting the Odisha government to take
back the land transferred in its name, according to a statement by Odisha’s Industry Minister Devi Prasad
Mishra made on 18 March.

17. POSCO had suspended its the project in July 2015, and later decided to temporarily freeze the project in
2016. Experts say POSCO had to drop the idea of investment in Odisha as the project couldn’t make any
progress over the years due to strong resistance by local people. Since signing a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) with Odisha government for the project on 22 June 2005, POSCO faced consistent
opposition from local people, many of whom were betel leaf cultivators.
Betel Leaf Economy
It’s important to realise the economic importance of betel leaf in order to understand the factors behind
people’s fight against the gigantic project that would have attracted the largest investment by a foreign
company to India. “This is not just a leaf, but the soul of our life and economy, and the source of income
that no industry can offer us,” said Ramesh Chandra Pashayat of Govindpur village, who had lost his betel
vineyard for the POSCO project. Sridhar Swain, of Govindpur village said:
After meeting all expenses and making the labour payments, I used to earn around Rs 50,000 a month
from my vineyard on nearly 40 decimal of land. Besides this, the cashew plants around it fetched me be Rs
30,000-40,000 in a season. The mango and moringa trees in the vicinity always supported our food and
income as well. Sridhar Swain
“Given the fact that I don’t have any formal education, can POSCO or any other industry offer me an
opportunity of this kind?” Sridhar told VillageSquare.in.
This is the reason why we opposed POSCO and wanted to protect our land and the dependable source of
livelihood — the betel vines.
Stronger Than Steel
According to the farmers, the vineyards raised by the villagers had the potential to employ thousands of
people from this locality and even from outside. The daily transaction in the betel leaf business in the area
exceeded Rs 5 million. Based on facts collectedon the ground, the Routledge International Handbook of
Criminology and Human Rights notes: The cultivation of betel leaf generated significant income.
Destruction through the project development promised little compared to the social, economic and
cultural benefits of existing livelihoods.
As per rough estimates, a vineyard raised on an acre (100 decimal) of land usually fetches the farmer a
profit over Rs 1 million every year. This means every decimal of land pays the farmer at least Rs 10,000 a
year. This economics probably made the betel leaf stronger than steel, and a better choice for people.
“While acquiring land for POSCO, the government offered us Rs 11,500 per decimal of land as one-time
compensation money. How could a farmer sacrifice the land permanently for such a meagre
compensation?” questioned Bishnu Das, a betel leaf grower.
Forceful Demolition
Despite strong opposition from the farmers, the government didn’t heed to their voice and demands.
Going by its unilateral decision in favour of POSCO, the local administration demolished hundreds of
acres of vineyards by force. “Some of the vineyard owners were forcedto accept the compensation money
and vacate their land, while at least 32 farmers didn’t get any compensation for their vineyards,” said
Nibha Samal, a farmer. 60-year-old Shiba Bardhan told VillageSquare.in: I had spent nearly Rs 3 lakh to
raise my vineyard on 60 decimals. The administration demolished it but didn’t pay any compensation
money. The list of farmers published by the administration listed many who never had a vineyard, while
several of the real farmers didn’t feature in the list. We have filed cases against such injustice done to us
by the administration.
“They not only destroyed the betel vines, but also cleaned the area by cutting trees around, and made our
green surrounding look like a desert,” said Gouri Das, a woman farmer.

18. Battle Won, But Challenges Remain
Despite all efforts to curb the people’s movement and acquire the land, POSCO is now a lost dream for
the Odisha government. On the other hand, though the people’s movement came out victorious so far, it’s
only a lose-lose situation for the people who lost their land, livelihood sources and everything for
POSCO. Their betel vines were demolished with promises that the upcoming project would provide an
alternate livelihood. As the industry didn’t come, their livelihood is now completely lost.
“The compensation money they paid has been exhausted by now because we had to live without any
immediate employment. The project didn’t happen. We are now reduced to daily wagers. How will we
survive with a daily wage of 200 rupees?” asks an angry Gouri Das who has lost his land.
“The government forgot all its promises like an interim stipend, alternate livelihood etc. So, once farmers,
we live like beggars today,” said Ramesh Das, who has not only lost his land but has also broken his hand
in the conflict between people and the government over the POSCO project.
Those who extended whole-hearted support for the project and submitted their land are living a more
miserable life. “The government betrayed us. We surrendered all our resources to see the industry in our
area, and enjoy the benefits of industrialisation. But the government couldn’t make it possible. Nor has it
returned the land to us to continue our traditional economic activities like raising betel vines to make a
survival,” said Tamil Pradhan, leader of people who supported the government.
The most pathetic story is of the people who sacrificedeverything for POSCO and were kept by the
government in a transit colony. “They were the first supporters of the project. But as POSCO decided to
freeze the project, we suddenly became a burden on the government. The administration threatened to
disconnect electricityand lock the houses unless we vacate the transit colony immediately and return
home,” said Chandan Mohanty of Patana village, who was also the president of the POSCO Transit
Colony Association. “The administration didn’t even bother to shift us to our village safely. So we had to
negotiate with people who opposed POSCO project and came back to our village to live our own destiny,”
he said with agony.
Sounds of Another Battle
As the plights of people keep increasing since POSCO has shown indications to withdraw its Odisha
project, the discontent among people of the project area is simmering too. “Since POSCO has scrapped
the Odisha project and the government has not taken any responsibility of the affected people and the land
losers, the lands must be returned to people immediately,” said Tamil Pradhan who also hinted that the
affected people and land losers are to hold a meeting soon to decide on the issues and to reoccupy their
land.
“If the government was not sure about the intentions of POSCO, why did it take away and ruin our
guaranteed source of livelihood? Even if we get the land, where shall we get money to raise our vineyards
again?” asked Jayanti Pashayat and many other farmers who have lost their land that was acquired for the
POSCO project. Even the POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS), which opposed the steel project, has
announced to start a mass repossessiondrive in the affected villages.
However, there is very little chance for the land losers to get back their land because as per Odisha
government’s revised policy for land acquisition notified on 7 February 2015, “land acquired and
possession taken over but not utilised within a period of five years from the date of possession, shall in all
cases, revert back to the State and deposited in the Land Bank automatically.” “The acts of the
government are highly questionable because it destroyed the sources of people’s livelihood, and couldn’t
bring the industry to fulfil its promises of alternate livelihood.
Putting people in such a miserable state is purely anti-people, and against the very spirit of democracy.
We won’t allow this to continue and won’t allow the farm lands to be converted for any other use,” said

19. Abhay Sahu, president of PPSS. Shortly, we are going to start another movement against the government
and mobilise people to repossess their farmlands and reconstruct their vineyards for the cultivation of
betel leaves.
PPSS Spokesperson Prashant Paikray
The sounds of another war to reoccupy the land and revival of the betel leaf economy have started
reverberating in the villages surrounding the land acquired in the name of the POSCO project.
Uttarakhand HC declares Ganga, Yamuna
living entities
This is among rare instances in the world that a river is given legal status of a
juristic person
The Indian Express-20-Mar-2017
In a judgment that referredto Ganga river as “Ganga Maa” and deliberated on the nature of God, the
Uttarakhand High Court has declared Ganga and Yamuna and their tributaries “juristic/legal
persons/living entities having the status of a legal person”. The judgment, which was delivered Monday
by the division bench of Justice Rajiv Sharma and Justice Alok Singh, came during the hearing of a PIL
related to division of properties between Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The high court based its
argument on the religious value of the rivers and cited several Supreme Court decisions that stated that “a
Hindu idol is a juristic entity capable of holding property and of being taxed” through those “who are
entrusted with the possessionand management of its property”.
“Rivers Ganges and Yamuna are worshipped by Hindus,” the court said, underlining that “according to
Hindu beliefs, a dip in River Ganga can wash away all the sins”. “The Ganga is also called ‘Ganga Maa’,”
it added. Noting that “there is utmost expediency to give legal status as a living person/legal entity to
Rivers Ganga and Yamuna r/w Articles 48-A and 51A(g) of the Constitution of India,” the court ruled that
“the Rivers Ganga and Yamuna, all their tributaries, streams, every natural water flowing with flow
continuously or intermittently of these rivers, are declared as juristic/legal persons /living entities having
the status of a legal person with all corresponding rights, duties and liabilities of a living person in order
to preserve and conserve river Ganga and Yamuna”. “The extraordinary situation has arisen since Rivers
Ganga and Yamuna are losing their very existence,” the court said, noting that “this situation requires
extraordinary measures.”
Deliberating on the nature of God, it observed: “God is Omnipotent and Omniscient and its presence is
felt not by reason of a particular form or image but by reason of the presence of the omnipotent.” The
court also rapped UP and Uttarakhand for their failure to constitute the Ganga Management Board and
asked the Chief Secretaries of both states to cooperate with the Centre. It noted that Virendra Sharma,
Senior Joint Commissioner, Ministry of Water Resource & Ganga Rejuvenation, had revealed that despite
long correspondence, neither UP nor Uttarakhand were cooperating with the Central Government.

20. On December 5, the court had directed the Centre to constitute the board “and make it functional” within
“three months”. This is the first instance that a river has been granted a legal status in India. Also, this is
among rare instances in the world that a river is given legal status of a juristic person. Earlier, the New
Zealand Parliament, acknowledging rights of its native Maori people, had passed a Bill, declaring
Whanganui river as a legal entity that has the right to represent itself through its representatives.
WANTED HELPING HANDS- Courtesy: Daijiworld.com
For more appeals visit – www.daijiworld.com - charity
Prakash(39),4-187/38B, Sri Devi Kripa, Anand Nagar, Akash Bhavan, Mangaluru
575015
Prakash(39),whose kidneys have failed is registered for deceased donor Kidney Transplant at KMC
Hospital. The cost of the transplant would be around Rs 6,00,000 to Rs 8,00,000. He has a three years
old daughter and he is the only breadwinner in the family. Therefore, he has requested for monetary
help from generous people for the surgery and medical treatment.
Kindly send your remittances to his following bank account:
Bank Account No.: 018002101000293
Name of the Account Holder: Prakash
Bank: Corporation Bank, Lalbagh,
Mahatma Gandhi Road, Mangaluru
Bank IFSC Code: CORP0000180
Telephone No.: +91 99729 88863
Perpethin D' Souza(46), 118, Neergadde, Mundalli, Bhatkal
Perpethin D' Souza(46), W/o Sebastian D' Souza, has Chronic Kidney Disease stage V and is on
Maintenance Haemodialysis. She needs Renal Transplantation. The cost of the surgery is Rs six lacs
and cost of post-transplant immunosuppression is Rs 25,000 per month initially for the first six months
followed by fifteen thousand per month life long.
She comes from a very poor family.
Her husband works as a daily wage construction laborer. Her three children are studying. It is quite
difficult for the family to bear the expenses. Please help the family in whatever way you can.

21. Kindly send your remittances to their following bank account:
Bank Account No.: 54058965347
Name of the Account Holder: Sebastian Antony D' Souza
Bank: State Bank of Mysore,
Chandra Complex Branch, Bhatkal – 581320
Bank IFSC Code: SBMY0040897
Telephone No.:+91 8105443064
Published by Fr Felix Rebello
c/o Infant Jesus Church, Jogeshwari
Mob. 9819688630, Email:frfelixrebello@gmail.com, gemenewsletter@gmail.com
website: www.infantjesusjogeshwari.in
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