An octogenarian tribal Catholic man from India named Simon Oraon has been honored by the Indian government for his environmental preservation work in his village. As a child, he witnessed drought and famine and was inspired to plant trees and build dams to conserve water. Over the years, he worked with the community to build dams and ponds and plant over 30,000 trees. This brought water back to over 1,600 families and expanded farming areas. He is being held up as a role model for water conservation and community development.

1. E-NEWSLETTER-7/1
Indian octogenarian honored for preserving the
environment
Childhood drought, famine inspires tribal Catholic to plant trees,
build dam
Bijay Kumar Minj, New Delhi, India
April 15, 2016
Simon Oraon, an octogenarian tribal Catholic, has been honored by the Indian government for
his work in preserving the environment in his eastern Jharkhand state village.
Simon Oraon, an octogenarian tribal Catholic who received India's fourth highest civilian honor,
credits his community for his awarding-winning work to protect the environment and conserve
water. Indian President Pranab Mukherjee bestowed on Oraon, 83, the Padma Shri Award
during a ceremony inside the parliament building in New Delhi on April 12. Oraon, known as the
"waterman" of eastern Indian Jharkhand state, dropped out of school in the fourth grade.
The award recognizes his work to bring back green space to the tribal villages of his Bedo area,
near the state capital Ranchi.
"Whatever I have done is due to the support of the community. How can I take the award alone?
It's a Padma Shri for all those who made my mission succeed," he told ucanews.com. As a child,
he witnessed famine and abject poverty that destroyed hectares of farmland and killed livestock,
forcing his family and villagers to migrate to save their own lives. He thought of ways to "set
things right." In 1961, he, along with friends, built a check dam to trap rainwater. After the dam
gave way twice, they lobbied the government for help in building a concrete dam. They also
planted trees in the area.

2. When people saw the positive changes the dam brought, they returned to the area and
improving the environment soon became a movement among the locals. Villagers built two
dams and five ponds, which trapped rainwater that was channelled through canals to the fields.
To prevent soil erosion, Oraon and other villagers planted some 30,000 fruit trees. "We have
worked hard and it now helps more than 1,600 families to grow crops on nearly 850 hectares of
land. We are now supplying vegetables to Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Kolkata," he said.
The Jesuit-run Indian Social Institute in New Delhi offers Oraon as a role model for people in
other drought-affected areas. "His work inspires us to leave our comfort zone and work for the
community," said Jesuit Father Ranjit Tigga.
Father Praful Toppo of Oraon's Bero Digya parish said the tribal man's "faith in God and
simplicity" is exemplary. "His leadership qualities bring people together with a purpose," the
priest said. Oraon, who local people refer to by the Hindi term of endearment, baba, or "holy
man," said he will continue to plant trees "until he dies."
The state's Rural Development Department has appointed him as the brand ambassador for its
watershed program.
Mumbaiites, "don’t save water; save the forests and
rivers instead"
14 Apr 2016MumbaiSTALIN DAYANAND
Now that the IPL has managed to weather the symbolic challenge to it using the water crisis, it’s time for
a reality check. Nothing makes my blood curdle more than hearing the slogan ‘save water’. In a land of
rivers, with 400 perennial rivers, we talk of saving water. Compare it with a slogan from OPEC “Save
Oil”. India gets its name from the Indus river. Abundant water was the only reason why India was invaded
and why civilisations thrived. Today, when we talk of the empty slogan save water, it is a reflectionof
how we lap up every slogan from the west without questioning if it is applicable to our land.
Development is industrialisation and concretisation. Both need water. The question is whether to
industrialise at the cost of drinking water or to provide drinking water for life to survive? The answer is
not hard to decide. Not just industry, but excessive farming is also the reason. Farmers continue to endure
decades of abuse and neglect thanks to the greed of politicians. The race between politicians to be at a par
or above the other has led to this drought. In rain shadow regions, and in areas with less rainfall, farmers
grow sugarcane to toe the line laid by politicians, who ensure it is the only crop that has a stable sale
price. All other crops have been relegated to second place. An annual export of 2.43 million tonnes of
sugar worth more than $1.1 billion has forcedthe sacrifice of drinking water. Farmers of other crops have
been forced to expand farmlands into nearby forests to produce more so that they can survive the pit
bottom prices that befall them when the crop is ready. Take a look at Google Earth Satellite imagery and
one can see the ever-expanding kilometres of farm land. We are a surplus producer of food. We farm
excessively so that the farmer may survive.

3. Government policies never focussed on protecting water sources, wetlands and water bodies. A case in
point is the Ulhas River. This perennial river is the last resource of fresh water for the MMR. Thanks to
the development undertaken by corporations from Kalyan to Karjat, the river is dying. Lakhs of humans
from Kalyan, Ambernath and Thane were supplied water from Shahad, which was contaminated with
sewage disposal undertaken by the Ulhas Nagar Municipal Corporation and townships all the way up to
the source in Karjat. The polluters were fined heavily and action was initiated by the National Green
Tribunal (NGT). Sadly, the polluters got a stay order against the NGT order from the Bombay high court
by citing lack of funds, among other reasons, to avoid payment of fines to restore the river.
Delayed decisions of the judiciary will continue to haunt mankind and prolong the present misery.
Removal of the River Regulation Zone (RRZ) policy was another nail in the coffin for our rivers. It
allowed industries to be set up anywhere near the river instead of the 500m-2km distance prescribed
earlier. The ease of doing business is now equal to the ease of polluting the rivers and in turn defines
growth. Among the last remaining regions with a reasonably good amount of pure water is Konkan in
Maharashtra.
The government has decided to protect this region in a unique way — by allowing rubber plantations to
replace primary forests and by proposing a chemical zone in the Konkan. Don’t save water, save your
forests and rivers. No forests, no water —plain and simple. For IPL its business as usual. It is time to go
back to our daily routine of ignorance and indifference. Close the tap while brushing and pat yourself on
the back.
Stalin Dayanand is a conservationist at Vanashakti, a Mumbai-based NGO The views expressed are
personal
Students explore ways to help those hit by
drought...HT 11 Apr. 2016
JOINING HANDS
Water conservation programmes conducted at colleges, villages
 Musab Qazi musab.qazi@hindustantimes.com
MUMBAI: As the state reels under a severe water crisis, the city’s college students
are exploring ways to conserve water. They are chalking out and implementing
water conservation programmes in their own campuses and in drought-hit villages.
Yogita Jadhav, a student from St Paul’s College in Ulhasnagar, had often heard the
slogan ‘Pani adwa pani jirwa (Obstruct the water, absorb the water)’, but she
understood what it meant only when she saw it in action at a village in Murbad
taluka in Thane. The National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteer was a part of a team
of students who recently built check dams in the village.

4. “When we first visited the village, the water stream had dried up. With the help of
villagers we erected five check dams — small, temporary installations made up of
sacks filled with rubble — to accumulate the little water flowing in the stream,” she
said. Within a day, the water level rose from 2mm to 1foot. Soon enough, the
reservoir was full of water and the fields had turned green. In the past few months,
over thousand students from around eight colleges in the city and suburbs
participated in projects that help the drought-hit tide over the crisis. From building
small dams in rural areas to raising awareness about water conservation in the city,
they are bringing some respite to a parched state.
Tata I nstitute of Social Sciences (TISS) faced a water crisis in the campus earlier
this year, when Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation cut down the water supply.
The borewells in the campus, too, were drying up. “We didn’t have enough water to
cook or bathe,” said Sanju Soman, a graduate from TISS. Soman, with other
students, formed a ‘water committee’. “The committee aims to make the campus
self-sustainable in terms of water usage. We have started plugging the leaks in the
pipes and the institute has started putting in place an infrastructure to tap rain
water,” said Soman. The committee also offered tips to save water to students
through posters.
A similar initiative was taken up at Don Bosco Institute of Technology in Kurla
during Holi. The students raised awareness on water conservation through posters
and social media messages. Royal D’souza, an NSS programme officer and
coordinator for colleges between Kurla and Mulund, said, “Students play an
important role in raising awareness in the communities. I have asked all the
colleges in the region to take up this issue.”
Meanwhile, some students are trying to draw the city’s attention to the problem.
Rushabh Mamani, a city college student, has started an online petition to shift
Indian Premier League matches out of the state. “It is true that the state will earn
some revenue out of these matches but it cannot be at the cost of sufferings of our
farmers,” reads the petition. So far, it has garnered more than 19,000 signatures.
Tale of an untapped $13 bn waste management
industry
KUSHAGRA DIXIT (IANS) | 11/04/2016
Picture courtesy: Internet

5. Between an India which produces 62 million tonnes of solid waste every year and a 'Swachh
Bharat' is an untapped waste management industry which has the potential to be worth $13
billion by 2025, according to business organisations dealing in waste management research.
Entrepreneurs are now urgng the government to franchise the 'fragmented' waste management
industry and give it industrial status, so as to explore the sector in an organised manner. "Indian
waste has big business potential; it's all set to become a $13 billion industry by 2025," Ritu
Marya of Franchise India, a franchise solution company, told IANS.
"Swachh Bharat is a great initiative, but there are not enough businesses to back it up. At
present, businesses are fragmented. They are either startups or SMEs, very few corporates and
largely coming from overseas. That is not exactly an industry. "A sector becomes an industry
when professionalism and big funding comes, partnership happens at very large levels. That's
what we are trying to do, to put all these fragments together and make it one large industry,"
Marya said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi "means business, but I think Modi has put a lot on
his platter, and business needs execution. Social enterprises are great but unless they make
profit, they can't sustain for a very long time".
Franchise India along with SingEx, a Singaporean investment company exploring business
opportunities with Indian waste, held a 'Clean & Green India' conclave here, where businesses
chalked out the importance of an 'army of waste managers' to achieve success in the Swachh
Bharat Abhiyan. Indian waste management is governed by various legislation rolled out by the
Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change in association with state pollution control
boards, state governments and municipalities.
Official figures say around 62 million tonnes of solid waste is produced in the country every year
-- of which only 43 million tonnes is collected, only 12 million tonnes treated and the rest
dumped. This figure is expected to rise to 436 million tonnes by 2050. Around 4.5 million
tonnes is hazardous waste that includes bio-medical waste. Three million tonnes in plastic and
3.2 million tonnes of e-waste is generated annually in India. As per another survey by business
research organisation NOVONOUS, the waste management market is expected to be worth
$13.62 billion by 2025, with an annual growth rate of 7.17 percent.
The e-waste management market, which is regularised compared to other solid waste, is
expected to grow at 10.03 percent and the bio-medical waste management market is expected to
grow at 8.41 percent during the same period. As per the Ministry of Labour and Employment,
the e-waste market is expected to grow at 30.6 percent during 2014-19.
"Given the size of India and the amount of garbage that we have, it could be even a $100 billion
industry by 2020, provided we build the business around Swachh Bharat. Right now, it's just
built on rhetoric. I have not seen any government official coming out and giving a business
vision to Swachh Bharat," said a waste manager. B.K. Soni of Eco Recycling Ltd. (Ecoreco),
India's first professional e-waste management company, says 50 percent of expensive e-waste
goes out of India every year to extract gold, silver, platinum and other expensive materials out of
it.
"It is sold back to India at 50 percent higher rates," he says. "Around 39 million people -- around
three percent of India's population -- are involved in manual scavenging, e-waste or other waste
management. Those working in this fragmented industry have a life expectancy of 45 years and
30 percent of their income goes towards medicine," he said. "The government should at least
work to give waste management an industry status," says Marya.

6. "Once it becomes that, everything that's working individually or at NGO level would come under
one roof. Then things get regularised, people want to do jobs together. Today no one wants to
work in waste management because there is lack of professionalism," she says. The environment
ministry on April 5, 2016, had announced regularisation of manual scavengers, but it did not
answer the question on how to implement it. "Given an industrial status, rag-pickers would get a
blue collar job. It's important to uplift them by making them more professional," she adds.
Ravi Agarwal of Toxics Link, a Delhi-based group of philanthropists, says there is a huge
opportunity in waste management and a lot of work is required to make it an industry. But
things are not clear as waste management happens at the local government or municipal level,
which he says is incapable to handle the present recycling requirements. "Municipality is the
main stakeholder and it needs to open up. It requires well-defined hand holding, collection
mechanism and revenue generation. Waste management is a completely untapped industry or
rather an opportunity," he said.
"The environment ministry has done a good job, but the problem is with its implementation.
Political initiatives like Swachh Bharat helps, because it keeps the ball rolling. But to actually
implement it effectively, we need to go one step further," he adds. Ministry officials, however,
say waste management is already working as an industry at the local level. "A part of the waste
management market is already working as an industry, like e-waste or hazardous waste
management. We make legislation and the state governments, pollution control boards and
municipalities apply it. There are initiatives already going on.
"If demands like giving waste management an industrial status are coming up, then perhaps
business houses or entrepreneurs are expecting support from the government like loans or land
allotments. We are looking into it," an environment ministry official told IANS.
Small towns show city how to manage trash
Chittaranjan Tembekar, toi
`Segregation Of Garbage Key To Getting It Right'
While Mumbai grapples to manage waste at Deonar and other dumping grounds, around 21
municipal councils in the state can show the city the way to get it right.The councils, including
Vengurla, Wai, Satara, Ramtek, Umred, Ballarpur, Shirdi, Deolali, Shirur, Lonavala,
Mahabaleshwar, Mangalwedhe, and Vaijapur, have achieved an average 80-90% garbage
segregation to make their areas free of openair defecation and have adopted advanced
techniques such as GPS tracking of trash movement and disposal, shows an internal survey by
municipal authorities through respective collectors.

7. Mumbai generates 9,500 metric tonnes of garbage daily but none of it is processed. As a result,
almost 3,250 MLD sewage goes directly into the sea, without processing. Town planners
question why Mumbai's each ward cannot follow the mechanism adopted by these councils.
“Had Mumbai achieved segregation, toxicity in air and Thane creek could have been avoided,“
said a senior IIT professor, requesting anonymity . As the BRICS city summit involving cities
from five developing nations is underway , urban experts said they expect some effective
solutions and action in segregating and disposing the megacity's garbage. Director of municipal
administration Meeta Rajiv Lochan said in these councils, almost 100% garbage was collected
and there was absolutely no open-air defecation. “We have decided to change the concept of
dumping and instead of dumping sites, we have decided to convert them into processing units,“
said BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta.
“The 21 councils have been showing for the past few months that they take the cleaning
business very seriously .The smallest in size are Vengurla in the Konkan and Mahabaleshwar in
Satara district with apopulation of about13,000 and the largest is Satara with a population of
over 1lakh. The on ly common thing among them is their determination,“ said a Mantralaya
official.
In these councils, more than 50% households segregate waste at source into dry and wet
components and in at least nine councils, segregation at source is more than 75%. The wet
waste either is then processed through bio-methanation or composting. Many sell the resultant
manure to neighbouring farms. As a result waste generation in all councils has gone down
significantly .
ECO QUIZ
Pope Francis in his encyclical on environment
‘Laudato Si’ exhorts us to think about the future
generations. To put into practice the teachings of
Pope, we need to prepare a large army of Soldiers
to protect the Mother Earth. Who are best suited
for this task, if not kids? Below is an ECO QUIZ
with answers that can be used for kids of your
parish or institution. Feel free to adapt, or use
this ECO QUIZ in any other creative ways.
(answers are given later).
A summer vacation activity for
the Jogeshwari Kids Eco
Clubs
Instant correction, instant
results,
instant prizes and certificates
DATE: Tuesday, 19th April (a public holiday) starting fro 9.30 am
Venue: Infant Jesus school classrooms
GENERAL RULES:
1. In keepingwith the teachingofPopeFrancisto take careof MotherEarth, we needto bringmoreand more environmental
awarenessamongsttheyounger generations.Thismegaecoquizwillhelpthekids to beawareof various environmentalissues
andto live an eco-friendlylifestyle as they grow.

8. 2. Thisquizis opento allthe kids of JOGESHWARI SCC KIDS ECO CLUBS.
3. Animators’in-chargewillselectupto maximum20ECO KIDS from your SmallCommunities(SCs)to participateinthis quiz. (5th
to 11th std, includingallfaith kidsgoingto 5th std next academicyear.It is also an opportunityto recruitnewkids for your ECO
KIDS CLUBS for 2016-17batch).
4. If you have morethan 20ECO KIDS in your community,pleasegive a separateentry form as it willbe consideredanindependent
groupfor allpurposes(groupA and B). Zeroxthe originalforextra entry form.
5. TheMEGAECO QUIZ willbe heldon 10 GEM PPTs(PPT 1 – TwentySimpleTipstoPPT 10 – Eco-FriendlyReligions)from the
website – www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in –GEM section.
6. All kidsmay not have accesstointernet. Theanimatorsmayfollowtheirown strategy to preparekids for this quiz (oneexam ple
couldbe studying the PPTsas a group at a commonplace).
7. Thisquizwillconsistsof 50objectivetype questions(just to tick – a, b or c).
8. Cashprizes willbe awardedfor the collectiveperformance(totalmarksscoredbyeachEcoKidsClub), andtop individual
performerswillbehonoredwith GEM meritcertificates.
9. ThreetopECO KIDS CLUBSwho scorehighest(total scoredbyallkids) willget a cashprize of Rs 1000/- eachforEcoKids fund.
Therewillbea consolationcashprizeforother ECO KIDS clubs,providedthere are minimum10 participantsparticipatinginthe
quiz.
10. GEM certificatesforindividualtopperswillbe awardedasper the followingscores:
 Marks 50 out of50 – Outstanding Certificate
 Marks 45 and above – excellent (First place)
certificates
 Marks from 40 to 44 – Second place
 Marks from 35 to 39 – third place.
 Marks from 30 to 34 – consolation prize
certificate
MEGA ECO QUIZ
(Questions for this ECO QUIZ are chosen from the GEM PPTs 1 (twenty simple tips) to PPT no 10 (eco-friendly religions) from
the website – www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in – GEM section.
You have to simply tick (a,b or c) the correct answers in the answer sheet given separately).
1] When cleaning and rinsing your teeth__________ a] keep the tap slow b] close the tap c] keep tap running.
2] A TV set that's switched on for 3 hours a day and in standby mode for 21 hours uses about____ percentage ofits energy in
standby mode. a] 20 b] 40 c] 60
3] Pressure cookers and steamers can save around _____ percentenergy. a] 50 b] 60 c] 70
4] When you mix wetand dry waste, you lose _____ ‘M’s, besides causing pollution. a] 4 b] 5 c] 2
5] Due to lack of ________, India is still way behind in using this natural source ofenergy.
a] subsidies b] awareness c] resources
6] _____use the solar lightto make food. a] birds b] fishes c] plants
7] There are ___ methods to harness solar energy.
a] 2 b] 4 c] 6
8] In July ____, India unveiled a $19-billion plan to produce 20 GW of solar power by 2020.
A] 1900 b] 2009 c] 2012
9] _____ gets a lot ofattention these days for its clean energy push, and for good reason. a] Italy b] China c] India
10] Petroleum Resource will existtill ____, Gas Resource till 2050 then What? a] 2040 b] 2030 c] 2020
11] If you consume just3 tsp ofsugar daily, imagine how much sugar you would have consumed by the time you are 50 years
of age; itwill be about______ kg !,
a] 150 b] 200 c] 275
12] A healthy lunch composed ofproteins,dairy products, grains, fruits and vegetables can increase a child's ____ and
positively affecther academic performance. a] Attention span b] health c] intelligence
13] Excessive saltis notgood for our body. However, sodium in moderate amount, along with potassium, maintains the
_______ in our body.
a] blood level b] water balance c] fat balance
14] Sitting down to regular meals ________ is a great way to opportunity to instill proper eating habits in your children at an
early age.
a] with friends b] as a family c] at a restaurant
15] Excessive TV watching leads to _____ and mindless munching. a] Sleepiness b] boredom c] inactivity
16] Every year about_____ billion pounds ofplastic is produced in the world and not even 5% ofit is recycled.
a] 300 b] 200 c] 100

9. 17] In UP of India, in the stomach ofa dead cow, as much as ___ kg ofplastic was found because plastic does not
decompose/digest, and requires high energy ultra-violetlightto break down. a] 35 b] 25 c] 15
18] About____ animals such as dolphins, turtles, whales, penguins are killed every year due to plastic bags.
a] 2 lacs b] 1 lac c] 5 lac
19] About25 children in the United States suffocate each year due to plastic bags, mostunder the age of____.
a] five b] two c] one
20] Some chemicals used to manufacture plastic are known to cause _____ in humans.
a] Cancer b] kidney deceases c] skin deceases.
21] Shade provided by trees can also reduce your air conditioning bill by ________%. a] 20-25 b] 15-20 c] 10-15
22] When just ____% of car owners properly maintain their cars, nearly a billion pounds ofcarbon dioxide are keptoutofthe
atmosphere. a] 1 2] 10 3] 20
23] It takes ___ calories offossil fuel to produce 1 calorie ofpork. a] 78 b] 35 c] 22
24] Final statement of CBCI meeting 2012 says, “We are stewards of God’s Creation, and we must use our resources for the
good ofall, keeping in mind also our duty to ________”.
a] mother earth b] future generations c] all humanity
25] “If there is a Nobel prize for dirtand filth, India will win it hands down” who had said this?
a] PM Modi b] Rahul Gandhi c] Jairam Ramesh
26] Not only have quantities increased, butalso the constitution of the wastes - Quantities of plastic matter are ___ times higher
than in the 1960s.
a] 70 b] 50 c] 30
27] ____ is the most favoured option in handling the garbage. a] recycling b] prevention c] disposal
28] ____ in the following listis wet waste i.e. biodegradable.
a] wooden piece b] rubber c] battery cells
29] EM solution over the wet waste is used ____
a] to preventmosquitoes b] to avoid smell c] for speedier decomposition
30] Conversion ofwet garbage into manure results in nature’s wealth being ___. a] restored b] shared c] exploited
31] Soft drinks are today's trend or much better, you can call them _____ especially among the youth.
a] addiction b] fashion c] hobby
32] Alcohol content ofa soft drink must be less than ____ percentofthe total volume ifthe drink is to be considered non-
alcoholic. a] .05 b] 1 c] 2
33] Drinking a single 330 ml can a day of sugary drinks translates to more than 1 pound (0.45 kg) of weightgain every ____.
a] day b] year c] month
34] Brushing teeth right after drinking soft drinks _____. a] is good b] should be avoided c] is harmless
35] Scientists from ____found that people who drank a litre of fizzy drinks were five times more likely to develop fatty liver
disease. a] Canada b] Singapore c] Israel
36] Indian Renewable Energy DevelopmentAgency (IREDA) estimates indicate that India has so far realized only about _____
percentofits waste-to-energy potential. a] 2 b] 5 c] 10
37] As per the diagram given in the slide, outoftotal waste generated ____ percentwaste consists ofwet waste
a] 25 b] 54 c] 65
38] The gas content comprises mainly methane ____ and carbon dioxide (30-45%). a] 55-70 b] 30-45 c] 15-25
39] In ____, seven million household and community biogas systems have been successfully installed.
a] France b] Japan c] China
40] The total estimated costofthe compactbiogas system for a typical household is aboutINR _____.
a] 10,000 b] 15,000 c] 20,000
41] Rainwater harvesting is the process ofaugmenting the natural filtration ofrainwater in to the underground formation by
some _____ methods. a] Scientific b] traditional c] artificial
42] Broadly there are ____ ways ofharvesting rainwater a] two b] three c] five
43] _____ is a simple, easiestand cheapestform filter, suitable for residential units.
a] Charcoal filter b] PVC pipe filter c] sponge filter
44] In the method of‘Recharge harvesting of wells’, the cleaning and desalting ofdug well should be done regularly to ____ a]
clean the water b] enhance the recharge rate c] deepen the well
45] Recharge ofTrenches can be ofsize 0.50 to 1.0 m wide and ______ m deep.
a] 1 to 1.5 b] 2 to 2.5 c] 3 to 3.5
46] For Hinduism, nature and the environmentare not outside us, notalien or hostile to us. They are an inseparable partof our
existence, and they constitute our very _____. a] souls b] bodies c] minds
47] “If you want to cultivate peace, protect creation” - which recentPope said this?

10. a] Pope John Paul b] Pope Francis c] Pope Benedict
48] ProphetMuhammad urged kindness toward all living things. He recounted a case ofa women who was insensitive and
cruel to her ______. a] dog b] cat c] cow
49] According to Buddha’s teaching, excessive greed to possess everything for themselves, or for their own group, has make
men becoming ______. a] blind b] deaf c] mad
50] According to which religion - Air is the Guru, Water is the Father, and Earth is the Great Mother of all.
a] Judaism b] Sikhism c] Jainism
HI ECO KIDS AND OTHERS! CONGRATULATIONS FOR YOUR
PARTCIPATION IN THIS ECO QUIZ
Your participation is like planting a sapling. A sapling planted takes some
years to grow as a big tree and give fruit. So also your participation in this
quiz. This quiz will help you to realise the importance of saving Mother Earth,
and preserving it for the future generations.
ANSWER SHEET - MEGA ECO QUIZ – 1 (GEM PPTs 1 to 10)
NAME (Cap. letters)
________________________________________________________________
Name of your KIDS ECO CLUB:
Marks obtained
out of 50
Answers
Simply mark √ or X on the correctanswer. After once ticking, ifyou want to change the answer, cancel the answer ticked, and
write the correct alphabet in the blank column (last column).
1 a b c
2 a b c
3 a b c
4 a b c
5 a b c
6 a b c
7 a b c
8 a b c
9 a b c
10 a b c
11 a b c
12 a b c
13 a b c
14 a b c
15 a b c
16 a b c
17 a b c
18 a b c
19 a b c
26 a b C
27 a b C
28 a b C
29 a b C
30 a b C
31 a b c
32 a b c
33 a b c
34 a b c
35 a b c
36 a b c
37 a b c
38 a b c
39 a b c
40 a b c
41 a b c
42 a b c
43 a b c
44 a b c

11. 20 a b c
21 a b c
22 a b c
23 a b c
24 a b c
25 a b c
45 a b c
46 a b c
47 a b c
48 a b c
49 a b c
50 a b c
GIVE YOUR GENUINE FEEDBACK
(Answer the following on the reverse of this page in good handwriting, at least 4/5 sentences. Best answers will be published in
the gem facebook along with your name)
1] How did you benefitfrom your participation in the MEGA ECO QUIZ 1?
2] Now onwards what concrete actions you will take to protectenvironment?
ANSWERS FOR MEGA QUIZ
1] b 2] b 3] c 4] c 5] b 6] c 7] a 8] b 9] b 10] c 11]c 12] a 13] b 14] b 15] c 16] a 17] a 18] b 19] c 20] a 21] c 22] a
23] b 24] b 25] c 26] a 27] b 28] a 29] c 30] a 31] b 32] a 33] c 34] b 35] c 36] a 37] b 38] a 39] c 40] a 41] c 42] a
43] c 44] b 45] a 46] b 47] c 48] b 49] a 50] b
BMC wants centre to relax green panel
conditions ..HT, 11/4/16
Chetna Yerunkar
MUMBAI: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has approached Union
environment minister Prakash Javadekar to consider waiving off certain conditions set
by the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) before approving
the Rs12,000-crore coastal road project. This, however, has invited criticism from
environmentalists and citizen activists. In a meeting held late last month to discuss
the recent fires at the Deonar dumping ground, civic chief Ajoy Mehta also discussed
waiving off conditions mandated by the MCZMA such as setting aside 2% of the total
project cost (around Rs250 crore) for mitigation measures, replanting five times the
mangroves hacked and construction of a tram service instead of Bus Rapid Transit
System (BRTS).
Civic officials said the mangroves to be replanted have been increased from three
times (mandated as per the central government’s notification) to five times the
mangroves destroyed during construction. Civic officials also felt a tram service

12. won’t be feasible and should be waived off. This was discussed with the
environment minister along with mitigation measures that have been undertaken in
the detailed project report. The civic body wants the Ministry of Environment, Forest
and Climate Change to give a nod to the project based on its final notification
allowing construction of coastal roads by reclamation. One of the senior civic
officers said, “We have already pointed out our concerns relating to the MCZMA’s
conditions and requested them not to go beyond the final notification and make it
more stringent, thus resulting in major changes in the project.” Mehta confirmed
the coastal road project had been discussed with the Union minister.
Activists have pointed out the BMC is not serious about protecting the environment
and has not taken into consideration the standards set by the MCZMA. Darryl
D’monte, chairman of Forum for environmental journalists in India, said, “The
impact on mangroves will be very high owing to this project. The BMC is making a
complete mockery of the environment clearance procedure by seeking to dilute
conditions laid down by the MCZMA . The civic body has not even taken any public
hearing, which is mandatory before a big project.”
Stalin D, project director of NGO Vanashakti, said, “Mangroves do not grow like a
terrestrial forest, they grow naturally, Mangroves also give immense ecological
balance to surrounding areas. The civic body could have easily constructed roads on
stilts. Cutting mangroves in Mumbai and planning to plant them back at Dahanu
only shows how serious the government is about protecting the environment.”
Urban farm grows food for patients
Badri Chatterjee badri.chatterjee@hindustantimes.com
Volunteers of NGO grow variety of vegetables, fruits at medical facility in
Navi Mumbai using kitchen waste
MUMBAI: Three years ago, a nongovernmental organisation (NGO) set out on a green mission to convert
a one-acre barren land on the campus of a medical research facility in Navi Mumbai into an organic farm.
The once-barren plot is now grows herbs, vegetables plants and fruit trees, which are fed to patients
undergoing treatment at the facility. This urban farm is also home to more than 80 species of birds and 25
species of butterflies and moths. The NGO, Green Souls, has ever since been promoting urban farming to
city dwellers, who are encouraged to grow food on building terraces, balconies and small plots of land.
In 2013, Green Souls created an urban farm at Our Lady’s Home for Boys, an orphanage in Dadar. The
group trains boys from the orphanage to segregate and use their kitchen and garden waste to create
compost, which can be used to organically grow their own vegetables and fruits. “On a 5,000 sqft rooftop
area at Our Lady’s Home for Boys, we installed 300 pots with saplings using recycled paint containers

13. and generated more than four tonnes of compost on the 3,000 sqft backyard area, over the past three
years,” said Manasvini Tyagi, member, Green Souls. The group conducts regular workshops at Navi
Mumbai and Dadar by teaching participants to grow their own food without using chemical fertilisers.
“Our vision is to continue growing pesticide-free, organic food for children undergoing medical treatment
and also providing the children and their families a centre to learn the techniques of urban farming,” said
Julius Rego, another member of the NGO. A host of nutritious vegetables such as brinjal, cabbage,
cauliflower and spinach, among others, are grown at the urban farm in Navi Mumbai, said Tyagi, adding,
“The organic vegetables grown at this farm have benefitted patients as they provide them with the
required vitamins and also boosts their immunity levels.”
The patients availing treatment at this medical facility said they have benefitted from the work done by
Green Souls. Damodar Bhatkar, a resident of Akola district in Maharashtra, whose 12-year-old son is
undergoing treatment for a brain tumour at the medical facility, said, “The not-for-profit, through its
project, has provided the medical facility fresh organic vegetables that are grown without using chemical
fertilisers. My son and I have spent many mornings learning about urban farming. It has been a
therapeutic experience for us.”
Green Souls also conducts workshops on nutrition, biodiversity and ecosystems at 35 schools, including
Don Bosco International School, Matunga and American School of Bombay, Bandra-Kurla Complex,
among other schools in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. “Thanks to Green Souls, the children have learnt how
to practice farming and gardening activities amidst the challenges a city like Mumbai, which lacks open
spaces, poses,” said Father Savio Silveira from Don Bosco International School
Polluted, yet personal vehicle culture intact
Manish Umbrajkar | TNN | Apr 11, 2016
Pune: Most cities in India, including Pune, are choking on air pollution caused by the exhaust
from aging vehicles, those that run on diesel, construction dust and smoke and particles from
the burning of garbage. Every now and then, there is a hue and cry about discouraging the use
of personal vehicles on the roads, yet statistics show that it shows no sign of falling. Nearly half
the population in Pune city alone (about 35 lakh as per Census 2011) uses two-wheelers or
cars, according to a report compiled by the urban development ministry. The study blamed low
parking charges for the preference to personal vehicles.
The mode of transport in Pune shows that nearly 38% people use two-wheelers, the highest
among 10 cities, including Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Kanpur.
Though Pune's population is less than many of these cities, the number of people relying on
two-wheelers for transport is phenomenally high. Regional Transport Office staff said two lakh
vehicles were added in a span of 10 months beginning from April 2015. Of the total 2.04 lakh
vehicles registered till January this year, about 1.46 lakh are motorcycles and 39,000 are cars.
Nearly 20,400 vehicles were registered every month since April 2015.
In Pune, despite the comprehensive mobility plan pointing out that parking charges should be

14. higher, corporators have been opposing the move. Parking charges in other Indian cities are
also abysmally low which encourages the use of personal vehicles leading to traffic congestion
in the central and congested areas. Many cities abroad have steep parking charges which
deters people from using personal vehicles. The urban development ministry has cited the
example of London city with high parking charges are a tool to reduce traffic congestion. The
ministry, which came out with its first report on urban statistics, has a comparison of parking
charges in Indian cities as well as charges in cities, abroad.
"Parking charges in India are less. Higher parking charges create a disincentive for using private
vehicles for transport and are an important tool in promoting public transport. In cities like
London, parking charges have been used as an instrument to reduce congestion on roads. It
can also be an important source of financing municipal corporations," the ministry added. The
ministry during the UPA-II tenure had asked cities to explore the possibility of increasing parking
charges. Pune Municipal Corporation's comprehensive mobility plan said there should be limited
parking space as well as high parking charges, so that more people opt for using public
transport.
At present, most roads in the city have free parking, the CMP said. There is a revenue
generation potential through parking charges. Parking structures in the core city area in the
development plan should be implemented and that the parking plazas should improve traffic
circulation in the vicinity, the plan added. Retired town planning expert R N Gohad said parking
charges should be increased substantially for reducing traffic congestion on the roads. "Parking
on roads is almost free. The carriage width on the roads reduces considerably and this leads to
severe traffic congestion," he said.
The use of personal vehicles, he said, is because public transport is inefficient. "There is at least
one vehicle, either a two-wheeler or a car in each family. Public transport should be improved so
that this use of personal vehicles is reduced. Parking problems have affected a lot of cities
around the world and they have all managed to tackle the menace," he added. The urban
statistics report shows that public transport in all the cities is on the decline. With incessant
growth of personal transport, sustaining urban transport has become a challenge for
policymakers and urban planners, the ministry stated. While 38% Puneites use two-wheelers,
the percentage of personal motorized transport increases if the 10% people who use cars are
added. This means that nearly half the travellers use personal transport. The share of public
transport in Pune is a poor 12%.
Several non-governmental organizations have stressed the need for better and safe pedestrian
facilities. "Pune faces severe problems like traffic congestion and pollution. This situation is a
direct outcome of flawed traffic and transportation policies which promote use of private vehicles
by providing more and more road space, flyovers, subways and one-way plans. There is utter
neglect of public transport and non-motorized transport like walking and cycling. Congestion
affects movement of buses and pedestrians the most, further making these modes less
attractive," Prashant Inamdar, convener of Pedestrians First, said. The urban statistics show
that 24% people walk, while cycle is a mode of transport only for 8% of the population, and
another 8% uses autorickshaws.
Senior officials of transport utility Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML)
admit that the city's public transport is in a bad shape. "The municipal corporations of Pune and
Pimpri Chinchwad as well as the state government should help PMPML in building new depots
and workshops. The present infrastructure is in a bad condition. PMPML needs more funds,'' a
senior official said. Many buses are more than eight years old and suffer mechanical
breakdowns. Repair and maintenance are challenges, the officials added.

15. Want lush green fields amid drought? Take tips
from this village in Beed
Hindustan Times, April 12, 2016
KINHI VILLAGE, BEED: Wells, borewells overflowing with water, lush green fields and no
worry about the monsoon till the end of July – seems like a dream? It is a reality achieved in
Asthi taluka in Beed district, the area termed worst-hit by drought in Marathwada, thanks to
water conservation. Till a decade ago, the village relied on water tankers during summer and half
of its 3,000odd residents used to migrate to work in the sugarcane fields at Baramati. So what
brought about the change?
In 2003, Dattatreya Kakade, who was working as a journalist after completing his masters in
Marathi literature, got nominated as the sarpanch of the village. “The only thing on my mind
was to work towards water conservation,” Kakde said. That year the state government
announced two schemes for watershed management in Marathwada—Marathwada Mision and
Jal Swaraj. “We decided to implement the scheme sincerely. Our first challenge was to block and
store the rainwater running down the nearby hills in seasonal streams and nullahs surrounding
the village. A lot of water was wasted that way,” said Kakde.
To counter it, they created a deep channel for the main stream from a mountain 9 km away from
the village. “Barrier blocks were created in the channel at regular intervals and retaining walls
were used to create storage space for the running water. Channels were created to help the small
streams from other hills flow into the main channel,” Kakde said. This increased the ground
water level and the wells got replenished. “Even after a moderate monsoon, we used to get water
that would sustain for the next two or three seasons,” he said, adding the last pool of water in the
channel got over just a week ago.“But the ground water level is good. There is plenty of water in
the wells for irrigation and human consumption,” said Kakde, who took a break from politics
four years ago to start an English medium school at Asthi.
“Half of the 160 students in my school are labourers’ children, who migrate to work in sugarcane
fields. They don’t have to pay fees. They just need to get their uniform and shoes.”The water
experiment has changed the scenario for farmers. For instance, Babanrao Nivruti Kakde, 65, the
current sarpanch of Kinhi, says his village has got a bumper onion crop. He is only worried about
the falling prices owing to poor demand. Waiting for the prices to stabilise, Babanrao plans to
push his other ready-toharvest crop, pomegranate, into the market. “We have onions worth Rs10
crore lying in storage. Once the demand shoots up, we will get double the price.
For now, we will sell pomegranate, which is in demand,” Babanrao said. “We are satisfied.
Currently, five of the nearby villages are surviving on our water.”After Kinhi’s success, the
Yashwantrao Chavan Academy of Development Administration, Pune, recommended that Kakde
train villages across Beed in watershed management. But the model is yet to be replicated. “They

16. have managed a miracle. They are more than sufficient in water at a time when the entire district
is reeling under scarcity,” says Naval Kishore Ram, collector, Beed.
Temple tragedy prompts rethink on fireworks
Pyrotechnic displays are a momentary thrill that can also be deadly, says bishop.
Posted on April 15, 2016, 5:49 PM, ucannews
Kochi: After a pyrotechnic explosion killed over 100 people at a Hindu temple in the
southern Indian state of Kerala April 10, Catholic parishes in the region are
considering banning fireworks during their festivals. Father George Rebeiro,
spokesman for the Quilon Diocese which covers the disaster area, said the tragedy
has prompted a discussion on the merits of having fireworks during celebrations.
The priest said the state has rules about firework storage, transportation and use
but unfortunately implementation is poor.
"Catholics in general are discussing to instead use the money spent on fireworks to
do something useful for the people, especially the poor," Father Rebeiro said while
acknowledging that several parishes traditionally hold fireworks as part of their
feasts. "This could surely be a discussion point in the next meeting of the priest as
of the diocese has not issued any formal ban on fireworks," Father Rebeiro said.
Christians and Hindus, who together make up 75 percent of the 34 million people in
the state, regularly have fireworks as part of festivities in their temples and
parishes, often without adequate safety measures.
Bishop Joseph Kariyil of Kochi, the commercial capital of the state, told media April
12 that in the wake of the temple tragedy parishes should not be having fireworks.
"Firework displays are a momentary thrill and they can kill people. We should avoid
it," said Bishop Kariyil. The bishop appealed to wealthy Catholics in the dioceses
who want to use fireworks as part of a marriage ceremony to instead use the
money to help the needy. Two days after the explosions, the Orthodox Syrian
Church in Kerala announced a ban on firework displays as part of any Orthodox
Church festivity.
"Security of the people should be given priority," the supreme head of the church
Catholicos and Malankara Metropolitan Baselios Marthoma Paulose II told media.
However, Archbishop Andrews Thazhathu of Thrissur, vice president of the national
bishops' conference, has supported the use of fireworks at a large upcoming Hindu
temple festival in his archdiocesan area. The festival, Thrissur Pooram, attracts one

17. million people every April.
The Nair Service Society, an organization of Hindu upper-class Nairs demanded a
total ban on fireworks at the temple festivals. "We should learn lessons from the
tragedy and change our practices to save people's lives," said the society's
secretary G. Sukumaran Nair.
Kanadararu Rajeevaru, the Hindu priest of Sabarimala temple, the state's most
famous and richest, said that firework displays are nothing but a waste of money
that invited man-made disasters in Kerala. "It's high time they were banned,"
Rajeevaru said.
End of the road for Rs 50,000 crore Posco
plant?
TNN | Apr 10, 2016
NEW DELHI: Suspense over the fate of the Rs 50,000-crore Posco steel project in Odisha has
deepened with the South Korean giant showing disinterest in pursuing it because of the hurdles
it continues to face on grounds of environment protection.
Appearing before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday, Posco's counsel expressed the
firm's diminishing interest in the project near Paradip. He said the company was yet to get the
land and forest clearance required for setting up the 12-milliontonne steel plant, which was to be
the country's biggest FDI project, and would not be able to complete it by July 2017 when the
revised environmental clearance it had received in 2014 runs out. Korean steel giant Posco on
Friday indicated it was no longer interested in pursuing its proposed Rs 50,000-crore plant in
Odisha. Appearing before the NGT, the company refrained from indicating if it would seek
extension of the green clearance that expires next year, sparking doubts whether it is still
committed to the proposed project in Paradip.
On April 8, the NGT noted the Posco counsel said the project cannot proceed before the validity
of the green clearance ends on July 19, 2017. "At this stage, they (Posco) are unable to carry out
the project and if they plan to take advantage of the environmental clearance and complete the
project, they would inform the applicant and tribunal," the NGT order said.

18. That the company, frustrated by problems it has faced, may be losing its interest in the steel
plant project had become evident in Bhubaneswar on Friday when South Korean ambassador to
India, Cho Hyun, did not broach the issue with Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik. "It is now for the
company (Posco) to decide whether it wants to set up the project," Hyun said, in remarks which
marked a departure from the intensity with which his government had pursued the project so far
with the Centre and the state. "South Korea has many other things to offer to the state, not just
Posco. We should not focus only on Posco," Hyun said.
Though the NGT order keeps open the window for Posco to revive the project, the prospects are
not bright as the Korean company has said that nothing can get off the ground for now. Whether
land can be handed over and the company persuaded to begin work remains to be seen. Since
the environmental clearance runs out in a little more than a year, it would need renewal soon.
Diocesan priests told to protect environment in their
parish lands
Priests should see economics, nature, culture as one integral entity rather than as
fragments.
Posted on April 11, 2016, 4:13 PM, ucannews
Panaji: Diocesan priests in India have been asked to protect the environment in their parish lands. There is
a need "for a paradigm shift" in the priestly ministry from a mancentric world to a pro-life philosophy,
that will encompass all living things, Father Kasi Rayappa, an environmental activist told some 250
priests at the 14th national conference of the National Conference of Diocesan Priests of India in Old Goa
that ended April 8. "It should see economics, nature, culture as one integral entity rather than being seen
in fragments," he said.
A major theme for discussion was putting into practice Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato si', that spoke of
the need for caring for the environment. Father Rayappa suggested the establishment of parish "green
teams" involved in specific environment-related practices and promotion of environment-related
education material in parishes.
The Conference of Diocesan Priests of India began in 2001 under the Conference of Catholic Bishops in
India, the national body of Latin-rite bishops in the country. The forum has units in all 131 Latin dioceses
and representatives from each diocese attended the national meeting.
NGO delegation meets MP Shwait Malik to impose
plastic ban effectively
Tribune News Service, Amritsar, April 7

19. A delegation of Mission Aghaaz met MP, Rajya Sabha, Shwait Malik, to urge him to enforce the
ban on use of plastic bags with conviction. Submitting their request through a letter and
discussing the lapses in implementation of the ban since April 1, the volunteer citizens said all
administrative officials should lead by example and focus on awareness campaigns. The letter
explains the problems being faced by citizens due to the eco-hazards plastic bags pose. “As you
are well aware about the problem of waste management that has been daunting the Corporation
for a long time, one of the major contributors to this problem is the rampant use of polythene
products that have replaced the traditional jute and paper bags.
Apart from choking the sewerage system, polythene also chokes the respiratory system of the
animals especially cows, who consume the vegetables and other waste food items wrapped in the
poly bags, leading to their death. The problems arising out of the continuous use of polythene
have aggravated in the absence of stringent rules.”The delegation also requested the Mp and
former Mayor of the city to intervene and discourage the protests by plastic manufacturers and
traders, who are against the ban.“Everyone knows that plastic is a non-biodegradable material
and cannot be considered healthy replacement for the natural fibre based products like jute or
cotton. We welcome the blanket ban on plastics but only with effective implementation can we
expect to root out the problem,” said Deepak Babbar, member Misssion Aghaaz.
The delegation urged him that the polythene manufacturers should be motivated to start making
carry bags from jute and environment friendly material. Other members of the NGO present
included Gurbhej Singh Sandhu General Secretary, Manjit Jhangra CEO, Rameshwar Dutt
Sharma, Brij Mohan Sharma and Vishal Sharma.
To check climate change, stop wasting food:
Experts
Barcelona: Reuters
Better Management Can Cut Emission From Agriculture By 14%

20. Reducing food waste around the world would help curb emissions of planet-warming
gases, lessening some of the impacts of climate change such as more extreme
weather and rising seas, scientists said on Thursday. Up to 14% of emissions from
agriculture in 2050 could be avoi agriculture in 2050 could be avoided by managing
food use and distribution better, according to a study from the Potsdam Institute for
Climate Impact Research (PIK). “Agriculture is a major driver of climate change,
accounting for more than 20% of overall global greenhouse gas emissions in 2010,“
said co-author Prajal Pradhan. “Avoiding food loss and waste would therefore avoid
unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions and help mitigate climate change.“
Between 30 and 40% of food produced around the world is never eaten, because it
is spoiled after harvest and during transportation, or thrown away by shops and
consumers. The share of food wasted is expected to increase drastically if emerging
economies adopt Western food habits, including a shift to eating more meat, the
researchers warned. Richer countries tend to con sume more food than is healthy or
simply waste it, they noted.
As poorer countries develop and the world's population grows, emissions associated
with food waste could soar from 0.5 gigaton nes of carbon dioxide equivalent per
year to between 1.9 and 2.5 gigatonnes annually by mid-century, showed the study
published in the Environmental Science & Technology journal.
India's Sister Lucy Kurien: a life of self-less service
For nearly 20 year's her shelters have helped women and children
desperately in need.
Posted on March 10, 2016
New Delhi: Be it the mentally challenged, HIV infected, old women or street children, Sister Lucy
Kurien's homes are open for all. Through her organization — called Maher (mother's home) —
Sister Kurien assists destitute women and children irrespective of caste, creed or religion. "The
focus is always on the street, especially the women who are mentally challenged
and those suffering from HIV," said Sister Kurien, who belongs to the Sisters of the Cross of
Chavanod. Currently Maher has 38 short-stay and long-stay homes in the Indian states of
Jharkhand, Kerala and Maharashtra. In total they house over 860 street children and more than
320 destitute women.
The short-stay homes are for victims of domestic violence, rape and unwed mothers while the
long-stay homes house children, HIV patients, old and mentally challenged women. The nun
said that they pick up children from the streets who are begging or are poor with single parents.
"We help them study and some are doing very well," she said. Sister Kurien's journey to improve

21. the lives of needy women and children started 19 years ago after she experienced a shocking
incident. "A woman fearing for her life from her husband came asking for shelter which I could
not give as I was staying in a convent and that very night she was burnt to death by him. This
moved me," Sister Kurien said.
The nun said that she wanted to be among the hapless women and help them because "my
congregation was only into teaching and nursing." She had to seek special permission from her
provincial to move out of the convent to help those she saw in need but "that was not easy."
"The congregation asked me to give them a memorandum of understanding that I would belong
to this congregation and it would not bear any responsibility for my project," said Sister Kurien,
adding she also could no longer wear her congregation's clothing as it would have made people
treat her as an outsider.
"I wanted to live exactly how Jesus would have lived," she said. In 1997, the nun started Maher
in the Pune district of the western Indian state of Maharashtra. This was made possible through
donations from lay people, especially a musician from Austria. But she initially met resistance
among some of the locals. "People thought that I came to do conversions," Sister Kurien said.
"The locals spat on me and even attacked my home but I continued my work," she said. The
nun said that church people thought that she left the church and "went crazy." "The nuns from
my congregation felt embarrassed to call me one of their own," she added.
"Ever since I was young, I was always moved by Mother Teresa's work and really wanted to do
something like that. I always had that calling," she said. Sister Kurien's homes are a haven for
interreligious unity as she stresses on promoting teachings of all religions. "I have holy books of
all religions be it the Bible, Quran or Geeta. I believe in respecting all religions and worshipping
one divine power," she said, adding that all Indian festivals are celebrated with equal fervor.
In recognition of her services, Indian President Pranab Mukherjee awarded Sister Kurien with
the Nari Shakti (women empowerment) award on March 8 in New Delhi.
Source: UCAN
WANTED HELPING HANDS- Courtesy: Daijiworld.com
For more appeals visit – www.daijiworld.com - charity
Thirtha Kumari(4 yrs), No. 115,2nd Cross,Coolie Block,Bhadravathi 577301
Monday, April 04, 2016
Thirtha Kumari(4 yrs),D/o Manjunatha, was diagnosed with tracheo-oesophageal fistula,subglottic stenoisis,
anorectal malformation with congenital heart disease.
Tracheo-oesophageal repair was done at Indira Gandhi Institute of child health and devise close of PDA done in
Sapthagiri Superspeciality Hospital, Bangalore. The patient underwent Anterior Sagittal Anorectoplasty in

22. Government Wenlock Hospital and Laryngotracheoplasty for subglottic stenosis in KMC Hospital, Attavar.
The patient had multiple procedures in different hospitals since birth incurring huge expenses for hospitalization
and treatment. The parents have spent around Rs seven lacs for treatment so far.As the parents are poor, they find
it difficult to pay for medicines and hospitalization of the child. Therefore, they have requested for donations from
kind hearted individuals so that they can save the life of the child.
Your kind remittances may please be sent to the following bank account:
Bank Account No.: 4837101000588
Name of the Account Holder: Manjunatha
Bank: Canara Bank, 1st Floor, Sudhai Complex, S J Road,
Janapura, Bhadravathi, Shimoga 577301.
Bank IFSC Code: CNRB0004837
Telephone No.: 91 87108 84597
Rubina Sartho(34),Palethady House,Pavoor Post,Via Manjeshwar,Kasargod-671323
Friday, March 18, 2016
Rubina Sartho(34),wife of Thomas D'Souza, is diagnosed as a case of recurrent giant cell tumour. She is being
treated in Father Muller Hospital with Inj denosumab chemotherapy. She has already undergone six such
chemotherapies at the cost of Rs 1,60,000 that too after concession. She had to also undergo a couple of
operations. She is a teacher by profession.
She will have to be treated with further four chemotherapies costing more than Rs one lac. She has other medical
tests and treatments with separate expenses. She has two small children. Her husband being a driver is not in a
position to cope up with the medical expenditure.
Please send your generous and kind remittances to her following bank account:
Bank Account No.: 40606101007453
Name of the Bank Account Holder: Rubina Sartho
Bank: Kerala Gramina Bank,
Pavoor Post, Via Manjeshwar,Kasargod
Bank IFSC Code: KLGB0040606
Telephone No.: 91 94472 86881, 91 94476 53073
Published by Fr Felix Rebello
c/o Infant Jesus Church, Jogeshwari
Mob. 9819688630, Email:frfelixrebello@gmail.com, gemenewsletter@gmail.com
website: www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in
GEM E-Newsletter Facebook Link
http://www.facebook.com/gemenewsletter