Madagascar - Good movie

Bicycle - for green earth

 I recently bought a bicycle. I am staying in a campus and spends around 50 rupees (Indian) per day for travel in my car to office. After the office hours I uses this cycle to move around, for example going for marketing, swimming etc.

 I read an article in Times of India daily about employees and even CEO of some establishments in Bangalore traveling in bicycles. There are associations which promote usage of cycles. Some people even travel 30 km a day on there high end bikes daily.

 Cycling is a great stress reliever. You have to concentrate on the road as well as on pedaling, so that your mind will evade unwanted thoughts. It helps you to burn calories and exercise your muscles. Above all, in this world of growing inflation and skyrocketing fuel prices, this mode of transport is really promising. 

 Now a days the international community is worried about emission standards and green energy. My bicycle is an answer to this problem. Zero emission is the factor which attracts me.

 You will be able to purchase a fairly good one for 2400 Rs onwards in my place. You require a cycle pump also which will cost you Rs. 200. Then one oil applicator. which you will get free of cost. You are ready for the show. 

 You are saving your money as well as foreign exchange. You are saving environment and in turn mother earth.

Hail bicycle!! 

Ganeshotsav 2008

Rain water Harvesting...

Our country is blessed with seasonal rainfall which brings down to earth large quantity of water. Most of the share will drain off. Those which seep down the soil, like investment, is the only hope for the organisms to survive after the rainy season.
Recently I came across an orkut community that is named water conservation. Prominent dailies frequently raise the same issue of water conservation and rain water harvesting. I am working in an institution which is a part of university dedicated for green environment.
Rain water harvesting is becoming a relevant issue particularly cities and drought affected areas. In Tamilnadu, to the best of my knowledge, buildings will not get licence unless they have their own rain harvesting arrangement. This shows that government is well aware of the situation and is taking promising initiatives. Citizen will try to circumvent the rules, naturally. But they should realize that rain water harvesting is the only measure that help to replenish the fast receding water table.
Ponds, which are being filled to construct flats, are of prime importance. Farm land also help rain water to be pooled and seep in, a delight to our child friends. If a pond is properly protected it helps to recharge the ground water during rainy season.
Flats consume lot of water starting from the time of construction onwards. Every flat should have a rain water harvesting mechanism so that water collected is allowed to become a part of ground water.
From the roof if we can drain the rain water into a pit filled with sand and gravel, put in alternate layers, this help in the recharging. Maintain the existing ponds and other water bodies. Eminent environmentalists are of the view that until and unless we harvest the rain water, even for drinking the mankind will face scarcity.
So plan for tomorrow, start now itself to harvest the precious rain water and reduce wasting water.

Malpe Sunset

Snaps of Malpe beach just before sunset, on a hot summer day in May.

Birthday bumps

Birthday is really a day to celebrate. I don't like personally to celebrate my birthday. The way it is being celebrated in our institution reminds me of barbarism. The poor fellow who is unfortunate to have birthday on that day, is being kicked by his friends where ever they feel like. He is swung, holding his limbs, violently. Then they took him to a shallow pool to drown him. After that they took him out to smear the cake over his body including face.

I could not understand this celebration. Indians now a days are very fond of westernisation of everything. Earlier people use to visit temple to do darshan and offering on their birthday. Now along with that these so called bumps. In Britain they used to swing up and down the person, number of times equal to his age. That is what birthday bump means. Here they have biharised the whole act (sorry for the language).

I would like to invite discussion on this matter from young birthday boys and girls who had gone through this and expect this next year too with fear.

Sringeri