Sulabh Swachh Bharat - VOL: 2 | ISSUE 19

09

06

24

27

Sanitation In Ghana

Honour Of Services

The Making Of A Legend

Ghana has been actively working to provide proper sanitation to its population

Vrindavan Widows

Dr Pathak has been awarded with Bihar Gaurav Samman by SEVA

PM releasing the operational guidelines of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana

Accident tried to break her down but Dr Pathak came to her relief sulabhswachhbharat.com FIND US ONLINE

Scan this with your smartphone

RNI No. DELENG/2016/71561

A Good News Weekly

Vol - 2 | Issue - 19 | April 23 - 29, 2018 | Price ` 5/-

Swami Chidanand

Connecting The Internal And External Worlds He combines spirituality with a keen awareness and commitment to solving society’s problems

n Parsa ventakeshwar rao

S

wami Chidanand Saraswati, head of Parmarth Niketan in Rishikesh, is a spiritual man who is deeply engaged with the world.

He does not merely give sermons but helps people to get education, jobs and spiritual satisfaction. In one of his speeches he says that it is not necessary to go and live in caves to gain peace and tranquility, but that a peaceful and tranquil cave should be created wherever man stays. He does not believe that spiritual life means you have to turn your back on the world. His credo is that you must practice spirituality in the world, and that it also means being active in the affairs of the world.

Speaking at the Parliament of Religions at Salt Lake in Utah, United

States, in 2015, he said that we must seek peace not just for ourselves but for everyone. The alternative is that the world will fall to pieces and there would only be discord. But he emphasized that there should be peace within oneself before it can be spread to others. He told the Parliament of Religions that if there was no peace at the convention, it would be futile to expect that peace can be ushered in the rest of the world. He implied that all the faiths and religions in the world, and all the followers of all the faiths must attain peace in themselves

{

before they can preach peace to the world.

The soft-spoken saffron-robed monk does many things. He runs an international yoga festival at Parmarth Niketan, which was established in 1947 and where he spent his teenage years studying and winning national scholarships, and Swami Shashwatanand who was heading the centre and who initiated him into the saffron order and christened him Swami Chidanand, named him the president of the centre in 1986. But for about six years before he came to

Quick Glance He took to spirituality at the age of eight; found in Brahmswarup the guru He was named head of Parmarth Niketan in Rishikesh in 1986 He conducts an annual international yoga festival in Parmarth Niketan

Speaking at the Parliament of Religions in Salt Lake in 2015, he said that we must seek peace not just for ourselves but for everyone

{

02

Cover Story

April 23 - 29, 2018

CEASELESS SERVICE Swami Chidanand is the CoFounder of Global Interfaith WASH Alliance (GIWA), the world’s first-ever international interfaith initiative which brings together the world’s faiths as allies in ensuring every child around the world has access to safe, life-giving Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).

Swami Chidanand is the Founder of India Heritage Research Foundation (IHRF), an international non-profit, humanitarian foundation which just say the launching the first-ever International Edition of the Encyclopedia of Hinduism (www. theencyclopediaofhinduism.com) as well as ashrams and medical clinics in the sacred land of Mansarovar and Mt. Kailash in Tibet. He is the founder and inspiration behind the famous Hindu Jain temple in Pittsburgh and the Minto Shiva temple in Sydney, Australia, and has played a crucial role in the founding of innumerable temples and Indian cultural centers all across the world.

Interfaith Humanitarian Network/ Project Hope, an organization dedicated

to disaster relief, has been active in providing both short term, immediate relief as well as long-term permanent relief to victims of the 2004 Asian Tsunami, 2013 floods in Uttarakhand India and 2015 earthquake in Nepal (projecthope-india.org)

Ganga Action Parivar (GAP), a global family dedicated to the preservation of the River Ganga and Her tributaries in their free-flowing and pristine state. GAP work includes everything ranging from solid waste management to wastewater management as well as awareness and educational outreach to make this vision of a clean and free-flowing River Ganga and Her tributaries a reality for all. (www. gangaaction.org; facebook.com/ gangaaction)

Divine Shakti Foundation (DSF), Is dedicated to the holistic well being of

women, their children, and orphaned/ abandoned children, and to all of Mother Nature. DSF runs and sponsors free schools, women’s vocational training programmes, orphanages/gurukuls, frequent free medical camps, animal care programmes, a rural development programmes, and innumerable other humanitarian projects. (www. divineshaktifoundation.org; facebook. com/divineshaktifoundation)

International Yoga Festival at Parmarth Niketan (Rishikesh) is held annually from the 1st-7th of March.

This year it welcomed more than 1200 participants from over 85 countries from all over the globe and each year the festival draws countless NRIs back to India, the birthplace of yoga, to truly imbibe its divine nectar at the source, on the holy banks of Mother Ganga, in the lap of the Himalayas.

the ashram, he had spent time as a disciple of Swami Brahmswarup, wandering in the forests of the Himalayas, meditating, practising yoga, years spent in the lap of wilderness. It was his meeting with Brahmswarup when he was about eight years old that set him on the path of spirituality. He followed his calling and never looked back.

Swami Chidanand has master’s degrees in Sanskrit and Philosophy.

He travelled to the United States for the first time in 1980, and he decided to set up the Hindu Jain temple in Pennsylvania, despite resistance from many groups.

His idea was that all the Indian religious groups should come together. He organizes a gathering of religious representatives of Muslims, Christians, Jews and Swami Chidanand is also the Board of Trustees of the India Development Foundation of Overseas Indians (IDFOI). IDF-OI was set up by the Government of India in 2008 as a not-for-profit Trust to facilitate Overseas Indian Philanthropy into social and development projects in India. He is the Advisory Board of KAICIID (King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue), which is an intergovernmental organization whose mandate is to promote globally the use of dialogue to prevent and resolve conflict and to enhance understanding and cooperation among different cultures and religions.

Cover Story

April 23 - 29, 2018

{

Swami Chidanand has interacted with the powerful, the famous and the glamorous

Buddhists on the one hand, and he gets together the prominent religious preachers of contemporary Hinduism, representing many groups and traditions and each one with a following of their own. What seems to mark out the approach of Swami Chidanand Saraswati is his ability to bring ‘pilgrims of the spirit’ as it were together, without imposing any form or pattern on all of them, letting all of them retain their own identities. He preaches the message of spirituality but not to convert anyone to his own way, though there are a lot many people from Indian and other countries, who are his followers and disciples.

Swami Chidanand believes that preaching is enough. In March 2018, he had organized a Solutions Summit 2018 where he got all the representatives living along the 2500-km course of River Ganga to find ways of keeping the Ganga clean. He had launched the Clean Ganga project in 2010, but he is not confining himself to holding seminars. He is actively seeking solutions. And he is acutely aware of the challenges involved in cleaning the Ganga. He said at the two-day summit on March 11, “The purpose of this confluence is to ensure that we can all get together to do something for the Ganga, before it becomes, like the Saraswati, a mythical river only found in our history books. The Ganga should keep flowing clean and unobstructed and there are a plethora of solutions that can be implemented towards this end. Today, we are bringing both the ground plan, at the

03 07

{

level of the people, with the grand plan, at the level of policy makers and administrators, this is the bridge that needs to be constructed. I am happy to officially announce the launch of the Ganga River Institute which will be dedicated to being this bridge, building capacity, training and educating every change agent in this process to be empowered and inspired to be the solution they want to see for an ‘aviral’ and ‘nirmal’ (clean and free-flowing) Mother Ganga.”

He thinks of projects and finds ways of executing them. He had set up a Heritage Institute and had a 11-volume Encyclopedia of Hinduism written and launched.

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Member of Parliament L.K. Advani was present on the occasion.

Swami Chidanand has interacted with the prominent, the powerful, the famous and the glamorous in the country and abroad, from prime minister Indira Gandhi in the late 1970s to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, from former United States President Bill Clinton and Senator Hillary Clinton to the Dalai Lama and to bishops and rabbis, and to film stars like Anil Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, and industrialists like Mukesh Ambani and his wife Nita Ambani. Through all these he still retains his common touch, setting up programmes for women to acquire vocational skills like sewing and educating children who are from poor backgrounds and orphans.

Swami Chidanand is a co-founder of the Global Inter-Faith WASH (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene)

When asked about Caste-based Discrimination Do you think a day will dawn when all Hindus unitedly would say: ‘WE ARE ALL ONE AND UNITED’? What should be done by social, political and religious reformers in order to achieve this?

Yes. I am very positive and optimistic. I do think that the day will come when we are all united.

Bhagwan Ram built bridges between men and men, animals and men, animals and animals. He even built bridges to the demons!

We should take this example and the communities should start building bridges between different castes and different communities.

Our problem is our ego. That is the only thing inhibiting our unity.

Look at the “I”. Wherever it is, it always stands capital, whether at the beginning of a sentence, the middle of a sentence or the end of a sentence. “I” is always capital, and “I” represents our ego. This capital “I” is a border, a boundary, a wall between us. Our egos stand in the way of our unity. Whether it is our personal egos, or egos about the superiority of our particular caste or society. The key is to bend our egos. We must bend the “I” and turn it from vertical to

horizontal. When the “I” becomes horizontal, then it can serve as a bridge between people, families, communities and nations.We have seen that everyone wants to unite.

Everyone wants to be together.

Everyone wants to be in peace. I am confident that this message will blossom and flourish, and that people across the world of all religions (not only Hindus) will join together as one united family.

04

Cover Story

“Interview with Swamiji”, Watkins Magazine, March 15, 2018 Alexander de Cadenet: How does divine inspiration occur? Did it occur in your life and could you give an example?

Every day and every moment is divine inspiration! Just look at this very moment. How many billions of complex interactions are happening just for you to experience this one moment?

Your eyes are taking light that has bounced back from the world, the photons hit the cells in the retina, which in turn send signals to your brain to interpret them. This is only one tiny aspect of your five senses, let alone the millions of cells working constantly to keep you alive. Beyond the miraculous working of your body is the miracle of your existence on this planet, the air you breathe the gravity you feel, the water cycle, life cycle, seasons, rotation of the Earth and it all happening in this very moment! This is Divine inspiration!

We just need to get out of our own way to see how truly inspirational the Creator and His Creation is. When we develop a sense of wonder and connection with life we naturally become more natural and authentic. When we are our true selves and deeply connected to the fabric of life we naturally become inspired and we too become inspirational to those around us. When we sit quietly in meditation, when we let life

April 23 - 29, 2018

Excerpts From His Interview

flow through us, we become the channels of divine inspiration. When we have a problem, the solution will appear. When we need advice, the answer will come and life becomes very natural and free. The key is to remove ourselves from the situation and allow the Grace of the Divine to flow through us. Yoga, mediation and prayer all help in our spiritual practice of connecting to the divine, but so does doing seva (service). When we serve, with real love and compassion, we learn to get out of our own ways.

When we naturally reach out our two hands to serve and love others, we will receive hundreds of hands returning the love to us. This is truly divine inspiration! So pay attention to the Cosmos, try this for yourselves

{ Alliance (GIWA), which works for providing water, sanitation and hygiene to people across the globe so that millions of children do not die of preventable diseases arising from lack of access to safe water, sanitation and hygienic condition.

He maintains the balance between

and see the magic of it!

What are your feelings or thoughts when you gaze up at the stars on a clear night?

When I gaze up at the stars, I think: ‘wow!’ I am always so amazed and moved at the accomplishments of the Divine. There is such beauty in all of this divine creation and it is perfect to me. As I watch and observe the word whether it’s the heavens, mother nature or humanity, I am still struck with a deep sense of awe and I still whisper to the Divine, ‘wow, You did this!’. Its is amazing, what a beautiful wonder there is to behold and I feel so blessed and so humble to have this body, this life and this opportunity to give service to not only the Creator

He has been a recipient of many awards for the humanitarian and cultural work that he does

the internal spiritual poise and the ability to deal with the world outside.

In an interview with French artist Alexander de Cadenet for the Watkins Mind Body Spirit Magazine on March 15, 1958, Swami Chidanand answers the question, “Do you experience negative feelings or thoughts? If so, how do you manage them?” in a straightforward manner. He says, “Through the grace of my Guru and deep spiritual practice over nearly 60 years, my emotions have become steady, calm and peaceful. Emotions are part and parcel of the human experience, but we should understand

{

what they are and what role they can play in supporting our own spiritual development. Our emotions are the experience of energy moving through us, e-motion: energy in motion.

When we feel an emotion, we sense the wave of energy as it moves through us and typically our emotions will be short lived, if we just watch them and let them gently pass.”

And his activities are reflected in the number of associations he had founded, which include Indian Heritage Research Foundation (IHRF), Ganga Action Parivar (GAP), Divine Shakti Foundation

but His creation.

I also always remember that even though God creates everything, nowhere is there a signature saying, ‘God’. It is a beautiful lesson in humility.

Normally artists paint one picture and scribble their signature on the bottom, but God has made all of creation with no signature!

I feel nature is the best teacher, when we have a problem just to go to nature and you will change your nature. Take a moment to look at the tenacity of a blade of grass that grows between two slabs of concrete, the beauty of a flower, the peace of a tree or the nourishing energy of a river.

Closely watch and observe the animals you see in your back yard or around you. They have no house or car, no designer watches and yet they are happy! Animals, birds and insects have an innate sense of harmony and peace with their environment because they are deeply connected to it.

And yet many people are living a life disconnected from their true Self and nature. How can we feel so much awe for an ant as a child, only to grow up and squash it without a thought? No matter how busy our lives our, we should take some time daily watch nature and to appreciate the gifts of the Divine and appreciate them with the same enthusiasm and innocence of a child! Let’s keep gazing at the stars and use the inspiration to tread more lightly on our own planet.

(DSF), Interfaith Humanitarian Network / Project Hope and he organizes the International Yoga Festival in the first week of March of every year.

Apart from participating in the events organized by the United Nations, the World Bank, World Economic Forum, Parliament of Religions and Religions for Pace, he is on the advisory board of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Inter-Religious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICID).

He is also part of the Hindu-Jewish Summit at Jerusalem and the HinduChristian dialogue at the Vatican.

He has been a recipient of many awards for the humanitarian and cultural work that he does. They include World Peace Ambassador Award, Mahatma Gandhi Humanitarian award.

Cover Story

April 23 - 29, 2018

05 07

Swami Chidanand Articles Yogic Healing Of Mind, Body And Spirit

T Selfless Service : Give More, Want Less

T

he key to removing the ‘want’ from our lives is to give more, serve more and sacrifice more.

One of the most common Hindu rituals is a yagna fire. Devotees sit in a circle around the sacred fire and place offerings into the flames. With each offering, after each mantra, the priest chants, ‘idam namamah’. This means, ‘Not for me, but for you’. The purpose of this is to remind ourselves that everything is for God. We must offer every thought, every action, and every breath at His holy feet. We must give more and want less.

Then, we will know true joy and peace. Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

How true that is! Prayer is a broom that sweeps out our hearts. How to become selfless? How to learn to give more? Prayer. Peace comes through prayer. It doesn’t matter what name you use for God or what language you pray in. You can pray to Lord Krishna in Sanskrit, you can pray to Allah in Arabic, you can pray to Jesus in English, you can pray to Adonai in Hebrew, you can pray to Buddha in Japanese, or you can pray to any other form of the Divine in any other language — it doesn’t matter. What matters is that the prayer is earnest, pure and heartfelt. When I met Mother Teresa of Kolkata, she said the following beautiful poem: The fruit of prayer is faith.

The fruit of faith is love.

The fruit of love is devotion.

The fruit of devotion is service.

The fruit of service is peace.

That beautiful poem shows us, so clearly, the benefits of simple prayer.

Sometimes people think that in order to pray one must be very learned in the scriptures of a particular

religion, yet that is not true at all.

Prayer is speaking to God, and God understands all languages, both the simplest and the most complex.

There was once a little boy who went to the temple with his father. He heard all the people chanting so many prayers in Sanskrit. For hours they chanted so many different prayers and mantras and shlokas.

Then, at the end, the priest said it was time for silent prayer. The little boy was nervous.

He didn’t know any of the prayers. But, he loved God, and he wanted to pray to God. So, he closed his eyes and he silently said, “God, I don’t know any of the Sanskrit prayers. I’m only a little boy. The only thing I know is the alphabet I learnt in school. I know that all the prayers come from this alphabet. So, I will sing you the alphabet and then whatever prayers you like best, you can make from alphabets.” And so he started to sing, “A,B,C,D,E,F,G….”

God is happier with that little boy, with his devotion, purity and piety, than He is with all the people who chant verse after verse of flawless Sanskrit or Latin without love. The point is, love God, whatever form or name you use. It doesn’t matter what language you pray in. Just pray, and you will see the magic.

he practice of Yoga was intuited, channeled, perfected and codified by our rishis and sages for the attainment of total health in body, mind, and spirit, so that the material human body may be a vehicle for spiritual awakening and enlightenment. The word ‘yoga’ means ‘union’. Yoga is that which we become, that which unfolds and awakens when the body, mind, thoughts, motions and intentions are joined together.

Today, joyfully, the practice of yoga is burgeoning throughout the world. Yet, there is rampant competition amongst styles, lineages and “brands” of yoga. “Which is the best?” is a common question. If there can be a “best” and therefore a “worst,” it is not yoga. If there is competition, criticism, backstabbing and cheating, it is not yoga. Yoga is co-operation. Yoga is togetherness. Yoga is a practice through which we connect to our own breath, bodies, minds and ultimately to our spirits. Then, in that divine, eighth limb of yoga as elucidated by Patanjali, we experience samadhi, the ultimate union of our spirit with the Supreme Spirit, our Soul with the Supreme Soul. It is a union, verily, of us to each other and to the Universe.

Today, the world needs yoga more than ever. However, we need it not only because we are more out-ofshape, obese, and at risk for diabetes and heart disease than ever. All of that is true and yoga can be a fabulous panacea for nearly all that ails our physical body. Yet yoga has much

more to offer. Today, that which ails us, as individuals, communities, societies, religious groups and nations, is separation. The borders and boundaries between ‘me’ and ‘you’ and ‘us’ and ‘them’ are thicker and more intractable than ever.

Our personal frame of reference is narrowing each day.

Our culture expounds ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,’ that the world is one family. However, today, most of us do not identify as members of the world family. Rather, we identify as members of a political party or a religious group, or a country club, or followers of a particular guru.

The lines between us get thicker and thicker. That separation, that sense of ‘self’ versus ‘other’ is what permits us to dehumanise each other so drastically that we can be complicit, directly or indirectly, in each other’s suffering and death. That separation is also what leads to the increase of depression worldwide. Depression is marked by feeling alone, disconnected, isolated from the world, feelings which, when taken to an extreme, permit us to even take our own lives without realising the pain our death will cause others.

Yoga is a solution. It is a solution to our abysmal physical health and skyrocketing medical bills. The postures and breathing exercises are unparalleled in their ability to restore wellness. Yoga is a solution to personal angst, depression and lack of meaning in our lives. As we connect with divine prana, we realise that we are being nourished by the Universe, and inextricably linked to the web of life. Yoga is also a solution to that which ails our planet. When we realise our interconnectedness, then we stand up and change our attitude and our actions into ones that protect global family as ardently as we’d protect our own nuclear family.

The challenge is ours: to coopt yoga into yet another way to compete with each other and separate ourselves from each other, or to use it in its fullest meaning, bringing health to ourselves, our communities, and our world.

06

Sanitation: Ghana

April 23 - 29, 2018

Ghana

Sanitation In Africa’s First Independent Nation Ghana has a growing population of 28 million people and is one of the most urbanised countries in Africa. Ghana has been actively working to provide proper sanitation to its population Mihir Paul

Quick Glance

S

anitation is very important key to national development.

Adequate sanitation and hygiene are all essential ingredients to ensure good human health. The axiom that cleanliness is next to Godliness is mostly an espoused and used phrase by most Ghanaians in their daily lives. It has also been said many times that sanitation is a shared responsibility. The sense in this axiom is that as a people we have a role to play to ensure that every part of this country is clean.

The subject of sanitation in Ghana has been publicized by the media so much that it appears to be a cliché or an overburdened topic.

It’s of no argument that a lot of improvement has been made over the past decades or so to give our country, especially the regional capital cities, a new look and to beautify them.

Nevertheless, there is still a lot of work to be done in the critical area of sanitation.

Ghana has made significant progress providing access to improved water sources to 80 per cent of the population and eliminating Guinea worm from the country (awaiting certification in 2014).

Ghana has a growing population of 28 million people and is one of the most urbanised countries in Africa.

Almost half the country now lives in towns and cities, and of these only one-fifth has access to improved sanitation services. Nearly half the population in Kumasi rely on public toilets, with only one toilet for every 1,000 people, and water services in low-income urban areas are often non-existent.

It’s therefore imperative to commend the current and previous governments for realising the enormity and urgency of the problem and initiating steps to better the situation.

80 per cent of people have access to water sources Modern medical system was set in 1818 Sanitary reforms in Ghana began in 1910

Healthcare was decentralised, with any form of treatment being administered in the homes of the people instead of a hospital or clinic of some sort History Of Sanitation

Prior to the arrival of the British, the Ghanaians treated diseases through methods involving magic, healers, and animal sacrifices. Healthcare was decentralized, with any form of treatment being administered in the homes of the people instead of a hospital or clinic of some sort. The lack of a form of sanitation systems was also prevalent, with trash and human excrement scattered in public throughout the villages and the absence of a water pipe system or other method of dispensing clean water to the people. As a result, aside from the malaria and yellow fever carried by mosquitoes, dysentery, hookworm, and round worms were also common.

The Gold Coast, one of the

regions of the colony as designated by the British, was most involved in the development of a new health care system. A pre-medical department was formed initially, and in 1878, the Towns, Police, and Public Health Ordinance was enforced under its direction, initiating the construction and demolishing of infrastructure, draining of the streets, and issuing of fines to those that failed to comply with the heads of the colony. In 1893, a Public Works Department was introduced to implement a working sanitation system for the colony. Finally, in the 1880s, a Medical Department was formed, bringing about an introduction to a formal medical system, consisting of a Laboratory Branch for research, a Medical Branch of hospitals and clinics, and the Sanitary, or Health,

Branch.

There were several figures involved in the establishment and primary direction of the Sanitary Branch.

Joseph Chamberlain, Britain’s Secretary of State for the Colonies, sought to combat the increasing mortality rates of the Europeans living overseas. It was under his command that Sanitary Branches became a part of all the British colonies in Africa.

In order to accommodate for the limited resources of the colonies, however, Chamberlain took a gradual approach to establishing them, and most of the reform initially took place in areas with a higher population of Europeans. John Rodger, the governor of the Gold Coast in 1908, emphasized the importance of sanitation in the colonies, pushing for immediate reforms and became a key player in establishing its Sanitary Branch. Sir Hugh Clifford was a Gold Coast governor after Rodger and provided a similar outlook, seeking to increase accessibility of health care to the native Ghanaians as well. Clifford actively worked to implement sanitation reform starting in 1910, and under him, a doctor by the name T.E. Rice became the first to take charge of the Sanitary Branch.

Sanitary Branch Of Ghana

The Sanitary Branch of Ghana, established in 1910, was formed as a branch of the country’s Medical

April 23 - 29, 2018

Sanitation: Ghana declared on November 1, 2014 by the Government of Ghana in response to the 2014 Ghanaian cholera outbreak, the day is a voluntary clean-up exercise for all Ghanaian residents in an effort to reduce unsanitary conditions that breed diseases and causes injuries. The National Sanitation Day (NSD) is an initiative by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. A bill has recently been sent to parliament by the ministry, the bill if approved will give legal backing to the NSD program allowing it to prosecute individuals who refuse to take part in the program

It functions in conjunction with the Ghanaian government, and overall works toward the continual development of the nation as a whole Department when Ghana was a colony under the British. Today, the Ministry of Health in Ghana works to improve the health of the nation’s citizens through the formulation of policies and introduction of programs aimed at promoting and increasing accessibility to health care. It functions in conjunction with the Ghanaian government, and overall works toward the continual development of the nation as a whole. The beginnings of a national health care system, currently in the form of the Ministry of Health, can be traced to the late 1800s and early 1900s. The British influence in Ghana marked the beginnings of a structured health care system with the implementation of the Medical Department, which included the formation of the Sanitary Branch.

Purpose and main objectives of Sanitary Branch

The original purpose of the Sanitary

Branch, as part of the Medical Department, was to protect the Europeans living in the British West African colonies from becoming infected with and dying from tropical diseases, especially after the mass fear following the outbreak of the bubonic plague. The branch soon worked to protect the Ghanaian people as well, instilling sanitation reforms and offering vaccinations for the people of the colony. It also worked to instigate accessibility to clean and drinkable water, combat the infestation of mosquitoes, increase awareness about the maintenance of good health, and deal with the outbreak of epidemics.

National Sanitation Day

On September 17,2014, the National sanitation Day campaign was launched at LA trade fair centre.

The ministry of Sanitation came up with a bye law that would make it compulsory for every Ghanaian to participate in the National sanitation day.

The Law was adopted by all the assemblies and was obligatory for citizens to take part in the exercise.

It means that citizens, communities, entities or organisations that do not participate in the exercise would be sanctioned.

First Saturday of every month is earmarked National Sanitation Day across Ghana. First

Sanitation Brigade And Marshals Of Ghana

President Nana Akufo-Addo, as part of the National Sanitation Campaign, announced a National Sanitation Brigade on November 13, 2017 to enforce sanitation laws nationwide.

This brigade, to be made up of Ghanaian youth, polices the adherence to the rules and regulations on sanitation in both state and private properties.This move will be seen as a step in the right direction for some who feel Ghana’s sanitation problems will be addressed by serious steps to enforce the country’s sanitation bylaws.

The outfit has proposed for each of the 216 Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to recruit an average of 50 people to serve on the brigade. The initiative is worth $3 million, and is funded by the World Bank. The memorandum of understanding was signed between the government and the World Bank in October 2017. The initiative has come at a time Ghana is battling with poor sanitation and drainage systems.

The President as part of his vision of making Accra the cleanest city in Africa, inaugurated a detailed national sanitation campaign in 2017. President Nana Akufo-Addo on Monday, November 13, 2017, launched the National Sanitation Campaign not only with a call for a change in attitude from Ghanaians, but some policy initiatives to enforce already existing sanitation laws.

Below are some key points from the National Sanitation Campaign initiative: lEstablishment of the National Sanitation Authority lEstablishment of National Sanitation Fund, which will be “announced shortly,” according to

07

the President. l The local government charged to ensure one house, one toilet policy is adhered to. lSanitation Ministry and Attorney General’s office to set aside a day to try sanitation offences lThe Evaluation and Monitoring Minister is to publish Metropolitan, Municipal, District Assembly’s sanitation performances quarterly. l Sanitation Ambassadors will be appointed to help with the campaign. lThe development of three new material recovery sites for the recovery and recycling of waste from Accra. lThe government intends to adequately resource waste management companies with modern and effective tools for their work. l All government departments and agencies will be assigned two officers, Sanitation Marshals and Deputy Marshals, to ensure the compliance with sanitation by-laws.

The National Sanitation Brigade adds to other initiatives, including the enhancement of operations of tricycle rubbish collectors, and the construction of mini-transfer stations, to improve sanitation and aid the disposal of waste.

In line with his vision to make Accra the cleanest city in Africa, President Akufo-Addo said the sanitation initiatives will begin in the heart of Government business, which encompasses the Presidency, Parliament House, the Ministries, and the Courts. “…we shall take special care of the airport, major hotels and shopping malls. Residential areas and Zongos, the Central Business District, including the inner city periphery, markets and lorry parks, university campuses, schools and hospitals, and beaches and public places of entertainment and tourist centres are all going to elicit special attention.”

Sanitation marshals

Aside from the brigade, President Akufo-Addo announced that all government departments and agencies will be assigned two officers, to be designated as Sanitation Marshals and Deputy Marshals.

These officers are to ensure the compliance to sanitation by-laws with regard to sanitation in their respective offices.

President Akufo-Addo also served notice that Ministers and other directors of government agencies will be held accountable for any lapses in the compliance of these directives. “… The heads of departments have

08

Sanitation: Ghana

April 23 - 29, 2018

The techniques have the potential to tackle Ghana’s sanitation issues while increasing food production and fuelling the nation

one week within which to identify and assign these officers. The Environmental Health and Sanitation Directorate must take steps to train these appointed officers on their new roles within one month of their appointment.”

Curbing Cholera in Ghana

A Ghanaian manufacturing company, JBS Industries may be pioneering Ghana’s first innovation to curb the spread of Cholera in country.

The technology, first in subSaharan Africa is an aluminum public urinal with anti-germ properties which was first introduced by the company in 2013 in some selected communities including Dansoman and Korle-Bu. According to the Managing Director of JBS Industries, Rev. Joseph Botchway, the facility was introduced to help solve the inconvenience commuters especially

those in Accra go through in finding a proper and hygienic place to urinate.

“Bad hygienic condition is the cause of the spread of Cholera in Accra. The aluminum urinal which does not breed germs will help curb the spread [of cholera] since it will be located at vantage points such as bus stops, chop bars. Beer bars pubs and so on. There wouldn’t be indiscriminate urinating anymore” he said.

With JBS’s facility which is directly installed over drains, commuters can easily walk in and urinate without paying a fee. By this, there are no incentives or push factors towards open and indiscriminate public urination. Underground water is not polluted and there is no contamination of agricultural produce or the spread of diseases such as diarrhea, ascaris, tapeworms, intestinal parasites, hookworm, hepatitis’ among others.

JBS’s public urinal facility will

Sanitation and Water Access In Ghana

‘At least basic’ definition

Water

House connections

‘At least basic’ Sanitation definition Sewerage

Urban

Rural

(51% of the population)

(49% of the population)

88%

66%

Total 78%

33% 3% 18% 19% 9% 14% - - -

soon be massively deployed and installed at major lorry stations, police stations, the ministries as well as ‘chop bars’ in Ghana’s capital.

According to Rev. Botchway, the areas earmarked to receive the facilities have been identified as those that unfortunately lack places of convenience to serve Ghanaians who find themselves there.

The facility, aside serving as a place of convenience, will enable the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) identify and take taxes from chop bars and beer bar operators.

Poop power : Turning Waste Into Energy

Groundbreaking disposal methods, which have leapfrogged over Western technologies, transform human waste into valuable fertilizer, biofuel and biodiesel.

The Swedish-born Sunesson is among those leading the way. He moved to Ghana six years ago with World Vision Canada. The global development group employed Sunesson for 15 years, six of which he spent working at its head office in Mississauga.

The techniques have the potential to tackle Ghana’s sanitation issues while increasing food production and fuelling the nation. They could also provide other countries with a new approach to waste treatment, one that is cheaper and easier.

Trucks collect waste from around Accra — from public toilets, homes, hotels and businesses. Half is unloaded into holding tanks at Sunesson’s site, the rest is dumped into the ocean at Lavender Hill.

Sunesson’s containers act as sieves, separating the solid garbage that people flush down toilets from the liquid waste.

The liquid waste is sent through a pump containing five litres of polymer for every 9,995 litres of water. The polymer “dewaters” the waste. Like a magnet, it separates the feces from the fluid.

The filtered water is recycled back into the ocean, although potential partners are now testing it for fish farming and drinking water conversion.

More Players In The Arena

Sunesson isn’t the only person in Ghana pushing innovative methods to clean up the country’s human waste.

In the southern city of Kumasi, Prof. Kartik Chandran of New York’s Columbia University is creating biodiesel and other chemicals from fecal matter. He has found a way to extract methane from sludge and chemically convert it to methanol.

Isolating methane from feces is common. “It is the biochemical conversion to methanol that is novel,” says Chandran, who says he has filed patents for the process.

“No one has ever done this with fecal sludge. The system simply does not exist anywhere else in the world.”

That’s because fecal matter can be as challenging to manipulate as it is to smell. Chemicals are best extracted when the sludge is concentrated. Although Chandran’s waste trucks collect the feces before it enters waterways, the texture of sludge is inconsistent. This delays the methane-to-methanol process. As a result, Chandran says his biodiesel is expensive because methanol conversion, a crucial component to biodiesel synthesis, becomes difficult.

Producing Chandran’s biodiesel costs about $1.60 (U.S.) a litre, triple the expense required to create the fuel from other organic sources. But his goal is sanitation — keeping fecal sludge out of the ocean — not power.

Limiting public exposure to human waste would reduce fecalborne diseases such as cholera, says Dzido Tawiah-Yirenya, a fish and water specialist at the University of Ghana. About 40 per cent of Ghana’s reported health problems are linked to the illness, she says.

Chandran is looking for someone to back his discovery before his funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation ends in December.

The sludge is composted in drying beds and used as fertilizer on crops.

Or it is put into an industrial oven and dried almost completely. “It’s like slow-cooking a chicken,” says Sunesson. The waste breaks into small pellets, which emit less carbon when burned as biofuel.

Award

April 23 - 29, 2018

09

Bihar Gaurav Samman

HONOUR OF SERVICES Shiv Pratap Shukla awarded Bihar Gaurav Samman to Dr Bindeshwar Pathak

D

n Urooj fatima

r Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of Sulabh International was awarded the Bihar Gaurav Samman at a function organised by the Social Empowerment of Villagers Association (SEVA) at the NDMC Convention Centre in New Delhi on April 18. Union Minster of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla was the chief guest. The award for Dr Pathak was in recognition of his outstanding work in the field of social service.

Others who were awarded the Samman included former retired IPS officer Amod Kanth, Dr Arun Kumar, MP from Jehanabad, Bihar, Sandeep Marwah, founder of Marwah Studios, Usha Thakur, who exposed the Nithari scandal, and internationally renowned Kathak duo Nalini and Kamalini.

Founding secretary of SEVA Rakesh Kumar welcomed the guests and the programme started with the lighting of lamp and Vandana.

It was followed by Bihari regional song performances by artists from different groups of Bihar.

Dr Pathak Is Globally Known and Honoured

Mr Shukla applauded the work done

by Dr Pathak for the nation. He said, “Dr Pathak is not only a nationally known personality but he is globally recognised and honoured. When he started his journey, it had to face criticism and hurdles which we can’t even think of. But with his effort and dedication he has reached a level of success and has become a brand ambassador of SEVA.” He extolled all the awardees for their work done the service they rendered to the nation. It is not easy to leave a mark on the society, and they had to work day and night rigorously. And it is important to acknowledge the work done by such people, it motivates them, it is kind of a fuel to them which keeps them moving further. They all are Bharat Ratnas, and it doesn’t matter whether they have been honoured with the official title or not.

Mr Shukla said that he felt honoured to felicitate these personalities. He said that if we

Quick Glance Dr Pathak emphasis on fulfilling the four principle of Ambedkar

Sandeep Marwah said, emotions and thoughts are above everything

all play our roles honestly, it is not difficult to create a better society.

He added that the contribution of writers and social worker never dies, their work remains immortal.

Fulfill Principles Of Ambedkar

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Pathak told the audience about the battle that had been waged to eradicate the abominable work of scavengers. He explained ‘caste by choice’ initiatives, such as caste elections. He said that when one can choose religion by his own will, why cannot he choose caste? He gave a lot of examples, saying that we have asked Dalits to opt for the Brahim caste if they want or for that matter any other caste. He questioned the country’s existing social fabric and said that we do not believe in caste, and that humanity is everything for us. Giving Gandhi’s example, he said that Bapu

had said, “We have to choose either Untouchable or Hindu religion.”

So today we all need to take everyone along. He further said that Sulabh has always been working for the people sitting at the bottom of the society. In this way we are following Ambedkar’s principles and fulfilling their dreams.

Emotions And Thoughts Above Everything

Sandeep Marwah, media baron and president of Asian Academy of Film and Television, said that there are two most beautiful things in this world, your emotions and your thinking. These two things are inside every person which makes them great if we use them properly. He said that reaching the peak of success is not easy. It needs hard work and involves struggle.

Internationally renowned Kathak dancers Nalini and Kamalini’s

“When one can choose religion by his own will, why cannot he choose caste?” - Dr Pathak

Dr Pathak gave award of Rs 2 lakh to students of Nalini and Kamilini group

students performed a dazzling dance based on an old classical song. Their dance made the audience awestruck.

Amazed by their performace Dr Pathak gave the award of 2 lakh to the performers. “shahar ki aad mein apna chala gaya, gairon ki chaah mein apna chala gaya, hum puchte rah gye rasston se uss shakhs ka pata, jo abhi tak yahan tha kahan chala gaya” Kathak dancer Nalini said we should learn something from these lines and keep our culture alive. Day by day we are leaving our culture and tradition behind, which is a matter of serious concern. She appreciated the people of Bihar province and said that wherever these people go, they have preserved their culture and added it to people’s heritage. She thanked Dr Pathak for the award.

10

Gender

April 23 - 29, 2018 enabling measures

Initiatives By Government To Empower Women

Schemes for achieving gender Equality and Emancipation of Rural Women

Quick Glance National Nutrition Mission aims to attain a “Suposhit Bharat”

Swadhar Greh scheme caters to primary needs of women

n Chandrani Banerjee

T

he Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing various schemes and programmes for achieving gender equality and emancipation of women including rural women.

While replying to a question about the forward planning the Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Maneka Sanjay Gandhi informed the Rajya Sabha.

The Ministry started the scheme ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ to address the declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and related issues of empowerment of women over a life-cycle continuum.

It is a tri-ministerial effort of Ministries of Women and Child Development, Health & Family Welfare and Human Resource Development. The aim is to provide an overall security to women and girl child.

The Ministry’s Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), a maternity benefit programme to contribute towards better enabling environment by providing cash incentives for improved health and nutrition to pregnant and nursing mothers.

Scheme for adolescent girls aims at girls in the age group 11-14, to

Women Helplines with the code 181 have been set up across the country

Maneka Gandhi, Union Cabinet Minister for Women & Child Development

empower and improve their social status through nutrition, life skills, home skills and vocational training.

Speaking to Sulabh, the media coordinator Tania Ameer said, “We are looking at an overall development and protection of women. Every scheme has been designed in a way that would cover every aspect to make women feel empowered even a rural woman”.

The National Nutrition Mission (NNM) aims to attain a “Suposhit Bharat” and has also the objective of improving the nutritional status of pregnant women and lactating mothers and reducing anaemia among women along with children.

Rastriya Mahila Kosh (RMK), for extending micro-finance services to bring about socio-economic upliftment of poor women, Mahila e-Haat, a unique direct online digital marketing platform for women entrepreneurs, Self Help Groups and Non-Governmental Organisations.

The scheme Pradhan Mantri Mahila Shakti Kendra, which will empower rural women through

community participation to create an environment in which they realize their full potential, has been designed for implementation.

The Ministry also conducts Training of Trainers of Elected Women Representatives of Panchayati Raj to deliberate upon issues related to empowerment of women and functioning of PRIs that describe the processes of participatory planning in local governance. It enables women to identify their own leadership potential to contribute effectively as change agents.

The Ministry is also aiming at schemes that would combat all forms of discrimination and violence against women in the country. And in this direction the ministry has planned a set of schemes and programmes keeping in view the rural women.

Government is planning to start One Stop Centers (OSCs) for facilitating access to an integrated range of services including police, medical, legal, psychological support and temporary shelter to women affected by violence.

Every scheme has been designed in a way that would cover every aspect to make women feel empowered, even a rural woman, said Tania Ameer

Beside a women helpline to provide women with a 24x7 service, women Helplines with the uniform code 181 have been set up across the country. These Helplines provide 24-hour emergency response to women affected by violence, and also provide counselling through phone and awareness about government schemes.

Mahila Police Volunteers are another effort of the Ministry, in collaboration with Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). MHA has recently started the engagement of Mahila Police Volunteers (MPVs) in States and in Union Territories. These MPVs will act as a link between police and community and facilitate women in distress.

Swadhar Greh is meant to cater to primary needs of women in difficult circumstances. The scheme SwadharGreh is also an effort to make women feel empowered.

Ujjwala, a comprehensive scheme to prevent trafficking of women and children for commercial sexual exploitation, to facilitate rescue victims and placing them in safe custody, to provide rehabilitation services by providing basic amenities and needs, to facilitate reintegration of victims into the family and society, to facilitate repatriation of cross border victims.

“We understand that there are social issues that restrict women to step out and raise her voice against violence or violation on her. The Minister was very keen that every scheme should offer an overall protection. If a woman has no shelter and she wants to oppose something that becomes beyond imagination for her. So, the effort is to see that what she could face for raising her voice and then plan a scheme”.

The Ministry is also working on the welfare schemes meant for the mentally ill women.

Gender

April 23 - 29, 2018 Stree, self-help group

Vidya, Voice For The Voiceless Vidya helping women fight their battles through Stree, a self-help group

n G.Ulaganathan

V

idya Gaekward, a 28-yearold young woman is a shining example of someone who rose from the ashes and built successful career of her own. But what is more significant is that today not only she has a successful life, but is also helping other women fight their battles through Stree, a self-help group.

The journey has been a long one.

After walking out of an abusive marriage, Vidya, a native of T Narsipur in Mysuru, shifted to Bengaluru and began teaching children in her neighbourhood. At the same time, she enrolled for a correspondence course for MA in English from Bangalore University.

After completing MA, she started working as an assistant lecturer at Bidadi First Grade College. She also began teaching some domestic helps of the area in the evening. Then she realised that many of them were victims of domestic violence in their lives.

“This was when I decided to do something, not let these women go through any suffering as I had, and made up my mind to fight against the abuse. I believe a strong woman stands up for herself, but a stronger woman stands up for others too,” says Vidya.

Apart from teaching them how to read and write, she also began educating them about their rights and

making them aware of the different forms of domestic violence. With the help of a few of these women, she began a self-help group (SHG) to lend a hand to abused women. Thus, Stree took birth in June 2015.

Vidya’s struggles in life will make a script for a successful movie. She was born in T Narasipur to Gajanan Gaekwad and Vinodha Gaekwad.

She lost her mother when she was eleven months old. Her father owned a small tea shop. Poverty stared at her from childhood. She studied in a government school and excelled in academics as well as athletics. At 21, she wanted to pursue MA, but her ageing father coaxed her to get married to a man much older than her. After her marriage, Vidya moved to her

Quick Glance Vidya walked out of an abusive marriage and stood for her rights Her effort found solid support in Dr Shubha HK working with Hope Foundation She began a self-help group to lend hand to abused women

in-laws’ house in Periyapatna. Soon, harassment for dowry began and her husband and in-laws would abuse her both physically and mentally.

After one year, Vidya conceived but the domestic violence did not stop. In the process, she suffered a miscarriage.

This was when she decided to walk out of the abusive marriage.

With no support from her father and siblings, she divorced her husband and moved to Bengaluru to fulfill her dreams. Little did she know then that one day she would become a voice for the voiceless.

Vidya’s efforts found solid support in Dr Shubha H K, a psychologist working with Hope Foundation. Now, there are 16 members in the group-apart from Vidya and Dr Shubha-who are all domestic helps and have faced domestic violence in one form or the other.

Stree works to rescue women from unsafe or violent environments and rehabilitate them at a temporary shelter. It also provides vulnerable women with financial support or vocational training.

When a woman is in trouble and reports her issue to Stree, the members assist her in seeking legal advice to help her understand her rights and initiate judicial process where required. Dr Shubha also helps these women with counselling and psychological rehabilitation.

Stree also identifies women who continue in abusive relationships, either due to their financial dependence on their husbands, or, because of children. It facilitates women get trained in various vocations and helps them achieve financial independence.

Stree also holds weekly awareness programmes where topics such as self-defence, women’s rights including sexuality and reproductive rights, effective communication and grooming are discussed. Each case, apart from the counselling and direct intervention, is followed up regularly and thoroughly till justice is done.

Today Stree is one of the self help groups which works on a shoe-string budget and is yet to get a NGO tag.

11 07

bringing in Change

Tamil Nadu Girl Bags US Award Through her persistent efforts, this young girl has been able to shake the beliefs and superstitions

S

n G.Ulaganathan

. Banupriya, a class 8th student of a Panchayat Union Middle School at Klachery West near Needamangalam in Tiruvarur District has been declared as the winner of the 8th ‘Annual Pramerica Spirit of Community Awards (SOCA)’ hosted by DHFL Pramerica Life Insurance (DPLI) in the Individual Category for fighting against the beliefs and superstitions attached to menstruation in her village.

The girl organised awareness rallies in her village, performed street plays and invited a doctor working in the primary health centre to educate the people in her village and counsel school girls. Through her persistent

Banupriya receives certificate from Anoop Pabby, MD & CEO, DPLI and Saina Nehwal

efforts, this young girl has been able to shake the beliefs and superstitions.

She has sensitized almost 1,500 people in her village and there has been a gradual shift in the way girls are now treated during menstruation, according to Anoop Pabby, MD & CEO, DPLI. In a media release, Anoop Pabby said in the eighth ‘Annual Pramerica Spirit of Community Awards (SOCA)’, hosted by DHFL Pramerica Life Insurance (DPLI) felicitated 29 school students for their extraordinary efforts in the area of community service at a function in Gurugram.

These finalists were shortlisted from over 4,000 applications. Banupriya and another girl student, Ishita Mangla of Delhi Public School, also received the top honour in the individual Category for their initiative. Both the winners were presented with gold medallions, ‘Certificates of Excellence’, a cash prize of Rs 50,000 each and a return trip to Washington by end of April.

12

Development

April 23 - 29, 2018 Awas Yojana

UP Tops in Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin It was a proud moment for Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath when the Ministry of Rural Development released the data

n S. Shukla

B

y constructing over 2800 houses for poor families, Uttar Pradesh has topped in the country under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), an ambitious scheme of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide houses to all socially and economically backward families by 2022. But, unfortunately, the state lags far behind in its targets to make Uttar Pradesh Open Defecation Free (ODF)

by October 2018.

It was a proud moment for the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath when the Ministry of Rural Development released the data. “The state achieved 85 per cent of the target by constructing 7,71,073 houses for poor families in rural areas in just nine months instead of one year,” reacted Minister of State for Rural development (Independent Charge) Mahnedra Singh.

It was a landmark achievement for Uttar Pradesh for two reasons: Firstly, the state was at the bottom of the list in the year 2016-2017 under the Samajwadi Party-ruled Akhilesh Yadav regime.

Secondly, the per cent of the target achievement by and implementation of the scheme by the state, which is 85 per cent, is more than double of the national average of 34 per cent under PMAY-G scheme.

Other states were not even below half mark in comparison to Uttar Pradesh, which is often called ‘Ulta Pradesh’ due to corruption and poor implementation of Central schemes. Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh which stood second and third achieved only 47 percent 45

percent targets respectively.

Targets were tough as the Central government had directed all states to achieve a consolidated target for 201617 and 2017-18. For Uttar Pradesh, it was near impossible since no work was done during the Akhilesh Yadav regime.

The Samajwadi Party government did not make available state share of 40 per cent funds. As a result the central remained unused and the PMAY-G scheme did not take off.

However, when Yogi Adityanath took over the reign on March 19, 2017, he took personal interest in PM’s flagship scheme. He held review meetings with the state rural development minister, all MPs, legislators and State Rural development department officials and directs them to start constructing for poor families in rural areas at war level.

During his last visit to his parliamentary constituency Varanasi on March 12, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi too lauded the personal interest being taken by the Chief Minister Yogi Aditayanth in making PMAY-G successful in Uttar Pradesh.

“Yogi has made the awas yojana scheme a mission and a priority of his government to provide roof to homeless poor. I am amazed that neay 5 lakh dwelling units were constructed in the last six months,” stated the PM while handing over keys of constructed houses

to families selected under the scheme in his Lok Sabha constituency.

Though the state of Uttar Pradesh achieved a milestone in the PMAY-G but it is facing a big challenge to achieve targets in Swachch Bharat Mission, another flagship scheme of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Till March this year, only 10 out 75 districts have so far been declared Open Defecation Free (ODF).

Like making 1.25 lakh kms roads across state ‘pothole-free, the Yogi Adityanath government may have to face similar embarrassment for failing to achieve the ODF targets before the October 2018 deadline set by him.

The Chief Minister had extended the deadline, but even after three months roads remained in bad shape across state. What is more alarming for the government is reports emanating from 10 ODF districts suggest that figures of toilet construction were fudged by officials to achieve targets. In Shamali districts, there are over a dozen villages which were declared ODF without construction of toilets. Similar reports came from Bijnor, Hapur and Meerut districts which were declared ODF. About 3.98 lakh toilets were claimed to have been constructed in these ten ODF districts whereas realty check differ from the figures furnished. The Ministry of Rural development has already served a warning to all states, including UP, in fudging figures of toilet construction.

Realizing that the task is near impossible, the Chief Minister held a high-level meeting with the Panchayati Raj department officials and videoconferencing with district magistrates in remaining 65 districts of the state to review the progress and discuss strategy for achieving the ODF target within stipulated time.

During the meeting, Yogi Adityanath has served warning to DMs and officials to achieve targets or face action. The Panchayati Raj department officials,

The state achieved 85 per cent of the target by constructing 7,71,073 houses for poor families in rural areas in just nine months

Quick Glance It was a landmark achievement for UP as it was at the bottom list in year 2016-17 The per cent of the target achievement is more than double the national average Yogi has made the Awas Yojana scheme a mission and a priority of his government

however, said that the delay was due to late release of funds by the Central government. Another reason was three to four times hike in prices of construction material like Mauraang, Baalu and crushed stones following closure of illegal mining.

“The funds remained the same while prices skyrocketed. How can we construct a toilet with ministry specifications with the allotted funds.

We are behind schedule for about six months under the scheme due to hike in prices of construction material and late release of funds,” admitted a senior Panchayati Raj department official.

Even after a year, the ODF scheme did not reach a daliit-dominated village in Sitapur district, just 120 kms from state capital Lucknow. Having a population of over 1300, Pulharia village under Parisawa bloc in Sitapur district is yet to get even a single toilet constructed under the scheme.

Villagers go to defecate in open even after 70 years of independence and launch of the scheme four years ago.

“Some funds had come last year but they were diverted to other village. We have approached officials again but so far no one has come to the village for survey,” said Ram Sagar, former Gram Pradhan.

When the villagers brought the matter to the knowledge of the CDO D.K. Tiwari, he was shocked to learn that and assured villagers to send a team for the survey.

Making 65 remaining districts ODF in just seven months looks very difficult if not impossible. The Yogi Adityanth government will have to eat its own words again and extend the deadline for making Uttar Pradesh ODF by October 2018.

Agriculture

April 23 - 29, 2018

13

potato boom

farmers in Uttar Pradesh continue to evolve newer methods Uttar Pradesh is the largest producer of potato in the country. It produces about 35 per cent of the total potato production in India

W

n S. Shukla

ithout taking any support from the state government, farmers in Uttar Pradesh continue to evolve newer agriculture methods on their own to double their income from lossmaking crop farming. Fed up with facing glut each year and incurring huge losses, a potato breeder in Gonda district of Uttar Pradesh is now producing sugar-free variety of potato and exports them to Hilton Group of Hotels to triple his income.

Parth Tiwari, a young farmer from Parsanda village in Gonda district, is now breeding Lady Rosetta, a Dutch variety of potato, which has an early crop maturity and low reducing sugar. Popularly known as sugarfree variety, Lady Rosetta variety of potato are crisp, good in quality and taste, requires no cold storage facility due to disease resistance.

Lady Rosetta variety has a unique feature to produce red-skinned and uniform round tubers crop which has almost negligible outrages. This Dutch variety potato was first brought to India in North Gujarat where it is grown by majority of potato farmers to double their income.

Because of its unique features, high and symmetrical round-shape yield, the Lady Rosetta variety of potatoes fetch Rs 12 to Rs 15 to potato growers in the market. The unique thing about this Dutch-variety of potato

Quick Glance Tiwari suggested setting up potato chips factories and vodka factories

State agencies asked to buy potato from farmers

Farmer Tiwari breeding lady Rosetta, a Dutch variety

is that its requires less investment in terms of cost of the seeds, irrigation and cold storage facility.

Uttar Pradesh is the largest producer of potato in the country. It produces about 35 per cent of the total potato production across the country.

This year the bumper crop crossed all previous records when production touched a new high of 155 metric tons.

Realizing that it would result in major potato glut, for the first time Uttar Pradesh history the Yogi Adityanath government not only fixed minimum support price (MSP) at Rs 4.87 per kg but also directed state agencies to buy potato crop from farmers. Over 35 lakh metric tons was so far bought by agencies involved in potato purchase.

The Chief Minister also ordered for compulsory inclusion of potato in midday meal in about 1.67 lakh primary schools to increase the consumption for maintaining the supply-demand ratio. The state government had also ordered for providing extra storage facility at about 1825 cold storages across state to balance the price index.

But all these measures could not check the plight of potato growers who suffered huge losses. “Our production cost comes to Rs 6 to 7 per kg, including transport and availing cold storage facility while the MSP has been fixed by the state government at Rs 4.87 per kg. Forget about making any profit, how shall we take out our production cost?” questions Virendra Kumar, a potato breeder from Kannauj.

So much so that potato growers burnt their crops across and made it available free to consumers in Agra, the biggest potato market in the country. They also littered their crop

outside Chief Minister Residece, Governor’s House, Vidhan Bhawan building and main thoroughfares in the state capital Lucknow to vent their grouse.

The young potato breeder Parth Tiwari claimed that he too was facing the same problems over the past few years but instead of asking the state government to come to his rescue he, instead, studied and came out with a solution to grow a better variety which has good market value.

Tiwari said that he contacted potato growers in different states and came to the conclusion that the variety being grown in the North Gujarat was the best suited for the climatic condition, available low irrigation facility and high market value.

The young farmer said that before buying the seeds, he got drip irrigation facility installed in his 21 acres of land to bring down his irrigation and pesticide cost. He also did some market survey and contacted potential buyers. He got the breakthrough when Hilton group of hotels in Thailand agreed to buy his crop if he makes available Lady Rosetta variety of sugar-free potato with a rider that he will have to bear the transport cost up to Kathmandu.

Tiwari immediately entered into an agreement with group to sell the special variety at the rate of Rs 14 per kg. He sowed the Dutch-variety of potato seeds in his land along with other crop. Within three months, he yielded a bumper crop of sugar-free potato. He exported about 42 tons to Thailand to make three times higher profit than what he had got last year.

The cost per kg came to only Rs 4 per kg and after including the transport cost, he made a profit of Rs 9

per kg by exporting the Dutch-variety.

Buoyed by the profit, Tiwari is now contacting Indian hotel industry and exploring other markets to increase the Lady Rosetta variety of sugar-free potato.

He is also planning to hire fields of other farmers in his village to increase production of Dutch variety of potato from next season once potential buyers confirm their orders.

Tiwari advises fellow potato growers to use latest technologies and special and newer variety of seeds in potato farming for good returns instead of blaming the state government and waiting for it to come to their rescue.

“The government gives subsidy on seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and even makes available irrigation facility in some areas. Being farmers, it is our job to evolve newer techniques, better quality seeds and approach new markets to make profit,” advises he.

Afterf writing a success story, he requests the state government to allow private companies set up potato chips factories in potato growing areas to save growers from facing glut every year and double their farming income. “More and more farmers will start growing potato if two potato chip factories and one or two Vodka factories are set-up in the state,” he suggests. His suggestion is worth looking into. Each year, Uttar Pradesh supplies large quanties of potato to Gujarat, Hyderabad and Karnataka and other states having chip manufacturing factories and Vodka making distilleries. It entails

Potato in mid-day meal in about 1.67 lakh primary schools to increase the consumption for maintaining the supplydemand ratio huge transport cost and reduces profit margin of potato growers in the state.

A senior officer in the food processing department claimed that they were looking into the suggestions made by Tiwari.

“During the UP Investors’ Summit, a few entrepreneurs have submitted proposals in this regard and showed keen interest in setting up potato chip manufacturing units and Vodka Distilleries in potato growing areas of the state. We are working on it to double potato growers’ income,” claimed he.

14

North East

April 23 - 29, 2018

Assam

WB Govt Mulling Measures To Beef Up Export Of Darjeeling Tea The WBIDC took up the matter in serious earnest and has been coming up with marketing and support initiatives

87 tea estates were completely shut for four months

Darjeeling Tea had come under immense threat internationally

WBIDC took up the matter in serious earnest to regain the brand value

Prasanta Paul

A

fter months of turmoil and agitation, the hills up in Darjeeling and adjoining areas have fast been returning to its fabled rhythm, prompting the West Bengal government to recently hold a business summit in the Mall, the spectacular point in the hill capital.

Among the various crucial decisions taken at the summit, the move by the state government to draw up a detailed plan to enhance the brand value of Darjeeling tea for higher realisation of exports has immensely impressed the tea producers.

“We are planning for enhancement of the brand value of Darjeeling Tea along the lines of champagne, which has acquired iconic proportions across the globe,” managing director of West Bengal Industrial Development Coporation Vandana Yadav disclosed on the sidelines of an event organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry(CII) here. WBIDC, she said, would work out the details and make the necessary investment towards this end.

The ‘Darjeeling Tea’ which is already a global brand, had come under immense threat internationally after the tea producers in the three hill subdivisions suffered a major production loss of prime season tea.

It has resulted in a severe scarcity of the availability of the branded Darjeeling tea in global markets.

The beleaguered tea producers made an impassioned plea with the West Bengal government for assistance. The WBIDC took up the matter in serious earnest and has been coming up with marketing and support initiatives so that global customers’ confidence could be regained for this valued brand.

According to Yadav, the matter came up for discussion at the business summit held in Darjeeling recently. The traders had harped on the need for launching special efforts. At present, the Darjeeling tea, she said, which had already got

Quick Glance

the GI tag and a special logo, was being sent to the export markets in bulk form. However, an acute problem arose last year when the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha called for a shutdown demanding separate statehood and the agitation lasted for more than one hundred days. The agitation severely affected the entire tea production which almost came to a halt in the hill belt. As many as 87 tea estates were completely shut for four months during the peak tea producing season.

This sudden unavailability of Darjeeling tea, WBIDC sources said, had upset the global buyers who started questioning the rationale behind the famous tea going off the shelves for such a prolonged period.

Not only that, the international buyers turned quite skeptical about the availability of the tea in near future. “Hence, renewed marketing efforts are required at this moment as production has begun with fine gusto. We want to package it into a very premium format to get highly discerning realisation in the export markets of UK, US, Europe and Japan,” she said. Elaborating further, she said the state government would also like to facilitate direct meetings

between exporters and buyers to help the latter regain confidence in the supply of the branded tea.

Historically, value of Darjeeling tea lies in its magnificent aroma and scent, thanks to the climate and an unparallaled soil and slope. It is, at the same time, the maiden product of India to have achieved a globally recognised Geographical Indication (GI) tag and logo. As per the law, it implies that this brand of tea cannot be sold without the GI tag and the logo. This apart, it also prohibits any producer/exporter from using this brand name for a different tea blend except the particular variety of tea produced in Darjeeling.

It is true, Yadav averred, that the state government is yet to decide on the exact nature of branding assistance to Darjeeling tea.

However, WBIDC is keen to float close to 30 brands of Darjeeling tea which, according to her, could become the flag bearers of the industry.

Darjeeling annually produces between 8 and 9 million kgs of tea and the majority of the entire produce is exported. What the state government has been mulling is to help the industry in getting better price and market discovery besides

Darjeeling annually produces 8 to 9 million kgs of tea and the majority of the entire produce is exported

penetrating deep into the existing markets in order to reach new buyers. As of now, the key markets of the Darjeeling variety account for Germany, Japan, USA, UK and others. Sources said the state government might identify selected estates which produce quality tea with a good global order book and help them in branding initiatives of the produce from such gardens. The union government too has narrowed down on a similar proposal under which a scheme is being envisaged which proposes to identify one or two companies which can become the flag bearer of Indian tea.

All these measures, industry officials argue, will be time consuming. What they want is the state government’s initial financial support and accordingly, they have asked for a grant. “The gardens had remained closed and we had lost nearly the entire years’ crop with almost nothing in our export kitty.

Now, we need to pay wages, bonus and have other commitments. Hence, we expect the state government as well as the centre bail us out during this critical period”, a tea estate owner from Darjeeling said.

Nevertheless, the industry leaders are of the opinion that apart from financial help, branding and marketing support is the real need of the hour to stage a strong comeback in the export market this year and regain the buyer confidence.

According to the managing director of Goodricke Group AN Singh, for big companies like Goodricke, it was possible to overcome the loss suffered last year as they have gardens in Dooars and Assam. But for those planters who are based out of Darjeeling only, the state assistance in increasing the global buyer base and mediate selling prices abroad is now crucial. This alone can fetch better prices for Darjeeling tea in the international market, he feels.

North East

April 23 - 29, 2018

15 07

tripura

Assam

MAIDAMS OF ASSAM IN WORLD HERITAGE SITE TENTATIVE LIST Maidams are vaulted chamber and often double storied with the entry through an arched passage Quick Glance The royal maidams are found exclusively at Charaideo, near Sibasagar UNESCO has laid down ten criteria for a site to be declared as a World Heritage Site

Puspavanta Palace To Turn Into Museum Tripura’s 16 governors stayed in the “Puspavanta Palace’’, situated at Kunjaban n IANS

Structurally, a maidam consists of vaults with one or more chambers

Rajeev

T

he burial mounds of the Ahoms in Assam called ‘Maidam’ during the medieval period have found place in the tentative list of UNESCO world heritage sites list, minister of state for culture (Independent charge) has informed Parliament.

Other sites from the Northeast in the tentative list are the Apatani Cultural Landscape, Namdapha National Park and Thembang Fortified Village in Arunachal Pradesh and Majuli in Assam considered one of the largest inhabited riverine islands in the world. So far only two sites have been given the prestigious tag from the Northeast – Kaziranga National Park and Manas Wildlife Sanctuary.

After their migration from China, the Tai-Ahom established their first capital at the foothill of Patkai hills and named it Che-rai-doi or Che-tam-doi, meaning “a dazzling city above the mountain” in their language. The landscape of CheRai-Doi or Choraideo continued to retain its position as most sacred among the community where the departed soul of the Royals could transcend into the after-life. Their unique system of vaulted mounds continued for many centuries till many Tai-Ahoms adopted the Hindu system of cremation.

Maidams are vaulted chamber and often double storied with the entry through an arched passage. Atop the hemispherical mud-mound layers of bricks and earth are laid, where the base of the mound is reinforced by a polygonal toe-wall and an arched gateway on the west. Eventually the mound would be covered by a layer of vegetation, reminiscent of a group of hillocks, transforming the area into an undulating landscape.

Excavation has revealed that each vaulted chamber has a centrally raised platform where the body was laid. Several objects used by the deceased during his life, like royal insignia, objects made in wood or ivory or iron, gold pendants, ceramic ware, weapons, clothes were buried with their king.

From the period between 13th17th centuries, wood was used as the primary material for construction

Eventually, the mound would be covered by a layer of vegetation, reminiscent of a group of hillocks, transforming the area into an undulating landscape

but from the 18th century onwards stone and burnt bricks of various sizes were used for the inner chambers. Boulders of different sizes, broken stones, bricks, and broken brick were used to construct the superstructure, whereas large stone slabs were used for the subsubstructure.

The royal maidams are found exclusively at Charaideo, near Sibasagar; whereas other maidams are found scattered in the region between Jorhat and Dibrugarh towns.

Structurally, a maidam consists of vaults with one or more chambers.

In 2015 the Archaeological Survey of India excavated a number of female skulls along with a male skull in a maidam in Sivasagar district.

The ASI had also collected blood samples from descendants of Ahom kings to conduct DNA tests to find out whether the bones excavated belonged to the Ahom royal families.

UNESCO has laid down ten criteria for a site to be declared as a World Heritage Site. Maidams have been nominated under Criteria V of the UN agency for ‘outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures) or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change.”

T

ripura’s century-old ‘Puspavanta Palace’, the official residence of 16 state Governors since 1972, is set to be transformed into a museum and research centre dedicated to Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

Governor Tathagata Roy has shifted to a new Raj Bhavan building, which he inaugurated on April 18 at the capital complex here.

“The palace was built by British architecture company Martin and Burn 101 years ago, and with the shifting of the Raj Bhavan, it would now be turned into a museum and a tourist spot,” Samarjit Bhowmick, the Governor’s Secretary said.

Pannalal Roy, who conducted a research on the relation of Tagore with the Manikya kings of Tripura, said the bard visited the state seven times, and had stayed at the palace in 1925 as the guest of Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur, the last Manikya king.

The civil secretariat -- the headquarters of the Tripura administration since 1838 when the then king made Agartala his capital and even after the princely state’s accession to India -- had been shifted to the newly constructed complex in the new capital complex in September 2009. In July 2011, the Tripura Assembly also shifted to the new huge building from the Ujjayanta Palace, built by then king Maharaja Radha Kishore Manikya in 1901 in Agartala and which was the headquarters of the royal administrations until the state merged with the Indian union on October 15, 1949 after the end of several hundred years of rule by 184 kings.

16

April 23 - 29, 2018

urooj fatima Writer is an emerging journalist and a post-graduate in Media Governance from Jamia Millia Islamia

“The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up”

VIEWPOINT

Mark Twain

Read! Read! Read! To Know That You Are Not Alone Dance Is Art In Motion

The World Dance Day is a celebration of life

D

ance has been an integral part of mankind since time immemorial. Whenever we look at nature we find that it is full of rhythm and music. There is a pulse, a beat in everything living.

“Dance is the hidden language of the soul of your body” very well said whoever said this. Dance is a language that has no meaning no grammar but it is full of emotions, feelings that are hidden inside us. It is the medium of communication through which you can express your feelings to the other people. It includes rhythmic body movements which have some value and symbol to express the feelings. There are various dance forms performed for various purposes.

Dance has so many different categories. It has been an integral part of humans’ life throughout the history. It can be categorized and described by its choreography, place of origin or historical period.

Since 1982, International Dance Day or World Dance Day, is celebrated on April 29. This is the day to celebrate the exuberance of the spirit and all that is vibrant, immensely beautiful, inundating the world with rhythm and the pulsating cosmic vibe of dance.

Before the invention of written languages dance was the important part of communication. It was the old method of passing stories from generation to generation.

Dance is not just an art to be performed in front of others. But dance has that ability to build you stronger physically and mentally as well..

Editor-in-Chief

Kumar Dilip Edited, Printed and Published by: Monika Jain on behalf of Sulabh Sanitation Mission Foundation, owned by Sulabh Sanitation Mission Foundation Printed at: The Indian Express Limited A - 8, Sector -7, NOIDA (UP) Published at: RZ - 83, Mahavir Enclave, Palam - Dabri Road, New Delhi - 110045 (India) Corporate Office: 819, Wave Silver Tower, Sector - 18, NOIDA (UP) Phone: +91-120-6500425 Email: editor@sulabhswachhbharat.com, ssbweekly@gmail.com

To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life- W Somerset Maugham

W

hen I can’t stand to look at one more hateful tweet or post on Facebook, I logout and, I read a book.

When I turn on the videos on YouTube to hear the news and all I hear is people shouting and talking over one another, I exit andI read a book.

When I realize that I have 500 unread emails, I sign-out and I read a book.

When the apartment is a mess and friends are on their way over, I find a corner and I read a book.

You get the point. When I’m stressed, I grab a book. I also read when I’m not stressed. I like to read. I love to read.

The smell of the book is where I find the pleasure. People reading e-book can never understand the essence of actual reading.

Reading is such a wonderful habit. It is a kind of therapy, which can work wonders and act as a soothing balm to calm frenzied minds and frayed nerves. It is a stimulating tonic, which brings that distinctive qualitative change in the wholesome persona of the individual who takes to it just like a duck takes to water. Allied with it, it is also quoted that books are one’s best friends in life and this even when one’s real friends in life betray one. Books are always there even in one’s most difficult times and are very rightly hailed as human’s best soothemate.

They are the never-failing friend in that they provide teachings, influence one’s thoughts and actions, alter one’s life for the better, give advice, encourage and entertain when one is down. Moreover, their failure to demand anything in return except reading and taking care of them make them true friends. Through their wide array of topics all these benefits are accrued, making them an intelligent choice for a friend of all time.

But unfortunately, the reading habit is

decreasing these days, especially among the new generation.

Even today reading is considered as one of the best pastimes for many people, though the advent of television and Internet has led to a certain negative impact on the minds of almost everybody, especially youth, teenagers and kids. And this, in turn, has resulted in the slow decline in the number of book-readers.

Students have put down beloved paperbacks and replaced them with smartphones, iPads, kindle and other technology. Kids’ reading for pleasure has dropped tremendously over the past 40 years, and technology may be to blame.

The question of spending money on books is over-ruled by the thought that everything is available on a computer. People prefer to spend money on something else than spending on books. Some even say there are risks of losing books while carrying them. Moreover, why to carry a burden unnecessarily when there is a laptop available?

Some think that turning pages with a touch of a button is much easier than flipping the pages of a printed book. Shrinking or enlarging print and moving to any part of the book with a click helps in many cases.

Taking note is much more powerful. It also provides a touch-sensitive screen, and the advantages to this are being able to annotate

Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it- PJ O’rourke

April 23 - 29, 2018

It has been believed that avid readers tend to have a better grasp on realities and are known to be better judges of people text, highlight important passages, and scribble in the margins. It is money-saving and convenient.

But why do some people still swear by paper? There is still some unique appeal of holding a book in your hands to have the full experience of reading. They are easier on the eyes and easier to read.

Printed book is also more reliable. It can be used anywhere, even where there is no electricity unlike with e-book reading devices that need batteries and recharging.

Bookcases and shelves full of paper books can also add a touch of luxury to your house. Shelves full of books can be a beautiful sight and make a home warm and friendly. That is another reason why people prefer print over digital. It renders art more beautifully than an e-Ink display.

Printed books are more durable and more engaging to the readers than e-books.

Apart from this if we just talk about the importance of a book which plays a significant role in our life. They say that “When you open a book, you open a new world”. I believe that everyone world agrees with this statement as books have become inevitable to mankind. For the majority of people, books are part of their everyday life.

Books are packed with knowledge, insights into a happy life, life lessons, love, fear, prayer and helpful advice. One can read about anything under the sun.

Books have been here for centuries and without them, today’s knowledge of our past ancestors, cultures and civilizations would have been impossible. Have you ever thought what would have happened if intellectuals never documented their studies?

On the 23rd of April, the world celebrates the World Book Day. This day is a celebration of authors, illustrators, books and most importantly reading.

The main aim of the World Book Day is to encourage children to the pleasures of books and reading. The reason for choosing this particular date is interesting.

The 23rd of April is a symbolic date for world literature because it is the date of death for many great authors and poets such asWilliam Shakespeare, Miguel de Cervantes, William Wordsworth and many others.

In my opinion reading is the perfect hobby and I am sure that a lot of people would agree. There are a lot of wonderful reasons why reading is important.

OpEd

17

Human Destiny

Maulana Wahiduddin Khan A world-renowned Islamic scholar who writes prolifically about the positive aspects of faith in science

Is this world of beautiful dreams only there to remain a dream, and never to be realized?

upfront

O

NCE during one of his missionary journeys Billy Graham, the well-known evangelist received a message from an American billionaire who asked to meet him as soon as possible.

On meeting him, the billionaire said: “You see, I am an old man.

Life has lost all meaning. I am going to take a fateful leap into the unknown. Young man, can you give me a ray of hope?”

This is not just the story of one billionaire; rather it is the story of all human beings. Man devotes all his time towards this end, till the final hours of his life come and he leaves this world with the feeling of helplessness knowing that he could not achieve what he wanted to.

What is the reason for this? Man is the only creature in this vast universe, who cherishes countless desires in his heart. Is this world of beautiful dreams only there to remain a dream, and never to be realized? Why this contradiction?

Such contradiction does not exist anywhere else in this vast universe. The inanimate world,

the plant world and the animal world are completely free from such contradiction. There is a basic difference between man and the rest of the universe. That is, man’s life is divided into two stages — the stage of life before death and the stage of life after death.

Unlike man, all other things in the universe have no stage beyond this present world. They are meant only to come into existence, and then be obliterated one day forever.

The truth is that whatever has been destined for man in the second stage of his life, he desires it in the first stage itself. However, this is not possible because of a

unique law in nature.

Man’s life is governed by the principle of action and reward. That is, the performance of actions in the first stage before death; and the receiving of reward commensurate to those actions, in the second stage after death.

This law is the key to understanding human life.

According to this law, the world before death is the stage of sowing the seed; and the world after death is the stage of finding its result — lush green trees, laden with flowers and fruits.

What man therefore ought to do, in this first stage of his life is concentrate all his attention on the proper cultivation of the seed, instead of making futile efforts to find the fruits and flowers. Those who do so will find everything they desire in the world to come — all those things that they had failed to find in the world they leave behind.

letters to the editor 13

07

Vrindavan Widows

Sanitation in Kenya

Sabita Roy Chowdhury’s spiritual ride drove her to Vrindavan

Kenya has been pushed into a situation where improved sanitation needed innovation

24

21

The Making of a Legend

Madhubani Railway Station

Bindeshwar Pathak tagged Madhubani as “the cleanest station of the country”

PM announced the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana

bharat.com sulabhswachh FIND US

ONLINE

Scan this with your smartphone

Vol - 2 | Issue - 18

A GOO D NEW S

/2016/71561

| April 16 - 22, 2018

| Price ` 5/-

WEE KLY

AKSHAYA PATRA

RNI No. DELENG

Feeding The n Future Generatio

several states has of children across tions of feeding lakhs sities The massive opera s from top US univer t of research paper become the subjec Glance Quick

feeding Akshay Patra is a unique across states programme for school children which found It was created by ISKCON out of school to drop hunger causing children systems have The unique kitchen quality food ensured hygiene and

n G ULAGANATHAN

/ BENGAL URU

N D R A H I K K A S A Primary Government Higherin one of school is situated Hesarughatta road, the villages on enter the school, Karnataka. As you of girls playing you see a bunch small play area. One hopscotch in the girls is 12-year-old of these chirpy little Kavita. girl, her hair Kavita is a bright neat braid and a combed back into She says she uniform tidily pressed. language and that loves the English subject in school. it is her favourite tries speaking to In her free time, she an effort to makes herself in English, gets her mistakes assess herself and teachers. Kavita’s corrected by her 15 years of age, is elder sister, who areshwara High studies at Gangadh

C

e serving ay meal programm in 13,839 st NGO-run mid-d The world’s large million children l lunch to over 1.6 in India wholesome schoo ols across 12 states

scho

Akshay Patra Foundation The cover story ‘Feeding The Future Generation’ made me feel immensely proud to be a part of the Iskon group. Other than the spiritual aspect A.

C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Ji has not just spread the teachings of Krishna consciousness has shown many other the new of approaching things in a different manner.

With his blessings, Iskon and Akshay Patra are touching extreme heights and spreading its routes to help the society.

I would like you to cover the dedicated work done by Madhuban Ashram in Rishikesh many other readers will like it.

Hare Krishna.

Gautam Kumar, Noida

Solar PArks In India The article ‘Linking Solar Energy With Agriculture In India’ displayed how the

agriculture in India is changing and newer and efficient methods are used taking the environment in concern. Use of solar energy was a point I never thought of in the field of agriculture. This was an exceptional method used, which not just help the government but also the major problem faced by the farmers that of the electricity at the tube wells. In the west, we find that in many places in Europe farmers shifted from farming to power generation In Bulgaria many farmers have used their lands for constructions of wind turbines to generate power and they not just help themselves but their government and others too.

Pramod Kumar, Jhansi

Please mail your opinion to - ssbweekly@gmail.com or Whatsapp at 9868807712

18

Photo Feature

APRIL23 - April 29, 2018

picturesque thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram, which got this name from Anantha , the serpent king of Hindu mythology... traditional buildings and monuments stand as great examples of culture and overwhelming splendor. Idyllic beaches, serene hill slopes, mesmerizing lakes, all set against a vibrant cultural back drop that is Thiruvananthapuram for you.

Photo: sIPRA dAS

APRIL23 - April 29, 2018

A coastal panorama of Trivandrum encompassing the life and time of the fishermen. Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) holds a number of tourist spots. The entire tourism package such as hill stations, back waters, beaches, lagoons, and wild life sanctuaries are present in this district.

Photo Feature

19

20

Science & Technology

April 23 - 29, 2018

Power generation

A New R&D Lab For Small Hydro Projects

(AHEC) at the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee. Set up at the cost of Rs. 40 crore, the laboratory will act as a design and validation facility and also conduct research on hydro turbines and other hydro mechanical equipment conforming to national and international standards.

It has the capability to conduct tests on scaled models of hydraulic turbines for various technical parameters such cavitation performance, pressure pulsation and runaway speed, characteristic curves for the turbine quadrant, hydraulic thrust and torque.

The laboratory is equipped with state of the art SCADA based automatic control system with first principal based flow

measurement, precision pressure transducers and sensors.

It has obtained accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Laboratories (NABL) as per ISO/IEC standards for fluid flow testing and calibration. NABL is part of Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC), which, in turn, is part of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC).

In terms of research, the laboratory would undertake studies in fields such as multi-phase hydro dynamics, water power project and hydraulic machinery. To begin with, it will focus on computational analysis of intensity of hydraulic turbine, application research of hydraulic optimization and analysis of internal flow, flow field display technique of hydraulic turbine, cavitation mechanism and anticavitation measures, measurement and control technique for assessing pressure fluctuations in hydraulic turbine, hydraulic vibration stability test in hydraulic machinery, and measurement of dynamic pressure velocity field in hydraulic turbine. Inaugurating the laboratory at a function today, Union Minister of State for Power and New and Renewable Energy (Independent charge), Raj Kumar Singh, congratulated IIT Roorkee and particularly AHEC for coming forward for contributing to the small hydro industry as an excellent example of academiaindustry bonding. “The turbine model testing facility shall be a step for make in India, being the first independent facility for turbine manufacturers and power producers”, he noted. Prof A.K. Chaturvedi, Director, IIT Roorkee, said, “The laboratory will provide a platform for national and international academic and industrial collaboration with hydro power industry and research groups. The industry shall have research based solutions.to industrial problems, prefabrication model testing, calibration and certification within the country in cost effective manner.”

navigation satellite, IRNSS-1I, the space agency has said.

The orbit raising operation took place at 9.05 p.m. on April 15, the ISRO said.

The achieved perigee height (nearest point to the earth) is 35,462.9 km and apogee height (farthest point to the earth) is 35,737.8 km.

The IRNSS-1I was launched on April 12.

After a flight lasting about 19 minutes, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) achieved a Sub

Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit with a perigee of 281.5 km and an apogee of 20,730 km inclined at an angle of 19.2 degree to the equator.

At that point, the IRNSS-1I got separated from the rocket.

Following that ISRO carried out four orbit raising operations on April 13 (first and second), April 14 (third operation) and April 15.

However, the ISRO did not provide any information for how many minutes the satellites’ onboard motors were fired for raising the orbit.

The Ministry of New and Renewal Energy (MNRE) has aimed to harness at least 50 per cent of the potential in the next 10 years n Sunderarajan Padmanabhan

I

t is estimated that India has the potential to generate 20,000 MW of power from small hydropower projects alongside rivers and irrigation canals. The Government has been taking several steps over the year to realize this potential to meet the growing need for electric power in the country. The Ministry of New and Renewal Energy (MNRE), which is the nodal agency for promoting small hydropower projects, has aimed to harness at least 50 per cent of the potential in the next 10 years.

The present installed capacity is about 4,500 MW. A major roadblock in converting the potential to reality has been in terms of testing of the hydro turbines that generate the electricity. They can be tested for their efficiency in real conditions only after they are installed and even then not only the results are not accurate enough but also no improvements can be done once the machine is installed.

Quick Glance India has the potential to generate 20,000 MW of power A fully automatic SCADA-based hydraulic R& D laboratory Lab is located at the Alternate Hydro Energy Centre Roorkee

Union Minister of state for new and renewable energy (independent charge), R.K. Singh, inaugurated a laboratory for testing hydraulic turbines at IIT-Roorkee.

Consequently, the tests are conducted on scaled models and on scaled hydraulic conditions. Such tests are time consuming and demand well calibrated precision instruments that are expensive and often tailor made. Only large turbine manufacturers can and therefore, have their own test facilities.

Smaller developers and consultants cannot afford such investments. As a result, several projects have faced surprises during their operation.

A solution is now available for the problem. The Ministry has set up a dedicated fully automatic SCADAbased hydraulic turbine research and development laboratory at the Alternate Hydro Energy Centre

Irnss-1I

ISRO Completes Final Orbit Raising Operations The PSLV achieved a Geosynchronous orbit after a 19-minute flight

n SSB BUREAU

T

he Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully carried out the fourth and final orbit raising operations of

Sulabh

April 23 - 29, 2018

21 07

ambedkar jyanti/pathak day

“It took me 50 years to bring women like Usha Chaumar into the mainstream of society” – Dr Bindeshwar Pathak Dr Bindeshwar Pathak said that the issue of untouchability and scavenging persisted until I invented the technique

n Sanjay Tripathi

T

he self-declared Brahmin exscavengers of Alwar and Tonk, along with the guest poets, celebrated the 127th birth anniversary of Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar at the Sulabh Gram on April 14. Sulabh founder Dr Bindeshwar Pathak and Amola Pathak paid floral tribute to the statue of Ambedkar. The widowed mothers of Vrindavan were also present there.

After lighting the ceremonial lamp, the programme started with the song “Jai Bhim Rao Baba” performed by the Sulabh music department.

In his welcome address, Chairman of Sulabh S P Singh said that we are celebrating two great men. The battle

started by Dr Ambedkar has been won

by Dr Pathak. Usha Chaumar told her story of how Dr Pathak has freed her from the degrading practice of scavenging and brought her into the mainstream of society. She said that the Pandits and Brahmins who used to stay away from her presence now interact with her daily, they do not hesitate to sit next to her anymore. “Today, I feel like I am a Brahmin myself,” she said.

Senior correspondent, Rahul Dev, who could not attend the programme, sent his best wishes to Dr Pathak.

On behalf of the Akhil Bhartiya Sarvabhasha Coordination Committee, Madhu Mishra welcomed Dr Pathak.

Madhu Mishra wrote the song ‘Sulabh ko duniya kare salam’ in honour of Dr Pathak. Sudhakar Pathak, President of Hindustani Bhasha Academy said that he was proud of the fact that he has got the opportunity to honour Dr Pathak. On this occasion, the poets of ‘Shuchita Kavya Parv’, Dr Kaushal Panwar, Pankaj Jha, Zameer Hapudi, Dr Rahul, Ramavtar Bairwa, Sunehri Lal, Dr Bhuvanesh Singhal and Suresh Nirav were honoured by Dr Bindeshwar Pathak.

On this occasion, Dr Bindeshwar Pathak said that Bharat Ratna, Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar, used to say that the inhumane tradition of untouchability would not be eradicated till people from all castes are allowed to worship together in a temple, drink water from the same well and bathe in the same pond. Gandhiji also said that there would only be one class in this country, either Hindu or untouchable.

Gandhi also believed that the scavengers wouldn’t be accepted into the mainstream of society as long as the practice continues. Dr Bindeshwar Pathak said that the issue of untouchability and scavenging persisted until he invented the technique. “It took me 15 years to explain to the society that these people are just like the rest of us. I followed four principles of Ambedkar. Today, the former scavenger women present here in front of you, I took them to the holy rivers and to the prestigious temples of the country. They sat with the Brahmins, ate and drank with them. Babu Jagjivan Ram tried to take them to the temples but they could not succeed. It is not possible to remove the shortcomings just with government policies. We have to take the initiative ourselves too. It took me 50 years to bring women like Usha Chaumar

Usha Chaumar told her story that how Dr Pathak has freed her from the degrading practice of scavenging and brought her into the mainstream of society

into the mainstream of society. In these 50 years, we have never talked about hatred. Following the path of non-violence, we linked them to the mainstream of society. To experience and empathize with their pain, I have also carried night-soil on my head. On this occasion, I would like to thank New York Mayor, Bill D Blasio who had marked a day on my name.”

Kaushal Panwar inaugurated the poetry event with her poem ‘Mahila Bhangee’ (female outcast). In this poem, an outcast woman was featured who carried night-soil. Usha Chaumar, who came from a similar past, stands at this stage proudly as the President of Sulabh.

This day, back in 2016, New York Mayor Bill D. Blasio announced the day as Dr Bindeshwar Pathak Day in New York City in his honour. Sulabh also celebrated Dr Bindeshwar Pathak Day in honour of the American holiday. The students of Sulabh public school performed a song for Dr Pathak.

Subsequently, Amola Pathak and the chairman of Sulabh, S P Singh greeted Dr Pathak with bouquets and garlands.

President of Hindustani Bhasha Academy, Sudhakar Pathak along with, Savita Chaddha, Vijay Sharma, Bhupendra Sethi, and Vijay Kumar Rai honoured Dr Pathak.

In the second session, the ‘Shuchita Kavya Parv’ was organized. Sunhir Lal’s poem “hum bhi kuch rang jamane ka hunar rakhte hai rang pe rang chadhane ka hunar rakhte hai” received great appreciation from all.

Ram Avtar Barua narrated his poem in the comedic genre. Conducting the programme, senior poet Suresh Nirav on the request of the audience recited his poem “kashmir jaisa husn, kargil si adaein bankar si ankhon vaale ko adab arz hai”.

This concluded the day.

22

Health

April 23 - 29, 2018 neurology

Medicine

Scientists Shed Light On Cancer Risk Associated With Changes During Ageing Epigenetics allows scientists to track how our lifestyle and surroundings affect the behavior of gene expressing in the body including mutations of DNA n Ratneshwar Thakur

T

he new science of Epigenetics has enabled us to track, how our lifestyle and surroundings affect the behavior of genes in our body, without altering the underlying DNA sequence (commonly called ‘mutations’).

These epigenetic changes may stop aged cells and damaged cells from forming any new cells–akin to forced retirement, scientifically known as senescence, thereby preventing chances of cancer. However unusual epigenetic changes might help rogue cells to escape senescence and steer towards formation of tumors.

Now, to be able to predict agingrelated cancer risks, researchers are trying to identify those genes which undergo the most epigenetic changes during normal aging and in early tumor development.

In a collaborative study, a team of researchers from India and USA (Dr.Subhojit Senof University of Mumbai andDr. Hariharan Easwaran of John Hopkins University, USA) have identified two sets of genes: one that may help human cancer cells to progress by rejecting forced retirement or senescence due to unusual DNA methylation, while a different set which might be responsible for cancers from normally aging cells. The results of this study have been published in the Journal ‘Cancer Cell’.

In this study, researchers have performed experiments on mice and cells from human skin samples.

To analyze epigenetic changes, they observed patterns of DNA methylation, a process by which cells add tiny methyl chemical groups to a beginning region of a gene’s DNA sequence, thereby dictating how that gene is used.

“Some groups have suggested that epigenetic changes may promote tumour formation. It was puzzling us-- how epigenetic changes occurring in the tumourprotective process of senescence may also promote formation of tumours?. Hence we investigated

Brain’s memory area might be associated with anxiety, depression The area, known as hippocampus, is linked to anxiety and depression n IANS

the differences in epigenetic changes that occur in both events,”said Dr. Hariharan Easwaran.

The authors observed that although the process of DNA methylation appeared similar for both senescent and tumours cells, the genes that got methylated and the way it occurred were different between the two.They found that DNA methylation in senescent cells occurred in metabolic process related genes and appeared to be programmed and reproducible. On the other hand, in tumour cells, methylation occurred in growth related genes and appeared to be relatively random.

Classically, environmental stresses like smoking, harmful diets or lifestyle choices were thought to cause cancer mainly through DNA mutations. Recent studies have suggested that environmental stresses and carcinogens can also induce these types of unusual epigenetic changes. “Thus it is important to realize that these exposures impact our genomes in multiple ways - both genetic and epigenetic - all of which may synergize in inducing tumour formation,” added Dr. Easwaran.

“Next, we will explore strategies for determining age-associated riskof tumor development. It may eventually lead to biomarker

Quick Glance Researchers are trying to find the epigenetics Scientists conducted various experiments on mice & human cells The scientists observed breakthrough patterns of DNA

development which might help us detect these changes very early on, even in healthy individuals,” said Dr. Easwaran “This happens to be the first or at least initial evidence to clearly demonstrate differences in DNA methylations in terms of target genes.

Successful replication of these results may help in deciding whether welldefined methylated genes can be developed as biomarkers for cancer risk assessment,” said Prof. Girish B. Maru, ACTREC, Mumbai, a cancer researcher who is not connected with this study. Besides Dr. Easwaran and Dr. Subhojit Sen, the research team included many researchers from Johns Hopkins University and the USA’s National Institutes of Health.

Successful replication of these results may help in deciding whether well-defined methylated genes can be developed as biomarkers for cancer risk assessment

A

n area of the brain, commonly linked with memory and dementia, could also yield important clues about a range of mental health illnesses including addiction, anxiety and depression, a study has found.

The area, known as hippocampus, is a seahorse-shaped structure located deep inside the brain.

As part of the limbic system, it plays an important role in memory processing and spatial cognition, including how mammals learn to understand and navigate their environment. Hippocampus have been long known for its role in memory and dementia, especially in relation to Alzheimer’s disease.

In Alzheimer’s patients for instance, this region is one of the first areas of the brain to suffer damage.

The study showed that the ventral hippocampus in rats, a subregion that correlates to the anterior hippocampus in humans -- a subregion located at the front -- plays a role in emotional regulation.

“What this shows is that we may need to rethink how the hippocampus processes information,” said Rutsuko Ito, Associate professor at the University of Toronto-Scarborough.

The study, published in the journal Current Biology, revealed that because hippocampus plays a role in basic motivational behaviour, it may also offer important insights into a range of mental health illnesses.

“Some patients have lesions to certain areas of this part of the brain, so hopefully we can assess them to see what particular aspects of approach avoidance behaviour may or may not be impacted,” the researchers said..

Health

April 23 - 29, 2018

23 07

World Malaria Day

Severe And Mixed Malaria Infections Posing New Challenges Malaria cases are decreasing but there is still work to be done to eradicate the disease entirely. WHO and some other public health groups are working towards total elimination of the tropical disease

A

n Shikha T Malik

new study has confirmed a drastic shift in malaria occurrence in India. There is an increase in the number of severe infections instead of mild form of malaria experienced earlier.

India used to be mostly burdened with P. vivax (a mild form of malaria) cases but now there is an increasing number of P. falciparum (deadly form of malaria) cases. Researchers have also observed a high proportion of cases of mixed infections - infection of a patient by two or more species of malaria parasite.

Malaria spreads through female Anopheles mosquito and is caused by one of the four different species (or types) of Plasmodium parasite - P. falciparum, P. malariae, P. ovale and P. vivax in humans. Of them, infection with P. falciparum causes fatal form of malaria whereas P. vivax results in mild cases.

In order to understand changes in the distribution of malaria cases, scientists at National Institute for Research in Tribal Health, Jabalpur and their collaborators mapped the burden of different malaria infections all over India.They collected blood samples from over 2300 patients having malaria like symptoms from 11 different geographical locations.

Standard malaria tests routinely available at primary health care centers were used, along with

World Malaria Day 2018: WHO

W

HO joins partner organizations in promoting this year’s World Malaria Day theme, “Ready to beat malaria”.

This theme underscores the collective energy and commitment of the global malaria community in uniting around the common goal of a world free of malaria.

Ready to beat malaria

Urgent action is required to get the global fight against malaria back on track. That’s why WHO is calling for greater investment and expanded coverage of proven tools that prevent, diagnose and treat malaria.

• The global response to malaria is at a crossroads. After an unprecedented period of success in malaria control, progress has stalled.

• The current pace is more sensitive PCR analysis which identifies genetic material of parasite.

The research group has published its results in scientific journal, PloS One recently. In addition, they collated data from publications over the past 13 years to analyze differential infection of malaria

insufficient to achieve the 2020 milestones of the WHO Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030 – specifically, targets calling for a 40% reduction in malaria case incidence and death rates.

• Countries with ongoing transmission are increasingly falling into one of 2 categories: those moving towards elimination and those with a high burden of the disease that have reported significant increases in malaria cases.

In June 2018, WHO will convene its second annual “Global forum of malaria-eliminating countries”. The forum will bring together representatives of 21 countries on the path to becoming malaria-free, providing a platform to share lessons learned and outline the concrete steps needed to drive cases down to zero.

India Drives Down Malaria In Its Highest Burden State

Since 2000, India has made major inroads in reducing the toll of malaria. But the path towards elimination has proven a challenge in the eastern state of odisha, which carries more than 40 percent of the country’s malaria burden. In recent years, the state government has dramatically scaled up efforts to prevent, detect and treat malaria with impressive results seen in a short span of time parasites based on PCR diagnostic test.“India is planning for malaria elimination by 2030. But a shift in malaria occurrence is really daunting for targeted malaria elimination,” said Prof.Aparup Das, who led the research.

Out of the positive malaria

Earlier it was confined to Odisha but our analyses suggest that it is spreading to all over India and there are no defined treatment guidelines, nor diagnosis in the field for this specie infections, 13 per cent were found to be mixed infections due to P. falciparum and P. vivax. These were mostly located in middle and southwest coast of India. The researchers feel mixed infections to be another challenge since these are associated with severe malaria and proper treatment for these cases is not clearly defined.

Prof. Das expressed concern over emerging threat of another species of malaria- P. malariae. “Earlier it was confined to Odisha but our analyses suggest that it is spreading to all over India and there are no defined treatment guidelines, nor diagnosis in the field for this species.”

“Considerable mixed malaria cases are reported, though not precisely due to technical and methodological challenges. The malaria elimination and treatment guideline can be evaluated using such information and apprised to halt or delay the development of more resistant strains”commented Dr. Abhinav Sinha, a senior scientist at the National Institute of Malaria Research, Delhi, who was not connected with the study.

Larger studies have been planned for better understanding of the challenge. “Large-scale study encompassing all malaria endemic areas is to be performed utilizing PCR diagnosis. This will reveal real epidemiology of malaria and form a basic understanding by which different control measures could be undertaken,” said Prof. Das.

24

April 23 - 29, 2018

excerpts from the book: “NARENDRA DAMODAR MODI: the making of a legend�

Fasal Bima Yojana

Prime Minister Narendra Modi releasing the operational guidelines of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana at the Kisan Mahasammelan in Sehore, Madhya Pradesh.

T

he objectives of the Fasal Bima Yojana are to provide insurance coverage and financial support to farmers in the event of failure of any of the notified crops as a result of natural calamities, pests and diseases; to stabilise the income of farmers and thus ensure their continuance in farming; to encourage

farmers to adopt innovative and modern agricultural practices and to ensure flow of credit to the agriculture sector.

The scheme shall be implemented through a multi-agency framework by selected insurance companies under the overall guidance and control of the Department of Agriculture.

It is my belief that inspired by the welfare of the farmers, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana will bring a drastic change in the life of the farmers.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

April 23 - 29, 2018

excerpts from the book: “NARENDRA DAMODAR MODI: the making of a legend”

25

Soil Health Card Launch

Prime Minister Narendra Modi presenting Krishi Karman Awards at a function in Suratgarh in Sriganganagar, Rajasthan.

T

he Soil Health Card Scheme will provide assistance to state governments to issue Soil Health Cards and also to develop a database to improve service delivery.

It supplements the ongoing scheme to create/ strengthen capacity in terms of rapid and low-cost

diagnostic techniques, mobile laboratories, portable soil testing kits and referral labs.

It provides improved and targeted guidelines to manage deficiencies and scientific expertise in diagnostic and management of nutrients deficiencies.

By giving the emphasis on the soil health, the productivity will be increased, agriculture sector will get the boost and the farmers will become prosperous.

Under this scheme, the government plans to issue soil cards to farmers which will carry crop-wise recommendations of nutrients and fertilisers required for the individual farms to help farmers to improve productivity through judicious use of inputs.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

T

Jan Bhagidari

he Jan Bhagidari (People’s Partnership) Scheme envisages a partnership between the government and the people of the country on the premise that this would emerge as the biggest asset of the democratic principles enshrined in the Constitution of India.

The initiative is designed to promote broad-based civic participation in governance at all levels.

The foundation of the initiative lies in the principle of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas (Collective Efforts, Inclusive Growth) that has become central to

the development philosophy of the Modi Government.

Its stated objective is to create greater transparency and ensure accountability in terms of improving the quality, efficiency and delivery of public services.

This promotion of a citizengovernment partnership calls for active participation of the bureaucracy across municipal, state and central government departments, besides representatives of market and industrial associations. The objective is to cover the distance between the “rulers and the ruled” which is a legacy of colonial imperialism.

Jan Bhagidari is the biggest asset of our democracy. Be it MyGov,

Letters from Citizens, Mann Ki Baat, communication with people...every day Jan Bhagidari is increasing.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

26

excerpts from the book: “NARENDRA DAMODAR MODI: the making of a legend”

April 23 - 29, 2018

Gold Scheme

Prime Minister Narendra Modi presenting a Sovereign Bond at the launch of the Gold Scheme in New Delhi on November 5, 2015.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the launch of the Gold Scheme in New Delhi on November 5, 2015.

PM Life Insurance Scheme

Prime Minister Narendra Modi distributing various social security schemes to beneficiaries, at the Rickshaw Sangh programme organised by the Bhartiya Micro Credit, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, on January 22, 2016.

Social Security Schemes Prime Minister Narendra Modi presenting insurance policies to beneficiaries of social security schemes, at Nazrul Manch, Kolkata, on May 9, 2015, in the presence of the Governor of West Bengal, Shri Keshari Nath Tripathi, and the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Smt. Mamata Banerjee.

If there is one word that characterised Narendra Modi’s childhood and stayed with him for the rest of his life, it is service to people in distress.

Over the years, he has embarked on a unique path which has taken him across India in pursuit of a larger mission to serve humanity.

PM Suraksha Bima Yojna

Pradhanmantri Suraksha Bima Yojana is 'safety shield'. This is part of our commitment of saving the poor in difficult times.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Vrindavan Widows

April 23 - 29, 2018

Haridasi

Helpless Haridasi spreads wings again Twisted arm and poor functioning legs don’t stop her from taking things in her own hands

“

Tripura to Vrindavan with neighbours

In the midst of all this, Haridasi got to know that a few of her neighbours

Quick Glance Haridasi lost her husband and child back to back

There was no true family left so she decided to go to Vrindavan

Accident tried to break her down but Dr Pathak came to her relief

n Priyanka Tiwari

If God has scripted hardships in life, then why not bear it in his shelter itself? Had there been happiness in my share, my husband and son would have been alive today.”

This is the story of Haridasi who resides in Vrindavan situated Sharda Ashram.

Haridasi says she had enough of the endless taunts and everyday harassments and that is why she came to the refuge of ‘Radha Rani’.

It is not so that her husband and son were the only people whom she could call family, but instead of being an eventual burden on them, she chose to leave.

Undiagnosed sickness took the husband away After the death of her husband and child, Tripura’s Haridasi came to Vrindavan and here she joined the ‘bhajan-mandali’ (a group of devotional hymn singers). Like all the other widows around her, she too sustained herself by singing bhajans.

In the course of time, Vrindavan became so dear to her heart that she did not return to Tripura and instead indulged in the hymns of ‘Radha Rani’ and ‘Meera Bai’.

Haridasi tells that she was married at the age of 16. Her husband was a peon at a school. She gave birth to a son at the age of 17. With the family on track, she was leading a happy life.

But the fate had some other plans. Her husband started being sick and though the disease could not be diagnosed, in a matter of time he passed away.

That was not it. Haridasi was not done mourning over her husband’s death when her child too passed away.

After this, Haridasi and sadness went hand in hand. Although she has two sisters but after her husband’s death, neither of them bothered to show up for her. The in-laws too behaved immorally with her. All of these disheartened Haridasi.

27

did she have the money to access the required treatment.

Hunger struck for days

However, a local resident took her to a hospital and provided with required medications. After that, he took her to Tulsivan Ashram where she started living a difficult, unmanageable life.

She could not walk like before and thus going from temples to temples for performing hymns was not possible now. This adversely affected her access to food and for many days she had to live with an empty stomach, fighting the hunger.

Haridasi recalls how she used to scream of pain but nobody was there to listen of her sorrows. So eventually she learned to deal with it and somehow resumed performing hymns by managing to drag herself to a nearby temple.

Pathak Baba came to the rescue

Even today Haridasi cooks food on her own, washes the utensils. She believes in taking things in her own hands are going to Vrindavan and decided to join in. This way she set foot in the holy city and started singing hymns in temples here. When her co-travellers packed-up to leave, she refused to return with them and decided to instead stay back.

Twisted arm, broken legs brought back the hardships Haridasi would meet her hunger

with the ‘prasad’ that was offered in return of hymn performances and be engaged the entire day performing from temples to temples. And right when she was quite sure that her life is back on track, she met with an accident in which she lost her right arm and legs. With the twisted elbow and vegetable legs, hardships were back in Haridasi’s life. Neither there was anybody to look after her, nor

Haridasi tells that it was only when three years ago ‘Pathak Baba’ (Dr Bindeshwar Pathak) took the widows of Vrindavan under his wings that people started engaging with them.

Before that nobody was bothered about their existence.

She says that Pathak Baba came to meet the widows here and genuinely wanted to know of their plights. He took all of them to Sharda Ashram where Haridasi and other widows now live comfortably, perform bhajans together and watch television for entertainment.

She takes things in her own hands

Even today Haridasi cooks food on her own, washes the utensils. She believes that nobody can do your daily chores for a long period of time without getting dominant on you and so it is better to take things in your own hands, even if they don’t function well.

28

Environment

April 23 - 29, 2018

Allergies

Delhi Starts Monitoring Pollen Pollution

A digital pollen count monitor for public has been set up at Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute (VPCI) at Delhi University

n Umashankar Mishra

D

elhi is constantly struggling with the threat of air pollution containing harmful gases and particulate matter. In addition, pollen grains of different plant species spread in the air during early winter and spring affecting people suffering from respiratory diseases.

A digital pollen count monitor for

public has been set up at Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute (VPCI) at Delhi University. The monitor was inaugurated by Union Minister of Health J.P. Nadda on the occasion of 69th Foundation Day of VPCI. Now pollen count would be displayed at the hospital and the institute website so that people who are predisposed to allergy caused by pollens can take preventive measures. “While much

effort is being made towards raising awareness on impact of pollution on health, effects of pollen on patients with respiratory problems is not being given much importance even though it affects a significant number of patients. Apart from vehicular and industrial emissions, increased pollen level in atmosphere also triggers asthma and allergic reactions. Pollen grains, fungal spores, insect debris, dust mites and animal epithelial are also responsible agents of pollution.”

Says, Prof.

Rajkumar, acting director of VPCI. According to Prof.

Kumar, “The pollen concentration starts increasing in the months of September, October, and November and starts declining in December.

Pollen level again aggravates during spring season. Increase in pollen count leads to increase in the number of patients suffering from respiratory problems. The digital display board at the institute will enable people with chronic allergies to be better prepared for a dusty or pollen day on the road.

It will also help create awareness about pollen concentration in the air, which is one of the major reasons for repeated attacks in asthma patients.”

“Now people can check the pollen count display and take preventive measures, such as taking antihistamines or staying indoors and minimize health risk, said Prof.

remote sensing

New Technique Developed To Monitor Coastal Landforms

I

ndian Scientists have developed a remote sensing technique that uses satellite data to delineate between various coastal landforms like beaches, mangroves and marshes.

This method can help monitor and understand impacts of natural disasters as well as human activities on coastal ecosystem.

Coastal ecosystems that comprise of mangroves and other landforms protect the shores from natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes etc., prevent soil erosion and are hotspots of biodiversity. Over the years, excessive exploitation of coastal resources for fisheries and other commercial benefits

has led to an ecological imbalance.

Better surveillance systems are needed to keep a check on anthropogenic activities in such regions.

Although images from satellite data are commonly used to study various landforms on earth, distinguishing different landforms in coastal region remains a challenge due to their low lying nature, and absence of clear-cut boundaries between various landforms.

Scientists from the National Remote Sensing Centre, Andhra University College of Engineering and Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya utilized an image analysis technique -Object-Based Image Analysis -to demarcate various landforms such as ridges, marshes,

The monitor was inaugurated

by J.P. Nadda It displays pollen counts at hospitals and institutes This is to protect those predisposed to pollen allergies Rajkumar, who is also Head of the Pulmonary Medicine Department and National Center of Allergy Asthma and Immunology at VPCI. Pollens are fine powder that comes from the stamen of flowering plants.

They can trigger allergic reactions, such as runny nose, sore throat, coughing, headaches and asthma.

Pollen count can be an indispensable resource to manage symptoms related to respiratory diseases and protect lungs in such patients, experts says.

During his visit at the institute Mr. Nadda also stressed that the VPCI should help develop innovative policies to curb tuberculosis and to develop public awareness programs for prevention and treatment of chest diseases. Institute should have research work in collaborationwith other institutes of reputes, added Nadda.

Quick Glance Coastal ecosystems with landforms, protect shores Human activities have caused an ecological imbalance

A remote sensing technique has been developed that uses satellite data to delineate between various coastal landforms n Dr Aditi Jain

Quick Glance

Analyzing these landforms will be easier with the new technique mangroves etc. surrounding the Krishna delta present on East coast of India. The new technique deploys parameters like tone, texture, shape, context, proximity to the sea and height derivedfrom satellite images for classification of landforms. Combining the values of these parameters, a total of 11 landforms such as beach, beach ridge, swale, tidal creek,marsh, spit, barrier bar, mangrove, natural levee,channel island and channel bar were given their peculiar characteristics and were differentiated.

The reduced inflowof water from Krishna river to the delta due to construction of dams and reservoirs together with overexploitation of mangroves surrounding Krishna

delta for agriculture, aquaculture andindustrial is disturbing the ecosystem of this region. In such a scenario, a method that helpsto keep a better check on this region could help environmental organizations.

“The work is useful for identification of vulnerable zones so that mitigation measures can be planned. However, some more advanced remote sensing data and machine learning techniques can be additionally used for obtaining better results,”commented Dr. Prafful Singh from Amity Institute of Geoinformatics and Remote Sensing, who is not connected with the study, while talking to India Science Wire.

Sports

April 23 - 29, 2018

29 07

Commonwealth

High-flier Of 2018 Commonwealth Games n Urooj fatima

I

n the 21st edition of the Commonwealth Games, India gave a stellar performance and led to many firsts for the nation. In eight days, the Indian contingent won a total of 26 gold, 20 silver, and 20 bronze medals.

With a total of 66 medals, India went from the fifth position to the third, just behind Australia and England.

The games also led to many records— nine table tennis players (six men and three women) entered the world’s top 100; the country won its maiden team event gold; a mixed badminton team won gold for the first time; and Indian women clinched their maiden table tennis team gold medal.

Indians athletes set the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games on fire. They bettered their performance in the 2014 Games in Glasgow. India has had a long and illustrious association with the Games that begun way back in 1934. There are certain moments when India’s athletes scripted a new chapter in sporting history and claimed success against overwhelming odds. Same happened in 2018 CWG. The Games that began with a silver for P Gururaja and gold for Mirabai Chanu on the first day ended with a gold for Saina Nehwal and silver for Satwik Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty in badminton on Sunday 15th April.

Out of the total of 16 sports that India fielded athletes in at Gold Coast, medals were won in nine of them.

Indian shooters raked in the most number of medals (16), followed by the wrestlers (12), the boxers and weightlifters (nine each).

There were also many firsts for Indians at the Commonwealth Games. The shooters, unsurprisingly, were the most successful among all athletes with a total of 16 medals, including 7 gold medals. The biggest success stories were Anish Bhanwala, Manu Bhaker and Mehuli Ghosh three teenagers who delivered on their debut at the big stage.

The weightlifters were in wonderful form, as they kick-started India’s medal haul. Wrestlers returned with a 100% strike rate, headlined by Sushil Kumar’s CWG hat-trick.

GOLD MEDALS Saina Nehwal : Women’s singles badminton Vikas Krishan: Boxing event in 75 kg category Manika Batra: Women’s singles table tennis, become the first ever woman from the country to do so.

Vinesh Phogat: Women’s wrestling freestyle 50 kg Neeraj Chopra: Javelin throw, become the first Indian to achieve this feat Gaurav Solanki: Boxing event in 52 kg category Sumit Malik: Men’s wrestling freestyle 125 kg category Sanjeev Rajput: Shooting event; 50m rifle 3 position MC Mary Kom: 45-48 category boxing event, in her debut Bajrang Punia: Wrestling freestyle 65kg Tejaswini Sawant: Shooting; 50m rifle position Anish Bhanwala: Men’s 25m rapid fire pistol, he is just 15-year-old Sushil Kumar: Men’s freestyle 74 kg wrestling Shreyasi Singh: Double trap women shooting event Heena Sidhu: Shootig; 25m pistol Jitu Rai: 10m men’s air pistol event Manu Bhaker:10m women’s air pistol Punam Yadav: Weightlifting women’s 69 kg category Venkat Rahul Ragala: Weightlifting men’s 85 kg category Satish Kumar Sivalingam: Weightlifting men’s 77 kg category Khumukcham Sanjita Chanu: Weightlfting women’s 53 kg category Saikhom Mirabai Chanu: Weightlifting women’s 48 kg category Anish: Men’s 25m Rapid fire pistol In a first, the Indian women’s table tennis team won its first ever Commonwealth gold For the first time in the history of Commonwealth Games, the Indian mixed badminton team won gold.

The Indian men’s table tennis team won gold after it beat Nigeria by 3-0

Medal Bearers At The Gold Coast 2018

SILVER MEDALS PV Sindhu: Women’s singles badminton event Kidambi Srikanth: Men’s singles badminton Deepika Pallikal Karthik and Joshna Chinappa: Women’s doubles squash In mixed doubles squash, Dipika Pallikal and Saurav Ghosal won silver Achanta Sharath and Sathiyan Gnanasekaram: Men’s double in Table tennis Manish Kaushik: Men’s 60 kg boxing category Amit Pangal: Men’s 46-49 kg boxing event Manika Batra and Mouma Das: Women’s doubles in table tennis Anjum Moudgil: Women’s 50, rifle 3 positions event Pooja Dhanda: Women’s 57 kg final bout in the wrestling event Mausam Khatri: Men’s freestyle 97 kg wrestling Seema Punia: Women’s discus throw Babita Kumari: Wrestling 53 kg category Tejaswini Sawant: 50m rifle prone shooting Mehuli Ghosh: 10m women’s air rifle Pradeep Singh: Men’s 105 category weightlifting Heena Sidhu: 10m women’s air pistol P Gururaja: Men’s 56kg category Satish Kumar: Men’s +91 kg boxing category Satwik Rankireddy /Chirag Shetty: Men’s double in badminton

BRONZE MEDALS Manika Batra with G Sathiyan: Table tennis mixed doubles Harmeet Desai and Sanil Shankar Shetty: Men’s doubles table tennis Ashwini Ponnappa and Sikky Reddy: Women’s doubles badminton Somveer: Men’s freestyle 86 kg wrestling Sakshi Malik: Women’s freestyle 62 kg wrestling Naman Tanwar: Boxing in men’s 91 kg category Manoj Kumar: Boxing in men’s 69 kg category Hussamuddin Mohammed: Boxing in men’s 56 kg category Divya Kakran: Women’s freestyle 68 kg category wrestling Navjeet Dhillon: Women’s discus throw of 57.43 m Kiran: Women’s freestyle 76 kg wrestling Ankur Mittal: Men’s double trap shooting Om Mitharval: 50m men’s pistol Om Mitharval: 10m men’s air pistol Apurvi Chandela: 10m women’s air rifle Vikas Thakur: Weightlifting 94kg category Ravi Kumar: 10m men’s air rifle Achanta Sharath: Men’s single in table tennis Sikki Reddy /Ashwini Ponnappa: Women’s double in badminton Sachin Chaudhary: Men’s heavyweight category in para powerlifting Becoming the youngest Indian weightlifter to grab a Commonwealth Games medal, 18-year-old Deepak Lather from Haryana brought a bronze in the men’s 69kg category

30

Literature

April 23 - 29, 2018 scripture

M

y child, you may not know me, but I know everything about you (Psalm 139:1).

I know when you sit down and when you rise up (Psalm 139:2). I am familiar with your ways (Psalm 139:3). Even the very hairs on your head are numbered (Matt 10:2931) for you were made in my image (Genesis 1:27). In me, you live and move and have your being (Acts 17:28) for you are my offspring (Acts 17:28).

I knew you even before you were conceived (Jeremiah 1:4-5). I chose you even before I planned creation (Ephesians 1:11-12). You were not a mistake; all your days are written in my book (Psalm 139:15-16). I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live (Acts 17:26). You were fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).

I knit you together in your mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13) and brought you forth on the day you were born (Psalm 71:6).

I have been misrepresented by those who don’t know me (John 8:41-44). I am not distant and angry, but I am the complete expression of love (1 John 4:16), and it is my desire to lavish my love on you (1 John 3:1).

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could (Matthew 7:11) for I am the perfect father (Matthew 5:48). Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand (James 1:17) for I am your provider, and I meet all your needs (Matthew 6:3133) My plan for your future has always been filled with hope. (Jeremiah 29:11) Because I love you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3), my thoughts toward you are as countless

POEM

Calling God Hello God, I called tonight To talk a little while.

I need a friend who’ll listen To my anxiety and trial.

You see, I can’t quite make it Through a day just on my own.

I need your love to guide me, So I’ll never feel alone.

I want to ask you please to keep My family safe and sound.

Come and fill their lives with confidence For whatever fate they’re bound.

Give me faith, dear God, to face Each hour throughout the day

And not to worry over things I can’t change in any way.

I thank you God for being home And listening to my call, For giving me such good advice When I stumble and fall.

Your number, God, is the only one That answers every time.

I never get a busy signal, Never had to pay a dime.

So thank you, God, for listening To my troubles and my sorrow.

Good night, God, I love You too, And I’ll call again tomorrow!

God’s Letter To You as the sand on the seashore (Psalm 139:17-18) and I rejoice over you with singing (Zephaniah 3:17). I will never stop doing good to you (Jeremiah 32:40) for you are my treasured possession (Exodus 19:5).

I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul (Jeremiah 32:41).

I want to show you great and marvelous things (Jeremiah 33:3). If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me (Deuteronomy 4:29).

Delight in me, and I will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4) for it is I who gave you those desires (Philippians 2:13).

I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine (Ephesians 3:20) for I am your greatest encourager (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17). I am also the father who comforts you in all your troubles (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). When you are broken hearted, I am close to you (Psalm 34:18). As a Shepard carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart (Isaiah 40:11).

One day, I will wipe away every tear from your eyes (Revelation 21:3-4) and I’ll take away all the

pain you have suffered on this earth (Revelation 21:3-4). I am your father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus (John 17:26). He is the exact representation of my being (Hebrews 1:3). He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you (Romans 8:31) and to tell you that I am not counting your sins (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).

Jesus died so that you could be reconciled (2 Corinthians 5:1819). His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you (1 John 4:10). I gave up everything I loved so that I might gain your love (Romans 8:31-32). If you receive the gift of my son, Jesus, you receive me (1 John 2:23), and nothing will ever separate you from my love again (Romans 8:38-39).

Come home, and I’ll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen (Luke 15:7). I have always been your father and will always be your father (Ephesians 3:14-15).

My question is, will you be my child (John 1:1-13)?

I am waiting for you (Luke 15:1132).

Love, Your Dad, Almighty God

Events

April 23 - 29, 2018

events & more...

ACROSS 2. This state is going to set up India’s largest 5,000MW solar park.

8. India and Russia signed _______ MoUs at Defence Expo at Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

13. World’s first long-distance electric bus line begins in __________.

15. Sakshi Malik won _______ medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games?

16. As per the recent survey, this state has the highest rate of crimes against SC/ST population.

18. The new weather satellite - Fengyun-II 09 will be launched by _______.

19. Google Home and Home Mini Bluetooth speakers have been launched in _____.

20. Boxer Amit Panghal clinched which medal in the men’s 46-49kg event at the CWG 2018?

India Habitat Centre, Ground Floor, Lodhi Road, New Delhi 18 APR 2018 11AM - 30 APR 2018 12PM

SSB crossword no. 19

events

Eggster At The All American Diner Venue: THE ALL AMERICAN DINER

DOWN

SOLUTION of crossword no.18

Regular Art Classes for Adults Venue: Culture Chauraha , New Delhi Mon, 30 Apr 10:30AM - Fri, 25 May 12:30PM

Sangria Festival Venue: #NOFILTER CAFES & COFFEE SHOPS C-18, SDA Market, Opp. IIT Main Gate, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 2 APR 2018 11AM - 30 APR 2018 9PM

1.Glamorgan 2.SBI 3.Swift 4.ICICI 5.Pigeon 6.Russia 7.Delhi 8.China 9.US 10.Google

solution of sudoku-18

Woodworking For Beginners Venue: MAKER’S ASYLUM

268-G, Hauz Rani, Malviya Nagar, New Delhi 21 APR 2018 12PM - 5 MAY 2018 4PM

31

11.Odisha 12. Microsoft 13.Tamil Nadu 14.NASA 15.76 16.BHEL 17.1928 18.Ajmer 19.Assam 20.1877

1. With with country US, UK launch air strikes in Syria.

3. Which country is hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM 2018)?

4. India signed a loan agreement of __________ millions with World Bank for Meghalaya?

5. The Tilaiya Dam is located in which state?

6. The Tenth DefExpo India begins in______.

7. This company plans to provide ‘confidential mode’ soon on its mailing service.

9. Balram Bhargava appointed as the DG of ______.

10. An international conference on Water, Environment and Climate Change has started in___.

11. Who Launched Navigation Satellite IRNSS-1L recently?

12. What is the capital city of Spain?

14. This bank launches UK Subsidiary With 225 Millions Pounds Capital recently.

17. Which cabinet approved a bill guaranteeing equal pay for men and women?

sudoku-19

Summer Pool Festival Venue: CP 26, Baba Kharak Singh Rd Hanuman Road Area, Connaught Place New Delhi Sun, 6 May 1:00PM - 6:00PM

on the lighter side by DHIR

Please mail your solution to - ssbweekly@gmail.com or Whatsapp at 9868807712, One Lucky Winner will win Cash Prize of Rs 500/-. Look for the Solution in the Next Issue of SSB

Newsmakers

April 23 - 29, 2018

India Book of Records Registers Youngest Drone Developer

Vaishnavi

32

POSTAL REGISTRATION NO. DL(W)10/2240/2017-19

unsung hero

an t i r a m a S d o The Go kesh Babu

The story

Ra of George

Aryaman Verma has built a Quadcopter which is capable of flying up to 70 feet high

u kesh Bab

Ra George

Student Attempts Guinness World Record In Yoga

O

ur society often sees old aged persons as a burden. Many are left alone and they turn destitudes, in search of a respectable shelter to live and die. People often don’t care about the lives of the old and the sick. Thank fully, there are good samaritans in the country, at least in city, which has taken onto itself, what others have chosen to ignore. This is the inspiring story of Mr. George Rakesh Babu of Hyderabad who started the nonprofit Good Samaritans India.

High school student Vaishnavi did ‘natarajasana’ pose, performed contortion chest rolls for 20 meters, put six eggs in cups using her feet

A

13-year-old boy became the youngest developer of a drone and registered himself in the India Book of Records.

Aryaman Verma has built a Quadcopter which is capable of flying up to 70 feet high.

Aryaman’s family has sent his name for the Guinness Book of World Records after he got registered in the India Book of Records.

His mother has expressed hope for him to get selected among the world record holders.

Drones are mainly used for military and surveillance purposes like bomb detection, air strikes, filming and journalism and many others.

7-year-old Hyderabadi Boy Scales Uhuru Peak Of Mt Kilimanjaro Samanyu Pothuraju, along with his coach, unfurled the Tricolor at a height of 5,895 meters above the sea level

A

seven-year-old boy from Hyderabad scaled the highest peak in Africa, Uhuru peak of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

Samanyu Pothuraju unfurled the Tricolor at a height of 5,895 meters above the sea level on April 2. Speaking to ANI, the boy said, “The day was rainy and the road was full of stones.

I got afraid, I had leg pains, but I took rest and completed it. I like snow a lot and that is the reason I went to Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Pawan Kalyan is my favourite hero, my mom promised me that she will make me meet him if I try the world record, now am eagerly waiting to meet him. I will go to Australia peak in next month ending and want to make

Samanyu Pothuraju

A

Class X student of a private school in Coimbatore performed three different difficult yoga postures in an attempt to create Guinness record. The student S Vaishnavi, 15, performed contortion chest roll and put six eggs in cups using feet while in a contortion chest stand both in record time.

Vaishnavi of Park Global School broke the earlier record of 15.54 seconds for travelling 20m in contortion chest roll position by doing it in 13.8 seconds and broke the 21.52-second record for placing six eggs in cups using feet while in a contortion chest stand by doing it in 18.28 seconds, said a release.

She broke the record for the longest chin stand of 2 minutes by doing it for 7 minutes.

Aryaman Verma

a record.”

Pothuraju was accompanied by his mother Lavanya, coach Thammineni Bharath, a fellow mountaineer Shangabandi Srujana, and another woman - all from Hyderabad. A Tanzanian doctor accompanied them.

What is it?

The Good Samaritans India first started as a free clinic in 2008 by the George to help treat sick people, dress their wounds and so on. Today, it is a full fledged ‘destitude’ home and has presence in three branches in Hyderabad, Warangal and Aler and are today serving 150+ residents.

The Good Samaritans is a very small group of medically trained persons who provide basic health care and also run a small free pharmacy. It was registered as a formal trust in March, 2011 with George and his cofounders Sunita and Yesukala. It is an absolutely profit free organization that aims to rescue people and take care of them for free. Good Samaritan was found with the thought that every one wants to be loved, irrespective of their caste, creed or color of humanity. After George started his own clinic and home for destitudes, people started approaching him and asking for help. He started getting many abandoned people seeking shelter.

At Good Samaritans, despite limited resources, they were looked after and cared with alternative treatment and help was sought by George from doctors and expert just so that their pains could be relieved and they could live longer. Once they died, the children would take away the bodies. There are countless such stories of family abandonement and deceit that elders at Good Samaritans could share. However, Good Samaritan had its doors open for everyone seeking love and care.

George and his two volunteers respond to any call at any time about any elderly, abandoned, injured, sick or destitute individuals. They have been tirelessly working to fight the apathy that society and the government show and who consider the elderly as useless and a burden.

Till date, around 288 people have been rescued so far from the streets of Hyderabad and taken to a new home at Good Samaritans. Around 116 people have left the Good Samaritans home after they were able to connect them with their family. Around 135 residents have passed away and last rites were performed by Good Samaritans as per their customs/religion.

RNI No. DELENG/2016/71561, Joint Commissioner of Police (Licensing) Delhi No. F. 2 (S-45) Press/ 2016 Volume - 2, Issue - 19 Printed by Monika Jain, Published by Monika Jain on behalf of SULABH SANITATION MISSION FOUNDATION and Printed at The Indian Express Ltd., A-8, Sector-7, NOIDA (U.P.) and Published from RZ 83, Mahavir Enclave, Palam-Dabri Road, New Delhi – 110 045. Editor Monika Jain