Echoes of Eco. [An excerpt from Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam s speech at the launch of the Green Rameshwaram Project : 28- Jan-2014]

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1 Echoes of Eco January, 2014 Vivekananda Kendra- nardep Newsletter Vol:5 No:11 Green Rameshwaram: Dr.Kalam s Address In this issue: Green Rameshwaram: Dr.Kalam s Address Rameshwaram Project The Happenings-I The Happenings-II From our Publications Visions of Wisdom: Eco-Oath Green-Earth Holistic Happiness The mission for Green Rameshwaram has a three dimensional approach: Discovering Linkages Reviving Relations Creating Nodes and Networks The following is the blue print of the programme: First dimension is to revive our cultural and ecological linkages. And use them for the socio-economic development of our people. In a knowledge-based society development should also conserve our cultural linkages. The project aims to achieve this change at Rameshwaram. Second dimension is the reviving of the relations at social, organizational and individual level and coordinate them positively in order to effect the Green Rameshwaram pilgrimage project. This has to be done through various schemes which are being worked out. Third dimension is creation of nodes and networks whose purpose range from the solid waste management to greening of the island to preserving of the cultural heritage of the island. Harnessing of the cultural capital is also another aim envisioned in the Green Pilgrimage to Rameshwaram project. In this connection I want to share an experience. Making the places of pilgrimages Green is a Divine Mission: At the sacred Kali Bein where Guru Nanak attained enlightenment Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal had successfully undertaken the mission of purifying the sacred Kali Bein river eight years ago and has brought to the present stage of cleanliness in a span of three years through the persistent effort of the Kali Bein volunteers. The Sant requested every pilgrim to spend at least one hour in cleaning the holy place. It was not a government work but due to the dedicated work of the spiritual volunteers and their perseverance in organizing the cleaning of Kali Bein river and arranging continuous flow of water leading to improvement in ground water availability in the region, apart from laying beautiful roads, bathing ghats and creating environment friendly orchards along the 160 kilometers of Kali Bein stretch. [An excerpt from Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam s speech at the launch of the Green Rameshwaram Project : 28- Jan-2014] Service to humanity is the highest form of worship Swami Vivekananda That One The Goddess whose name is Helpful dwells encompassed by Cosmic Order. It is by reason of her color that these trees are green, and green their garlands of flowers. That base on which both Divinity and Humanity are founded, like spokes set firmly in a hub, in which the waters' flower by supernatural means made its appearance--who or what is That? Atharva Veda

2 Mystics understand the roots of the Tao but not its branches; scientists understand its branches but not its roots. Science does not need mysticism and mysticism does not need science; but man needs both. Fritjof Capra We are happy to inform that the Green Rameshwaram project - a project that aims to create a green pilgrimage experience for the Rameshwaram pilgrims and a green clean island for the residents was launched on 28- Jan-2014 in a function where Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam was the chief guest. He delivered the key note address and the function was graced by Sri. A.Balakrishnan, the Vice-President of Vivekananda Kendra, the District Collector Sri. Nanthakumar and the Municipal Chairman Sri. Arjunan. We had the additional pleasure and honour of Dr.Shivathanu Pillai the architect of Brahmos missile, giving a benedictory address. There was an exhibition organized by VK-nardep on the Revival and Renovation of Teerthas at Rameswaram which was seen by school students and general public. The vision document on the project was released in front of former President of India Dr.Kalam also inspected the exhibition panels and gave his valuable suggestions. He expressed deep appreciation for the renovation work that VK-nardep has been doing: Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam on the Teertham Renovation work done by Vivekananda Kendra-nardep Friends from Vivekananda Kendra have planned the renovation of the holy water bodies of Rameshwaram. Today they have renovated decades long abandoned polluted water bodies. They have removed the thorny shrubs which occupied the Teertham, they have removed the putrified stagnant polluted waters; they have removed the liquor bottles and other pollutants that had been thrown into the teerthams. Now the pilgrims can visit these teerthams. This noble task by Vivekananda Kendra is a praiseworthy service. I congratulate each and every one of you who participated in this noble endeavor. a On that day we also released certain memorabilia including mugs and Tee shirts with Green Rameshwaram message so that it can reach across to the masses. The tree saplings were given to both students and people assembled. A facebook page has also been launched and the tamil Vision document has been uploaded to the youtube. The facebook page will serve as feedback social network for both the pilgrims and the residents with the project turnkey agency and district administration. This is an attempt at creating a digital decentralized feedback mechanism for the project, Facebook page for Green Rameshwaram is at: Vision Documentary [Tamil] is available at: Echoes of Eco - Newsletter, Vivekananda Kendra nardep, January 2014 Vol. 5 No: 11

3 Conservation, environment, poverty, community, education, family, health, economy- these combine to make one quest: liberty and justice for all. Whether one's special emphasis is global warming or child welfare, the cause is the same cause. And justice comes from the same place being human comes from: compassion. Carl Safna The launch of the Green Rameshwaram Project was exhaustively covered in the regional as well as the national press. The Hindu reported that the event would happen on 28-Jan in its issue dated 24 th January and also reported the function on 29 th January. Dr.Kalam made the audience take the green pilgrim s oath which we are also installing in the renovated Teerthams. Sri Mata Amritanandamayi devi has given a special message for the occasion which was read out by Sis.Saraswathi. In her message she has blessed the project which she saw as a very necessary and needed step for a pilgrim center like Rameshwaram. The function which started at 4:30 pm with screening of documentaries, ended with national anthem at 6:30 pm. More than 2000 people attended the function which was held at Satsang Bhavan, Goswami Math, Rameshwaram 29-Jan-2014 News reports [Above Left] Conserve traditional water bodies to overcome water crisis for the next fifty years : report in Dinamalar [Above Right] Clean the water bodies to remove water scarcity : report in Dinathanthi [Below Left] Dr Kalam launches Green Rameshwaram : report in Dinamani [Below Right]: Traditional Water bodies are our assets : report in Dinakaran. The Hindu also reported the event. To know more about Green Rameshwaram Pilgrimage Project contact: Secretary, VK-nardep, Vivekananda Kendra, Vivekanandapuram, Kanyakumari ; Phone: , vknardep@gmail.com Echoes of Eco - Newsletter, Vivekananda Kendra nardep, January 2014 Vol. 5 No: 11

4 We need myths that will help us to identify with all our fellow-beings, not simply with those who belong to our ethnic, national or ideological tribe. We need myths that help us to realize the importance of compassion, which is not always regarded as sufficiently productive or efficient in our pragmatic, rational world. We need myths that help us to create a spiritual attitude, to see beyond our immediate requirements, and enable us to experience a transcendent value that challenges our solipsistic selfishness.. Karen Armstrong SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE Networking Happenings this month: Water Management Workshops on Sustainable Agriculture this month Farmers visiting the Technology Resource Center learn various ecotechnologies. Workshop on Awareness Programme and Buyers Seller Meet was organized by National Insitute of Agricultural Marketing, Jaipur at Technology Resource Centre, Kalluvilai from 30 th to 31 st of this month. 50 farmers attended and benefitted. The Resource Persons were Dr.P.Kamalasanan Pillai Shri.Selvakumar, Coconut Board Shri.Elango, Seed Certificate Dept., Tirunelveli Shri.Kumaravelu, Depty. Director, Nagercoil Workshop on Azolla was organized at TRC Kalluvillai on 18 th of this month and the resource person was Sis.Premlatha. Cost-Effective Construction Technologies Training Programme on Compressed Earth Block supported by DST, Core Support was conducted at TRC, Kalluvilai on 2 nd of this month. 8 persons attended.the resource person was Shri.V.Ramakrishnan VK-nardep activities done with DST core support 8 students from S.T.Hindu College of Education, Nagercoil, Kanyakumari Dist. came as part of the study tour to Vivekanandapuram on 17 th and learned Organic farming technologies like Azolla, Liquid Bio-formulations etc. HOLISTIC & INDIGENOUS MEDICINE Green Health Home of VK-nardep functioned for 8 days and treated 159 patients. The work is currently progressing at Arjuna Teertham and Bhima Teertham. [Report: Next Month] Tested water from 14 wells in Kanyakumari Dist. as a part of the programme of Central Ground Water Board, Chennai. Shri.Goapalakrishnan, RuTag, Chennai and Dr.Pushpavanam from IIT, Chennai visited Vivekananda Kendra NARDEP on 19 th Jan. to guide our work on Grey water treatment. Workshop on Rural water supply and water treatment was organized by Govt. Polytechnic College, Konnam, Nagercoil and was held at Extension Centre, Aralvaimozhi on 6 th of this month. 57 students attended the programme. The resource person was Shri.V.Ramakrishnan. Green Rameshwaram Merchandise design: Dr.Sivathau Pillai CEO of Brahmos missile, his colleague Maj.Gen.(Rtd) Vasudevan and District collector Shri.Nanthakumar looking at the Rameshwaram oriented merchandise sample designed by VKnardep as part of the Green Pilgrimage to Rameshwaram project during their visit to Kanyakumari on 5 th Jan. Along with them are Sri.A.Balakrishnanji Vice President of Vivekananda Kendra and Sis.Sarswathi of VK-nardep Echoes of Eco - Newsletter, Vivekananda Kendra nardep, January 2014, Vol. 5 No: 11

5 First, believe in this world - that there is meaning behind everything. Everything in the world is good, is holy and beautiful. If you see something evil, think that you do not understand it in the right light. Throw the burden on yourselves!.- Swami Vivekananda Networking BIO-METHANATION PLANT & RENWABLE ENERGY BIO-METHANATION PLANT & RENWABLE ENERGY Training programme on Biomethanation plant was held at TRC, Kalluvilai on 18 th of this month under DST core support programme with Shri.V.Ramakrishnan as resource person. 26 persons benefitted from training. Sahitya Academy Prize winner Joe d Cruz was honored at a function in Vivekananda Kendra on Jan He also participated in a discussion on the project about Green Rameshwaram as he has worked closely with the fishermen community at Pamban. He gave valuable suggestion regarding the people s participation in the Green Rameshwaram project. Shri.V.Ramakrishnan explained the triple advantage of Bio-methanation plant by way of (i) Waste management (ii) Energy for the kitchen and (iii) Rich Bio-manure for the Kitchen garden to the home makers of Nagercoil during the Awareness programme Bio-Methanation Technology awareness programmes conducted this month: On 9 th January at Alamelu Vidya ashram Matriculation School, Sitharamapuram, Pazhavoor, Tirunelveli Dist.53 Students attended the programme. On 10 th January at Govt. Higher Secondary School (Boys), Rameshwaram in which 58 students attended. On 13 th January at Punnai Nagar, Nagercoil in which 62 home makers attended. On 20 th January at Nehru National Hr.Sec.School, Vadakankulam, Tirunelveli Dist.in which 125 students attended. In all these programmes Sri.Ramakrishnan was the resource person. Bio-Methanation Plants Installation this month: Portable 0.5 cum : 1 No Paper Presentations in this month A paper titled Expanding the web of agro-eco system authored by Dr.P.Kamalasanan Pillai on the dynamics of family based sustainable agriculture was published in the LEISA journal this month: Echoes of Eco - Newsletter, Vivekananda Kendra nardep, January 2014, Vol. 5 No: 11

6 Each student spends nearly 25,000 hours of his life in school. During this time you can inculcate moral values in them and groom full-fledged responsible citizens who are physically-fit, academically-sound, emotionally-mature and spirituallyenlightened.. Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam From our Publications In continuation of giving eco-toons from Samagra Vikas Development with a human face, in this newsletter we give two eco-toons that explore the concept of education: Traditional Indian education system emphasizes two things namely living in tune with nature and education for all as a collective social Dharma. Education has to impart the value of nature and education should not be sold but it should be free of cost. DO NOT MISS OUR BOOKS. Echoes of Eco - Newsletter, Vivekananda Kendra nardep, January 2014 Vol. 5 No: 11

7 Each part of Nature accords with the whole. In Nature there exists only one substance, absolutely infinite In Nature there is nothing that can be said to belong to this person rather than that person; everything belongs to everybody.. Baruch Spinoza Eco-Oath 1. I will promote a culture of environment friendliness, through recycling and conservation in my home and institute. 2. I realize every mature tree by photosynthesis gives 14 kgs of oxygen and absorbs 20 kgs of carbon-dioxide every year. I will plant and nurture ten trees and will ensure my parents plant, my sisters and brothers plant and my neighbours plant ten trees each. I will be an ambassador for tree mission in my locality. 3. I will keep my house and its surroundings clean and use products which are bio-degradable to the extent possible 4. When I take a professional career, I will take decision with respect of organizational processes which protects the environment and preserves the bio-diversity. 5. I will encourage the use of renewable energy to the maximum extent possible. 6. I will spread the awareness about the need to preserve the environment in my home, in my locality and among my student friends. -Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Scientist Green-Earth The earth is not only the common heritage of all humankind but also the ultimate source of life. By overexploiting its resources we are undermining the very basis of our own life. All around, signs abound of the destruction caused by human activity and of the degradation of nature. Therefore, the protection and conservation of the earth is not a question of morality or ethics but a question of our survival. How we respond to this challenge will affect not only this generation but also many generations to come. Because of the interdependent nature of everything we cannot hope to solve the multifarious problems with a one-sided or self-centered attitude. History shows us how often in the past people have failed to cooperate. Our failures in the past are the result of ignorance of our own interdependent nature. What we need now is a holistic approach towards problems combined with a genuine sense of universal responsibility based on love and compassion. -H.H.Dalai Lama Holistic Happiness One Bhutanese participant summed it up for me. She said that she d come to the workshop to find out what GHN was and why there was so much international interest. At the end, she warned that we may lose sight of what happiness is about, if we focus too much on the measuring and analysis. For her, happiness is a way of life. From my short stay in Bhutan, happiness as a way of life was evident in many aspects of life. From the importance of art, craft and culture and where art has the status of spiritual practice. Here aesthetics, beauty and quality are not just for those that can afford it, but an integral part of daily life. The deep connection that people feel to their environment manifests in all sorts of ways. As the Himalayan mountain range are animate, alive and sacred, there is no mining and mountaineers are denied access to some of the highest, yet sacred mountains in the world. The connection to nature is also manifest in the traditional system of health and disease which is rooted in our relationship to the five natural elements (fire, ether, earth, water and air). Julie Richardson Happiness economist Vivekananda Kendra nardep, Kanyakumari Phone: