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World Solar Day 2014 The World Solar Day is being held nationally in the Canada, the U.S. and UK on Saturday, June 18 and in Australia on November 19 with events by cities, non-profits, companies and the solar industry. The objective of observing the Solar Day is to encourage public participation and awareness of how solar energy can reduce monthly energy bills - while providing much-needed "green" jobs for the economy. Growing from one event for Solar Day 2009 - a bio-diesel buses tour of solar homes and businesses hosted by the City of San Francisco – Solar Day in 2010 grew to events hosted by cities and the solar industry in 26 U.S. cities. Multiple cities issued proclamations declaring an Official Solar Day for their city events. Buying a solar installation costing some million rupees for a home or business is one time investment and perhaps the ultimate economic commitment for both a green lifestyle and working environment. Solar can be thought of as the next...

Raising Sardar Sarovar Dam Height Boon or Bane? The Central Government’s recent decision to allow the Gujarat government to raise by about 17 meters from 121.9 to 138.7 meters the height of Sardar Sarovar has met with mixed reactions. The official viewpoints looks at the proposed move from the benefits accruing in terms of augmentation in electricity generation and availability of additional water for irrigation and drinking purposes, the activists contend that raising the dam's height will displace an additional 2.5 lakh people. When we talk of sustainable environment and development to provide basic amenities to billions of people we have to take calculated risks, while adopting pre-emptive measures to look after the interests of the affected segments of the society on equitable basis. While working on the maxim of “benefits for the majority not at the expense of loss to minority; but equitable sharing of benefits and loss for all”, all development plans can yield d...

Climate Change & Rivers According to a recent study, soaring temperatures and erratic rains brought on by a changing climate may radically alter water flows in the world’s major river basins, forcing people to give up farming in some areas. The study – part of a five-year research project on four continents, the first to take a close look at 10 river basins - is based on data from 17 climate models used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to examine the potential effect of changing temperatures and rainfall patterns on the water flows in rivers from now until 2050. Mark Mulligan, a leading author of the study, has opined that climate models cannot predict how rainfall patterns will behave in future with a high degree of certainty: “What we do know is that we cannot be confident about hydrological stability. Some rivers could become wetter and then drier, or vice versa. The key message to countries is: ‘Become more adaptable’.” The study expects that ...

Nirjala Ekadashi Today is the auspicious day of Nirajala Ekadashi. On this day the devotees not drink water while fasting on the day as well as no food is also consumed on the day. Apart from having religious and spiritual significance, it has ethical and environmental connotation also. Just imagine when about half a billion people don’t take water and food for a single day as part of their religious belief, how much water and food is saved in the process. This shows the farsightedness of our forefathers to impart training to the people through religious means to help maintain equilibrium in the ecosystem and improvement in individual’s health. Similar other religious festivals and fasts too signify environmental significance essential for maintaining natural equilibrium. At a time when the ongoing process of climate change is wreaking havoc with human lives and property, we should revive and popularize these festivals and fasts to ensure water security, energy security, f...

World Oceans Day 2014 8th June is observed as World Oceans Day (WOD) every year, since the delegates at Rio Earth Summit in 1992 decided to mark June 8 every year as World Oceans Day (WOD).  The 2013/2014 two-year theme is “ Together we have the power to protect the ocean !” The Ocean Project, working with the World Ocean Network, is trying to create greater awareness of the significance of the ocean in our lives and the varied ways in which people can effectively engage themselves in the preservation of Neptune's riches. The survival of our species depends on our living in peace and harmony, especially in the bio-system that sustains us. On this auspicious day, people all over the world, dressed in blue to honour the ocean, will take a pledge: Ø Never to distress the sea by taking away its beaches and in turn making ourselves vulnerable to the effects of beach erosion; Ø That any development on the coast is done only after scientific st...

Cleaning Ganga Mission Dr Arvind Kumar The mission of cleaning River Ganga has almost become a herculean task despite multiple authorities assigned with the task and more than Rs 40,000-crore having been spent on cleaning river Ganga over the past two decades without attaining any tangible outcome. A massive scale of human intervention has destroyed the natural balance of the river and all so-called steps taken so far have apparently failed to contain the levels of pollution. In the Ganga basin approximately 12,000 million  liters  per day (mld) of sewage is generated, for which presently there is treatment capacity of only around 4,000 mld. Factors like the failure of Ganga Action Plan (GAP), lack of political will, lack of good governance, apathy of business community along with people’s non-involvement are responsible for the miserable plight of Ganga. The mission of cleaning River Ganga calls for a comprehensive range of solutions that are synergistica...

Ganga Dussehra Ganga Dussehra is celebrated on Dashmi Tithi of Shukla Paksha Jeyshta Masa. This day, sacred river Ganga had descended on earth from heaven. This year it is being observed on 8 th June. When Ganga Dussehra falls in Hast Nakshatra, it is believed to remove worst kinds of sins. Ganga descended on earth in Hast Nakshatra, hence, this day is more significant in comparison to other days. Ganga Dussehra is a festival of faith and devotion. As per the scriptures, bath and donations have great significance on this day. If due to some reason a person is not able to have bath in Ganga, he should perform Ardhaya nearby river and do the Tilodak and Tarpan. All sins of life are removed by performing bath, donations and Tarpan, on this day, therefore, this festival is called Dussehra. Out of all the rivers, Ganga is considered the most sacred and remover of sins (Papamochini). Having a dip in Ganga, gives salvation to a person. After performing rigid meditation for many ...

World Environment Day 2014 5th June is observed as Environment Day throughout the globe annually. The 2014 theme for World Environment Day is focus on 'Small Islands and Climate Change', the official slogan for the year 2014 is 'Raise Your Voice Not The Sea Level. The theme of the World Environment Day 2013, is Think. Eat. Save. The new food-inspired global campaign focuses on the fact that over one billion tons of food is lost or wasted each year, according to  UNEP . World Environment Day was first celebrated on 5th June in 1972, and has since become an important vehicle through which the UN stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and encourages political attention and action. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has named India, for the first time, as the global host of World Environment Day 2011 on June 5, for "embracing the process of a transition to a Green Economy." The five sacred elements which make the environment liv...