Let’s Hope there would be no World Environment day!

Today is World Environment Day! On 10^th May 2013 the planet marked a milestone of sorts. Scientists recorded that for every million molecules of air, 400 were of carbon dioxide (co2), the key gas that accumulates over decades in the air and leads to global warming. The figure sent alarm bells ringing. A large section of scientists has long predicted that if the accumulated Co2 rose above 350 parts per million it’d trigger catastrophic, perhaps irreversible changes!

The above information is from Today’s Times of India ( Delhi edition), probably this is what scientist think of scientifically, but I feel the situation is more worse in terms of degradation of environment and weak protection policies not only in India but through out the globe, recent COP-18 at Quatar has even not able to strengthen international policies on environment security and end with benefiting developed countries and pressurising developing countries on mitigating emission of green house gases( Coz2, Ozone, methane and cloro-floro carbons)….

Probaly what has to be happen at COP-18 or in national policies Caritas India with its environment based development based initiatives in MP ( JEEVIKA), Bundelkhand (HARIT PRAYAS & IWID) and Rajasthan (LIFE) has able to do. Let’s see  how?

• ·         100% usage of clothe banners ( in place of flex banners) in all the promotional activities under project
• ·         Initiation of bird protection zones through farmers club
• ·         6 villages in Bundelkhand with all most 100% organic practice in culture
• ·         Promotion of village camps on saving electricity ( Semlakala village in sagr-100% CFL electrified village-1^st in MP)
• ·         Promotion of brick making through mustard husk rather than wood as fire wood (1^st initiated in HARIT PRAYAS Majhota village by a farmer Mr. Hardeen)
• ·         In total working with JEEVIKA (104 vilages-90 tribal villages with forest cover), HARIT PRAYAS (64 vilages-52 tribal villages with forest cover), LIFE ( 20 vilages, 10 tribal villages with forest cover), in a way working in majority with tribes and strengthening natural resource conservation through 164 farmers club and 167 Mahila Mandals and SHGs together ( mahila Mandals in HARIT PRAYAS).

Some the ground work ( especially in relation with mitigation of green house gases) through promotion of organic cultivation is as:

Status showing Caritas India work in MP, Bundelkhand & Rajasthan to mitigate environment concerns
Factors of cahnge ( protecting environment)	LIFE ( Rajasthan)	HARIT PRAYAS ( Bundelkhand)	JEEVIKA (MP)	Total
No. of farmers practicing organic cultivation (where in minimising usage of DAP and Urea-which is key source of emission of green houses gases)	450	1200	350	2000
No. of farmers practicing 100% organic cultivation (where in minimising usage of DAP and Urea-which is key source of emission of green houses gases)	82	385	80	547
Total land on which organic cultivation is being practiced ( approx in bigha)	900	2000	250	3150
No. of water recharge units set by community ( Rain water harvesting)	15	20	18	53
% of traget farming families using traditional/certified seeds	100	100	70	270
No. of forest protection committes formed	0	2	0	2
Area of charagah/ pasture land promted (in bigha)	10	10	5	25
No. of plantation (regeneration) done and count of surival one	200 ( 150)	500 ( 350)	100 (90)	800 (590)
No. of regenration work been put by NBARD approved farmers club and work has been done on the same	13	11	22	46

Source: monthly and annual reports of the mentioned development initiatives.

With the said development initiatives we also promote number count of sparrows and Titahari ( red watteled lapwing bird) in the project field as they are the key indicators of rain and also promotes water availability and their presence promotes natural farming (through heir excreta).

Let’s hope COP-19 will come out with some ground work, lets hope more farmers would adopt organic cultivation ( with locally possible resources)…lets hope we need not to mark a day call World Environment Day…every days would be as for conservation and protection of environment!

For more on CARITAS INDIA development initiatives log on to www.liferajasthan.blogspot.com, www.haritprayas.blogspot.com, www.jeevikacaritas.blogspot.com

अभी भी मन में लालसा  है हरा बनने की,

अभी  भी दिल में आग है हरा बनने की,

चल आ मेरे साथी मेरा  साथ दे...रंग दे मुझे.....

पर रंगो से नही.....हरे भरे पेड़ो से......सॉफ सुथरे नीले आसमा से.....

खेतो की भीनी खुसबू  वाली मिट्टी से.....

गुलाब के गुलाबी सौंदर्या से.....

दोस्त गुज़ारिश...है लाके दे मेरे रंग......जो इन इंसानो  ने बदल दिया है!

- विनोद पांडे