Sustainable Development in India

India has adopted a new paradigm of thinking and experience of development post-Stockholm Conference of 1972 called Sustainable Development .Following which, India became a part of 187 countries agreeing on carrying out an important commitment towards Sustainable Development by signing the Rio Declaration during 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development.

Since then the Concept of sustainable development is adopted such that the country and society can meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations, to meet their own needs and the level of growth rates is commensurate with social, economic and environment development.

Shortcomings in maintaining the Balance for a Sustainable Development

Population, Literacy rate and Economic Distribution

• India constitutes around 17% of the world's population, but account for about 35% of the poor and 40% of the illiterates in the world.
• Experiences from the economic reform indicate that while there have been improvements in economic growth, foreign exchange, IT revolution, export growth, inequality in income distribution has been growing simultaneously.

• In India around 700 million people in the rural area are directly dependent on climate-sensitive sectors (agriculture, forests, and fisheries) and natural resources (such as water, biodiversity, mangroves, coastal zones, grasslands) for their subsistence and livelihoods.
• Water, soil, and air, which are the vital environmental sources for maintaining life, have been shrinking alarmingly.
• This will further reduce the adaptive capacity of dry land farmers, forest dwellers, fisher folk and nomadic shepherds, which is already very low.

• Annual per capita availability of renewable freshwater has been decreasing from 5,277 m 3 in 1955 to 1,820 m 3 in 2001.
• The main reasons for the water crisis are increasing demand, zonal disparity in distribution, lack of ethical framework for use, inadequate knowledge and resources, major land-use changes, long-term water level decline, and increase in salinity and pollution.

• All the demands of developing and developed nations require the manipulation of natural resources. No economy can survive without coal, petroleum, electricity, wood and steel.
• Fossil fuels, which satiate the hunger for resources in most economically progressing nations, are non-renewable and unsustainable. Already, their production has declined and they are moving towards exhaustion. Although fossil fuels are being generated continuously, we are using them at a rate 100,000 faster than they are renewed. Mother Nature can definitely not enhance her production capacity to meet our ever-increasing need of these elixirs of industrial era.
• The world is now confronted with the challenge of optimizing the use of the currently available resources in a way to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising on the requirements of the future generation.

Inclusive Growth: Need of the Hour

To meet the challenging situation of widening economic and social disparity, inclusive growth is the best tool, but it is a dream without improvement in agricultural growth, employment generation, poverty reduction, involvement of the social sector (health, education, and women empowerment) and conserving our natural resources.

Education and Women Empowerment for a better future

• Literacy and a basic education are essential for enabling the poor to access the benefits offered by development initiatives and market opportunities.
• Education is a potent tool in the emancipation and empowerment of women. It is indispensable that education enables women not only to gain more knowledge about the world outside of her home but helps her to get status, positive self esteem, and self confidence , necessary courage and inner strength to face challenges in life.

Conserving Water for Future

• Ground water conservation practices like construction of khadin (popular in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Gujarat), check dams, farm ponds, recharge shafts, injection wells (in coastal region and to combat problems of heavily pumped out aquifers), and contour trenching, to arrest surface run-off at elevations, and similarly surface water conservation techniques, like construction of ooranies (surface water collection ponds with improved catchments, commonly found in Tamil Nadu), are important measures to tackle problems of water scarcity and the decreasing ground water table.
• Generation of awareness and training among the masses for water conservation via roof top rain water harvesting and threshing floors can also be implemented.
• Involvement of the Gram Panchayat / Village Health and Sanitation Committee for operation, maintenance, and surveillance of water quality, as in the National Rural Drinking Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance Project, can have a major impact. Other measures like recycling and reuse of water, using water-efficient household equipment such as low volume flushing cisterns, proper metering of water, rational tariff, and the concept of a water-efficient home, would reduce water demand and encourage conservation.

Agricultural Development

• Integrated development of drought-prone areas can be done by long-term preventive measures like afforestation, pasture development, and livestock management, (by growing better top feed species, which can survive annual droughts and provide rich fodder).
• Contingency crop planning can be implemented by growing various combinations of crops, fruits, trees, and grasses, to minimize the risk of crop failure and to provide stability to farm income.
• Efficient land management and irrigation technologies like sprinklers and drip systems should be popularized, which aim at maximizing the production per unit of irrigation water.
• The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) is presently one of the most credible programs that deals with chronic poverty and improving sustainable development in rural areas. Under NREGA, up to two-third of the activities are for water conservation (52%) and land development (14%), a step toward sustainable development.

• The future of our planet depends on our use of the available resources. This does not mean that we stall all progress to save the resources for our future generation. It calls for efficient use of non-renewable resources.
• Wastage of such resources must be minimized and alternative sources should be made more feasible for even the common man. By shifting the energy burden from non-renewable to renewable resources, we can stand up to the challenges of the future.
• A lot can be done using Biomass, biofuels, hydroelectric energy, tidal energy, nuclear energy, fusion power, wind power, solar power, and geothermal energy. These are welcome options to ease the burden on our over pressed fossil fuels.
• Hydroelectric energy serves as an alternative way of generating electricity. In this way we can spare some of the coal which would have otherwise been used for this very process.
• Yet another way to produce electricity is through the use of Biomass, which involves using garbage, vegetable matter. On decomposing, garbage releases methane (the root cause of all the stench) which is captured in pipes and can later on be used to produce electricity. Garbage can aptly be called a blessing in disguise!

• Registration of the largest number of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects (31%) in the world. CDM or carbon credits is a mechanism devised under the Kyoto Protocol to award encashable points to eco-friendly projects, on the basis of carbon emissions they control.
• A Mumbai start-up, Sustainable Technologies and Environmental Projects Ltd (STEPS), has discovered a way to convert plastic, organic, and electronic waste into petroleum without the usual harmful residue. Such plants, which cost US$ 2 - 3 million each, can produce up to 25,000 liters of petroleum a day, at an operating cost of Rs. 12 per liter (excluding cost of raw materials).
  India is also trying to replace 10% of its transport fuels with environment friendly biofuels (mixing ethanol, doping diesel, and nonedible oil) in the next 10 years, to cut carbon emissions.
• A new initiative of the US Green Building Council-Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (USGBC-LEED) - an organization that uses the 69-point criteria to award certificate at the platinum, gold, and other levels to buildings. Today, our country has over 25 million square feet of registered green building expanse, which is all set to touch 100 million square feet by 2010-12. ITC Green Center in Gurgaon, is the world's largest green building, with a space of 170,000 square feet, and the first non-commercial complex in our country to be awarded a platinum rating by USGBC-LEED.
• People participation in the form of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), as a means of reducing the social and economic disparity and improving ecological conditions through various activities via the corporate sector like health, education, natural resource management, infrastructure development, community support, non-farm and farm-based livelihood development.

Source :
http://sdnp.nic.in/
http://www.desd.org/Esd_india.htm
http://theviewspaper.net/need-of-the-hour-sustainable-development/
http://www.ijcm.org.in/article.asp
http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/

Method:
Combine maida with 6 tbsp of oil using your fingers. Make soft dough and knead it lightly. Add water if needed. Cover with a wet cloth and leave aside. In a frying pan, deep-fry the khoya till light brown in color. Add chopped almonds, sugar and raisins and mix well. Fry again for few minutes. Allow the mixture to cool. Prepare a small and thick chapati from the kneaded dough. Stuff half of the chapati with the khoya mixture. Fold and draw the edges of chapati inwards to close. On slow fire, deep-fry the gujia till golden brown. Take out using a sieve and drain the oil properly. Store them in an airtight container. Repeat the procedure with remaining dough.

Recipe taken from : http://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe.aspx?RecipeId=1890&Header=Searched Recipe&MenuId=0

• Safari
  The large Multi-Touch screen on iPad lets you see web pages as they were meant to be seen — one page at a time. With vibrant color and sharp text. So whether you’re looking at a page in portrait or landscape, you can see everything at a size that’s actually readable. And with iPad, navigating the web has never been easier or more intuitive.
  
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  There’s also a thumbnail view that shows all your open pages in a grid, to let you quickly move from one page to the next.
• Photos
  With its crisp, vibrant display and unique software features, iPad is an extraordinary way to enjoy and share your photos. For example, the Photos app displays the photos in an album as though they were in a stack. Just tap the stack, and the whole album opens up. From there, you can flip through your pictures, zoom in or out, or watch a slideshow. You can even use your iPad as a beautiful digital photo frame while it’s docked or charging.
• Video
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• Notes
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• Technical Specifications
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1) Engine/transmission oil level

• Before checking the oil level, support the bike upright on level ground to allow the oil level to stabilize.
• If your bike has an inspection window, check that the oil level is between the MAX and MIN markings.
• If your bike has a dipstick, note where the oil comes to in relation to the MAX and MIN markings.
• If the level is too low, remove the filler cap from the top of the crankcase and top up with the specified oil type.
  Always use motorcycle engine oil - not oil designed for use in car engines.
  

2) Steering and suspension

Check that the steering moves smoothly when the handlebars are turned from side to side. Also check that the front and rear suspension operates smoothly when you sit on the bike.

3) Coolant

The coolant level should not fall unless the system has developed a leak.

• Locate the coolant reservoir and check that the coolant level is between the two level marks on the reservoir.
• If necessary top up with a 50/50 mixture of distilled water and antifreeze.

• Use a tyre pressure gauge to measure the pressure in each tyre, compare this with the specified pressure (usually on a label attached to the chainguard or rear mudguard) and use a pump to increase the pressure if necessary.

 5) Lights and horn

• Check that all lights, brake lights and turn signals work. Check that the horn works - you never know when you might need it!

6) Brakes

• Check the brakes individually. Their application must be firm and they must be fully applied without the lever (front) or pedal (rear) reaching its full travel. They must also free off completely when the lever or pedal is released and allow the wheels to turn freely without drag.
• Check the fluid level of hydraulic brakes by viewing the level in relation to the lines on the master cylinder reservoir. If it is below the LOWER line, top up the fluid.
• Use the fluid type marked on the reservoir cap (usually DOT 4) and top up to the level line inside the reservoir.

7) Drive chain

Most bikes have chain drive to the rear wheel. It is important that the chain is well lubricated and does not have too much freeplay.

• If the chain looks dry give it a quick squirt of aerosol chain lube.
• If the chain looks too slack adjust its tension as soon as possible.

These checks should be made every time you ride your motorcycle. They will only take a couple of minutes and ensure that a potential problem does not go unnoticed.

'Mask' your face the natural way

There is nothing like a natural facial mask to clean and revitalize your face. In the days when cosmetic research was at a very nascent stage and when only foreign cosmetics were available at a huge price, our grandmothers devised their own remedies for common pinpricks like acne and blackheads.

It is these well worn ideas that are being used today by cosmetic companies that boast of stringent R&D before launching any new product

A quick riffling of the treasure chest of grandma remedies has yielded rich results for facial masks.

• Did you know that oatmeal is one of the oldest and most used facial masks? Just make a smooth paste of oatmeal by adding sufficient water. Apply on the face and allow to dry. Wipe off gently with a damp cloth.
• Another inexpensive but equally effective mask can be prepared the same way by substituting cornmeal for the oatmeal. This can be washed off when dry.
• Using a blender, combine ½ a cucumber, a few strawberries, 1 tablespoon of yogurt and 1 teaspoon honey. Apply this mixture to the face and allow to dry. Wipe it off gently with a soft, damp cloth.
• Have some sour cream on hand? Simply mash ½ a banana, add 1 tablespoon honey and add to the cream and mix well. Apply and allow it to set for at least 10 minutes. Wipe off very gently with a damp cloth.
• 1 tablespoon of almonds ground to a fine powder and mixed with 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 egg white should be applied to the face and let set for at least 15 minutes. Again, use a damp cloth to wipe off.
• Plagued by blackheads and at a loss for a safe remedy? The baking soda in your kitchen will come in handy here. Mix equal parts of baking soda and water in your hand till it becomes a smooth paste and rub gently on your face for 2 to 3 minutes with your fingertips. Rinse with warm water when done. This will help to loosen stubborn blackheads.
• Did you know that avocado is wonderful for the face? Just mash ½ an avocado and apply to the face. Wait for 20 minutes before wiping off with a damp cloth.
• Juice of ½ a lemon, a cup of plain yogurt, 1 whipped egg white mixed with 1 ½ teaspoons of honey will make your face glowing and fresh.

In Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna, this day is celebrated by performing special puja and the traditional custom of worshipping Lord Krishna.

Festival of Colors

Ideally, this occasion is meant to celebrate the arrival of spring while the colours used in Holi reflect the various hues of spring season. But unfortunately, in modern times it has become more commercialized, boisterous and leads to yet another source of environmental degradation.

To de-pollute Holi and make it in sync with nature, as it is supposed to be, several social and environmental groups are proposing a return to more natural ways of celebrating Holi.

Lets together generate awareness amongst people about the various harmful effects around Holi celebrations and encourage people to celebrate an eco friendly Holi!

Biodiversity is, the variety of Life on Earth, it is essential to sustaining the living networks and systems that provide us all with health, wealth, food, fuel and the vital services our lives depend on.

It is well-known fact that we, as a generation of Indians are at the threshold of the most humongous threat to our environment. It is imperative that we take as many steps as feasible to reverse this damage.

As citizens of the planet, and as Indians. If we don't then who will?

Lets follow a few simple steps, which each one of us can implement in Our lives that can make a Huge Difference to Our Environment.

• There is a cute small round press button at the bottom right corner of almost all monitors: Please make use of this.
• Stop printing out Harry Porter, Jeffrey Archer and other e-books. This is a classic example of paper wastage.
• If you have forgotten to give double-side prints, make sure you make use of the empty sides as scribbling pads or for your kids' imposition!
• Take two minutes from your busy schedule before hurrying back home to shut down the computer.
• Plastic bags these days indeed come in bright and flamboyant colours and tempt us to take them home with us. But the saying, "Appearances are deceptive" holds true for these plastic things too. Next time, hold back or go prepared to counter temptation with a cloth bag.
• Roses, Jasmine, Hibiscus and Peas; All these saplings cost hardly between Rs 10 - 20 each. Can't we afford to plant these in and around our houses? Also, more importantly, caring and maintain them as they grow?
• Try to segregate the different kinds of waste into Bio-Degradable (Fruit or vegetable waste) , Recyclable (waste Paper, paper products) and Electronics (Floppy disks, CD-ROMS ). Once you have segregated your thrash, look for specialized trash cans to throw them away.
• Try to minimize the use of horns. Honking drastically increased and this adds to the noi se pollution and does not provide a conducive environment to live in.
• Use rechargeable batteries though it's an expensive product, it's one-time purchase. Recharge when required. (Same applies to cell-phones, MP3s, iPods and Laptops)
• The best pens to use would be ink ones. Though if you have to use a ball point pen, buy refills instead of buying new pens. Pencils are much better for rough use! (That's why we used it at school!!!)
• Remember to close water taps before preening in front of the mirror. Of course you are beautiful, but Water is a precious resource!
• Let's not just wake up and walk out of finished meetings and conferences with a sigh of relief, let us remember to turn off the lights and projectors too.
• Take few minutes to learn about topics like 'Global Warming' , 'Air / Noise /Land / Water Pollution ' etc apart from constant surfing of News, Latest Gadgets, Movies and Music.

Spread this message to your friends and foes.
They too can make a difference.

Source:
http://www.holifestival.org/history-of-holi.html
http://www.tourism-of-india.com/holi.html
http://www.rucksandrolls.com/images/happy-holi-from-rucks-and-rolls1.jpg
http://www.cbd.int/2010/welcome/

BPCL has been one of the front runner in taking initiatives for sustainable development.

• Bio-remediation of sludge (instead of burial in ground)
• CDM opportunities (37 projects )
• Oil water separator (OWS)
• Air/water/ground water testing and limiting within norms
• Benzene vapour recovery system
• Rain water harvesting at water resource crunch places
• Waste water recycling and re-use
• Planting saplings by all seniors during visit to any location
• Developing gardens, vegetables, at locations
• Adoption of road corridor/s/ islands for greening
• Bio-gas plant from canteen wastes at Refinery
• Vermi-culture for canteen waste at many residential colonies of the CO.
• Solar heating, wind mill, solar cell power for lighting /RO
• Creation of a Bird park at Irumpanam
• Encon i.e. Energy Conservation clubs with schools/colleges  
• Ecopark at Kochi Refinery
• Water Conservation- “Water Positive”
• Project Triple one on Bio-Diesel
• Project on Hydrogen Fuel Cells at LPG plant.