Forest watcher Fairoz has been nominated for the Wildlife Service Award 2022 by the Karnataka Forest Department. Fairoz, who is currently employed with the BRT tiger reserve, will be felicitated by former India cricketer and current National Cricket Academy director VVS Laxman on November 5 at the Global Academy of Technology campus, Rajarajeshwari Nagar Bangalore.
Three wildlife conservationists – Sunitha Dhairyam (Mariamma Trust, Bandipur Tiger Reserve), Akhilesh Chipli (Shimoga) and Colonel C M Muthanna (Kodagu) – will also be felicitated by VVS Laxman. Laxman is often remembered as the cricketer who in association with Rahul Dravid (180) had redefined Indian cricket in their epoch-making 376 run partnership against Australia at the Eden Gardens in 2001.
Fairoz will be the tenth forest watcher to be honoured with the prestigious Wildlife Service Award, constituted by Cricketers for Wildlife Conservation. Former Indian cricketers Sandeep Patil, Yusuf Pathan and Harbhajan Singh had conceptualised the award to motivate the unsung foot soldiers of our forest.
Fairoz will be presented with a cash award for his meritorious service to forest and wildlife protection. Besides daringly arresting 22 poachers, Fairoz has rescued 15 leopards and safely released them back in the forest.
pix: savetigersbandipur.org/founders-story/
Sunitha Dhairyam is a godsend for wildlife in Bandipur Tiger Cup. She is a guardian angel who protects tigers and leopards when they inadvertently make a cattle kill. To ensure farmers don’t poison the carcass, she pays on-the-spot compensation from her Mariamma Trust. Sunita Dhairyam has dedicated her life to wildlife conservation. She lives in the immediate vicinity of Bandipur tiger reserve.
pix: twitter.com/akhileshchipli
Akhilesh Chipli is a diehard wildlife activist from Sagar. He is the voice of the forest and its denizens in Shimoga district. Akhilesh Chipli has risked his life and fought tooth and nail to protect the flora and fauna of the Western Ghats. He has created awareness of the importance of biodiversity amongst people. In collaboration with Bangalore-based entrepreneur Suresh Kumar, he has successfully converted a barren 21-acre barren land into a verdant forest in Sagar.
pix: starofmysore.com
Colonel C P Muthanna has been at the forefront of environmental conservation of Kodagu district. He has dedicated his life for conservation for more than three decades. He has been able to bring the people of Kodagu together to stop large scale destructive projects in the Western Ghats.
Col. Muthanna has assisted the forest department in recovering 4000 acres of ecologically-sensitive forest landscape. He has been working closely with the Karnataka Forest Department and eco development committees on Human Elephant Conflict mitigation in Kodagu.
source: http://www.oneindia.com / One India / Home> News> Bengaluru / by Anuj Cariappa / pix credits under each pic / November 02nd, 2022
Ishana Ismail of Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, used the money saved by her parents for her marriage for starting a boutique, three years ago. She was only 18 years old then. In a year, she had decided to switch over to making sanitary pads.
Today, Ishana commands a sanitary pad-making unit with nearly three dozen women tailors and has regular clients in her hometown and across India. She has also received business inquiries from the domestic and overseas markets.
With an investment of Rs 8 lakh, Ishana has made a name in the market with her brand ‘Ana Cloth Pads’. These cotton pads filled with terry towels are eco-friendly, leak-proof, and can be reused up to 25 times.
Ana Cloth Pads receives orders from companies and also delivers pads by courier to individuals across India.
Her father’s friend, Rajesh who works as a manager, also invested nearly Rs three lakh in the business. Ishana’s 19-year-old brother, Ijas finds time from his hotel job to help her.
Impressed by her healthy initiative, many colleges and universities in Tamil Nadu have invited Ishana to their campus for addressing the students about menstrual hygiene. She has also been honoured by the Rotary Inner Wheel Club, Coimbatore, and many NGOs.
Ishana Ismail
Ishana completed her Class XII from Krishnammal Girls Higher Secondary School, Coimbatore, and a course in Fashion Designing.
She has so far traveled to Karnataka, Kerela, and Tamil Nadu and yet has a global vision.
Keeping in mind the needs of her five full-time workers, Ishana also allows them to bring their children along to the unit. ” Most of the tailors carry the fabric home and only five tailors work from my premises. At present, we are facing a shortage of orders because people don’t want to reuse sanitary pads. At the same time, some people have suffered by using commercially produced sanitary pads and are now preferring to use eco-friendly pads. We are looking for bulk orders that will also support poor women, some of whom are semi-literate. We would like to give employment to 200 women.’’
After completing a course in Fashion Designing, Ishana was clear-sighted about her choice of career. Her conviction about what she wanted to do was so strong that she did not think twice before investing eight lakh saved by her parents for her marriage.
She succeeded in persuading her parents. Starting the business was not easy. She had hardly settled in when the pandemic threw normal life out of gear. Her father’s untimely death a year and a half back was a huge blow and the family had to face several financial hardships.
Ishana says that she started this boutique in 2019 with the blessings and support of her parents. When Ishana made up her mind to start her own business, the family had modest means. Her father was working as a labourer in a grinding company in Chinniyampalayam in Coimbatore and her mother was running a beauty parlour. However, Ishana was determined.
Initially, she tried selling bridal outfits and then switched over to sanitary pads. During the COVID 19 pandemic, Ishana also made facial masks. Her company recorded a net profit of Rs two lakh a month.
Ishana says that till Class XII she was using sanitary pads available in the market. “I was reluctant to use pads that could have been easily made at home because I was embarrassed about what my friends would think. I decided to use homemade pads as I fell sick. The pads available in the market also cause cancer.’’
Sanitary pads made by Ana cloth pads company
Ishana’s initiative is clearly in the public interest. Most of the sanitary napkins available in the market today are loaded with chemicals and are made using plastic, which can affect health after prolonged use. In addition, after each use, they need to be trashed because there is no recycling mechanism, and they end up clogging up landfills.
Every year, there are around 12.3 billion disposable sanitary napkins that need to be disposed of in India alone. According to the Menstrual Hygiene Alliance of India (MHAI), there are around 336 million menstruating women in the country, of whom 36 percent use disposable sanitary pads.
Initially, Ishana made sanitary napkins only for her use, but when she came to know that her friends are facing a similar problem with the use of regular sanitary pads, she began making more napkins and asked them to try the homemade pads.
Ishana said, “ I am doing this for the people of India. Every girl is facing problems because of regular sanitary napkins made of plastic. They cause health problems like rashes. According to Ishana, the pad can be soaked in turmeric powder after washing and has to be dried in the sun. Before using them the following month, I recommend placing a wet cloth over the pads and ironing it for at least two days before using them for added comfort,” she said.
She added, “Many women suffer from various health problems related to periods. This is mainly due to the synthetic fabrics used in disposable sanitary napkins. These napkins are disposable but not biodegradable.. So, I was thinking of an alternative solution to this. The result is reusable napkins.”
Ishana says, “If the pads are properly exposed to the sun, then washing and re-using will not harm our health. This pad is very easy to handle and can be washed in normal water. It should be soaked in water for 30 minutes before washing. It should be dried first in the shade and then once in the sun. It should be ironed for two days before use next time.”
She wants to educate more people about how to make sanitary pads from cotton cloth.
Ishana is also being approached by traders from Hyderabad and Kerala for pads. On her plans, Ishana said, “In the future, I would like to make pads for bedridden people and also baby diapers”.
Ishana is keen to tap CSR opportunities which will help her unit create more work for her 25 full-time tailors and five tailors.
(The Author is Research Scholar at JMI and President of MSO of India. Additional inputs by ATV)
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz The Voice / Home> India / by Mohd Modassir Ashrafi / November 03rd, 2022
Dr. Osama Al-Abed, secretary-general of the League of Islamic Universities, signs the Malabar Declaration on climate action in Kozhikode, India, on Oct. 20. (Photo courtesy: LIU)
On October 27, the ‘Malaibar Declaration for Climate Action’ held by the League of Islamic Universities based in Cairo and Jamia Markaz Kozhikode in Markaz Knowledge City concluded.
Members including 200 universities from 60 countries, were present at Jamia Markaz, an Islamic university in Kozhikode, Kerala, for the International Climate Action Summit which was held between October 17-20.
Dr. Osama Al-Abed, secretary general of the league, opened the event by urging global stakeholders to use fresh approaches to combat climate change because the globe is currently “facing challenges that are structurally different from the past.”
As a consequence of talks on many facets of the main issue, Dr. Al Abdu and Muhammed Abdul Hakim Azhari, the rector of Jamia Markaz, jointly made the following declaration: The Partnership of University Leadership in Mitigating the Climate Change.
The declaration includes a request for environmental science to be taught in member universities’ curricula, for financial and human resources to be set aside for research into tackling climate challenges, as well as for new technology to be developed for the same.
“We thought that the real community who has to work on climate change is students. In every country, if the universities go for some course on climate then the future generation would be working on climate change,” Jamia Markaz rector Dr. Abdul Hakeem Al-Kandi told reporters.
“Students, who are the future leaders, when they are getting aware of climate change, (they) will impact the whole world.” he said.
Al-Kandi stated that the league would create an environmental studies centre in Calicut, India.
The goal of the university league’s activity, according to environmentalist and Markaz Law College principal Dr. C. Abdul Samad, who organised the summit, was to engage community members in various societies and make them stakeholders in saving the environment.
“Introducing environmental science courses in universities is important as the young leaders need to be educated to think about nature and climate change, and its impact,” he said.
“It is the new generation that can preserve the diversity of nature and respect the environment. The whole idea is to save the planet for the future,” he further stated.
At the summit, 63 research papers on diverse facets of the main issue were presented. A hundred trees were planted on the Knowledge City Campus by university leaders as part of Jamia Markaz’s afforestation programme and in support of the summit.
source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Environment> Indian Muslim> Positive Story / by Muslim Mirror Staff / October 27th, 2022
Prof. Wazahat Hussain, a leading professor from the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has won an international award for Traditional, Complementary, and Alternative Medicine.
Husain, a retired chairman of the Department of Botany at the AMU, won the Second Sheikh Zayed International Award on Monday in an event arranged by the Zayed Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation.
pix: thenortherngazette.com
The Foundation is a UAE-based non-governmental, non-profit organisation that invests in developing human capital to improve the quality of life, according to the Foundation’s website.
The award aims to give recognition to eminent academics and scientists of Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM ) globally, and TCAM physicians from the UAE, for enhancing TCAM knowledge and practices, and contributing to the improvement of quality of life for humanity, the organisation said.
A plant taxonomy expert, Husain has been conferred Lifetime Achievement Awards twice, once jointly by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the AYUSH ministry and then by the Wildlife Institute of India and Department of Wildlife Sciences, AMU.
Speaking to PTI, Prof. Husain stated that he was honoured to be representing AMU and India at the pinnacle of his academic career.
Academics do not work for recognition, but when they come, they must be accepted with humility. I dedicate this award to my university and my country, Prof Husain said.
According to WHO, traditional medicine is the sum total of the knowledge, skill, and practices specific to indigenous experiences and beliefs which are used in the maintenance of health, while alternative or complementary medicine refers to a broad set of healthcare practices that are not part of a country’s own tradition or conventional medicine and are not fully integrated into the dominant healthcare system.
source: http://www.freepressjournal.in / The Free Press Journal / Home / by PTI (headline edited) / October 11th, 2022
Nishhat Afza, Founder and Director of Curiocity — School of Creative Art and Design, N.R. Mohalla, Mysuru, has bagged first prize in the ornamental terrace garden and 1st prize in waterfalls for the 5th consecutive year in the Dasara Home Garden contest organised by the Horticulture Department.
An active member of Srushti Bonsai Club, she has also participated in women empowerment and other social activities. Besides, she helps people with landscaping and waterfall designing.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Gallery> Photo News / October 07th, 2022
S M Aboobacker (60), resident of Golnadu grama, Suribail passed away due to sickness.
He was the president of the school progress committee at the Suribail government upgraded higher primary school for the last several years. He had grown a flower garden, vegetable plants and areca nut trees in the school premises and was looking after them. The school has bagged national environment award and other awards due to his efforts.
The school received district Rajyotsava award considering his services.
He was the office bearer of the state SDMC committee, secretary of Suribail mosque management committee and was the member of Kolnadu gram panchayat for two terms. He was a well-known philanthropist. He has left behind his wife.
Former minister B Ramanath Rai, district panchayat member M S Mohammed, Congress panchayat committee district president Subhaschandra Shetty Kulala, Sudeep Kumar Shetty and others visited his residence and paid their tributes.
source: http://www.daijiworld.com / Daijiworld.com / Home> Obituary> Karnataka / by Mounesh Vishwakarma / Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (EP) / October 07th, 2022
Hyderabad engineer Maaz Ahmed Khan founded his startup Torq Electric to convert old two-wheelers into electric vehicles.
In 2021, Maaz Ahmed Khan was still a mechanical engineering student when his interest in electric vehicles began brewing . “It started when I got into the EV subject of the syllabus in final year,” he recalls, adding that he would look closely into the working of these machines and formulate his own ideas to make his own version of them.
But the 23-year-old’s idea was not to build a new design. Instead, it was to convert existing fuel vehicles — which would otherwise be turned to scrap — into fully functioning EVs.
The then final year student of Methodist College of Engineering and Technology, Telangana, started looking for someone’s help to start building on his vision. This brought him to a non-academic startup incubator EdVenture Park, which focuses on student innovations. He applied for a job here and was selected.
With their support, the youngster began working on his dream project, eventually founding Torq Electric in March 2021.
“A few years ago, I happened to attend the launch of Tata Nexon. Even though the vehicle excited me, I also thought, ‘Why should we buy a new EV if there exists a technology to convert existing vehicles?’,” he tells The Better India.
He continues, “I also had ‘electric vehicles’ as a subject in college. I learned that after 15 years of running, the fuel usage of any vehicle goes up and it contributes to greater pollution. Instead of turning it to scrap, you can convert it.”
On 27 August 2021, Maaz came up with the prototype of a two-wheeler EV, which he built by transforming an old petrol scooter and spending Rs 60,000. The model was covered widely by the media and popularised further through the internet, he recalls.
The EV by Torq Electric.
“Even then, it took time to gain people’s trust. A few months later, I managed to get some customers. A majority of them were unwilling to let go of their two-wheelers due to emotional attachments and similar reasons. Converting these into electric vehicles seemed like a great idea to keep your old favourite bike,” he explains.
Maaz says he has so far converted seven bikes, and received orders for 15 more.
Additionally, he helps engineering students to take up college projects related to EV and supports them with the related technical know-how.
For a greener future
Even though it takes just 5-7 hours to convert a two-wheeler into an EV, Maaz asks for two days to check and ensure the vehicle’s safety after riding.
Maaz busy at work.
He provides two types of models — fully electric and hybrid vehicles. Those who wish to keep fuel as an option can opt for the latter. He says the price to convert any type of two-wheeler into a fully electric EV is Rs 50,000. For hybrid, he charges Rs 55,000.
“In fully electric two-wheelers, the engine and fuel tank are replaced with a powerful motor and batteries. In hybrid conversion, a motor and battery are added to the existing engine. This gives the flexibility of driving on both electric power and engine power,” says the engineer.
The base variant of the vehicle takes about three to four hours to charge, and can run up to 75 km at an average speed of 45 km/hr, Maaz says. Customers can also give their preferences, for which prices may differ.
“EVs are in their early days in India. But undoubtedly, they are the future. It is important to be aware of the pollution from fuel vehicles. Soon, we might be living in a country where breathing feels like smoking a cigarette. But we can prevent this by showing responsibility. Like shifting from plastic bags to cloth bags, or using public transport, opting for an EV is a great step,” Maaz says.
The electric vehicle built by Maaz.
Through his company, he aims to create sustainable living through automotive manufacturing, with the vision to create an eco-friendly world.
Even though his current innovation is receiving great response, the engineer’s dream is to launch his own design of an EV, exclusively for Indians. He also plans to extend the current innovation to three and four-wheelers.
Maaz Ahmed Khan — the engineer.
“The rise in fuel prices has most affected the auto drivers of the country. After a little research, I discovered that if they switch to EVs, they can save around Rs 400 a day. This accounts for Rs 12,000 a month. Thus, my plan is to launch an innovation pertaining to three-wheelers,” he shares.
Visit his website www.torqelectric.com
Edited by Divya Sethu
Photo Credits: Maaz Ahmed Khan
source: http://www.thebetterindia.com / The Better India / Home> English> Electric Vehicles – Sustainability / by Anagha R Manoj / September 20th, 2022
Bearys scores a hat trick by winning the prestigious ‘National Award for Excellence in Energy Management’ by CII for three consecutive years (2020, 21 & 22) for its project Bearys Global Research Triangle (BGRT), Whitefield, Bangalore and was declared the ‘National Energy Leader’.
Bearys was also commended and was awarded another accolade for the ‘Most useful Presentation’ at the award ceremony.
The awards were presented by Dr. Ashok Kumar, Director, Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Ministry of Power, Govt. of India to Mr. Mazhar Beary, Executive Director, in the presence of other eminent dignitaries at a grand award ceremony held at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi on Wednesday 21st Sept. 2022.
India’s first LEED Platinum R & D Park BGRT is globally recognized by both Industry and Academia as an epitome of sustainable development and an exemplary benchmark project and has become an arche model for sustainable development. A stream of Architects, Consultants, Developers and students from across India are visiting the project to see, learn and understand more about sustainable development and its manifold benefits.
‘We, at Bearys feel elated to receive this award and would like to dedicate this laurel to our mentors the late Dr. Prem C Jain, former Chairman, IGBC and the late Mr. Mahendrarajji, renowned structural consultant, New Delhi, who have inspired and guided us along the way. We now rededicate ourselves to our relentless pursuit to promote Sustainable Development & further the IGBC led ‘Green Building Movement’ in India” proclaims Mr. Syed Mohamed Beary, Founder & CMD.
source: http://www.beads.edu.in / BEADS / Home> News / by BEADS / September 21st, 2022
Bharova Village (Bhaderwah District) ,JAMMU & KASHMIR:
Haji Mohammad Shafi Sheikh from Kashmir quit his job as a contractor in a forest corporation to grow exotic red pears that now fetch him more than Rs 25 lakh a year.
In 1980, Haji Mohammad Shafi Sheikh, a contractor in a forest corporation, was on a routine visit to Kashmir. He was scheduled to meet his younger brother Abdul Rashid Sheikh and cousin Ghulam Nabi, who was pursuing a degree in Engineering at Srinagar’s Engineering College.
The trio decided to explore a few of the tourist destinations. They started their journey with Nishat, a picturesque area of Srinagar, which houses the famed Mughal Garden, home to mighty Chinars.
A road on the outskirts took them to a beautiful garden of green pears, where Shafi and the others spent hours relishing and enquiring about the fruit.
Their interest in the garden grew to the extent that Shafi embarked on a mission to grow a similar orchard in his native village Bharova in Bhaderwah.
Bharova was still oblivious to the existence of these fruits, given its topography and the fact that locals only cultivated maize and fodder to feed their animals.
“The entire area of Bahrova is hilly and maize was the only crop being grown by farmers because of the drought-prone conditions. People were not financially stable due to which they couldn’t explore other options over maize to earn a livelihood,” Shafi says.
In the same year, he took a few saplings of pears and walnuts home and sowed them adjacent to his house to track their growth.
“Surprisingly, plants grew normally and within a few years started bearing fruits. It was very much encouraging for me and my interest grew to sow more plants to give an idea to the people about the scope of horticulture in my area,” Shafi says.
The 74-year-old now annually harvests 3,000 boxes of exotic red pears enough to fetch him more than Rs 25 lakh. “The maize which I grew in my fields would fetch me only Rs 4,000 per annum. Often we suffered crop failures and farmers were becoming poorer. But now, farmers of my area are financially stable,” he says.
Apart from pears and apples, Shafi also harvests 15-20 quintals of walnuts annually.
Horticulture Sheikh of Bhaderwah
Exotic red pears grown by Shafi Sheikh
The journey of growing pears on land which was confined to just fodder and maize a few decades before was not easy for Shafi. It was indeed a work of patience and determination for him, who would take the help of experts to have disease-free produce.
“In 1993 when I saw my pears growing, I left my job immediately and devoted my entire time to horticulture. I always had a hope that my efforts will change the fate of the people of my village,” he says.
After reaping benefits from his efforts, Shafi finally decided to completely abandon the custom of growing maize in 2002 and shifted to horticulture, despite opposition from his neighbours and family. “It was a very difficult decision for me and people would often question me for giving up maize cultivation. The initial years were full of hardships as plants needed years to bear fruits,” he says.
Growing native pears and walnuts didn’t satisfy his appetite and Shafi finally sought help from Sher-i- Kashmir University of Agriculture Science and Technology Jammu to grow exotic red pears, which he only had heard about till then.
“Seeing my commitment and desire to expand my orchard scientifically during a routine visit by a team of scientists from Krishi Vigyan Kendra, one of the scientists, Dr Vikas Tandon, who is a professor at SKUAST Jammu handed me a few Italian pear seedlings, which was a significant turning point in my path,” he says.
After successfully growing red pears, he grafted green pears plants with red pear fruits to grow high-quality fruits in his orchard. “Now I have some 250 red pear trees and apart from them, I grow green pears, apples and other variety of fruits. For research, I visited Himachal Pradesh and other states to learn technicalities growing exotic fruits in my orchard,” he says.
He is hoping his production increases in the coming years as scores of his plants are ready to bear fruits. “I keep on experimenting with my orchards. From spraying quality pesticides to timely de-weeding, my production will increase in coming years,” he says.
A ray of hope for Bhaderwah farmers
Seeing Shafi’s hard work bearing fruits, his younger brother Abdul Rashid too has shifted to horticulture and has over 2,500 trees of pears in his orchards. His cousin Ghulam Nabi too followed his path and grew pears on his land to get better returns.
“I feel happy that my village is gradually progressing. I can now see a lot of growers, who are dedicated to growing pears and other fruits in our village,” he says.
Not just Bharova, adjacent villages like Khalo and Shanatra too are gaining recognition for growing exotic Italian red pears. These three villages grow nearly 1.5 metric tonnes of red pears annually.
Many farmers are getting inspired by his efforts and taking of horticulture in the hilly district of Bhaderwah. “Our district was only known for its breathtaking landscape a few decades before. Now, with the efforts of Shafi Sahab, we are growing quality exotic pears, which are very unique and have a huge demand in the market,” says Abdul Sattar, a framer.
Today, 165 households from the villages of Bharova, Khalo, and Shanatra have shifted to cultivating fruits, particularly Italian pears, taking their cue from Shafi.
Horticulture, an employment generator
Haji Mohammad Shafi Sheikh now helps other farmers in the region with practising horticulture.
Ever since Shafi took this initiative, the fate of the village has changed. Horticulture has been the employment provider to the village as more youth associate themselves with the growing pears.
During the season he employs almost 25 people in his orchards, who look after spraying, pruning and harvesting of pears. “Initially I had four boys who would look after my orchards. Now almost 25 boys remain associated with me during harvest season,” he says.
Fifty-year-old Krishan Lal, a resident of village Khalu in Bahderwah has been working for over 15 years with Shafi as a packer. He has been earning a decent livelihood and says, “I was working as a farmer before and my earnings were not enough. Now I earn some Rs 30,000 during the season at Shafi sahab’s garden.”
Shashi, a 35-year-old man too has been associated with the trade of red pears. “Horticulture has a great scope in Bhaderwah and scores of the youth are getting employed in this sector,” he says.
Edited by Yoshita Rao
source: http://www.thebetterindia.com / The Better India / Home> English> Agriculture / by Firdous Hassan / August 10th, 2022
.webp)
