Vivekanada Kendra NARDEP October 2014

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Echoes of EcoGreen Rameshwaram: Bio-Diversity In this issue:

Green Rameshwaram: Bio-Diversity

Third Brain-Storming SessionGreen Rameshwaram

The Happenings-I The Happenings-II From our Publications Visions of Wisdom:

Accepting Change I-Thou vs. I-It Ecological Economics

That which is neither conscious norunconscious, which is invisible,

impalpable, indefinable, unthinkable,unnameable, whose very essence

consists of the experience of its ownself, which absorbs all diversity, is

tranquil and benign, without a second,which is what they call the fourthstate-that is the atman. This it is

which should be known.

-Mandukya Upanishad

Homage to Atman

October, 2014 Vivekananda Kendra- nardep Newsletter Vol:6 No:8

Service to humanity is the highest form of worship Swami Vivekananda

From Rameshwaram to Tuticorin spread over the sea area of 140

kilometres there are coral reefs about 108 types. Just a little bit belowthe sea level these coral reef grow at the rate of 2.5 cm per annum. Theyhave been there for millions of years. There are many marine organismswhich are dependent on these coral reefs. Starting from Rameshwaramspread over to the Gulf of Mannar. The pollution that we make in the sea,global warming - all these are affecting and destroying the coral organisms.The coral reef that has been formed over the millennia in the region wasinstrumental in saving the population and area from the 2004-Tsunami.


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Echoes of Eco - Newsletter, Vivekananda Kendra nardep , October 2014, Vol. 6 No: 8

Know therefore thy body to be a knot in Matter and thy mind to be a whirl in universal Mind andthy life to be an eddy of life that is forever. Know thy force to be every other beings force andthy knowledge to be glimmer from the light that belongs to no man and thy work to be made for

thee and be delivered from the error of the personality. Sri Aurobindo

Remarks by the Project ChairmanChairman Sri.Ravi Sam who came specially from Coimbatore informed that how he wasimpressed by the traditional water body renovation work done by Vivekananda Kendra. Hepromised all help from his side but insisted that ultimately everything depends on the localparticipation. He informed that he in his capacity as the chairman of Tamil Nadu chapter ofthe Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), had already taken the issue of declaration ofRameshwaram as a heritage island with the appropriate central minister. He also promised totake up the issue once again with the minister.

Local Contributions and InputsSri.Arjunan, the chairman of Rameshwaram municipality, commended the good work being done by GreenRameshwaram project. He promised his complete cooperation. He declared that he would take up the issue ofadditional ten wards to be given to Hand in Hand for solid waste management at the earliest. The local

representatives, special interest group people, teachers and hoteliers came to the podium and gave ideas as to howthey could help in the Green Rameshwaram in their own way.

Inputs from District AdministrationAfter this District Forest Officer explained the various government schemes of planting tree saplings that are beingimplemented in the island from Pamban to Rameshwaram. Then the district collector spoke about how collective actionfrom the local community is vital for the success of the project. He wanted each one of the attendees to start withthemselves by not using plastic bags and he wanted that the renovated traditional water bodies should be free fromthe encroachment and it is the duty of the local community to see to it.

Special Presentations by experts

Biodiversity: After the lunch Dr.Deepak, district wildlife warden made a detailed presentation about the bio-diversity of the Gulf of Mannar region and its importance to local livelihood. He also promised to help the GreenRameshwaram project in its outreach programmes with educational institutions and also by installing a few boardsfrom Pamban to Rameshwaram before the year end. Sri.Vasudeo suggested that these could be stone based paintingsas in the case of ECR from Chennai to Puthucherry. District collector said we could look at various possibilities withinthe limit of the budget of Rs 50 lakhs.

Solar Technology: Dr.Ramarathnam, energy expert from Chennai spoke at length about the installation of efficientgreen energy solutions at various levels. District Collector wanted him to make a pilot project before November endat the Vivekananda Kendra building and based on the performance both in terms of energy efficiency as well aseconomics, Dr.Ramarathnam would be asked to replicate the installations wherever possible in all government buildingsin the island. Dr.Ramarathnam stated that he would come up with green-energy packages for different income groupsin the island thus increasing its energy self-reliance.

Algae based Livelihood: Dr.Vaibhav Mantri, Senior Scientist from Marine Algal Research Station, Mandapam gave apresentation on sea weeds. He spoke about creating value-added products like greeting cards from sea weed bytraining local SHG. District collector was enthusiastic about this livelihood creation scheme and wanted Dr. Mantri tocreate some samples and show him. Dr.Mantri also assured that his institution would help in the creation of awarenessabout the sea weed resources in the island for the coming tourists as well as the residing population through exhibitsetc.

[ to be continued in the next newsletter]


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To know more about Renovation of Rameshwaram Teerthams Project contact: Secretary,Vivekananda Kendra - Nardep, Vivekanandapuram, Kanyakumari-629702;

Phone:04652-246296, 9442646296 Email: [email protected]

The ability of a cell to sense these broken ends, to direct them towards each other, and then tounite them so that the union of the two DNA strands is correctly oriented, is a particularly

revealing example of the sensitivity of cells to all that is going on within them. They make wisedecisions and act on them..

-Barbara McClintock

Training Programme on Bio-methanationplant was held at TRC Kallivillai on 25 th and1 person attended the programme. Er.Ramakrishnan was the resource person.

Training Programme on EnergyConservation was conducted for 58students of Govt. Polytechnic College,Konam on 15th of this month. The resource

Person was Shri.V.Ramakrishnan

Greening of Rameshwaram initiative bydistrict collector: planting of trees.

Eco Awareness Programme sponsored byUNICEF, Chennai was conducted on the11th of this month. 51 persons attendedthe programme.

Construction of Shakthi-Surabhi Plantsthis Month:

Fixed 1 cum 1Portable 1 cum - 1Portable 0.25 cum - 1

In the News:

Dina Thanthi a popular Tamil nepaper reported the resolve of theRamanathapuram districadministration to remove Prosopi

juliflora on 12-Oct-2014. This ian invasive thorny bushy plant thaspreads throughout the island.

Removal ofProsopis Juliflora in the island

given top priority.

200 Farmers visited Gramodaya Parkand learnt different cost effectivetechnologies including live model Rainwater harvesting structure on 13 th of thismonth. The exposure visit was organizedby Dist. Watershed Development

Agency, Virudhunagar.

Dr.Kamalasannan Pillai was the resourceperson.

Renewable Energy thismonth :

Happenings thismonth:

Networking


Networking Activitiesthis month:

District Collector speaking at theGreen Rameshwaram Meeting.11-Oct-

2014


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From ourPublications

It is our misunderstanding and partial understanding of the nature of the world fragmentation that hasled the world to the brink. Our eco-toons bring this out.

Even the structure of the atom has been found by the mind. Therefore the mind is subtler thanthe atom. That which is behind the mind, namely the individual soul, is subtler than the mind. If

the ego does not rise, the Self alone exists and there is no second (nothing external).-Ramana Maharishi


About one billion adults cannot read or write. More

han one billion people in absolute poverty. They arefifth of humanity.


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The primary objective of the ecologicaleconomists is to enlarge the frameworkof the neoclassical economic paradigm

to include scientifically valid measuresof the environmental costs of economicactivities. Scholarship in this disciplineis replete with carefully developed andwell documented reasons why themathematical theories used bymainstream economists should includethese costs and numerousdemonstrations of how this could beaccomplished. But the fact that therehas been virtually no dialogue betweenecological economists and mainstreameconomists clearly indicates that theformer is saying something that thelatter simply does not wish to entertainor understand. Part of what mainstreameconomists clearly do not wish toconfront is that there is no basis forassuming that the mathematicaltheories used in their profession arescientific. There is, however, a muchmore fundamental reason whyneoclassical economists have beenunwilling to engage in this dialogueBecause ecological economists arenormally familiar with research done inenvironmental science, they know thatassumptions about economic reality inneoclassical economics are anything butsacrosanct.

Our old ways of strife, strife against ourfellow human beings, against nature and theenvironment, against what we know deep

inside to be true, will not yield anythingexcept the likely outcome of globaldisaster. We are not isolated tribesanymore. Everything humanity doesmatters to the whole of existence on thisplanet. The Earth is too small, a mere speckof dust in the infinite expanse of space andtime, yet it is our only home as we wanderthrough the universe. Right living notjust for ourselves as individuals but foreverything and everyone around us thatsustains us. The centerpiece of movingforward as we embrace change also lies intrue and honest dialogues. And it starts inthe true and open dialogue between scienceand spirituality, between the best inrational thought with the best in the humanexperience and spirit. The dialogue iscrucial. And in carrying out the dialogue, wewill realize that what binds everythingtogether and allows these diverse ways ofthinking and living is the underlyingconsciousness of all. It is the foundation ofboth science and spirituality, of scienceand philosophy, of science and religion, ofthought and ethos. For us, as individualsand collectively, as citizens of the world, ascurators of life on Earth, the message issimple: Embrace change, enable dialogue.

Accepting Change I-Thou vs. I-It Ecological Economics

obert NadHistorian of Science

It appears that traditional societies arecharacterized by a number of conditionsconducive to the evolution of a

"community of beings" world-view: smallcommunity size, the presence ofextended kin groups, repeated socialinteractions, and a geographically well-defined resource base. However, manyother non-industrial societies also showmany or most of these characteristics.In fact, many rural societies of thecontemporary world do this as well. Ingeneral, these beliefs go back to thepantheistic tradition dominant beforethe rise of monotheistic religions. If the"community of beings" world-view can becharacterized as an "I thou"relationship between humans and nature,the "dominion over nature" world-view ischaracterized as an "I it" relationship.Nature is viewed as clockwork and isconsidered to exist separately fromhumans. It can be studied by taking itapart and by asking systematic, testablequestions. It can be brought undercontrol and made to yield humanbenefits. Economic growth is seen as aconsequence of somehow freeing theselimitless resources. Productive activity,therefore, is seen as a process ofovercoming environmental constraints.

- Menas KafatosPhysicist

-Madav GadgilEcologist

In every figure he hath been the mode: this is his only form for us to look on.Indra moves multiform by his illusions; for his Bay Steeds are yoked, ten times a hundred.

-Rig Veda 6:47:18

Vivekananda Kendra nardep , Kanyakumari-629702 Phone:91-4652-246296 www.vknardep.org

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Vivekanada Kendra NARDEP October 2014