Maladies of Plastic

Plastic has become integral part of the human life.We can't avoid it totally in the existing circumstances. But,we can reduce its use.There are many disadvantages on using the plastic as follows :
1 . Plastic is made out of petrochemical  products, which has to be imported by our country. Plastic use has proportional relations with the price rise.
2.Plastic does not dissolve in the soil ,causing alot of pollution.
3.It donot allow the water to percolate,reducing water conservation.
4.It is one of the causes for floods.It easily chokes the drains.Drain siltation has increased due to the plastic covers.
5. Animals are dying, when eating the plastic along with the food packed in iit.Smilarly, many plants and trees are dying , when their roots are falling on plastic.
6.It is one of the causes of the mosquitoes breeding, especially the aedis egypty mosquitoes, which causes dengue.
7. It use to pollute the water bodies.
8. It emanates the carcinogenic substances , when it is burnt and causes unwanted hair and cancers.
9. Plastic is not digested by the human beings. But,small amounts of plastic is taken when people are consumed food, tea (quantity increases when it is hot) and water unnoticed. A lot of energy is required to drain it out from the body.In that process, more number of cells use to perish requiring the body to produce more cells..f this process continue for long periods, body is required to produce cells in more numbers,loosing the equilibria of cell production,which is called  Cancer.
10. It also causes stomach ache and nuro problems.
11.It reduces the power of fertility by reducing the sperm and ovary count . Presently, it is estimated that 10% people are childless.It is all time high in human history.
12. In Ayurveda it is believed that nature of human is also depends on the vessal he is drinking water and taking food.In this regard , if he consumes water and food in plastic,she/he acuires the qualities related to plastic.

Solutions :
1. Awareness on maladies of Plastic should be created in common people.
2. Awareness about the advantages of not using shall be propogated.
3. Carry a bag in the vehicle to carry material instead of requesting plastic bag.
4. People should be given incentives for not using plastic. For example, Hotels owners and meet shop owners in suryapet had given concession of 2 Rupees for bringing tiffin box. They also displayed the initiative on banner.Kirana Association, khammam has given good number of prizes by conducting lucky draw for continuously using eco friendly bags.
5. Alternat material should be made available such as paper,jute, cloth, and leafs ,etc.
6 . Government  instructions of selling the bag shall be strictly implemented. Also,below 40 micron covers shall be strictly banned.
7.In unavoidable circumstances, if you use plastic, try to reuse it and see that send it to recycling.
8. Eco friendly plastic should be made available at low cost to all people.

Green marriage

We want every thing green to save the environment. Here i would like to discuss about making the marriage green to protect the environment.

The basic intention of protecting the environment is to conserve the resources. In Indian context, marriage is the source of draining the resources and exhibit the pomp of the people.

The basic components of the marriage are
1.Bride and groom
2.Relatives and friends
3.Material used
4.Ritual & time
5.Dinner
6.Gifts
7.Invitation Cards
8. jewellery
9.Reception
Some people print their invitation card using alot of paper and layers.It unnecessarily wastes the resources and causes the pollution.

The basic principle of green marriage is that the marriage invitation card shall be on a single card to save the resources .Also, people should accept the invitation through social media and sms. It saves alot of resources. Moving to every house to handover the invitation card will drain the resources unnecessarily. People shall not feel humiliation for not inviting personally. Inviting over the phone shall be appreciated for saving environment.

Also,invitees should indicate the place of function hall in the Google maps to reach the place easily with the GPS systems.It saves a lot of fuel of invited and avoids unnecessary phone calls.

The fixing of place of marriage shall be to the convenience of the friends and relatives. If marriage takes place in the distant place,it drains the fuel.In unavoidable circumstances, public transport systems must be arranged.

A few material must be used for the marriage.Decorations must be avoided.Keeping series lights shall be avoided.
It is better to have the Registration process of marriage.

Marriage conducted during the nights consumes a lot of energy and resources. The Green marriage must held during the day time to save resources.

The gifts given to the  bride and groom shall invariably protect the environment,such as LED Lights,solar lnverters, solat water heating systems,LED TV,Valuable plants,solar cooking systems,solar vehicles, etc.

Lack of parking place in the function hall is source of the traffic jams and pollution. On my request as Municipal Commissioner, owners of function halls had provided audio system for calling the vehicle owners. It saves alot of resources by avoiding jams.

Sri.Maheedhar Reddy, the then Minister for the Municipal Administration &Urban Development has over emphasised the need of parking spaces for function halls.It brought the appreciable results. I then as commissioner, Khammam municipal Corporation had insisted parking spaces and its effective management by conducting series of meetings with function halls owners.

Hence,parking spaces availability and its effective operation would save alot of resources.

The arrangements of non vegetarian food is source of pollution. Non vegetarian causes 3 times more pollution than the vegetarian ,as per one scientific estimate.In telangana area, people use to curse and abuse for not arranging non veg food.

Hence,people  must provide the vegetarian food during the function to save the environment.

In the recent past, people are serving the food in disposal plates.The silver plates consists the dangerous Arsenic, which damages the brains of children .Also, hot food served in the plastic plate amalgamates with plastic and causes cancer ,stomoch ache, brain damage,etc.   Similarly, the use of plastic glasses causes similar affects.
Hence,the disposal material shall not be used for the environment Protection. Also , the material used should be safely disposed. Using the banana or modhugu leaves as food plates are the correct alternative for environment Protection.

Arranging the less number of food serving counters for the invited is also cause for the wastage of the food. People should serve themselves the optimum food and see that food is not wasted. Invitee should see that food sample tasting counter should be arranged for the attending people.I had seen in a hotel serving the sample food and later serving the full food as per the request.It saves a lot of food.

Sri.Janardhan Reddy, C&DMA has taken interest in this initiative  and got the IEC material written on the function halls.
Most of Hindhu festival and ritual habits are for the protection of the people and environment,without their notice. Similarly, new environment Protection habits can be inducted into the marriage ritual. The bride,groom and their nearest relatives may be asked to plant atleast 100 plants in near by barren lands.Or to  leave at least one ecological foot print on their marriage.

Here,i want to tell you about Veera puja conducted after the marriage in the warrior communities to commemorate the died soldiers of their family. Similarly, why prakruthi puja cannot be guaranteed,to protect environment ?Without environment balance,nothing is sustainable.

Some people horribly crack the  crackers.It is a very dangerous to environment. Such things should be avoided

Even some people offer liquor at the time of Reception.Such things should be avoided.

The best Green marriage i got conducted was at Suryapet under " Kalyanamastu" programme conducted by the TTD.About 125 marriages were held atonce ,out of which my suryapet municipality team has mobilized 44 couples. Mangalasutram, and some material was given freely by TTD.Philonthropic  persons distributed some material like Glasses,vessels, etc.Only single Baja Bajantri team was there.Optimum material was used.There was no unnecessary expenditure of amounts.Least expenditure was incurred by  Brides.Later,Grooms organised the receptions.However,many public representatives blessed the couples.

I was also guest for the Mass marriages of Muslims held at Nalgonda.About 25 marriages were held at once.

Hence,Green marriage is a marriage, which take all the measures to protect the environment.I also propose Mass Marriages can be Green Marriages to save environment.  I also invite suggestions from readers to improve article.

Pro-poor policies in water supply in Suryapet

Aim: The poor shall not suffer with spiraling price rises. He is the priority of the Government. His needs should be catered in the Urban Planning and governance.

Activity: The tap connections were given to poor people on low cost (donations), which were higher earlier and modified as per the instructions of the Government. The connections given @1200 are 2474 in number. The connections given @200 are 2799 in number. Giving the connections to poor is taken up in true spirit.

All the slum areas are connected with the water supply pipe lines. The duration of supply of water is on par with the non-slum areas.The construction of tanks are also taken near to the poor localities.

Government has instructed to run the water supply on no loss and no profit basis. The tariff has to be increased. But poor cannot bare much burden. Hence, only 20 rupees per month is increased from 60 Rupees. Where as tariff for poor is 100 rupees per month.

For the benefit of poor, single day disposal of tap connections are initiated in Indiramma colony. From the clerk to commissioner and chairperson was sitting on the same table and disposing the applications accordingly on the same day in the locality of the beneficiaries.

Three days earlier to the programme, an IEC campaign was conducted with the help of local plumbers to submit the applications of the residents. The Building license surveyors are also summoned to sketch the drawings expeditiously and without expecting much from the poor people. This made the things easier for all the poor people in accommodating in the new colony. They need pray or beg or represent from table to table at least for 15 days, which is prescribed under the citizen charter.



Outcomes:

• Quality water is available to poor on low cost. Otherwise, the expenditure on purchase of water would go up.
• It also ensures the health of the poor, as water is source of many ill- healths.
• The saved money can be spent on other activities such as education, nutrition, etc.
• It has over all impact on the quality life of poor.

Bio-Eradication of Mosquitoes in suryapet

I)Geographical Features of Suryapet:
The soil in and around the town is hard gravel soil. Elevation of the town varies from +169.00 meters to 184 meters above mean sea level. The natural slope of the town is from North to South. There are three tanks namely Pulla Reddy Tank, Chowdary Tank and Nallacheruvu Tank in the heart of the town. Musi left canal passes through the town from west to east irrigating fields in and around the town. The average ground water table is about 50’ below ground level.


II)Back Ground: In 2003-04 Suryapet Municipality was at the pinnacle in managing the Solid Waste. Present Municipal Commissioner Sri.B.Srinivas too was one among them to visit the town. Astonishingly, there were many mosquitoes even during the day time. He asked the then commissioner that if it is the situation in the Suryapet, what about the worstly managed cities? The answer was that there were 3 tanks around the city of Suryapet and all the sullage water is reaching the tanks and they are the breading centers of Mosquitoes.
6 valuable years have passed; the mantle of Commissioner has reached into his hands in November, 2009. The No. of mosquitoes are increased and Dengue cases were also increased alarmingly and reached to 100 cases in the town. Even a person was also died.
Now, it is the responsibility of mc to eradicate mosquitoes. We have to spray the chemicals, do fogging under the culverts, dewatering, etc. Finally, MUNICIPAL COMMISSIONER recollected that while he was working at his native district they use to access the Gambusia fish either at Kadam dam or SRSP dam and leave them in stagnant waters to eradicate mosquitoes at larva stage.
This, in a small scale 5000 Gambusia fish is left into stagnant waters and tank waters in the month of January. Due to all the integrated efforts and atmospheric changes, Dengue cases were reported zero in a day.
In 2010, there were heavy rains in the state and Suryapet town is not an exception for that. The works of conservation of lakes was under progress. There were a lot of water was stagnant on the other side of bunds of Chowdary (saddula) Cheruvu and pullareddy tank. The water is also stagnant in storm water drain. The boon in disguise was that the constructions of Bunds to both the tanks were completed and dirty water was not reaching into the tanks.

III)Objectives of activity:

1. Eradication of mosquitoes in a biological way
2. Protecting the environment by arresting poisonous gases, by preventing the coils, mosquito killing chemicals, etc.
3. Arresting of Mosquito related deceases and ensuring the health of Suryapet town people.
4. Increasing the man days among the people and reducing the poverty.
5. Valuable money of people should be saved when they are protected from diseases such as Malaria, J.E., Chicken Gunya, and Dengue.
IV) Activity:
A meeting of all the Sanitary Jawans was called. It was instructed to identify all the stagnant waters in their respective zones. The information is obtained through the Sri.D.Sreenu,Sanitary Inspector, in the month of June itself.
MC instructed Sri Venkateshwarlu, Health Assistant to collect at least 25,000 Gambusia fish to leave in the stagnant water of the town to control Mosquitoes. Surprisingly he collected one lakh Gambusia fish in Hyderabad with the help of fisheries department and staff left them into tank waters, stagnant waters on the other side of the bund, stagnant waters of storm water drainage ( length 1.2 km ) and all the stagnant waters of the town. Fisheries department has helped Suryapet ULB a lot.
In the month of December, the rainy season extended to that month and new stagnant waters has arrived. Slowly the mosquitoes were on increase. Again we requested the fisheries officers to catch the Gambusia existing in the town to leave it into new waters. About 2500 fish are caught and left into stagnant waters. For the effectiveness, the fogging under the culverts was continued.
Due to heavy rains in December mosquitoes were increased very much. To control propagation of mosquitoes, municipality released another 2 lakhs Gambusia fish during February month in to stagnant water of the town. Result of this, mosquitoes’ propagation is slowly decreased.

IV) Outcome of activity

1. In the initial days of survey after leaving of Gambusia fish, 40% people have accepted that Mosquitoes have decreased.
2. After 6 months of the initiative, one N.G.O. by name Vruksha Yagnam have intimated that 90 % of mosquitoes have decreased compared to last year, in their locality near Chaudari tank.
3. The Dengue cases were reported only 15 during the present year compared to last year cases of more than 100. Thus saved the valuable lives and money of people.
4. The sales of mosquito coils, smoke balls ( oodu in telugu ) has been considerably decreased, as is reported by a shop owner. Thus it has decreased the pollution. It is also evident from the decrement of sales of Mosquito bats compared to last year.
5. If this initiated would not have taken, there would have been more mosquitoes, due to heavy rainfall and extended rainfall.

V)Personal Experience
While sitting on the front open space of my quarter provided by office, I use to kill at least 50 Mosquitoes with electric mosquito bat.
Soon after the initiative, I could not see even 2 to 3 mosquitoes at same place. I experienced in the same way in office building also.
In some places mosquitoes were prevailing as the breading centers were different Three advantages of fish:
Gambusia is a very small fish and it do not grow larger and heavier. It moves in the Corners of the water bodies, where Mosquitoes usually live. It is a fresh water fish but live in dirty water without inconvenience. It takes the larva of mosquitoes as food, this do not allow mosquitoes to bread. It saves valuable resources, as the cost of catching takes only a few amount.

VI)Lesson I learnt
1. Some people even caught this tiny fish and caused decrement, there by allowed increment of mosquitoes at later stage. I would have arranged boards not allowing the fishing on the other side of the tanks.
2. Staff members, who did not recognize the importance have failed to integrate other approaches and allowed mosquitoes to bread to certain extent.
3. Leaving of Gambusia is a continuous process to control the mosquitoes.

VII)Scope for integrated biological activity
In addition to the leaving of Gambusia fish, there are other two activities are as follows:
a) The lemon grass smell does not allow the mosquitoes to move near those places. It is told by some persons that Paris is a mosquito free city, as it is with presence of large lemon grass gardens. Even in our places, where there is scope for breading of mosquitoes we can take-up lemon grass gardens.
b) It is told by old persons of our village is that a fly (Thuniga in telugu, Thummiska in Nalgonda Dist., and Booga in Adilabad Dist.) can eat away the mosquitoes. My experience at Comport Yard of Suryapet reveals that there was huge garbage and stagnant water present at same place. But there were not even single mosquito because the flies are present. At one point of time, the flies were absent and I could not stay in compost yard because of mosquito menace. The requirement for presence of flies is Greenery.
c) Frogs also eat away the larva of mosquitoes and helps the human kind but unfortunately the vehicular movement kills the frogs. It is told by Senior citizens that only after intensive hunting of frogs, the Mosquito born diseases have increased in our country.

VIII) Relation of Mosquitoes to climate change:
1) In presence of mosquitoes we use coils , smoke ,repellents, which causes large scale pollution.
2) Even we close doors by not allowing fresh cool air increases the consumption of electricity and causes pollution.
3) The mosquito born diseases increases the production of medicines and accelerates the journey there by causing pollution.
4) Most of people even in the winter turn on fans to avoid the mosquito biting this increases energy consumption also increase the pollution and global warming.
All the above activities increase the pollution there by increasing the global warming and climate change.

IX) Requirement of help of people
During the summer, mosquitoes are less and live in cool places. At this time it is easy to kill them with electric bat. People has to follow this and shall not store the water with passion. They also shall not through the garbage in the drains and open spaces, which allow the breading of Mosquitoes. All the water tanks and septic tanks shall be thoroughly closed. They shall not also allow water to stagnate.




I)Geographical Features of Suryapet:
The soil in and around the town is hard gravel soil. Elevation of the town varies from +169.00 meters to 184 meters above mean sea level. The natural slope of the town is from North to South. There are three tanks namely Pulla Reddy Tank, Chowdary Tank and Nallacheruvu Tank in the heart of the town. Musi left canal passes through the town from west to east irrigating fields in and around the town. The average ground water table is about 50’ below ground level.


II)Back Ground: In 2003-04 Suryapet Municipality was at the pinnacle in managing the Solid Waste. Present Municipal Commissioner Sri.B.Srinivas too was one among them to visit the town. Astonishingly, there were many mosquitoes even during the day time. He asked the then commissioner that if it is the situation in the Suryapet, what about the worstly managed cities? The answer was that there were 3 tanks around the city of Suryapet and all the sullage water is reaching the tanks and they are the breading centers of Mosquitoes.
6 valuable years have passed; the mantle of Commissioner has reached into his hands in November, 2009. The No. of mosquitoes are increased and Dengue cases were also increased alarmingly and reached to 100 cases in the town. Even a person was also died.
Now, it is the responsibility of mc to eradicate mosquitoes. We have to spray the chemicals, do fogging under the culverts, dewatering, etc. Finally, MUNICIPAL COMMISSIONER recollected that while he was working at his native district they use to access the Gambusia fish either at Kadam dam or SRSP dam and leave them in stagnant waters to eradicate mosquitoes at larva stage.
This, in a small scale 5000 Gambusia fish is left into stagnant waters and tank waters in the month of January. Due to all the integrated efforts and atmospheric changes, Dengue cases were reported zero in a day.
In 2010, there were heavy rains in the state and Suryapet town is not an exception for that. The works of conservation of lakes was under progress. There were a lot of water was stagnant on the other side of bunds of Chowdary (saddula) Cheruvu and pullareddy tank. The water is also stagnant in storm water drain. The boon in disguise was that the constructions of Bunds to both the tanks were completed and dirty water was not reaching into the tanks.

III)Objectives of activity:

1. Eradication of mosquitoes in a biological way
2. Protecting the environment by arresting poisonous gases, by preventing the coils, mosquito killing chemicals, etc.
3. Arresting of Mosquito related deceases and ensuring the health of Suryapet town people.
4. Increasing the man days among the people and reducing the poverty.
5. Valuable money of people should be saved when they are protected from diseases such as Malaria, J.E., Chicken Gunya, and Dengue.
IV) Activity:
A meeting of all the Sanitary Jawans was called. It was instructed to identify all the stagnant waters in their respective zones. The information is obtained through the Sri.D.Sreenu,Sanitary Inspector, in the month of June itself.
MC instructed Sri Venkateshwarlu, Health Assistant to collect at least 25,000 Gambusia fish to leave in the stagnant water of the town to control Mosquitoes. Surprisingly he collected one lakh Gambusia fish in Hyderabad with the help of fisheries department and staff left them into tank waters, stagnant waters on the other side of the bund, stagnant waters of storm water drainage ( length 1.2 km ) and all the stagnant waters of the town. Fisheries department has helped Suryapet ULB a lot.
In the month of December, the rainy season extended to that month and new stagnant waters has arrived. Slowly the mosquitoes were on increase. Again we requested the fisheries officers to catch the Gambusia existing in the town to leave it into new waters. About 2500 fish are caught and left into stagnant waters. For the effectiveness, the fogging under the culverts was continued.
Due to heavy rains in December mosquitoes were increased very much. To control propagation of mosquitoes, municipality released another 2 lakhs Gambusia fish during February month in to stagnant water of the town. Result of this, mosquitoes’ propagation is slowly decreased.

IV) Outcome of activity

1. In the initial days of survey after leaving of Gambusia fish, 40% people have accepted that Mosquitoes have decreased.
2. After 6 months of the initiative, one N.G.O. by name Vruksha Yagnam have intimated that 90 % of mosquitoes have decreased compared to last year, in their locality near Chaudari tank.
3. The Dengue cases were reported only 15 during the present year compared to last year cases of more than 100. Thus saved the valuable lives and money of people.
4. The sales of mosquito coils, smoke balls ( oodu in telugu ) has been considerably decreased, as is reported by a shop owner. Thus it has decreased the pollution. It is also evident from the decrement of sales of Mosquito bats compared to last year.
5. If this initiated would not have taken, there would have been more mosquitoes, due to heavy rainfall and extended rainfall.

V)Personal Experience
While sitting on the front open space of my quarter provided by office, I use to kill at least 50 Mosquitoes with electric mosquito bat.
Soon after the initiative, I could not see even 2 to 3 mosquitoes at same place. I experienced in the same way in office building also.
In some places mosquitoes were prevailing as the breading centers were different Three advantages of fish:
Gambusia is a very small fish and it do not grow larger and heavier. It moves in the Corners of the water bodies, where Mosquitoes usually live. It is a fresh water fish but live in dirty water without inconvenience. It takes the larva of mosquitoes as food, this do not allow mosquitoes to bread. It saves valuable resources, as the cost of catching takes only a few amount.

VI)Lesson I learnt
1. Some people even caught this tiny fish and caused decrement, there by allowed increment of mosquitoes at later stage. I would have arranged boards not allowing the fishing on the other side of the tanks.
2. Staff members, who did not recognize the importance have failed to integrate other approaches and allowed mosquitoes to bread to certain extent.
3. Leaving of Gambusia is a continuous process to control the mosquitoes.

VII)Scope for integrated biological activity
In addition to the leaving of Gambusia fish, there are other two activities are as follows:
a) The lemon grass smell does not allow the mosquitoes to move near those places. It is told by some persons that Paris is a mosquito free city, as it is with presence of large lemon grass gardens. Even in our places, where there is scope for breading of mosquitoes we can take-up lemon grass gardens.
b) It is told by old persons of our village is that a fly (Thuniga in telugu, Thummiska in Nalgonda Dist., and Booga in Adilabad Dist.) can eat away the mosquitoes. My experience at Comport Yard of Suryapet reveals that there was huge garbage and stagnant water present at same place. But there were not even single mosquito because the flies are present. At one point of time, the flies were absent and I could not stay in compost yard because of mosquito menace. The requirement for presence of flies is Greenery.
c) Frogs also eat away the larva of mosquitoes and helps the human kind but unfortunately the vehicular movement kills the frogs. It is told by Senior citizens that only after intensive hunting of frogs, the Mosquito born diseases have increased in our country.

VIII) Relation of Mosquitoes to climate change:
1) In presence of mosquitoes we use coils , smoke ,repellents, which causes large scale pollution.
2) Even we close doors by not allowing fresh cool air increases the consumption of electricity and causes pollution.
3) The mosquito born diseases increases the production of medicines and accelerates the journey there by causing pollution.
4) Most of people even in the winter turn on fans to avoid the mosquito biting this increases energy consumption also increase the pollution and global warming.
All the above activities increase the pollution there by increasing the global warming and climate change.

IX) Requirement of help of people
During the summer, mosquitoes are less and live in cool places. At this time it is easy to kill them with electric bat. People has to follow this and shall not store the water with passion. They also shall not through the garbage in the drains and open spaces, which allow the breading of Mosquitoes. All the water tanks and septic tanks shall be thoroughly closed. They shall not also allow water to stagnate.

Lake Water Conservation in Suryapet

The lake water conservation cum rain water harvesting has been taking place in all the (3) tanks in the Suryapet town namely Saddalcheruvu, Pullareddy Tank, Nalla Cheruvu. Bund was developed around two tanks out of three tanks. Sullage water of town was diverted from lake water. Sullage Treatment Plant would be constructed on the bank of Nalla Cheruvu. Due to this contamination of lake water is minimal and Ground water is also increased. Tree plantation near the tanks is also taken up to decrease the evaporation.

Tree plantation has been also taken up in the catchments areas of saddal cheruvu and pullareddy tank. It has increased the rains in those areas. Earlier, these tanks use to be filled with the musi river water. Presently, with out feeding, the tanks are filled with water.Last year block plantation was taken up in edga.The father of Loyola college was taken interest in plantation.This year plantation has been taken up in Loyola college by planting about 1300 plants in the available open place. 300 plants are planted in sneha nilayam.The rain recorded much in this areas.2000 teak plants are arranged to aravindaksha college for planting in the available open space, which is also in catchments area.

Total benefits accrued:

1) Level of ground water table was increased in town.
2) Water level in surrounding bore well was also increased.
3) Greenery around tanks and in the town was increased.
4) Contamination of water was minimized.
5) Fauna also increased around the lakes.It stimulated the bio-diversity.

Outputs and outcomes:
1) The encroachments in the lakes are arrested.
2) It protected the overall environment.
3) Bund constructed around the tanks is using as a bypass road from National High way to town. Because of this traffic on National High way is minimized.
4) Municipality wants to develop greenery around bund. Because of this it will become mini tank bund of Suryapet.

Plastic reduction activities at suryapet

Municipal council has taken decision to minimize the usage of plastic. The following ways are adopted for the same.
1. Incentives
2. IEC
3. alternatives
4. fining

 Incentives: The kirana and merchant association was asked to give incentive of 1/- to 5/- basing on the material purchased, when carry in a bag. It also saves a lot amount on purchase of plastic carry bags to shop owner. Similarly, chicken and mutton shop owners are requested to extend incentive of 2/- on purchase of meat. The hotel owners are requested to give incentive of 2/- on each plate of tiffin , when consumers carry it in a box. All of them have implemented as it saves environment in addition to valuable money to them.

 IEC: The disadvantages are widely informed, communicated and educated the ill affects. posters are prepared and displayed in all the important places. Meetings are convened with all important sections of the town. They are as follows:

• o Excessive use of plastic would cause cancers and neuro problems.
• o Human beings do not have capacity to digest the plastic. Consumption of it would cause stomach-ache.
• o It would stagnates water and caused the floods in cities like viziawada and Mumbai. Also create the mosquito breeding centres, especially aedis egypty, which cause dengue, chikun gunya in water filled in the plastic.
• o It causes the decrement in the sperm count and ovary count , which causes the infertility.
• o The carcinogenic gases emanated out of burning the plastic would cause the unwanted hair in women and cause many other health ailments.
• o It would pollute the water bodies and cause death of aquatic animals.
• o It does not allow the water to percolate in to earth.
• o It decrease the fertility of the soil, there by become problem for food security.
• o It is causing the death of valuable animals.
• i t also causes death of trees and plands,when the rootes goes on to the plastic.

 Alternatives:
The paper, jute, glass and metals are the alternatives. The same is provided to the people. Some people are trained to prepare the paper bags. Slowly some people started using the paper bags.
o The non-woven cloth bags and cloth bags are given at some places at free of cost. At later stages they are distributed at low cost.
o Tea Hotels were asked to use only paper glasses instead of plastic tea cups. They accepted and the usage is continuing.
o Sai baba temple was motivated to distribute its prasadam in the paper. They accepted and the usage is continuing. Similarly, venkateshwara temple was motivated by a N.G.O. to use alternate material.
o Function hall were motivated to use paper glasses and reusable plates.

 Fines: Most of the people listened to the requests of the staff of suryapet Municipality. When they did not listen, municipality has fined them in regular intervals.

Initiative of Kitchen gardens in Suryapet Municipality

When you are starting a work, think whether it bring happiness in the face of poor.
******* Mahatma Gandhi

Back Ground: In olden days every household use to grow vegetable in their backyard. Due to urbanization, the situation has been changed a lot. Even though there is ample choice to grow the vegetable plants, people do not prefer to grow vegetables for various reasons.

The spiraling price rise of vegetable due to extended rains in the December, 2010 has made the some of the vegetables Rupees 50 per kilogram. It was expected that it would reach 80 Rupees per kilogram during the summer. It would increase the poverty in terms of nutritional intake, as every urban person has to take 2100 kilo calories per a day.

During the oral inquiry in meetings, Self Help Group members in November, 2009, 10% to 20% use to answer that they are taking 2 curries in a day in meals. In January, 2011 the situation is entirely different and middle class has also shifted to single curry in a day. Already 47% Indians are suffering from the Anemia, though the poverty stood at about 30%.If the same situation of low vegetable intake continues, the Anemia rate goes up. It would raise all the deceases and particularly I.M.R and M.M.R.

For the sustainable towns, the production from that town should be 25%, from surrounding areas 50% and 25% shall be imported from long distances. But the situation in most of the urban areas including the Suryapet is altogether different. Not even 10% is produced in the town, only 25% comes from surrounding areas, remaining has to be imported from much distance. This is causing heavy transportation charges and many mediators. Thus, it is cause of spiraling prices and pollution.

Suryapet municipality has planted about 60,000 plants in last 14 months, including 13000 nutritional plants and 15,000 medicinal plants.

After rainy season, Suryapet Municipality has to take up medicinal plants. In continuation to the efforts and to make the town greener, it is to take up Kitchen garden, to make it an integrated activity and for the benefit of the town people.


Choosing the vegetables:

The meeting of horticulture officer, seed distributor and core staff is convened to select the vegetables to be propagated. Basing on the advantages of process, yield, nutritional value, suitability, etc., the following is chosen:
The climbers use to give more yields. Hence, 3) climbers namely gourd, bitter gourd, and beera are chosen. The gourd has ability to decrease the obesity by acting on the fat and by decreasing the hunger. The calorific value of the vegetable is also less.

The bitter gourd has many medicinal values including the prevention and mitigation of diabetes.The beera has very good
In order to increase Iron content amongst the poor one leafy vegetable by name (thota koora in telugu) is selected.

There is no need of much pain in sowing or we need much space, we can directly plants the seeds and tie a wire or rope to reach the climbers on to the top of their house. The requirement of space to propagate the climbers is only 3 sq. yds only.

Sustainability of Bitter gourd is for about one year and thota koora is for more than 2 years.The hybrid variety of seeds is chosen and average yield starting period is 6 weeks.


Mobilization strategy:

Meeting of SLF leaders are convened and discussed in elaborate about nutritional deficiency and spiraling price rise. The only remedy is only kitchen gardens. It was also informed that Govt. or municipality would be providing seed kits at 50 % subsidy.
Consequently, the meeting of Resource persons is also convened to motivate them to work as anchor persons. All the concepts are elucidated. It was ensured that some how the seed kits would be made available at 10/- only
Subsequently, the joint meeting of staff and seed distributors is convened. The price of seed kit is fixed at 20/- and it shall be supplied to the poor at 10/- either by collecting the subsidy from the philanthropists or drawing it from the Govt. 5 Grs. Each of 4 varieties of seeds would be provided and one variety of leafy vegetable would be 50 Grs. The staff is imparted the concept and importance of Kitchen gardens to the poor. It was also requested to make the initiative success.The total initial requirement is fixed at 5,000 kits. The total amount required for seed kits is Rs. 50,000/-

To enhance, more subsidies to people, philanthropic persons, NGOs, unions are also invited and requested for their contribution in men and material for implementation and supervision. Municipality has also resolved to supply the Vermi compost at 50% subsidy to these vegetable growers.


Activity:

There is presence of ward officers in Suryapet municipality. The responsibility of heading the task would be given to these officers, starting from motivating to take up the kitchen gardens to disbursement of seeds and bio-fertilizer. The resource person is the real head to head the project. She motivates the poor SHG Women and elucidates the advantages of the kitchen gardens to take it up.She also monitors the process of rearing.



The total town and activity areas would be divided in to 50 clusters consisting of 100 houses for the administrative convenience. The responsibility is given to concerned person for all the activities.


Advantage of Kitchen Gardens:

1. Improves the income and reduce the poverty of poor house holds.
2. Fresh and nutritious food is available and improves health. It also reduces the load on the fridges, as there is no need of storing the vegetables.
3. Climbers provide cool atmosphere in the house and reduces energy charges.
4. If every body takes up vegetable plantation, more food is produced and food is assured making it easily available and cheaper.
5. It also contributes to curtailing the Global Warming.
6. Fresh air would be available in surroundings.
7. Leafy vegetables can solve the problem of anemia and other nutritional problems.
8. Water harvesting use to take place and all the advantages of Greenery also realize with it.
9. Kitchen Gardens have a greater say in increasing per-capita income, average life expectancy. It decreases Infant Mortality, Mother Mortality Rate and improves health indices.
10. Other poor people can be provided food from excessive produce and it paves way for dependent life, which gives immense pleasure.
11. Need not go out side to buy the vegetables and it saves the valuable time and fuel.


.Achieving Millennium Development Goals

• Reduce the poverty and hunger of poor house holds.
• Improves the income and reduce the ill health, there by contribute for the primary education of poor people.
• As the women under the network of SHGs grow the kitchen gardens and they have greater say in the home and they are empowered.
• As the availability of nutritious food increases to women and children, the IMR and MMR reduce.
• Similar with maternal health.
• As the nutrition increases, the immunity power also increases.

One shot many birds

Background: What would cater the nutritional needs of the poor people perennially? It is the question raised by commissioner after implementing the kitchen gardens, consequent to spiraling price rise of vegetables. Many people are not able to eat two curries a day. The hybrid seeds are short lived, giving a lot of gap in between. Also the seeds can not be gifted continuously. Which plant give more yield and

Similarly, How to decrease the plastic material in the hotels and Tiffin centers? How to decrease the cost of leaflets to increase the consumption? How to stop the transportation to some extent of them from far off places?

How to protect the environment by adding economic value to plants? How to enthuse the poor people to participate in the environmental protection activities? How to generate income in selling the seedlings easily? Where the propagation of seedlings is easier and faster?

How to stop the water logging in the areas like suryapet, where more tanks are exists in the town?

All the above questions are answered with a single plant that is Banana (curry variety).

Sponsors: Once again the “Council for Green Revolution” has come to the rescue of Suryapet Municipality and provided 2000 Banana plants, in addition to 1000 other nutritional and ornamental plants. These plants were brought from Kadium Nursery. The transportation is provided once again by Meela satyanarayana, ex-chairperson, suryapet Municipality.

Activity: The poor areas are selected, so as distribute the plants in clusters such as Indiramma colony, B.V.Colony,sainikpuri,etc. This enables to cut down leafs to supply them to the intended hotels, etc. In the selection process, the water logging areas and areas around the tanks are also given priority. The areas around the hotels are also given the priority to easy transport. Some philanthropic persons and organizations are also given banana plants, so as to supply the seedlings easily.

Superstition: There were myths among the people that whether banana plant can be had in front of the house as it is told to be harmful by elders. Commissioner has to explain that he has banana plants in his house and nothing has happened. Some people have their homes in banana farms and they are becoming millionaires. Many people use banana plants in every day prayer. If nothing is happened to them, nothing would happen to us also.

Expected outcomes:

• Consumption of plastic would go down with the easily available banana leafs locally.
• The pollution of transportation of leaves would be also go down from far off places.
• Environment is protected with more number of plant populations.
• It would continuously increase the greenery in surrounding areas.
• Mosquito population would go down with decrease in water logging.
• It would provide additional curry for many poor with low cost and it would show impact on prices of vegetables.
• Nutritional levels of many poor would be increased.

Herbal Park initiative in Suryapet

Background: Government have sanctioned amount under parks and playgrounds component.Council was kind enough to sanction amount for development of three parks.Out of which Indira park was n ruined conditioned . t needed the renovation.Engineers completed construction of compound wall.The plantation has been done collecting the plants from forest department,philanthropists and Ayurveda doctors.

Aims:

• • To make the medicinal plants available to people, there by low cost and alternative health measures are in place.
• Awareness in the people should be created on Indian traditional medicine.
• To increase the greenery, as medicinal plants increases the ownership.
• To use the indigenous plants in the parks replacing the foreign and vicious plants.
• To establish the nurseries involving the poor women and generating employment for them.
• Park should create the heeling effect in addition to aesthetic value.
• To create model for emulation in all the Urban Local Bodies.

Activity:

Initially the compound wall of the Indira Park is restored under the Parks and Playgrounds scheme. The walking paths are also established. The earlier crotan plants are removed. It is aimed to have a herbal park .The plants are collected in the following way:
Addasaram and shatavari plants are provided by sri.Suresh Jakotia, an ayurvedic doctor hailing from kodad. The rest of the plants are taken from the compost yard of suryapet municipality.
The following saplings are planted.
Addasaram (400 plants), lemon gross (100 plants), Alovera, Shatavari, Alastonia, Ranapala (50 plants), Pipal, Neem, Tulasi, almond, oma(vamu) Nalleru (quadrus rectangulus), Usiri (5 plants), mehandi (100 plants),vavili,etc.

At later stages,new plants are brought from the Nalgonda territorial nursery and social forestry and planted are as follows:
Territorial-Jeedi,teni, arjuna.
Social forestry- red sanders, maredu,bamboo.

Sri.Purushottam,d.f.o and Venkateshwarlu,F.R.O. helped in providing above plants.

The plants that are brought from the K.v.k.gaddipalli are as follows:
Kolias, Machipatri, vasa, dumparastram,turmeric,etc.

On 24th October, 2011, one block is filled with rose and all the following flowering plants in other block, which also have medicinal values, are as follows:

Hibiscus (2 varieties), satyanarayana plant(2 varieties),chemanthi(3 varieties),night queen, malle,krisna tulasi, devakanchanam, small amla. One small block of guntagaragara is also planted on the same day. After the above plantation, the rain has visited the suryapet as usual, which increased the sustainability opportunities of plants.

Again sri.Suresh Jakotia has come to rescue and sent more than 15 varieties of seeds to take up plantation. They are as follows:
chitrakamulam, nilaxani, single seed garlic(Kashmir variety), madhavilatha, dhathura,ashwagandha, ramaphalam,guriginja, vruddhadharu, bixia(hanuman sindhuri), Jammi.

The nutritional plants such as curry leaves, drumstick, almond, jamun, and guava are also planted.a

In the later stages, training is conducted to poor women in propagation of medicinal plants and preparation of traditional medicines, so as to bring awareness in Ayurveda with the help of Aurabindo training centre, Gaddipally. The school children are also invited to have a look at it and emulate the same in their back yard. Some plants are distributed for propagation to the interested. In the recent past, the wet waste generated out of it is converting in to the vermin compost in the same park in a de-centralized way.

Specialties:

• The crotans are thoroughly removed and replaced with addasaram.
• It would be filled with all the herbal plants in future also.
• The propagation of the most of the plants is very easy, there by cause increment in greenery.
• Neem and papal are planted jointly as both together will give healing air, with maximum quantity of oxygen.
• In addition to this, the old plants were also protected or relocated.Those are as follows:
Thippa tega, ratnapur plant, shankapushpi,parijatham, sampenga, avise.

Outcomes:
• Many people from other places are also visiting to know and have some plants.
• It increased the greenery in town.
• It imparted the knowledge of alternate medicine amongst poor.
• Bio-diversity is upkeep.
• It exhibited that ayurvedic plants can be used as ornamental plants.
• News papers expressed it as model for emulation.

How to make telangana energy surplus?

With small energy efficient measures, Telangana state can be an energy surplus state.Here is one case study of LED Lights installation and other is on fixing of capacitors to water motors.

Case study-1

Mallappa was a Municipal Commissioner and retired in the recent past. He worked under Sri.B.Srinivas,Municipal Commissioner, Khammam municipal Corporation as Assistant Commissioner. He has been watching the energy conservation measures taken by his commissioner.

After retirement, he is a happy man.He don't have any burdens to share.Once ,he visited the house of his ex-municipal commissioner. He had shown the LED lights used in his house to mallappa.Both of them decided to purchase the lights in adequate quantity.

Subsequently,  Municipal Commissioner went to the Surya dealer and requested to sell the lights at the least price possible. He did so and Sri.Srinivas purchased 6 numbers 5 Watt bulbs to Sri.Mallappa also.

Subsequently, Sri.Maallappa had installed the LED lights in his house. The following are the electrical accessories used by him in his house:

1 number Refrigerator

6 52 Watt lights

6 fans

Out of which, 5 number of tubelights were replaced with LED Lights. Earlier, average power bill used to be 1800 Rupees.Now, after installation of the LED lights, the bill had come down to 875 Rupees.The amount spent on the lights were only 1800 Rupees.The return of Investment is in two months.

Thus, Sri.Mallappa had not only saved the energy but also conserved the environment. He become a role model to save energy for poor farmers and unemployed youth.

This experience is worth emulatable.Here, i want to share further. Telangana has been suffering from the deficit of 195 million units of power.Approximately,1000 millions of units are generating per month.out of which 28% (aapproximately) is used for the lighting. Within this about 50% energy can be saved without much effort.The energy saved would be about 140 millions units.Thus,only 45 million units of deficit can be achieved.

We have about 10 millions houses are there in the state of Telangana. Let us leave the shops who can afford the higher tariff.On an average assume the lights per household is 3.The average number of lights present are 30 millions.

Let's assume the cost of 12 to 15 watts LED Light is 500 Rupees.To change the bulbs to LED, the amount required is 1500 Rupees.Rupees.For changing in all the 10 millions households of Telangana , we require 1500 crore Rupees.We can mobilise 10% cost from the benificiary.10% cost can be retrieved through the tax returns.

Coming to the statistics of thermal energy, we require 7 crore Rupees per each Mega Watts. approximately, more than 1000 watts of power is required to be generated. Thus,7000 crores of Rupees is required. 5000 crore rupees is required for solar energy.

Here, the installation takes a lot of time for solar and thermal energy.Moreover, thermal energy is not eco friendly.

The installation of the LED lights generates a lot of employment. It will also motivate the commercial people to emulate the same. Advertising companies can be asked to replace the Street lighting with LED on PPP method.loans can be given to Smaller municipalities to replace the lights with LED.

There are about 1.90 million Agriculture power connections are existing in telangana state. Almost 50% may not have the capacitors or ininstalled but not in working conditions. 30% energy can be easily saved .Thus,15% power on agricultural connections on present use can be saved.

Case study-2

Suryapet Municipality and Khammam municipal Corporation has saved around the 30% energy after installation of the capacitors to their electric motors.Emotors.Earlier, both the municipalities used to pay about 15 lakhs Rupees as electricity charges for water supply per month.Smonth.Soon after fixing the capacitors, their monthly bill came down to 10 lakh Rupees per month.

Other initiatives:

All the gysers should be stopped. Those should be replaced with solar water heating systems..They must be available at cheaper prices.

Some industries should be allowed to harness the solar energy.

With all the above initiatives, Telangana will become the state with the surplus power.

However, these initiatives does not come in the way of fighting for  the justified share of telangana ,establishing new thermal power plants and solar power plants and also purchasing power from other states,etc.