August 2021
Read Coverting Letter – Rama’s squirrel calling …..
Dear Friends,
David Attenborough’s latest nature documentary on Netflix may be his greatest yet. Apparently stung by criticism about the false impressions his documentaries have provided on the state of our natural world, Attenborough has produced a witness statement outlining the changes to the environment over his 94-year existence and solutions to the biodiversity crisis he has lived through. At last, Attenborough clearly illustrates the devastating impact humanity has had on our planet. Do not miss this informative trailer https://youtu.be/64R2MYUt394
It is time, we start “Thinking Globally and Act Locally” and as David Attenborough says – We need to learn how to work with nature rather than against it. We at Rameswaram trying to practice it in our own small way while creating Green Resilient Rameswaram.
This month’s newsletter has the following highlights:
- Dr.Sanjay Banerji in his blog wants to “Build Planetary Stewards” to save the planet.
- Shri.Rangarajan, Chennai covers Azhwar Songs on Ram-Sethu
- Regular Solid waste management work by – Hand in Hand Inclusive Development Services, Chennai
- Dr.A.Abirami, Programme Officer of C.P.R. Environmental Educational Center writes about the herbal plant – Kodikalli
- Livelihood Opportunities – covers Pasumai group’s activities and Green transport
- Revival and Renovation of Parameswara Teertham
- In Social capital Teertham cleaning, Independence’s day celebrations, regular webinars and finally ‘Green Rameswaram newsletter’ by the students and for the students of Rameswaram
With best wishes,
Editorial Team
Green Rameswaram Project
Mahabeer Dharmasala
Rameswaram – 623526
Tamilnadu.
Ph: 04573 – 222296(office)
E-mail: greenrameswaram@gmail.com
Web: www.greenrameswaram.org
Newsletters
Budding Planetary Stewards
Dear Friends,
This month, we recap some of the salient points discussed earlier, and urge everybody, and especially the youth to actively participate in the sustainable development movement. Let us try to become ‘Budding Planetary Stewards’.
I draw my inspirations from Professors Jeffrey Sachs and Johan Rockstrom and his colleagues, the two MOOC courses they delivered and as a part of these courses, the facts and figures, especially the IPAT equation. I believe that ‘Affluence’ and ‘Consumption’ are the two root causes behind the current situation facing our Mother Earth, endangering the entire life on earth.
Azhwar Songs on Ram-Sethu
Om Namo Narayana!
The Nalayira Divya Prabandham composed by the 12 Alvars, the patron saints of Vishishta-dvaita/ Ramanuja Sampradaya. There are numerous references to Rama-sethu/Rama’s bridge in their songs. Here are some gems:
Solid Waste Management
Door-to-Door Collection and Garbage Segregation
Herbal Garden (Muligai Vanam) Kodikalli
Distribution and Habitat
Euphorbia tirucalli (L.) also known as Pencil tree belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae. It is native to Ethiopia to South Africa and India. The plant is broadly distributed in hotter parts of India and is planted as a hedge plant in gardens and along cultivated fields. E. tirucalli is a shrub or small tree with pencil-thick, green, smooth, fleshy branches that reaches to a height of up to 7 m. It has a cylindrical and fleshy stem with fragile fleshy twigs that are 7 mm thick, often produced in whorls, longitudinally, finely stripped. The oval leaves are 1-2.5 cm long and about 3-4 mm wide; they usually fall off early. It contains milky, toxic and corrosive latex. The flowers are yellow and seen at the tip of the branches.
“Livelihood Opportunities”
This month, we added 23 new groups. Thus, now we have a total 104 groups.
Regular group meetings were held to discuss the following:
- Awareness Generation about Covid
- Awareness Generation about Vaccination
- Distribution of Kapasura Kudineer in our group area
- Distribution of 250 Masks to group members
“Revival and Renovation of Traditional Water Bodies” Parameswara Teertham
Land Ownership
Green Rameswaram has got the approval to do this renovation works from the District Administration however still the land ownership is a critical issue here. We could sense that many portion of this Teertham land has been encroached.
Land does not belong to HR & CE
We could manage to find out that the land does not belong to HR&CE since they are not having any records related to this Teertham.
Land does not belong to Panchayat
It is located in Mandapam Panchayat union but the land ownership does not rest with the Mandapam Panchayat Union.
Social Capital
Teertham Cleaning
Jata Teertham was cleaned on August 22, 2021. It’s a whole hearted work by the E- Rickshaw auto drivers’ team of 11 volunteers.
