Jndias first environmental magazine for schools!

Item

Title
Jndias first environmental
magazine for schools!
extracted text
SAD-RF-CH-2.2

Jndias first environmental

In this issue...

magazine for schools!

Comment

Water

Arsenic
in your bottled water?

Test your
Eco-knowledge

TV

A quiz

Continuing El Mino

activities

Wafer is scarce but.. .

Peas Update

CofriFnent

“unless children are taught
right attitudes in their early
impressionable years whether at school or at home there is little hope for these to be
fostered later.”

"Water is one of the most essential things for life.
Without water, there would he no life on earth” states
our lead article. And without water we are going to be
facing crisis after crisis. It is therefore important to
develop right attitudes to water.

A colleague told me of a little boy playing with his
garden hose. For little children this is fun! He sprayed
the water all over. Up. Down. Sideways. "Don’t waste
water,11 my colleague advised. "No. I will!" replied the
defiant lad. "Water is precious, don’t do that," he was
told. "No, I will,," he continued. The episode ended with
the tap being closed but the boy not very pleased.

I listened to the incident being narrated and came away
wondering what the parents or elders in that home
taught that little one. It was a wealthy house and so
the message obviously is - Don’t worry ... There’s
plenty! If " Charity begins at home," then even such
attitudes begin there.

I continued to ponder over that incident. Unless chil­
dren are taught right attitudes in their early impres­
sionable years - whether at school or at home - there is
little hope for these to be fostered later. Even if parents
don’t breed bad attitudes, here’s what can happen Water appears to flow freely for the child and so what
is free needs to be used freely, one is prone to think.
How important it is to counter such attitudes.

Teachers have an important role to play, and the
classroom must become the breeding ground for lessons
in conservation, preservation and protection. Don’t
waste. Don’t litter. Don’t spoil those plants. Don’t hurt
those helpless animals. Never tire of giving such
practical bits of advice to children.
What is learned is often transferred to others. It is
children who have powerful messages even for the
elders. "Mummy, don’t dirty the kitchen!" or "Daddy,
smoking is bad for your health!" These penetrating
pieces of advice did not come without some prior input
to the child. Someone else, a teacher or a friend, gave
the child similar advice. It made an impression and
now is issued when needed. And undoubtedly, it is
bound to have an impact. When children speak the
world will stand up and listen.

If this is true, the little boy with the hose has learned
his lesson. This same boy will one day turn to his
father and say -" Daddy, don’t waste water."

KenRGnanakan
peas

peas
Editor:
Ken R. Gnanakan. Ph.D
Hon. Associate Editors:

Sanaya Nariman
Ratna Pathak-Shah

Assistant Editors:
Santosh Gnanakan
Rajni Milne
Angela Roye

Circulation:
Noel Jackson
PEAS Advisory Council:

Mrs. R. Khariwalla
Dr. Ken Gnanakan
Mr. Darryl DeMonte
Miss. Mercy jeyaraja Rao
Dr. M.A. Haque
Dr. S.M. Nair

Dr. T. Shivaji Rao
Dr. Sanaya Nariman

peas
is a quarterly magazine
for schools
published by
Dr. Ken Gnanakan
ACTS Trust
P.O. Box 9522

Bangalore 560 095
PEAS is an official arm of
ACTS Trust, registered in

Karnataka.

(JUatejt iA one o[^ the mo&t e^enkLaA things ^on.
is one of the most essential All the waters from rivers, streams
Nearly three Water
things for life. Without water, there etc. finally reach the sea and since the
be no life on earth. It is an water reaches the sea, it becomes of
quarters of the would
important natural resource. All living no utility for us since it turns saltish.
things need water. Human beings and For this reason and to prevent this,
total surface animals
require water to help them to dams, reservoirs, tanks etc. are to be
digest the food they take. Plants need built on the land to store the water.
of the earth water to help them to grow and to Canals can also be built and can be
food in their leaves. We must used for navigation and irrigation
is covered by produce
know that, the hu­
man body is three
water. It is quarters
water.
necessary that Water is there in
a Without
parts of the
we must most
world.
Nearly,
three
quarters
be aware of total surface ofof the
water, there
the
earth
is
covered
by
the process of water.
would no life
water cycle. The oceans and seas

G. Sindhu

Cluny convent
High School,
Bangalore

contain salt water.
Sea water is saltish
because, over thou­
sands of years, rain
water has flowed
from land to the sea. Salt of the rocks
is. washed down into the sea. We get
clean water from deep wells due to
the fact that water on the surface of
the earth sinks into the ground and in
the process, becomes filtered. Rain
water which fills the shallow dips on
the earth's surface, become stagnant
and become a breeding place for
many harmful germs which cause
health hazards to human beings.

on earth

purposes. Another vital utility of
water is that it is the major source of
energy. For this purpose, dams on
large and important rivers are con­
structed. These dams contain special
gates which can be opened or closed.
When the gates are opened, the water
in the reservoir behind the dam rushes
with tremendous force through the
opening and turns a wheel which is
called Turbine. The turbine works
■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ peas

0

like a generator which produces
electricity, which is known as hydro­
electric power. As we all know, with­
out electricity, the civilized world of
today conics to a stand still and no
productive activity can take place.
The water stored in the reservoir of
the dam can also be used for irriga­
tion purposes. Such dams which can
be used for production of electricity
as well as for irrigation purposes are
called
multipurpose projects.
Bhakra Nangal, Damodar Valley,
Hirakud, Tunga-bhadra and Nagarjuna
Sagar projects are the important dams
of such type in our country.

Water ... is
an inseparable
thing in our
daily life and
we can say
that our
survival and
existence
primarily is
dependent
on it only
______ i____________________

We also know that plants require
water essentially for their suste­
nance. Plants are living things which
breathe. They take in carbon-di-oxide and release oxygen without which
we would all die. Plants make air pure
and keep the earth cool. Plants and
their roots firmly hold the soil and
when heavy rains/floods come, they
prevent soil erosion. Plants and trees
give us shade and also help in keep­
ing the environment clean and unpol­
luted. The food and fruits we eat are
all derivatives of plants and trees only.
We could thus see that without
WATER, plants and trees cannot
exist and without them, we cannot.
Thus our existence is linked with
water directly and also indirectly.

I
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I Water is not lost
However, many I
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things happen I
This study from
I water gets spilt on
to the water I
during
the I
I the ground, don't
Centre for
course of the I
I think you have
Environment
cycle.
The I
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It will come back to
water vapour
Education,
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that rises from
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I
Ahmedabad
the oceans has
I why, although the I reminds us that no J no
impurities I
I total quantity of
in it. But as s
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g
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through the I
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cycle, various I
substances dissolve in it as part of |
I
Water
is
continuously
recycled
by
a
a natural process. This is because |
I
I process in nature known as the water is a universal solvent, and dis- |
water-cycle. The water in the oceans solves almost everything it meets. |
I and
seas is constantly evaporating
Even as the water falls from the !
I because
of the sun's heat and the
I winds. The evaporated water rises clouds, it dissolves minute quanti- :
I into the atmosphere.
ties of the gases and carries dust "
I
particles from the atmosphere. In I
I As this water-vapour rises, it cities and industrial areas, factories I
I encounters cooler temperatures and emit numerous gases into the atmo- I
I a process of condensation begins. sphere. Some of these are acidic in |
I The result is the formation of clouds. nature and harmful. Rain water |
I When the droplets of condensed dissolves these gases and becomes |
I water become heavy, they fall as rain. a dilute acid solution. When such j
water falls on plants and animals, it |
I As the rain falls, three things does
damage to them, j
I happen. Some of the water evapo­ This isconsiderable
known as acid rain. On reach- .
I rates immediately. Some of it seeps ing the ground, soil particles and .
I into the soil to fill underground other salts are added to it. This !
I reservoirs. The remaining part flows water then reaches rivers and J
I along the surface of the ground to streams which flow over various ■
I the rivers and streams which carry it types of rocks and soils, and comes I
I back to the oceans. Similarly, the into contact with a variety of I
I water that has seeped into the soil substances, natural as well as |
I may also follow the slope of the man-made. These are all dissolved |
[
I terrain to find its way back to the and carried by the water.
I oceans. Thus the water that Thus the water flowing into the I|
in the oceans returns to
I originated
it. This is why the process is called oceans from the rivers is full of |
I the water cycle.
impurities. In contrast, the water |
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that evaporates off the oceans is in j
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.
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water...

JcItlCv ater?
Daks ha Hathi in Deccan Herald

Sometime, ago, Dr. Raj Kumar, one of
Karnataka's luminaries, reportedly
refused to drink bottled, mineral
water, and instead, drank from the river
flowing past at the place where shoot­
ing was going on. That, one felt, was
a remarkably sensitive and sensible
act.
Of 13 brands of bottled water tested
by the Consumer Education and
Research Society, Ahmedabad, only
three brands were found conforming
to all the specifications! Shockingly,
one brand even contained arsenic
which is a cumulative poison! And
none of the brands was free from
bacteria! This contradicts the claims
of brands like Trupthi, Golden Eagle
and Nirantar which tell the consumer
that they are "germ free" and" 100 per
cent bacteria free".

Arsenic was found in a range of 0.01
ppm to 0.1 ppm in 'Yes'. This was
much higher than the maximum limit of
0.05 ppm stipulated by the Bureau of
Indian Standards (BIS) and the Pre­
vention of Food Adulteration (PFA)
Act. The World Health Organisation
has stricter standards which is 0.01
ppm (max).

The Society tested 13 national and
regional brands guided by their
market share. It put these waters
through an expert taste test and then
analysed them for chemical, mineral
and bacteriological contents.

marketed water is that there is a differ­
ence between mineral and bottled
water. Though mineral water was
brought under the PFA in February
1995, bottled drinking water is still
exempt from all rules! Though the BIS
has set standards for both types of
water, the makers of bottled drinking
water can sell their products without
any checks on its quality.

Out of these, eight came under the
'drinking water' category - Bisleri
(Bangalore), Bisleri (Ghaziabad),
Bisleri (Calcutta), Bisleri (Baroda),
Bailley (Mumbai), Bailley (Surat),
Trupthi (Chennai), and Bisil - regional
(Mehsana).

What the Society tells consumers is
that all mineral waters are drinking
water (except for the presence of more
minerals) whereas all drinking waters
are not mineral water. However, CERS
found no distinct differences between
both types. Only 'Golden Eagle' (276

The five 'mineral wa­
ter' brands included
one national brand
'Yes’ (Nadiad), and
four regional brands
- 'Golden Eagle'
(Chennai), 'Aquaspa'
(Mumbai), 'Saiganga'
(Ahmednagar) and
'Nirantar'(Thane). 21
samples from each
brand were tested.

What most of us don’t
know as we confidently
take swigs from our
marketed water is that
there is a difference
between mineral and
bottled water.

While 'Yes' showed
arsenic
content,
'Bailley' (Surat) had a
high level of aluminium (0.2 ppm)
against a maximum IS limit of 0.03 ppm.
Aluminium is linked with Alzheimer's
Disease. 'Yes" was also on the bor­
derline in fluoride content. It had a
level of 1.4 ppm against a maximum
limit of 1.5 ppm set by the IS and
the PFA. Aluminium in water can be a
problem for two specific groups, warns
CERS - Kidney dialysis patients and
premature babies.

What most of us don't know as we
confidently take swigs from our

ppm) and 'Yes" (9270 ppm) can be truly
called mineral water as per their claims
says the Society. Curiously, "Trupthi’,
a drinking water brand, has a high con­
tent of TDS (299 ppm) in spite of no
such claim! The rest of the brands
were found to have as low a TDS as
43 ppm (in drinking water) and 70 ppm
in mineral water.

Before the bottles were opened for
chemical testing, they were looked at
closely to see if they contained any­
thing else besides water. The PFA
peas

0

As for taste, which of course
CERS has urged that new rules should
is a personal matter, the So­
be fixed, covering all bottled waters,
ciety conducted an evalua­
not just mineral waters and the stan­
tion of those samples of dards of PFA and BIS should be made
water found to be safe. The
uniform and mandatory.
experts tasted three brands
I ofmincral water, and seven
The material for containers should be
i brands of drinking water standardised to prevent contamina­
date.
1 (except 'Baillcy' from Surat tion and leaching. A minimum essen­
■ which had excess alutial mineral content should be set for
B minium). The prefer- 'mineral water' and the term 'natural
■ ences expressed by them
mineral water' should be reserved
may help you to pick the
exclusively for spring water from deep,
ones you are most and
protected sources or from drilled
least likely to enjoy.
sources, subject to scrutiny from the
'Golden Eagle' topped
authorities. Labelling rules should be
their taste chart with an
strict, and precise, stressing the type
overall score of 66 per
and source of water, manner of disin­
cent, followed by
fection and the 'best before' date as
'Trupthi' (56 per cent),
well as detailed information on the
'Saiganga' (51 per
composition.
„ushtofflesa««use.
cent) and 'Bisleri' of
Always cru
Calcutta (51 per
However, there was one small conso­
ForJ»"e<1',*sSOTvS'tei’
cent) . The least
lation for which we must praise the
liked brands were
Indian bottled industry - all brands
'Bailley' (Mumbai)
were free from pesticide residues!
(30 per cent) and
/Xhmedaba'
'Bisleri' of
Bangalore
(26 per cent).
requires that 'natural
mineral water’ should be free from dirt, Not surprisingly, when CERS
foreign matter or any other ingredients sought clarifications and proof
harmful to health. Of the 21 samples from manufacturers on these
tested in each brand, the Society exaggerated claims, their
found floating particles (visible even response was a deafening
to the naked eye!) in five brands of silence!
drinking water and three brands of
mineral water as listed below!
As usual, CERS sent their find­
ings to the various firms and
Drinking water
received interesting responses!
The CERS has warned consumers to
9 bottles of Bisleri (Calcutta)
Acqua Minerals Pvt. Ltd.,
avoid bubble baths. Bubble baths are
8 bottles of Bisleri (Bangalore)
responded regarding two
not made from soaps but from synthetic
4 bottles of Trupthi
brands of Bisleri bottled at
detergents, says Insight.
Baroda and Bangalore. They
2 bottles of Bisil
These detergents are found in laundry
disagreed with the Society's
1 bottleof Bisleri (Ghaziabad).
soaps and dishwashing liquids, children
sensory comments.
love bubble baths, but bubble baths are
Mineral Waters
more dangerous than bar soaps. The
Bisil Plast Ltd., makers of 'Bisil'
9 bottles of Nirantar
detergents in them can cause severe
said that their source was
8 bottles of Golden Eagle
skin abrasions and a liquid brand could
"borewell". They also sent a
6 bottles of Aquaspa
be contaminated with mitrosamines,
copy of their brand's certificate
which can expose the body to a harmful
carcinogen. Bubble baths can also strip
However, the particles could not be from Italab Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai.
away the mucous lining of the urinary
identified as the filtered quality was The certificate showed that
tract, exposing that vulnerable area to
only 8 out of 30 (chemical and
too less for testing.
infection. They perform no function which
sensory) and 6 microbiological
cannot be accomplished by ordinary
All samples of'Yes', 'Saiganga', 'Baillcy' parameters under the Mineral
soap, other than making copious suds.
(Mumbai) 'Bailley' (Surat) and 'Bisleri' Water Standards of IS were
Their novelty does not justify the risk of
(Baroda) were found to be without tested.
kidney and urinary tract infections.
floating particles.

Bubble Bath

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6. Effluent 7. S.T. Coledridge 8. 0.003% 9. Rhine 10. They are all types of clouds
11. Groundwater 12. Narmada Bachao Andolan

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Children Overdosed
with Vitamins
Nineteen children were admitted to
Wenlock hospital recently when they
vomited continuously after an overdose
of vitamin pills rich in iron.
All of them are students of the second
standard at Jokatte government primary
school, near Baikampadi.

The health department has prescribed
the pills with iron content to improve
the children’s health. Fearing that they
might not take the medicine regularly at
home, the schools have been asked to
give them the dose.

Stery of a fhjing hippo
Corporate press releases seldom have surprises like the news of a flying
hippopotamus. Last week, Emirates, the international airlines of the
United Arab Emirates, set a winsome picture of a 400 kilogramme hippo­
potamus which had the honour of being a much adored cargo on board
Emirates.

Rama the hippo was recently transported from Colombo in Sri Lanka to
Pretoria in South Africa on a 7,000 mile flight. “Rama, an endangered
species native to South America, was along the four born in captivity at
the Delhi-wale zoo in Sri Lanka in 1989” the release said.

The hippopotamus was transported to South Africa’s Pretoria Zoo as part
of an exchange in which two female greater kudu were sent to Sri Lanka in
return. The kudu also flew Emirates.

/vlLJulsi, neem can purify
dirty water
Researchers at the Visvesvarya
College of Engineering, Nagpur, use
extracts of tulsi (occimum sanc­
tum), wheat (triticum vulgare) and
neem (azadirachta indica) leaves
to treat polluted waters.

Present methods of water disinfec­
tion are chlorination, a widely
popular and cost effective method,
and ozonation, which is costly for
the developing countries.

0 peas

The effectiveness of the extract
increases with increasing concen­
tration of juices and increase in
contact-time improves the perfor­
mance of the juices.

Tulsi juice gives the best results
followed by wheat and neem.
Water treated with neem juice is
bitter, while that with tulsi is
pleasant. With wheat juice, it is
tasteless.

PT/

DolpWn jaflctaai

in UP

in stretch in the upper part/bftncTu hga between Bijnor and Narora
barragtvm Uttar Pradesh is soon ti
declare as a dolphin sanctuary. According to World Wildlife Fund for nature (WWF) sources, almost all the paper
work in this regard was completed and the new Government at the Centre will
only have to issue the notification.

i

□ Save our Rice: A non-gov­
ernmental organisation has
moved the Supreme Court,
asking the government to
challenge a patent given to a
Texas-based company for
basmati rice, or move the dispute
settlement body of the World
Trade Organisation.

Though it has been listed under Schedule 1 of the Indian Wildlife (Protection)
Act. 1972, and the IUCN, which is the world conservation union has declared it
as endangered in 1996, the species is fast vanishing.Conservationists put its
population at present to around 2,500 from 4,000 to 5,000 in 1982, Recent
studies revealed that dolphin population is declining at the rate of 10 per cent
per annum.

Of the 130 to 160 dolphins killed annually on an average, as many as 100 are
being butchered in the Ganges between Buxer and Farakka.

Saving the
timid
turtles
For every endangered species
there’s a saviour. And here is a
man from a far off land.
For Dr. Robert Sutcliffe, “Every
mighty oak was once a nut that
stood its ground.” The punchline
on his coffee mug perfectly sums
up his determination.

Sutcliffe, an embodiment of
dedication and commitment, has
made the coast of Orissa his
home for the cause of the
endangered Olive Ridley turtles.

Leaving the United Kingdom in
1993, S utcl i ffe chose to settle here
to set up his drcam project-Orissa
Turtle Trust.
Indian Express

□ Eucalyptus Clone: Kerala
Forest Research Institute has
developed 15 clones of euca­
lyptus that grow faster than
existing varieties.

Alaska’s school children
strive to bring famous
sled dog home
Alaska’s school children are
petitioning a Cleveland museum
to return the stuffed remains of
Balto, the sled dog that led the
last leg of a heroic, 1925 relay to
bring lifesaving diphtheria serum
to Nome. But officials at the
Cleveland Museum of Natural
History are adamant. “The dog is
not going to be returned.”
Nome was in the throes of a
deadly epidemic at the time of the
dogsled relay, and Balto was
hailed as a hero. The stuffed dog
has resided at the museum since
in 1930s. But youngsters at Butte
Elementary School north of
Anchorage have launched a drive
to bring him home.

Kolleru freshwater lake faces extinction
The scenic Kolleru lake, situated in Krishna and West Godavari disticts of Andhra
Pradesh, one of the few largest freshwater inland lakes in the world, is fast becoming
extinct, endangering a rich variety of animal and plant species, due to indiscriminate
exploitation and encroachment of the water body.

The lake, has a water spread area of more than 900 sq. km and a maximum depth of
10 ft during rainy season and a minimum depth of 3 feet during summer. It is also the
world's largest natural freshwater fish producer of about 30,000 tons per year and
one of the largest bird sanctuaries with 188 species of birds.

l-J Emissions Increase : Glo­
bal CO2 emission have not
decreased! The Asia Pacific
region (highest defaulters in­
clude India) has risen by 37%
since 1990.
I

□ Polluted Water: Ten thou­
sand people suffer from water
borne diseases every year in
Delhi caused by polluted water
being supplied by the govern­
ment.

Q Clean Water : Research­
ers in Leicester University have
successfully used the seed of a
tropical tree to produce clean
water even from sewage water.

□ Malaria Fear Renewed :
Onset of monsoon renews fears
of malaria in the Dakshina
Kannada district and malaria is
synonymous with monsoons in
this district. This is mainly due
to the throwing of tender coconut
shells indiscriminately where
water collects and provides a
unhealthy breeding ground for
mosquitoes.

peas

Q

Tin dark aide of oolourad food article*
Don’t be tempted by colourful food stuffs stacked on the shelves of
roadside eateries, warn scientists. These colours can cause damage
to liver, kidney, heart as well as skin, eye, lungs and bones, they say.
A report published in a recent issue of the journal Current Science
says even the permitted artificial colours, if consumed indiscrimi­
nately. are not completely safe.
Presently eight synthetic food colours such as crythrosine,
carmoisine, ponceau 4R. indigo carmine, brillant blue FCF, fast green
FCF, tartrazine and sunset yellow FCF arc permitted food colours in
India.

But some other synthetic dyes like auramine, metanil yellow, lead
chromate, rohdamine, sudan-2 and 4, orangc-2 and malachite green
pose serious health hazards as all of them are mutagenic and poten­
tial carcinogen.
Metanil yellow, the commonest non-edible chemical widely used in
food items like ’ladoo' causes insufficient oxygen supply to skin and
mucous membrane along with degenerative changes in stomach, liver,
kidney, abdomen and testes while intake of lead chromate, added as a
colourant to chilli powder, results in epigastric pain, anaemia, nausea
and constipation due to lead toxicity.

Wrigleys
Replies...
The Managing Director of Wrigley
India Pvt Ltd, Mr.Nauzer Nowroji writes
- "1 agree with the opening statement
in your recent editorial... school chil­
dren are exposed to many dangerous
situations. However, with so many real
dangers out there, it does the children
and citizens of India a disservice to
raise false alarms.
I am concerned about the misstate­
ments made about chewing gum,
particularly as they apply to our prod­
ucts. Because it is classified as a food
item, Wrigley's chewing gum is held
to very high standards in terms of its
ingredients and how it is produced.
All of the ingredients in our brands of
chewing gum are safe, wholesome
and extremely high quality. Each
ingredient has received the approval
of India's Directorate General of Health
Services. If there are maufacturers not
following these standards, they

(J) Pcos

should be chastised directly, but I can
personally testify to the quality and
wholesomeness of our products.

Not only is Wrigley's chewing gum
not harmful in any way, but it offers
people a wide variety of benefits.
In addition to being enjoyable, chew­
ing gum can help relieve tension and
aid concentration. Particularly after
a meal, chewing gum can help
freshen your breath, aid digestion,
and reduce the risk of cavities by
stimulating saliva flow and removing
food particles from your teeth." May
28.1998
Thanks, Mr Nowroji, for your clarifi­
cation. There are always two sides to
every account, and it is good for our
readers to be informed. Ed.

to greenBelching cows are a main source
of gas emissions that cause the
green house effect, raising the
Earth’s average temperature,a
study has found.

The study by the Brazilian
Agency of Agriculture and Farm­
ing Research and the Brazilian
Science and Technology Minis­
try found that ruminants produce
methane gas in the stomach
during digestion.
Bacteria residing in the stomach
of ruminants are responsible for
breaking down the organic mat­
ter and, the study says 93 per cent
of the methane produced by agri­
culture and cattle farms in Brazil
comes from this source.

The methane gas is one of the
by-products of the beasts' diges­
tion process and is expelled
through the mouth when they
belch. The study said an ox
produces an average 50 kg of
methane ptr annum and Brazil’s
160 million cattle stock is esti­
mated to produce eight million
tonnes of the gas each year.

That would raise the world meth­
ane gas output to 530 million
tonnes per annum and the life
span of gas in the planet’s atmo­
sphere to an average of 14 years.
Gases like methane and carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere, which
hinder the Earth’s ability to
deflect the sun’s rays, lead to a
rise in the global temperature.
Times of India

Continuing
El Nino
may be
belpful /
/for /
monsoon

Paul Epstein, of the Harvard School
of Medicine, had written a paper last
year linking the El/Nino effect to
nepatitis, shigella, typhoid, and
cholera, as well as malaria, dengue,
yellow fev/ encephalitis, and
plague," all-of which arc prevalent in
India.

It was also observed that in addition
to fires, water-borne and animal
carried diseases become more prevalent during El Nino-related droughts.

Said a Greenpeace report, "Next on
the agenda for India is whether the
current El Nino survives next spring
and continues for 1998's growing
season. Too far out for now and only
a minor concern at this time.
During an El Nino event, seasonal
monsoons in India can fail. This
highly populated region is depen­
dent, on the arrival of the monsoons
for agriculture; failure of the mon­
soons can quickly cause drought and
famine.

La Nina episodes typically cause
flooding of rivers in Bangladesh and
in regions of southeast China."
Experts however are keen to point out
that El Nino predictions should be
taken with a pinch of salt, as it is just
one of the factors that can predict
weather. Mr. Kalsi, spokesman for
the Indian Weather Bureau agrees :
"It is just one of the factors that
influences rainfall and the weather.
We've been studying it closely and
have discovered a positive cooling
trend, that basically implies that it is
conducive to the monsoons. It, how­
ever, should be remembered that El
Nino is only one factor that goes into
predicting the weather."

In the Philippines, the severe drought
has destroyed S 100 million worth of
crops/and is currently destroying
crops at the rate of $ 120,000 each week.

Scientists have warned that the warm­
ing of Pacific Ocean waters due to El
Nino currents may affect monsoon lev­
els in the country.
Haifa million people are affected by the
drought in Sri Lanka, because of water
shortages and ravaged harvests. The
drought has devastated the tea crop in
Sri Lanka and India, the two largest tea
producers in the world.
Last year El Nino caused a scarcity of
rainfall in southern India. Worries cxpressed earlier about the phenomenon
affecting crops were however belied by
a good yield in the north of the coun­
try. The ministry of tourism admitted
this and in a news source on the internet
it was quoted as saying, "the effect of
El Nino has been felt more in the south
than in the north."

The phenomenon prompted former
Union agriculture minister Chaturanan
Mishra to write to the then Prime Min­
ister, Mr. I.K. Gujral, and the finance
ministry on the likely fallout of the El
Nino phenomenon on the food grain
output in the country and said an
amount ranging between Rs. 400 to 500
crores could be required to meet the
situation.

Heat waves from Costa Rica to Hondu­
ras, severe drought in Sri Lanka and
the Philippines, hot and dry weather in
Malaysia and the worst hailstorm in 20
years in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, are
blamed by meteorologists on El Nino.

Forest fires are also burning through­
out the country. 2,475 hectares of
reforested areas, fruit plantations and
primary virgin forests have thus far
been destroyed.
El Nino, however is not all bad news.

The south may have had a bad mon­
soon, but in other parts of the world El
Nino brought in an unexpected bonus.
Unseasonal and heavy rains in Argentina made it the largest peanut
producer in the world last year. India
has a record soybean crop last year,
though scientists were unsure whether
this was due to El Nino.
The name El Nino (referring to the
Christ Child) was originally given by
Peruvian fishermen to a warm current
that appeared every year around
Christmas. Today, the effect is a stron­
ger version of the same event. It was
only in the 1960s that El Nino became
associated with changes over the
entire tropical Pacific and beyond.

The name today refers to the warm
phase of a large warm-cold oscillation
in the water and atmosphere of the
Pacific region. The complete phenom­
enon is known as the El Nino/Southern Oscillation.
The warm El Nino phase typically lasts
for approximately 8 to 10 months. The
entire cycle usually lasts about three
to seven years, and often includes a
cold phase (known as La Nina) and
may be similarly strong.

— Asian Age
peos

Q

Fresh water is becoming increasingly scarce
throughout the world and could be...

The cause of
major world conflicts
Fresh water is becoming
increasingly scarce throughout
the world and disputes over
access to water supplies could
increase dramatically in the
new century, says conflict
analysis here.
The problem particularly affects
developing countries in such areas
as the Okavango river in Southern
Africa or the Ganges, running
through India and Bangladesh,
where urbanisation rising pop­
ulations, and economic growth
have put unprecedented demand
on water supplies and fuelled
international argument.
More than one billion people in the
world who do not have access to
safe drinking water are mostly
poor, living in developing countries.
As the average amount of water
available per person decreases
worldwide, defending water
resources has become one of the
most pressing environmental
issues to emerge as vital as
national security concerns around
the globe, say the experts.

In an attempt to anticipate conflict
problems over water rights,
economists, members of non­
governmental organisations,
policy
makers,
corporate
executives, international bankers
and lawyers met at American
University's Washington College of
Law to discuss how to avoid such

conflicts in developing countries.
More than 85 per cent of fresh
water
in
the
world
is
transboundary water - or water
that is shared between two or
more countries according to Atif
Kubursi, an economics professor
who is an expert on water conflicts
in the Middle East. While
developing countries were more
likely to be dependent on
transboundary water than
industrialised countries, Ashok
Swain, a peace and conflict
resolution professor in Sweden,
said they were less likely to have
international joint commissions
manage the shared water
resources.

Water problems remained acute
in the Middle East, West Asia and
parts of Africa, particularly the
Sudano-Sahelian belt and
sourthern Africa. These locations
experience high evaporation
rates, high levels of expected
future water demands, and
potential transboundary water
conflicts. "Water scarcity is at
the root of problems in the Middle
East," said Kabursi.
In the Gaza Strip, for example,
strict
quotas
regulating
Palestinian water consumption,
population pressures, and severe
water contamination made water
scarcity conflicts inevitable.
InterPress Service

Ther®cs
Water on
the Moon...
enough to support a
human colony,
says NASA
There is enough water on the
moon to support a human colony
for a hundred years or perhaps
hundreds of years, according to
NASA scientists.
The data
transmitted by NASA's lunar
prospector robot showed tiny
flecks of ice deep in shadowy
craters.
Dr. Alan Binder, chief investigator for
the mission said "We have found
water.
We
have
the
first
unquestionable' results indicating
significant amounts of water at both
lunar poles." He said the discovery
had tremendous implications. "The
moon" he said, "was bone dry. The
water was added. We arc now certain
the water is there. The uncertainity
is how much."

Dr. William Feldman, who analysed
the neutron spectrometer results, said
preliminary data showed that the
Moon could hold enough water to
sustain a human colony for
generations or enough hydrogen to
serve as fuel for further explorations
into space.
"The Moon's North Pole has twice as
much water as south - but that both
reserves could be immensely useful...
This is a significant resource which
will enable a modest amount of
colonisation for centuries”. The
scientists estimated that the Moon
may hold from 11 to 330 million tons
of water, may be even 1.3 billion tons.
A reserve of 33 million tons would
be enough to sustain a colony of
2,000 people on the lunar surface for
over a hundred years without
recycling the water.

Tinies of India
(£) peas

Volunteers
Coming
together for
First PEAS
Coordinators
Meet
The first PEAS coordinators
meet is being planned for July
30 and 31,1998 in Bangalore.
Coordinators from various parts
of India will be attending to plan
out ways and means in which
the PEAS movement could be
made more effective.
Coordinating the meet is Noel
Jackson who says -"A time like
this should not only help us to
find out more about PEAS, but
also to learn from one another."
Reports and ideas from the
various PEAS programmes will
be received.

The two mornings will feature
concept presentations by PEAS
Chairman Dr Ken Gnanakan.
The talk will focus on the urgent
need to integrate environmental
concerns into educational
systems.

The following Coordinators will
be attending:

Madurai : Mrs. Jessie
Jayakaran, Prof. Arputhamurthy,
Mrs. K. Basker;
Trichy : Dr. E. Chandrasekhar;
Hyderabad: Dr.M. Pushpa,
Mr. Prakash;
Chennai : Mr. J. Freddy
Calcutta : Mr. E. Jackson
Ahmedabad: Mrs. Reena
Jinwalla
Pune : Mrs. N. Sengupta
Bangalore : Mrs. Meera
Tushar, Mr. F.D'Souza,
Mr. Mohan Murthy
Mumbai: Mr. Francis
Vijayarangam, Mrs. Lorna
Seldon

peas update
Conservation through Cnnsumnrlsm
- A Healthy Interaction with Teachers in Delhi
Forty teachers from nine
schools attended Teacher's
Seminar on Conservation
through Thoughful Consumer­
ism on 4th April 1998 at Naval
Public School, New Delhi.
A very healthy interaction took
place amongst the teachers.
Dr. Ken Gnanakan's ideas on con­
sumer culture and emphasis on
waste management rather than
conservation of environmental
resources only was well brought
out. It was an eye opener for most
of us.

This was followed by another activ­
ity in which teacher's grouped
themselves and came out with
suggestions for 'Thoughful Con­
sumerism' in the classroom and
home.

school in which parents participation
is important

5. For rough work use slates instead
of paper
6. Teachers joining the school or
those who resign/retire to donate a
sapling to the institution.

7. Children should be encouraged to
bring a sapling on their birthday
instead of sweets etc. These can be
planted in the garden or a green
comer can be made in the classroom.
Also children can be encouraged to
give plants as birthday gifts rather
than other consumer items.
8. To discourage use of plastic pencil
boxes, ball pens etc.

The highlight of the workshop was
a comment by one of the teachers
"We do not have problem students
but problem parents" as she felt
that when teachers try to inculcate
Some of the valuable suggestions
the habits of a friendly environment
are :
culture and dignity of labour, the
1. To carry their own bags (preferably parents react strongly by saying
cloth) to buy items from the market
"We do not send our children to
such good schools to do this kind
2. While buying bread, not to take a of work in the classroom" (clean­
plastic bag from the shopkeeper.
ing the classroom or school
corridors).
3. Make garlands from polythene
strips (made from plastic bags) to
The importance of the parents role
decorate the classroom instead of
in educating the child came
buying crepe paper etc.
through clearly. The good things
that are taught to children must be
4. "Environment week' or a "Green
endorsed by parents.
week' to be regularly held in the

Plan to attend the next PEAS National Conference
in Mumbai - November 14 - 17, 1998.

Film Premier

peas

PEAS
Western India
hosts a Special
Show of the film

Ceconrt National cor^enence.

Jhooth Bo\e

to be. held cd Mumbai

14 - 17 NouembeA, IQQ8

Kauwa Kate

Plans for the Second National PEAS Conference
in Mumbai are getting into top gear as the
committee under the direction of Mrs Roshan
Khariwalla prepares for what promises to be an
exciting time. The possible venue, on the banks
of the Powai Lake lends itself ideally to this
exciting event.

PolyGram presents
TRISTAR Internationals

A Hrishikesh Mukherjee film
Music Anand-Milind
Lyrics : Anand Bakshi

The programme will be conducted from Saturday, 14
to Tuesday November 17, 1998. A wonderful way for
children to begin the conference on Children's Day —■
when children from all over India assemble.

The proceeds from the
sales will go towards
the expenditure of the
National Conference.

A series of workshops, talks, slide-shows, audio-visual
programs, competitions, quiz shows, and cultural
programs have been carefully created to focus attention
on the various environmental topics planned.

I A Souvenir is being released I
I and advertisers are invited. I

I

I

The theme for the National Conference is My World, Our Future

Sub-themes for the four days are :

Advertising Rates are:

la
la
la

Front Page

Rs. 10,000

Back Page

Rs. 10,000

Inside Front

Rs. 7,500
Rs. 7,500

b Inside Back

1

'
1

Full Page
Ia Special
(Colour)
Rs. 3,000

|a

Full Page

P Half Page

Rs. 2,000

[

Rs. 1,250

|

ALLCHEQUESTOBE
DRAWN IN FAVOUR OF

I
|

PEAS W.L NATIONAL
CONFERENCE

I

Address:

I
|

I

| 6C Hilltop Apts. 49/49A Pali
| Hill, Bandra, Mubai 400 050.

|

I

I

(£> peas

Day 1 : Development, Energy & Resources
Day 2 : Ecological Balance & Conservation of
Bio-Diversities
Day 3 : Pollution - Reducing and Recovering Waste
Day 4 : Population & Sustainable Life styles
Approximately 700 children including 300 children from
Mumbai and the rest from 15 different metropolises of
our country will attend this conference. The managing
committee of the Western India region, consists of
educationists, environmentalists and other committed
volunteers, will conduct the programs specially structured
for the National Conference.

The conference is only the beginning of an ongoing
process which will elicit eco-friendly actions and attitudes
from children. PEAS aims to encourage an environmental
culture within schools and this is what is hoped will be
encouraged through those who attend.

Making
Birdbaths
these holes and hang up the
bird bath In a tree or from a
rafter of the verandah. This
will keep them safe from cats
which might kill the birds
coming to drink and bathe.

Materials needed : Clay pan
or a metal pan, strong wires,
large nail and hammer.

Ensure that the pan is cleaned
every morning and kept
filled. Observe the birds
visiting the bird bath and
draw them, noting the impor­
tant features, e.g. size, colour,
shape of bill etc.
Notes may be made as you
observe the various features
and habits of the birds that
visit your birdbath!

Using the nail and hammer
make four holes in the pan.
Tier lengths of wire through

water filter using

F

Materials : a flower pot, cotton
wool, sand, gravel, soil, charcoal
or partially burnt wood, muddy
water

Now pour some muddy wateronto
the pot without disturbing the
layers. Collect the water as it trick­
les from the bottom of the pot.

Wash the sand and gravel to
remove clay particles. From par­
tially burnt wood charcoal powder
can be obtained. Plug the hole at
the bottom of the pot with cotton
wool and then spread a layer of
gravel a few centimetres thick over
it. Layers of similar thickness of
sand and charcoal powder should
then be laid over it.

Compare the water that comes
from the bottom of the pot with that
initally poured in. Is it less muddy?

The crust of the earth is similar,
made up of several layers. As the
rainwater percolates through
these layers and settles down over
impervious rocks, it is naturally
filtered of impurities.

1
I

I

! Conservation!
!

!

I
I a
I □

I

I
While using water from a tap, |
reduce the flow.

Do not leave the tap I
running while brushing your I
teeth, shaving, washing clothes |
and utensils. A tap running for |
1 minute can drain out more than ■
10 litres i.e. half a bucket of J
water.

I

|

Use a mug of water for shav- |
ing.

I □

Wash vegetables and utensils in
a bowl of water instead of under a running tap. You can use |
less water this way and yo” can j
also reuse the water for your .
plants.

,

|

a flower pot

Water

I
I

Reuse water used for final rins- |
ing of clothes to clean the floor |
and vehicle.

The largest domestic user of I
water in urban areas is the |
flush toilet. More than 16 |
(litres of water is used per ■
I
flush.
|

Install a water regulating flush |
system in your toilet so that ]
lesser quantities of water can be ■
used.

|

Ifyou have a large flush cistem. |
you can reduce the amount of |
water it holds by putting in a few |
bricks.
,

It
I

Use a bucket and mop to clean
the floor and vehicle instead of |
a hose. It takes nearly 300 litres |
of water to clean a car by hose! |

I

-ICRA I

I

peas

(£)

Regn. No. MAG. (2) FRB. DECL 53/97-98

Subscribetoday
for a regular
copy of

A Quarterly Magazine of
the Programme of Environmental
Awareness in Schools

India’5 First
Environmental Magazine
for Schools!

Rs. 25/- for four issues for students.
Rs. 32/- for four issues for others,

Mail subscription form (if available)
or write directly to:

peas
P.O. Box 9522
Bangalore 560 095.
Media
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