1. Excellence is not an accomplishment, its a never ending process A very famous line by Lawrence M. Miller.

In order to develop excellence as a leader we must be willing to acknowledge that developing it is not an accomplishment - it's a never-ending process. It's a process full of many awesome moments and many lonely days. It's fun and exciting one day and then the next day we wonder why we ever wanted to lead in the first place. Many of us secretly fantasize about being a greeter at Walmart or on any other platform. Being a leader isn't easy - it requires commitment for the long haul. It's not something we can just accomplish and then move on. Being a leader requires hard work, sacrifice, commitment and a willingness to grow ourselves. The leaders I admire most are the ones who give selflessly of themselves and make personal development a priority. I can not give of myself as I leader if I do not first take care of myself. Great leaders balance personal development and organizational development. Both are important and one without the other does not work. As I have observed great leaders, I find they all have some things in common. "Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected." ~ Steve Jobs Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit. ~ Aristotle What happens when you think you have reached "excellence"? Most will just stop because they think that they have reached it and there is really no need to go further. Well, have you ever wondered what was on the other side of excellence? How will we ever know unless we take a peak and strive for better? As Mr. Miller stated, its a never ending process. We are always looking for ways to improve our own performance so we must take the extra step and look for ways to improve the organizations excellence. It all starts with you and one small positive action will have a domino effect into smaller positive actions and eventually into massive positive actions to improving our excellence! QUOTES ON EXCELLENCE "Great companies first build a culture of discipline and create a business model that fits squarely in the intersection of three circles: what they can be best in the world at, a deep understanding of their economic engine, and the core values they hold with deep passion." ~ Jim Collins, author of Good To Great "We got it right when we said that we were in search of excellence. Not competitive advantage. Not economic growth. Not market dominance or strategic differentiation. Not maximized shareholder value. Excellence In Search of Excellence even the title is a reminder that business isnt dry, dreary, boring, or by the numbers." ~ @Tom Peters, author of In Search of Excellence If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude. ~ Colin Powell "When a team outgrows individual performance and learns team confidence, excellence becomes a reality. ~ Coach Joe Paterno "Excellence is not an accomplishment. It is a spirit, a never-ending process." ~ Lawrence M. Miller "The secret of joy in work is contained in one word - excellence. To know how to do something well is to enjoy it." ~ Pearl Buck "The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor." ~ Vince Lombardi "My parents always told me that people will never know how long it takes you to do something. They will only know how well it is done." ~ Nancy Hanks "With regard to excellence, it is not enough to know, but we must try to have and use it." ~ Aristotle "Sports serve society by providing vivid examples of excellence." ~ George F. Will "Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way." ~ Booker T. Washington "The noblest search... is the search for excellence." ~ Lyndon Baines Johnson The Pursuit of Happiness Into every life a little rain must fall. Does your rain come from a stray cloud on an otherwise sunny day, or is it from a gray, overcast sky that never goes away? Personal forecasts of sunny days and sunny moods contribute positively to a persons health. It is no surprise that a contented mind and cheerful spirit improve physiological functioning. We know the opposites stress, depression and anxiety can cause physical illnesses. Stress and depression both can lead to heart disease and heart attacks. People with heavy job stress have 50 percent higher health care costs. It is a common misperception that life will always be better in the future: when we have a larger home, a nicer car, a corner office; when we are married, have children, or get divorced; once we finish a difficult task at work, or change jobs altogether. In truth, life is always full of challenges. We must decide to be happy in spite of circumstances. Nor does happiness correlate with age. Surveys of many thousands of people tell us that age alone has very little impact on happiness. Teenage years can be carefree and joyous, or they can be angst-filled and disturbing. Post-retirement is a time of adventure and exploration for some, isolation and loneliness for others. Happiness depends on the way

in which challenges are handled, not the age at which they are handled. Happiness is not a gender. Studies show that neither sex is inherently or statistically happier than the other. Happiness is not for sale. Discussions of money and happiness span the history of humankind. It would seem that wealth does not confer happiness. In a 1957 study, about 35 percent of the population identified themselves as happy. Today, 30 percent of Americans call themselves happy. This is despite a doubling in average family earnings and despite the explosion in comforts, access to information and luxuries. The truth is, money does have some correlation to happiness. People wealthy enough to afford basic necessities such as food, shelter and health care generally are happier than people who lack such necessities. After basic needs have been met, wealth loses much of its power to create contentment or happiness. A study of the people on the Forbes Magazine list of the 100 wealthiest people indicates they are only slightly happier than average citizens. Research seems to say that happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have. Key Characteristics of Happy People Dr. David Myers, author of Pursuit of Happiness, identified a number of qualities shared by many people who tend to be happy. From that research, eight concrete characteristics of happy people have emerged. 1. Happy people like themselves. They see themselves as emotionally and physically healthy. They believe they are more ethical and intelligent. They believe they are less prejudiced and better able to get along with people. 2. Happy people feel a sense of personal control. They feel empowered. Because of that, they tend do better at work and school and cope better with stress. 3. Happy people are optimistic. They expect good things to happen. They feel upbeat. The glass is half full. They try to make sense of events in an optimistic and positive way. 4. Happy people are extroverted. We do not know if happiness makes people more extroverted or if extroversion causes happiness, but statistically, they correlate. 5. Happy people have close relationships. That shows up most obviously in surveys, which tell us that married people are usually happier than unmarried people. But its not a question of marriage; close, trusting relationships of any kind tend to help people be happy more readily than they would be without. 6. Happy people have a spiritual foundation. Spirituality is a belief system that focuses on intangible elements that add meaning and vitality to lifes experiences. Whether that is a belief in God, a dedicated prayer life or communing with nature doesnt matter. Studies show highly spiritual people are twice as happy as people who are not. 7. Happy people tend to have balanced lives. The time in their lives dedicated to work, play and spirituality is sufficient for each. They make time for reflection and relaxation. 8. Happy people are creative. They look at problems from as many viewpoints as possible and find creative ways of handling those problems. They follow sparks of interest. They dont let life become sedentary. They keep producing new ideas and learning new things. The relationship between mind, body and spirit is very intimate. Each aspect affects the others. Proverbs 17:22 says a merry heart doeth good like a medicine. That ancient piece of advice is now supported by the most modern scientific research. You can practice the eight characteristics of happiness, and contribute to your overall health.

The difference between a boss and a leader?

Leadership is valued greatly these days. Company boards are taking leadership courses, everyone is trying to get followers or audience rather than customers In this rush towards leadership, companies often skip a crucial part (which is probably the main reason why leadership is not solving your problems the way you figured it would): The boss is not necessarily the leader. Its easy to think of the boss as the leader since there are quite some similarities (dedication, responsibility, final decision). There is however one extremely important difference: a leader is followed because he/she earned respect. A boss is the person we listen to because he/she is higher in rank. This does not mean that a boss cant be a leader, but its really difficult to figure out whether people are agreeing with you because your the boss or because they actually believe you. A boss depends upon authority; a leader depends upon good will. The solution is simple. Ask yourself the question: Does this company/business unit/ need a boss or a leader?. A boss will give you (if hes doing his job correctly) fast resu lts on the short term, a leader will give you (if hes a real leader) dedication and a team that will stay focused on the bigger picture. While businesses are coming to terms with the usefulness of a long-term vision, choosing for a leader instead of a boss is far from common practice. The main reason for this isnt hard to figure out, a leader is elected, the board has nothing to do with it. When going for a leadership-driven company, everyone votes. Your company becomes a mirco-society where everyone has the same rights and duties. Once youre working for a higher purpose, you need participants rather than employees. Going from a boss to a leader means going from dictatorship to democracy. Its easy to see why that would be better, but just because its easy doesnt make it simple.

People ask the difference between a leader and a boss ... The leader works in the open, and the boss in covert. The leader leads, and the boss drives. Theodore Roosevelt In fast paced, high stress business environments it can be all too easy sometimes for leaders to slip into what I call Boss Man mode. What I mean by that is that they stop being a leader, and start acting like a boss. A boss who supervises a staff. The staff reports to the boss, just like it says on the organizational chart. And they do exactly what the boss says, because, of course, Hes the boss! In other words, the leader becomes a not-so-pleasant person that creates a not-so-enjoyable work environment, and brings progress to a screeching halt. Therefore its really important that we recognize the 15 most significant differences between Boss Man syndrome and real leadership, so we can avoid a rapid descent into mediocrity or failure. 1. A boss only sees things in black and white, while the leader also sees the grey 2. A boss likes to tell, while the leader prefers to teach 3. A boss likes being on a pedestal, above the fray, while the leader likes to be among those they lead 4. A boss gets lost in the details, while the leader keeps the big picture 5. A boss rules by fear, while the leader inspires with trust 6. A boss displays great hubris, while the leader shows quiet humility 7. A boss likes to talk, while the leader prefers to listen 8. A boss wants to dictate, while the leader would rather collaborate 9. A boss outlines the What, while the leader also always explains the Why 10. A boss thinks first about profit, while the leader thinks first about people 11. A boss gets lost in process, while the leader gets absorbed in performance 12. A boss is a disabler, while the leader is an enabler 13. A boss criticizes, while the leader coaches 14. A boss manages to an end, while the leader serves for a purpose 15. A boss demotivates with impassiveness, while a leader inspires with caring & empathy 16. The boss drives people; the leader coaches them. 17. The boss depends upon authority; the leader on good will. 18. The boss inspires fear; the leader inspires enthusiasm. 19. The boss says I; the leader says we. 20. The boss says Get here on time; the leader gets there ahead of time. 21. The boss fixes the blame for the breakdown; the leader fixes the breakdown. 22. The boss knows how it is done; the leader shows how. 23. The boss makes work a drudgery; the leader makes work a game. 24. The boss says Go; the leader says Lets go. 25. The boss justifies or lays blame the leader takes responsibility.

Corporate social responsibility Corporate social responsibility (CSR, also called corporate conscience, corporate
citizenship, social performance, or sustainable responsible business/ Responsible Business) is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model. CSR policy functions as a built-in, self-regulating mechanism whereby a business monitors and ensures its active compliance within the spirit of the law, ethical standards, and international norms. CSR is a process with the aim to embrace responsibility for the company's actions and encourage a positive impact through its activities on the environment, consumers, employees, communities, stakeholders and all other members of the public sphere who may also be considered as stakeholders. The term "corporate social responsibility" came into common use in the late 1960s and early 1970s after many multinational corporations formed the term stakeholder, meaning those on whom an organization's activities have an impact. It was used to describe corporate owners beyond shareholders as a result of an influential book by R. [2] Edward Freeman, Strategic management: a stakeholder approach in 1984. Proponents argue that corporations make more long term profits by operating with a perspective, while critics argue that CSR distracts from the economic role of businesses. Others argue CSR is merely window-dressing, or an attempt to pre-empt the role of governments as a watchdog over powerful multinational corporations. CSR is titled to aid an organization's mission as well as a guide to what the company stands for and will uphold to its consumers. Development business ethics is one of the forms of applied ethics that examines ethical principles and moral or ethical problems that can arise in a business environment. ISO 26000 is the recognized international standard for CSR. Public sector organizations (the United Nations for example) adhere to the triple bottom line (TBL). It is widely accepted that CSR adheres to similar principles but with no formal act of legislation. The UN has developed the Principles for Responsible Investment as guidelines for investing entities.
[1]

APPROACHES: A more common approach to CSR is corporate philanthropy. This includes monetary donations and aid given to local and non-local nonprofit organizations and communities, including donations in areas such as the arts, education, housing, health, social welfare, and the environment, among others, but excluding political [5] [who?] contributions and commercial sponsorship of events. Some organizations do not like a philanthropy-based approach as it might not help build on the skills of local populations, whereas community-based development [clarification needed Difference between local org& community-dev? Cite] generally leads to more sustainable development. Another approach to CSR is to incorporate the CSR strategy directly into the business strategy of an organization. For instance, procurement of Fair Trade tea and coffee has been adopted by various businesses including KPMG. Its CSR [6] manager commented, "Fairtrade fits very strongly into our commitment to our communities." Another approach is garnering increasing corporate responsibility interest. This is called Creating Shared Value, or CSV. The shared value model is based on the idea that corporate success and social welfare are interdependent. A business needs a healthy, educated workforce, sustainable resources and adept government to compete effectively. For society to thrive, profitable and competitive businesses must be developed and supported to create income, wealth, tax revenues, and opportunities for philanthropy. Potential business benefits The scale and nature of the benefits of CSR for an organization can vary depending on the nature of the enterprise, and are difficult to quantify, though there is a large body of literature exhorting business to adopt measures beyond financial ones & to find a correlation between social/environmental performance and financial performance. However, businesses may not be looking at short-run financial returns when developing their CSR strategy. The definition of CSR used within an organization can vary from the strict "stakeholder impacts" definition used by many CSR advocates and will often include charitable efforts and volunteering. CSR may be based within the human [14] resources, business development or public relations departments of an organisation, or may be given a separate unit reporting to the CEO or in some cases directly to the board. Some companies may implement CSR-type values without a clearly defined team or programme. The evolution of corporate social responsibility in India refers to changes over time in India of the cultural norms of corporations' engagement of corporate social responsibility (CSR), with CSR referring to way that businesses are managed to bring about an overall positive impact on the communities, cultures, societies and environments in [1] which they operate. The fundamentals of CSR rest on the fact that not only public policy but even corporates should be responsible enough to address social issues. Thus companies should deal with the challenges and issues [2] looked after to a certain extent by the states. Among other countries India has one of the most richest traditions of [citation needed] CSR . Much has been done in recent years to make Indian Entrepreneurs aware of social responsibility as an important segment of their business activity but CSR in India has yet to receive widespread recognition. If this goal has to be realised then the CSR approach of corporates has to be in line with their attitudes towards mainstream business- companies setting clear objectives, undertaking potential investments, measuring and reporting performance publicly. The Four Phases of CSR Development in India The history of CSR in India has its four phases which run parallel to India's historical development and has resulted in different approaches towards CSR. However the phases are not static and the features of each phase may overlap other phases. The First Phase In the first phase charity and philanthropy were the main drivers of CSR. Culture, religion, family values and tradition and industrialization had an influential effect on CSR. In the pre-industrialization period, which lasted till 1850, wealthy merchants shared a part of their wealth with the wider society by way of setting up temples [citation needed] for a religious cause . Moreover, these merchants helped the society in getting over phases of famine and epidemics by providing food from their godowns and money and thus securing an integral position in the [citation needed] society. With the arrival of colonial rule in India from 1850s onwards, the approach towards CSR changed. The industrial families of the 19th century such as Tata, Godrej, Bajaj, Modi, Birla, Singhania were strongly inclined towards economic as well as social considerations. However it has been observed that their efforts towards social as well as industrial development were not only driven by selfless and religious motives but also influenced by caste [3] groups and political objectives. The Second Phase In the second phase, during the independence movement, there was increased stress on Indian Industrialists to demonstrate their dedication towards the progress of the society. This was when Mahatma Gandhi introduced the notion of "trusteeship", according to which the industry leaders had to manage their wealth so as to benefit the common man. "I desire to end capitalism almost, if not quite, as much as the most advanced socialist. But our methods differ. My theory of trusteeship is no make-shift, certainly no camouflage. I am confident that it will survive all other theories." This was Gandhi's words which highlights his argument towards his concept of "trusteeship". Gandhi's influence put pressure on various Industrialists to act towards building the nation and its [4] socio-economic development. According to Gandhi, Indian companies were supposed to be the "temples of

modern India". Under his influence businesses established trusts for schools and colleges and also helped in setting up training and scientific institutions. The operations of the trusts were largely in line with Gandhi's reforms which sought to abolish untouchability, encourage empowerment of women and rural development. The Third Phase The third phase of CSR (196080) had its relation to the element of "mixed economy", emergence of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and laws relating labour and environmental standards. During this period the [citation needed] private sector was forced to take a backseat. The public sector was seen as the prime mover of [citation needed] development. Because of the stringent legal rules and regulations surrounding the activities of the private sector, the period was described as an "era of command and control". The policy of industrial licensing, high taxes [citation needed] and restrictions on the private sector led to corporate malpractices. This led to enactment of legislation regarding corporate governance, labour and environmental issues. PSUs were set up by the state to ensure suitable distribution of resources (wealth, food etc.) to the needy. However the public sector was effective only to a certain limited extent. This led to shift of expectation from the public to the private sector and their active involvement in [citation needed] the socio-economic development of the country became absolutely necessary. In 1965 Indian [citation needed] academicians, politicians and businessmen set up a national workshop on CSR aimed at reconciliation. They emphasized upon transparency, social accountability and regular stakeholder dialogues. In spite of such attempts the CSR failed to catch steam. The Fourth Phase In the fourth phase (1980 until the present) Indian companies started abandoning their traditional engagement with CSR and integrated it into a sustainable business strategy. In 1990s the first initiation towards globalization and economic liberalization were undertaken. Controls and licensing system were partly done away with which gave a boost to the economy the signs of which are very evident today. Increased growth momentum of [citation needed] the economy helped Indian companies grow rapidly and this made them more willing and able to contribute towards social cause. Globalization has transformed India into an important destination in terms of production and manufacturing bases of TNCs are concerned. As Western markets are becoming more and more concerned about and labour and environmental standards in the developing countries, Indian companies who export and produce goods for the developed world need to pay a close attention to compliance with the international [5] standards. \ Current State of CSR in India As discussed above, CSR is not a new concept in India. Ever since their inception, corporates like the Tata Group, the Aditya Birla Group, and Indian Oil Corporation, to name a few, have been involved in serving the community.Through donations and charity events, many other organizations have been doing their part for the society. The basic objective of CSR in these days is to maximize the company's overall impact on the society and stakeholders. CSR policies, practices and programs are being comprehensively integrated by an increasing number of companies throughout their business operations and processes. A growing number of corporates feel that CSR is not just another form of indirect expense but is important for protecting the [6] goodwill and reputation, defending attacks and increasing business competitiveness. Companies have specialized CSR teams that formulate policies, strategies and goals for their CSR programs and set aside budgets to fund them. These programs are often determined by social philosophy which have clear objectives and are well defined and are aligned with the mainsteeam business. The programs are put into practice by the employees who are crucial to this process. CSR programs ranges from community [7] development to development in education, environment and healthcare etc. For example, a more comprehensive method of development is adopted by some corporations such as Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, and Hindustan Unilever Limited. Provision of improved medical and sanitation facilities, building schools and houses, and empowering the villagers and in process making them more self-reliant by providing vocational training and a knowledge of business operations are the facilities that these corporations focus on.Many of the companies are helping other peoples by providing them good standard of living. On the other hand, the CSR programs of corporations like GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals focus on the health aspect of the community. They set up health camps in tribal villages which offer medical check-ups and treatment and undertake health awareness programs. Some of the non-profit organizations which carry out health and education programs in backward areas are to a certain extent funded by such corporations. Also Corporates increasingly join hands with Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and use their expertise in devising programs which address wider social problems. For example, a lot of work is being undertaken to rebuild the lives of the tsunami affected victims. This is exclusively undertaken by SAP India in partnership with Hope Foundation, an NGO that focuses mainly on bringing about improvement in the lives of the poor and needy . The SAP Labs Center of HOPE in Bangalore was started by this venture which looks after the food, clothing, shelter and medical care of street children. CSR has gone through many phases in India. The ability to make a significant difference in the society and improve the overall quality of life has clearly been proven by the corporates. Not one but all corporates

should try and bring about a change in the current social situation in India in order to have an effective and lasting solution to the social woes . Partnerships between companies, NGOs and the government should be facilitated so that a combination of their skills such as expertise, strategic thinking, manpower and money to [8] initiate extensive social change will put the socio-economic development of India on a fast track.

Failure is an opportunity to begin again

Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again. This time more intelligently. The word failure comes up quite a bit in the context of achievement. Why? Well, its because being an achiever is not easy and you are going to fail from time to time, and if youre working at a fast pace, youll probably fail quite frequently. As Hen ry Ford points out in this quote though, if you have the right state of mind, failure simply presents the opportunity to start again, with more data on what does not work. This should make your probability of success at least a bit higher the next time around. Continue like this until you experience success. Always learn from your failures and never, ever give up. Dont be afraid to fail because only through failure do you learn to succeed. Take chances, make mistakes. Thats how you grow. Henry Ford was one of the greatest entrepreneurs in the past few centuries, and you better believe that his life was full of failure. Can you believe that the creator of one of the biggest brands to date, a leader in a billion dollar industry had a C average during his days in grade school? Henry Ford was able to learn from his failures and was able to develop and model systems that are still in use to this day because he recognized the areas that he needed to work on, and actually put forth the effort to improve them, which eventually led to him building such an empire that set up generations of his family for success. What changes do you need to make in your life to get where you desire to be? If you keep using the same tactics and keep achieving the same undesirable results, think about what changes you can make to achieve success right now! Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave. Keep trying and believe in yourself! Sometimes things are beyond our control in certain situations. The opportunity is to learn from this situation, rethink, and start fresh with the wisdom gained. This has happened to both Thomas A. Edison and Henry Ford, as well as many others. It is time to retool, not look back, and move forward. Today is a new day, think and new opportunities await.

To be or not to be
Meaning Is it better to live or to die? He is contemplating life -- to live or not to live. Origin To be or not to be is probably the best-known line from all drama or literature. Certainly, if anyone is asked to quote a line of Shakespeare this is the one that first comes to mind for most people. It is, of course, from Shakespeare's play Hamlet, 1602 (Shakespeare's actual title is - The tragedie of Hamlet, prince of Denmarke): 'To be, or not to be' is the famous quote from hamlet. It bases itself around the human condition and draws into question; Why do we struggle with life if we know inevitably we are going to die (which is the mark of humanity). Hamlet tries to imagine death as eternal sleep (takes away troubles), but even in sleep we are still active through our dreams. Throughout the play the common theme he asks himself is whether or not it is more noble to just put up with the everything or to fight against hardships. In the famous "To be or not to be" soliloquy, Hamlet wonders whether to live or die, given the pain he feels at his father's death/murder, and his mother Gertrude's hasty remarriage to the murderer. In this soliloquy, he wonders if it is nobler to bear his grief, or to take action. His father's ghost has told him what happened and demands revenge. Hamlet has two ways of taking arms against the sea of troubles he faces--commiting murder, or committing suicide. In his belief system, both would lead to eternal damnation. Ay, there's the rub. There's the nightmare that troubles the eternal "sleep" of death. Thoughts of what could happen after death "give us pause". He wonders who would bear the injustice and disappoint-ments of life, knowing suicide would end these. It is the "dread of something after death (that) puzzles the will and makes us rather bear those ills we have/than fly to others that we know not of..." The next line is one of Shakespeare's famous double entendres, full of irony: "Thus conscience does make cowards of us all": conscience is both knowledge and knowledge of right and wrong. He goes on to say that " thus the native hue of resolution/is sicklied over with the pale cast of thought; enterprises ...lose the name of action." This conflict between thought and action is an oft explored theme in this play. It is perhaps too facile to call it procrastination as it is also about the conflict of reason versus rationalization. Finally, catching sight of Ophelia, Hamlet asks (whether or not she hears him) that she remember his sins in her prayers (orisons). As this soliloquy reflects, it seems that everywhere he looks, everything he considers--whether inaction, murder, or suicide--he is doomed. "Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them?" What he's saying is: "Is it better to bear the painful burden of life, or to refuse the burden by killing yourself?" Life is so full of pain ("the whips and scorns of time, the oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, the pangs of despised love"), why do we continue to live when we could just kill ourselves and end the pain ("to die, to sleep, no more, and by a sleep to say we end the heartache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to")? The only thing stopping us is our fear of the unknown, so we choose life over

the risk of possible damnation ("the undiscovered country from which no man returns, puzzles the will, and makes us rather bear those ills we have than fly to others we know not of"). He rationalizes that the reason we are afraid is because we think too much and as a result we fail to act ("thus conscience doth make cowards of us all, and thus the native hue of resolution is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought"). He knows the reason he has yet to take revenge on his uncle is because he thinks instead of acts when he has the opportunity ("and enterprises of great pitch and moment, with this regard their currents turn awry, and lose the name of action").

Freedom and responsibility

Freedom, from an existential perspective, cannot be separated from responsibility. With freedom comes responsibility. Yet, it is common for many people to seek freedom while trying to avoid responsibility. Responsibility and freedom go together. If you don't want to take responsibility, you can't have freedom either. The two come together or they go together. If you shun responsibility, you have to accept slavery in some way or other. Now, you had dreamed about freedom without ever thinking that great responsibility will follow. Freedom you have, but you have not fulfilled the responsibility. Hence, sadness lingers around you. You are absolutely capable of removing this sadness. If you were capable of destroying your slavery, your chains, you are certainly capable of being creative. Freedom means you will have to be responsible for every act, for every breath; whatever you do or don't do, you will be responsible. People are really in deep fear of freedom, although they talk about freedom. But my own experience is: very few people really want freedom ; because they are subconsciously aware that freedom will bring many problems that they are not ready to face. It is better to remain in cozy imprisonment. It is warmer, and what will you do with freedom? Unless you are ready to be a seeker, a searcher, a creator... Very few people want to go on a pilgrimage or to go into deeper silences of the heart, or to take the responsibility of love. The implications are great. You will have to dispel that darkness, otherwise sooner or later you will enter into a prison. You cannot go on burdening yourself with sadness. Before the burden becomes too much and forces you back into slavery, into imprisonment, change the whole situation by being a creative person. Just find out what is your joy in life, what you would like to create, what you would like to be, what you want to be your definition. Freedom is simply an opportunity to find a definition for yourself, a true, authentic individuality, and a joy in making the world around you a little better, a little more beautiful a few more roses, a little more greenery and a few more oases. Madame Blavatsky, founder of the Theosophical Society, used to carry two bags in her hands, always. Either going for a morning walk or travelling in a train those two bags were always in her hands. And she was throwing something out of those bags from the window while sitting in the train onto the side of the train. People would ask, "Why do you do this?" She would say, "This has been my whole life's habit. These are seasonal flower seeds. I may not come back on this route again, but that does not matter. When the season comes and the flowers will blossom, thousands of people who pass every day in this line of railway trains will see those flowers, those colours. They will not know me. That does not matter. "One thing is certain: I am making a few people happy somewhere. That much i know. It does not matter whether they know it or not. What matters is that i have been doing something which will make somebody happy. Some children may come and pluck a few flowers and go home. Some lovers may come and make garlands for each other. And without their knowing, i will be part of their love. And i will be part of the joy of children. And i will be part of those who will be simply passing by the path, seeing the beautiful flowers." (Satchitanand, 14)

Knowledge and wisdom go hand in hand

People tend to think that knowledge and wisdom go hand in hand; meaning that everyone who gets good education and acquires a good deal of knowledge becomes wiser. There is no doubt that knowledge contributes to making people more thoughtful and thus wiser. However, knowledge, just like technology, is a valuable, multi-task tool; it could be used to build houses or destroy villages. Caterpillar bulldozers for example, are used in Dubai and India to build homes and high rise office buildings, while in Palestine they are being used by the Israelis to destroy Palestinian villages and uproot ancient olive trees. This means that what determines the role knowledge plays in societal life is not the quantity or even the quality of knowledge, but the ethics and integrity of the persons who have knowledge and the right to use it. Education is a continuous process through which knowledge is taught and acquired; therefore, schools and universities bear a huge responsibility; they must ensure that people who come to them for education are taught not only how to acquire and retain knowledge , but also how to use it to help improve the quality of societal life, not to harm others or destroy life. The learning process starts at home as children are raised and continues at schools; parents, teachers and educators share the responsibility for teaching children and young men and women how to be responsible citizens. In addition, the way traditions are practiced, and how laws are enforced and perceived by the public contributes to shaping peoples values and attitudes. Knowledge without ethics and the right attitudes is knowledge either wasted, or left to harm rather than help people. The 2008 -2009 financial and economic crises have demonstrated that smart people with advanced management degrees used their knowledge to invent new financial

products that no one understood, and use them to cheat people, manipulate the poor and old , deceive governments, and enrich themselves at everyones expense. While many of the talented computer experts are using their brains to develop new programs to make our computers more efficient and easy to use, some of them are using their knowledge to develop computer viruses to destroy peoples lives. Knowledge does help people become wiser in managing their affairs and using the knowledge they have to benefit themselves and others; wisdom, meanwhile leads people to appreciate the value of knowledge which encourages them to acquire more of it. So, knowledge and wisdom do go hand in hand, but neither guarantees that the other will behave responsibly. Nonetheless, the more knowledge people acquire, the wiser they tend to become; and the wiser people become, the more knowledge they tend to acquire. However, the best way to use knowledge is to share it with others; while some might use what is offered to them to harm others, the majority will use knowledge to generate social benefits that will eventually reach millions of people Worldwide and contribute to making our world a better one for all. Knowledge vs Wisdom Knowledge, to me, is the learning of actual facts. Its the experiences you gain as you go through life. You learn what works and what doesnt work. Wisdom, to me, is the application of the above mentioned knowledge. You have gained a lot of life experience when youre older and can apply what you learned to base your actions on. You can better decide what is right and wrong. You have advice you can share with someone with less life experience to help them make a decision. So in conclusion, I think knowledge and wisdom go hand-in-hand. I think we all have both in varying degrees. Now, the ability to actually apply the knowledge we gain in a useful manner is another story. What is wisdom and what is knowledge? In order to understand what those are, a distinction must be drawn between the two. q1. Is wisdom more valuable than knowledge or vice versa? q2. How does wisdom differ from knowledge? One learns about a specific subject and grows wiser about what one learns. But we don't call a cook that is learned in a subject of making food a wise cook. I understand that we can call a man wise generally and not by the virtue of mastery of a specific art one is experienced in. I will answer my own questions as detailed as possible: q1: Is wisdom more valuable than knowledge or vice versa? Knowledge is valuable when the subject of that knowledge is applicable in a certain situation which requires that knowledge. A specialist narrows down the knowledge of his subject to the point that he knows many aspects of his very limited subject. So in the end it could be said that he knows everything about nothing. Wisdom, among other things, is a virtue which enables the one who posses it to live life in harmony with oneself and others, which is the same as being beneficial to oneself and beneficial to others. It is also the knowledge of life. Which is, to narrow it down, the understanding of human condition. A wise man knows himself and through that understanding knows others(or knows by which principles human behavior is governed). So to answer my own question: I am convinced that understanding of oneself(wisdom) is more important than understanding of external subject (knowledge). q2:How does wisdom differ from knowledge? Knowledge is directed towards a specific, concrete phenomena or entity. Wisdom is, on the other hand, directed towards a universal underlying principle which governs specific entities and phenomena which requires abstraction from specifics. Or, to put it shortly, one who has knowledge understands specific thing, entity or phenomena, while one who has wisdom understands an abstract principle by which specific things, entities and phenomena are governed. And it really makes sense to me, since philosophy is "Love of Wisdom" we all in one way or another are gaining understanding of general principles in order to comprehend things from outside world objectively and adequately. What I want to ask, to put it in a nutshell, is do you agree with these premises and if not can you explain why and, preferably, answer these two questions in an accessible manner(that being q1 and q2)? Or give your own explanation of what is knowledge and, whats more important to me, what is wisdom.

Democracy and India

Democracy is a form of government in which people are governed by their own elected representatives. It is a government of the people, for the people and by the people. In this system of government, it is the people who are supreme and sovereign. They control the government. They are free to elect a government of their own choice. Freedom of choice is the core of democracy. Democracy existed in ancient Greek and Roman republics but with little success. It had very little scope in ancient India. Democracy entered its golden stage in he twentieth century. Many countries in the world today follow the democratic form of government. Democracy depends on the following conditions (i) coexistence of ideas and of parties; (ii) the right to free discussion; (iii) universal adult suffrage; and (iv) periodic elections.

Indian is the largest democracy in the world. The Constitution of Indian was enforced on 26 January, 1950. It ushered in the age pf democracy. India became a democratic republic infused with the spirit of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. The Preamble, the Directive Principles of State Policy and the Fundamental Rights reflect the Indian ideology as well as the caste, creed, religion, property, or sex have the right to cast their vote. After and election, the majority party or coalition forms the government and its leader become the Prime Minister. Political parties are the vehicles of ideas. Parties act as the bridge between social thought and political decision in democracy. The Indian politics system is a multiparty system. However, gradually politics has become a game of opportunism and corruption. Most political parties are only interested in coming to power. Every party adopts different caste politics. Some try to influence the people thought caste politics. Some try to raise the religious sentiments of the people. The Indian ideology today is replaced by caste and religion. We enjoy every right in theory, but not in practice. real democracy will come into being only when the masses are awakened and take part in the economic and political life of the country. There is inequality in every sphere- social, economic and political. Illiteracy is the main cause of inequality. The illiterate masses get easily lured by money during such an event. Also some of our legislators have criminal records against them. The people who make the laws themselves break them. Even after more than sixty years of Independence, one forth of the population today goes to bed with an empty stomach, live below the poverty line without access to safe and clean drinking water, sanitation or proper health facilities. Governments have come and gone, politics have been framed and implemented, crores of rupees have been spent, yet many people are still struggling for existence. Casteism today is more pronounced that it even was. Untouchability remains abolished only in theory with frequent newspapers reports of Dalits being denied entry to temples or other public places. Violence has been taken a serious turn in country, Bandhs, strikes and terrorist activities have become a common affair. Every sphere of national life is corrupted. Our democracy is capitalistic. Here, the rich exploit the poor who have no voice or share in the democratic structure. For a successful democracy, all these need to be checked. But India, as a democratic country, has progressed in many aspects. It has archived self-sufficiency in food grains as a result of the green revolution. People vote for change whenever a government fails to come up to the expectations of the people. India has been a successful democratic country only because the people are law-abiding, self-disciplined and have the sense of social and moral responsibilities. For a democracy to be fully successful, the electorate should be literate and politically conscious. They should be fully aware of their rights and privileges. The illiterate masses of India should be given education so that they can sensibly vote for the right leaders. The U.S.A, Britain, Germany and Japan are successful democratic countries and gave progressed in every sphere because the masses are literate. There should be quality in every sphere of life. The politicians should also respect the true sprit of democracy. They should refrain from corruption caste and communal politics. The citizens should elect leaders with good moral values and integrity. People should be guided to choose their representatives. They should not be influenced by anyone in this respect. Individuals should learn tolerance and compromise and understand that freedom in not unbridled but dependent on not harming another individual's well being. Democracy demands from the common man a certain level of ability and character, like rational conducts, an intelligent understanding of public affair, independed justice and unselfish devotion to public interest. People should not allow communalism, separatism, casteism, terrorism, etc to raise their heads. They are a threat to democracy. The government, the NGOs and the people together should work collectively for the economic development of the nation. Changes should come through peaceful, democratic and constitutional means. The talented youth of today should be politically educated so that they can become effective leaders of tomorrow. Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States of America, aptly defined democracy as a government of the people, by the people and for the people. This definition clearly underlines the basic tenet that, in this- form of government, people are supreme Apart from political it is social also. It envisages not only a democratic form of government but a society in which there is free exchange of ideas and each individual enjoys the same status in society. Indian democracy model is different than other democracies all over the world. Most successful democracies are prosperous with a single dominant language and religion. This separates India from others. A nation federally consisting of 28 states and 7 union territories, with a population over 1 billion and diverse in race, region, caste & language demands a greater share & better distribution of resources and autonomy making it more difficult to govern.

India's democratic record suggests that two related sets of political processes have guided the management of power post 1947. First, a delicate balance had to be struck between forces of centralization and decentralization. And second, the interests of the powerful & weaker sections in society had to be served without bias. Such guidance has been provided by wise and intellectual leaders like Jawarhlal Nehru, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Lal Bahadur Shastri & BR Ambedkar. Their leadership lead India and helped the transition to take place successfully It is their policies that have helped run the biggest democracy in the world, with a population of over one billion. India, a union of states, is a sovereign socialist, secular, democratic, republic, with a parliamentary system of government. The republic is governed in terms of the Constitution, which came into force on 26 January, 1950. During the past fifty-three years there have been regular elections to the Parliament and state legislatures. This reflects the maturity and wisdom of the Indian electorate, in whom the ultimate power and sovereignty rests. With the passage of time, Indian voters have become more assertive and active as regards their participation in the process of democracy. The turnout of Indian voters has significantly increased during the past elections. Indian democracy has been quite successful and its future seems quite bright. The Indian voters have exercised their right to vote fearlessly and judiciously. Free, fair and fearless elections are one of the basic pre-conditions for the success of this democracy. http://www.shareyouressays.com/966/1330-words-essay-on-democracy-in-india

Leaders must be followers first

In the twenty-first-century organization, all leaders must learn to follow if they are to successfully lead. . . . Leaders at all levels and in all situations must pay close attention to situations in which their most effective option is to follow not because the hierarchy demands they obey, but because performance requires them to rely on the capacities and insights of other people. Leadership is an elusive quality and like so many characteristics of the outstanding human being, very difficult to describe. I think each of us has his own definition of leadership and what makes a good leader. In my opinion, a good leader is one who, first of all, has been a good follower, one who has proven oneself able to take instructions, able to subordinate ones will to the will of others who have assumed the responsibility of leadership, able to make constructive comments and debate issues when necessary and able to stand up for the principles in which one believes. Having done this one can be called a good follower and begins to qualify for leadership although, I must say, not all good followers make good leaders. There are some people who are marvelous as choir singers but terrible as choir directors. Many of us are excellent followers but not all of us are good leaders. To be a good leader, I believe one has to know where he is going, needs to understand what purposes and objectives are to be reached, needs to cling to those purposes and objectives and never compromise with the truth. Now there are times when he may have to bend a little, yield a little, but he always keeps a clear vision of the ultimate goal that he and his group wish to attain, and he dedicates himself totally and completely to achieving that goal ethically. A leader has to be one so dedicated to the highest principles of the cause for which he or she is working that he never deviates therefrom, never allows himself to be distracted, never allows himself to become complacent, lazy, slothful or careless in his operation. A good leader is one who is slow to judge others, quick to evaluate and criticize himself in order that he might benefit from his own self analysis and improve himself constantly. A good leader is one who listens to constructive criticism and who hears honest complaints and evaluates them with good judgment in order that he might apply that which is positive and affirmative to the attainment of the goals to which he is dedicated. A good leader is one who remembers that without followers he has no one to lead; therefore, he shows respect for his followers. A good leader is one who never loses sight of the fact that it is his followers who make him a leader for it is his followers who give him the impetus and the impact that he carries. A good leader is one who is willing to give up his life and his wealth if the cause is lofty enough, if the principles are high enough and if the stakes are meaningful enough. A good leader as I started to say before knows where he is going so that he does not mislead his people. If a leader knows where he is going he knows his followers have confidence in his ability to lead them. A good leader must know where he is going and must under-stand how he is going to get there, be able to give clear directions to those who are following in order that he might inspire confidence in those who are following him.So what does a great follower look like? I would suggest great followers share at least five characteristics: 1. They are clear. They understand their role. You cant be a good follower unless you have clearly identified the leader. While you may be a leader in your own realm, everyone has a boss including you. Great followers not only accept this fact but embrace it. 2. They are obedient. While obedience may be a politically incorrect concept, it is essential for organizational effectiveness. No one should be allowed to give orders who cant obey orders. This is how great leaders model to their own followers the standards of acceptable behavior.

3. 4. 5.

They are servants. This is crucial. Great followers are observant. They notice what needs to be done to help the leader accomplish his or her goals. Then they do it joyfully, without grumbling or complaining. They are humble. Great followers dont make it about them. They are humble. They shine the light on the leader. They make their own boss look goodespecially in front of his or her boss. They are loyal. I have written on this before. Great followers never speak ill of their boss in public. This doesnt mean they cant disagree or even criticize. It just means that they dont do it in public. Great followers understand that public loyalty leads to private influence.

Inter linking of rivers as a solution to water problems

In India water crisis is an acute problem. India is facing water crises in many parts of the country despite that it has adequate water in order to meet the growing demand and needs of the increasing population ,as india is 2nd largest populated countries and soon india waill beat China by 2050.And the growing population is putting a great strain on wter resources.India is one of the rapidly growing economy and has a large agricultural sector makes India supply of water even thinner. The aim behing interlinking of rivers is that if rivers are interlinking is that water is transferred from surplus river to defict river and in this way the rivers having surplus water will also be prevented from various disasters.The idea of interlinking is no knew as during the mughal period the yamuna and agra canal were constructed.In this way water from these canals came from himalyas and made available to various states like Punjab,Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. And it will be easy for generation Of electricity(hydroelectricity)in many parts of india,navigation and flood prevention.India has also designed NRLP(National River Linking Project). Interlinking of rivers will solve the water crisis in India as some regions are scarce but safety measures should be adopted so that it should not lead flooding. Water, one of the most valuable free gift of nature and part and parcel of life saving gas oxygen, is the life and blood of all creatures of earth without which none can survive. Water, as referred in Vedas and other socio-economic documents, consists of ecological, biological, geological, social, physical, religious, political and cultural values. Today, water scarcity has emerged as global problem consequently, more informed approach is being recognised and articulated all over the globe. India has been facing acute water crises despite its adequacy with growing needs on account of rapid population growth, economic development, pollution and climatic changes. She has been the victim of recurring floods and droughts in maximum part of its geographical areas. Thus, for the permanent solution of severe and recurring droughts and floods and scarcity of drinking water the connectivity of Indian rivers has been suggested as quite essential. Keeping in view the various issues like environmental, social, economic, political and inter-state conflicts, International conflicts of rivers water sharing etc., the interlinking of rivers in India is the only solution. The idea behind river interlinking is based on the fact that an enormous amount of water from rivers flows into the sea. It is envisaged that if this is prevented and water is transferred from water surplus rivers deficit, there will be adequate supply of water for everyone in every part of the country. The concept of river interlinking is not new because, during the tenure of Mughal the Yamuna and Agra Canal was constructed. Through these canals the water from Himalaya is made available to Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Three states recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the issue of interlinking of rivers, said Union Minister for Water Resources and Parliamentary Affairs Pawan Kumar Bansal while addressing a seminar on "Water conservation and management" organised by the PHD Chamber here today. Giving details, he said the states, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, had agreed to work out modalities concerning management of water resources in their states. Expecting 20 per cent increase in the efficiency in utilisation of water resources after inter-linking; he said the Union Government was also chalking out plans for other identified interlinking points. The minister said the present proposal envisaged 30 links, including 16 peninsular and 14 Himalayan links, which were identified by the National Water Development Agency. Due to international compulsions, the Union Government was facing problems in proceeding with the river inter-linking project as regards points identified in the Himalayan region, he added. He said efficiency in water use was mere 40 per cent in India, while it was around 60 per cent in many other countries. Changing lifestyles of the people had put a lot of pressure on water resources and hence there was a need to make the masses aware about the need of water conservation, he added. Managing water resources wisely is very important for India and her increasing population. Pros analysis that some regions in India have surplus water and others are deficient is also correct. In theory, river water linking can provide a nice solution. Problems emerge when we look into the details of proposals available today. The major proposal today is for National River Linking Project (NRLP) [1]. If implemented this would b e the worlds largest river interlinking project. There are huge economic, ecological and social costs associated with this project whose costs are unknown beyond vague estimates. Given the poor track record of Indian bureaucracy - any attempt at implementation is doomed to gigantic delays, cost overruns, massive corruption and poor standard of construction. As it turns out, better and simpler alternatives exist to river linking for meeting our future water needs. Cost makes NRLP impractical: We dont really know how much it will cost. As per 2002 estimates, it is going to cost around $122 billion [2]. This is merely back of the envelope estimate which excludes cost of land acquisitions and rehabilitation of displaced people. To put this figure in perspective, Indias GDP is around $1850 billion in 2011 *3+. Annual revenue

(not profit) of Indian Railways was $20 billion in 2012 [4]. We cannot really afford to spend $122 billion just because it looks like a good idea. We need detailed technical feasibility stu dy (which we dont have) and detailed cost -benefit analysis before we commit any money. All of us know the records of Indian bureaucracy in implementing large projects. Last years Commonwealth Games were originally expected to cost $306 million. The final cost was $2.2 billion [5]. The $122 billion budget would definitely be genesis of a million scams. Massive unaddressed problems linked to river interlinking: Environmental impact: The project envisages construction of over 80 dams [6]. The environmental impact (which is likely to be huge) is totally unknown. Construction of dams is likely to submerge large tracts of forest land and displace large number of people. Many other environmental problems like soil erosion are related to dams [7] Social Impact: Large amount of land needs to be acquired for construction of canals. Our record in providing compensation and rehabilitation to people affected by large public projects is extremely poor. No assessment of the cost of rehabilitation of people affected by such projects is known. Better alternatives exist: There are better alternatives to river-linking projects available for us to explore. Desalination of water is becoming inexpensive and practical. Cost of treating sea water is estimated to be $1/m3 for seawater and $0.5/m3 for seawater. These costs are estimated to fall further with development of better technology. Many countries (notably Saudi Arabia) already depend on this solution [8]. We are currently wasting huge amount of water through poor efficiency in irrigation. Better water management can bring down the demand for water India is faced with poor water supply services, farmers and urban dwellers have resorted to helping themselves by pumping out ground water through tube-wells. It has led to rapidly declining water tables and critically depleted aquifers, and is no longer sustainable. Thus the need to enhance our water-storage capacity has aroused, as we suffer the most from the vagaries of the monsoon. Rivers in India today are a major source of water especially for portable drinking water and irrigation. River-linking project, alongside a chain of water-conservation projects, would offer a solution to the water scarcity problem. Inter-Linking River Programs are relevant with overgrowing water scarcity problem as they will transfer water from surplus to water deficit areas in the country. It will help the people living in drought-prone zones and also people living in flood-prone areas from the destruction caused by floods In India, they have been many river inter link projects sanctioned but in most cases their implementation is negligible. Projects like Ken-Betwa involving Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh and Parbati-Kalisindi-Chambal of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh are examples. Several interstate disputes, focusing on water-sharing arrangements are not resolved ahead of implementing the project. Drought prone/ water scare regions in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan & Uttar Pradesh need effective implementation of such projects on a urgent basis. (Development update) A major river link project was popular with the NDA government 2002. In Feb 2012, Supreme Court, directed the Centre to implement the ambitious interlinking of rivers project. The project aims to link 30 major rivers. It will also involve diverting the Ganges and the Brahmaputra two of Indias biggest rivers. The project requires the construction of large dams within India, Nepal and Bhutan, and international agreements with these countries

Inter linking of rivers ecological disaster

You would be shocked if someone told you that the apex court has recently directed the central government to redefine the geography of India. This made no 'breaking news' on television but this is exactly what the court has directed. Yes, this is the precise implication of the court directive asking the centre to implement the project to interlink Indian rivers - the grandiose plan which had been lying in cold storage for many years. In both its original shape when it was conceived several decades ago and in its resurrected form during the NDA regime, the project starts with a map of India with rivers marked in blue, decides that all the rivers need to be linked, and then talks of modalities of joining all the blue lines with a red pen. Once all the rivers are linked up as part of this grand design, then the map of India would certainly look different and we will have to change Indian maps in all our geography text books. It is this plan of re-engineering India's geography that the court has put its seal on and wants the government to implement because, in its opinion, it is in 'national interest'. The ecological, economic and social costs of interlinking rivers are going to be enormous. All these concerns were articulated during the public debate that took place when the NDA government wanted to push this project as a 'nationalist' dream a decade ago. The interlinking would involve about 30 large projects and construction of 80 dams all over the country. Just imagine the ecological devastation it would cause in different parts of the country. There is no estimation as yet of how much it would cost,

but one can say it certainly has all ingredients of giving rise to a million scams. All this apart, the project goes against basic tenets of sustainable development as it solely focuses on traditional approach of supply-side response to a projected or imagined demand. A group of concerned experts and individuals have appealed to the court to reconsider its judgment. They argue that the idea of transferring flood waters to arid or drought-prone areas is flawed because there will be hardly any flood-moderation and the project would not benefit drylands in any case. Arguing that water from 'surplus' basins needs to be transferred to 'deficit' ones is unscientific. When you say a river is 'surplus' you are ignoring multiple purposes that it serves as it flows through different regions before joining the sea. Similarly the concept of a 'deficit' river is largely based on 'demands' on its waters due to wasteful uses. The group has suggested a rational approach - careful, economical, conflict-free and sustainable intra-basin management rather than inter-basin transfers. This is very important, given the fact that river water disputes between states as well as with neighbouring countries are already a political problem. Some states have expressed their concerns over interlinking. Proponents of the interlinking project ignore all such ground realities. 'Rivers are not pipelines' - the group says while arguing against creation of a national water grid. Any rationally thinking person would fully endorse this view because rivers are lifelines. They support the whole ecosystem. They are not mere carriers of water. The current crisis has become an opportunity for the short-sighted to dust off long-forgotten proposals that will create a different and gigantic set of human, ecological and economic problems. Linking the Ganga, the Cauvery and all the rivers in between from the north to the south is the most extreme of these proposals. Another idea is to connect the three main rivers in the South the Godavari, the Krishna and the Cauvery so that all of peninsular India can share their waters. This proposal is rooted in a mindset which believes that the only way to tackle the problem is to find and use water wherever it might be and whatever the negative consequences. A project to connect the peninsular rivers will be a human disaster that will rival Mohammed-bin-Tughlak's experiment at shifting his capital from Delhi to Daulatabad. It will be a disaster because while there is enough water if we care to use it carefully, there is never enough if our only approach is to use more and more of it. The causes of the Cauvery crisis lie in the second approach. Farmers in the Thanjavur delta insist on growing three crops all of water-intensive paddy. The farmers in Mandya want to harness the Cauvery not to protect their agriculture with irrigation, but to cultivate another water-intensive crop, sugarcane. Similar examples of irrational and wasteful uses of water can be found elsewhere. The expansion of paddy cultivation in Punjab has led to a depletion of groundwater resources, so too sugarcane in Maharashtra. Connect the rivers, spread the waters, dry areas will become irrigated, farmers will use their new bounty to grow water-intensive crops that are not suited to local soils and indiscriminate irrigation will become the norm. It will then be a question of time before water shortages develop all over again and the intensity of today's conflicts is multiplied a thousand fold. Connecting the rivers is an engineer's dream. But it will be a disaster because the gigantic project, which will take decades if not a century to complete, will cause massive human displacement. The construction of dams and the excavation of thousands of kilometres of canals will make villages disappear, flood towns and cut through millions of hectares of agricultural land. It will uproot millions, the number exceeding the population shifts of Partition. This mammoth project will be another kind of disaster as well because as its cost runs into hundreds of thousands, the only beneficiaries will be the civil contractors and the political distributors of largesse who will become crorepatis many times over. History no doubt tells us that the only security agriculture can have comes from irrigation. This is the story of the Cauvery delta, 19th Century irrigation in eastern Uttar Pradesh and the early 20th Century canal networks of Punjab. But history also tells us that a blind faith in irrigation leads to over-exploitation of water resources and destroys the soils. This is the lesson as well from Punjab and U.P. where water-logging has caused salinity and rendered millions of hectares of good land infertile. Another recent lesson is that poor economic policy has pushed farmers to grow crops that consume more natural resources than are available and encouraged those with access to water to monopolise this most basic of resources. A degree of transportation of water over long distances will always be essential, especially for drinking purposes. But science now tells us that it is possible to carefully harvest the resources we have and to grow crops that use a minimum of water. There is enough water available, but only if we know how to use it efficiently. Even if a way is found to ship the immense glaciers of Antarctica to India, there will never be enough water if we can only think of consuming more and more of it. Because we have become incapable of thinking differently of using water carefully, equitably and economically we can only think of grandiose projects that feed our notions of grandeur. That is why the Cauvery crisis seems beyond solution and that is also why connecting the peninsular rivers will be the biggest human, economic and ecological disaster of independent India. Rivers in India today are a major source of water especially for portable drinking water and irrigation. River-linking project, alongside a chain of water-conservation projects, would offer a solution to the water scarcity problem. Inter-Linking River Programs are relevant with overgrowing water scarcity problem as they will transfer water from surplus to water deficit areas in the country. It will help the people living in

drought-prone zones and also people living in flood-prone areas from the destruction caused by floods. Since 2002 when NDA conceived the popular inter link project, it was still pending till the Supreme Court recently directed the Centre to implement the ambitious interlinking of rivers project. The project aims to link 30 major rivers. It will also involve diverting the Ganges and the Brahmaputra two of Indias biggest rivers. The project requires the construction of large dams within India, Nepal and Bhutan, and international agreements with these countries However the ecological, economic and social costs of such a project would be enormous. Challenges such as land acquisition, pollution and the environmental impact of large dams that may have make it unviable. For example, the enormous displacement that the Three Gorges Dam project in China effected http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_inter-linking-of-rivers-dangerous-exercise-says-medhapatkar_1752423 http://www.firstpost.com/india/the-many-dangers-of-interlinking-rivers249260.htmlhttp://www.rediff.com/news/column/why-inter-linking-of-rivers-is-notpossible/20120309.htm

Pollution and Economic Development

On a global scale, toxic cleanup gets very little attention. India, which harbors several polluted hotspots, is beginning to realize that cleanup is key to continued economic development good for business, good for people. Pollution has serious implications for economic growth and welfare because of its impact on health, resource depletion, and natural calamities linked to climate change. There are two major groups of policy instruments for achieving pollution reduction: regulatory and market based economic instruments. Regulatory instruments prescribe emission standards or effluent limits. These require considerable information and involve significant administrative costs for implementation and monitoring. Market based instruments include taxes, subsidies, and trading instruments. In comparison with the regulatory policies, market based instruments may be able to reduce the costs of achieving a given level of environmental protection through incentives.

Environmental Concerns in India:

The main forms of pollution are atmospheric pollution, land degradation and soil pollution, water pollution, and noise pollution. The main sources of atmospheric pollution are: (a) combus tion of fuels to produce energy for heating and power generation in the household and industrial sectors; (b) exhaust emissions from the transport vehicles that use petrol, diesel oil, etc., and (c) Waste gases, Dust and heat from many Industrial sites including chemical manufacturers and electrical power generating stations. Three main Pollutants of ambient air quality are Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Particulate Matter. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) contribute towards the greenhouse gas emission inventory in India. The main water pollutants are effluents and discharges from industries. The main land and soil pollutants are fertilizers and pesticides. In most of the Indian cities, the annual average concentrations of respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) and suspended particulate matter (SPM) reflecting presence of particulate matter exceed the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (see Figure 1). The reasons for high particulate matter levels are vehicles, engine gensets, small scale industries, biomass incineration, boilers and emission from power plants, suspension of traffic dust, and commercial and domestic use of fuels.

The educated Indian and national commitment

Every one of us has a set priorities in which education is on the top of the list. After getting high education we need a good job with a good package. We spend our whole life in making and fulfilling a want list. While juggling between all these, we do not have time to think about the country. How can we commit ourselves to the nation then? There are number of people who understand their responsibilities towards the nation and many just dont care. For - Education opens up many avenues for the people. After getting highly educated most of the Indians desire to go abroad for high salary and luxurious life. - Our country needs them the most as we are a developing country and need them for development of our country. - Educated people forget that they will never get the status they would get in their own country. - Millions of rupees are spent on their education and when it is their time to repay it to their country they go out. - In India, the number of people is increasing who are emigrating for further studies and settle down there with a good job. - People who want a hassle free life also plan to go abroad.

- They are busy with their own lives, in making money, making a good career for themselves. Against - People go out for better jobs but this doesnt mea n that they are not loyal to their countries. - They are making their country proud by working overseas. - They are the reason that India could be connected globally and is making significant progress in the global market. - Most of the Indians transfer their hard earned foreign currency to their banks in India - increasing the flow of foreign capital in the country. - The educated Indians earning big salaries are the biggest payers of income taxes to the government - contributing to the overall development of country. - Education makes a person more responsible for himself and for his nation. The Indians are more committed towards their country and its people. They are very much aware of the situations in which they are living and how they are affecting them and the nation. The coming generation is coming in front to take India to a new level of success. A responsible citizen should not ask what the country has given to me rather he should question himself - what have I given to the country? Advertising and the consumer Marketers need to understand the buying behaviour of consumers while designing their advertisements for the desired impact. Advertisements play an essential role in creating an image of a product in the minds of consumers. Advertisements must be catchy and communicate relevant information to consumers. Understanding the needs of the consumer is really important when it comes to creating the right advertisement for the right audience. Remember it is only through advertisements; individuals are able to connect with your brand. Identify your target audience. The advertisement in some way must touch the hearts of the end-users for them to buy the product. It is really essential to show what the consumers like . Meet your target audience and find out what they expect from your product and brand on the whole. Do not show anything which might offend any religious group or community. Make sure the message is relevant and crisp. Overload of information nullifies the effect and the advertisement might go unnoticed. Dont try to confuse the consumers. They will never buy your product. Understand their psychologies well. The advertisement must show what the product is all about. It should, in a way give some kind of information about its price, benefits, usage, availability and so on. Consumers perceive Women Horlics as a health and energy drink which is a must for all working women as well as expecting mothers for their overall well -being. A Horlics advertisement with a male model does not make sense as the target audience would never be able to connect with the product. A lean and inactive office going female drinking Womens Horlics and thereafter beaming with energy and confidence would be the ideal concept for the advertisement. Through advertisements, the company actually tries to win over the confidence of consumers who would not mind spending on their product. A Tag Heuer, Omega, Mercedes, I phone advertisement ought to be classy for people to recognize these products as status symbols. Use expensive props, unique concepts and well known faces for all premium and exclusive brands. Advertisements meant for younger people (college goers, young professionals) ought to be colourful and trendy for them to be able to relate themselves with the product. Serious advertisements do not go very well with the youngsters. It is essential to understand the mindsets, attitudes and preferences of target audience. Advertisements for insurance plans, medical benefits, hospitals ought to be sensible as they convey much serious information and target a mature segment of individuals altogether. The time slot of commercials also needs to be taken care of . Advertisements for products meant for children should ideally be aired during afternoon or early evening hours as this is the time when they watch maximum television. Understand the lifestyle of your target audience. Prime time commercials are the ones which are viewed by maximum people. Choose the right theme for your advertisement. The advertisements ought to create the need among the consumers for them to buy the product. Commercials ought to give complete information to the consumers. All tobacco and alcohol commercials must show the warning message.

Intellectual bankruptcy in politics

Political leaders in India, educational background has led to a void in intellectual Leaders handling portfolios beyond and other than their qualifications Need for intellect by policy makers and politicians in policy framing, a system. Growth, Prosperity and Morality goes hand in hand. Hope India carries its virtue and values while its poised to be major player in the world economy.Being the largest democracy on Earth, India can start by embracing morality the rest will follow. But it seems nothing is working for my India , thing are running out of control or I would say things are getting worst . If some one is trying to get some thing right , then politically opposition will try to pull legs .

When world is fighting with recession and using economic reforms to get out this problem and stay in power ,but Indian political parties are still using cast , religion like games to stay in Power .

Malala Yousafzai - candidate for Nobel Peace prize

Malala is the ideal candidate: Her work Relevance of her work admist the risky environment in her country Award will boost her initiative. Malala Yousafzai (born 12 July 1997)[2][4] is a Pakistani school pupil and education activist from the town of Mingora in the Swat District of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and the youngest nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize in history.[10][11] She is known for her education and women's rights activism in the Swat Valley, where the Taliban had at times banned girls from attending school.[4][5] In early 2009, at the age of 11/12, Yousafzai wrote a blog under a pseudonym for the BBC detailing her life under Taliban rule, their attempts to take control of the valley, and her views on promoting education for girls.[12] The following summer, a New York Times documentary[4] was filmed about her life as the Pakistani military intervened in the region, culminating in the Second Battle of Swat.[13] Yousafzai began to rise in prominence, giving interviews in print and on television[14] and taking a position as chairperson of the District Child Assembly Swat.[15] She has since been nominated for the International Children's Peace Prize by Desmond Tutu[16] and the Nobel Peace Prize. She is the winner of Pakistan's first National Youth Peace Prize.[5] On 9 October 2012, Yousafzai was shot in the head and neck in an assassination attempt by Taliban gunmen while returning home on a school bus.[17] In the days immediately following the attack, she remained unconscious and in critical condition,[18] but later her condition improved enough for her to be sent to a hospital in the United Kingdom for intensive rehabilitation. On 12 October, a group of 50 Islamic clerics in Pakistan issued a fatw against those who tried to kill her,*19+ but the Taliban reiterated its intent to kill Yousafzai and her father, Ziauddin.[20] BBC blogger At the beginning of 2009, Yousafzai had a chance to write for BBC Urdu when her father, Ziauddin, was asked by Abdul Hai Kakkar, a BBC reporter out of Pakistan, if any women at his school would write about life under the Taliban. At the time, Taliban militants led by Maulana Fazlullah were taking over the Swat Valley, banning television, music, girls education,*28+ and women from going shopping At first, a girl named Aisha from her father's school agreed to write a diary, but then the girl's parents stopped her from doing it because they feared Taliban reprisals. The only alternative was Yousafzai, four years younger than the original volunteer, and in seventh grade at [29] [28] the time. Editors at the BBC unanimously agreed. It is unclear whether Yousafzai or her father first suggested that she write for the BBC. We had been covering the violence and politics in Swat in detail but we didnt know much about how ordinary people lived under the Taliban, Mirza Waheed, the former editor of BBC Urdu, said. [28] Because they were concerned about Yousafzai's safety, BBC editors insisted that she use a pseudonym. Her blog [30] would be published under the byline "Gul Makai" ("corn flower" in Urdu), a name taken from a character in a Pashtun folktale On 3 January 2009, Yousafzai's first entry was posted to the BBC Urdu blog that would later make [28] her famous. She would hand-write notes and then pass them on to a reporter who would scan and e-mail them. The blog captures Yousafzai's troubled psychological state during the First Battle of Swat, as military operations take place, fewer girls show up to school, and finally, her school shuts down. In Mingora, the Taliban had set an edict that [28] no girls could attend school after 15 January 2009. They had already blown up more than a hundred girls schools. In the days leading up to the ban, Yousafzai's school principal had instructed her not to wear school uniforms anymore, but rather plain clothes that would not attract attention. Instead, Yousafzai wrote in her blog, "I decided to wear my favourite pink dress. Other girls in school were also wearing colourful dresses and the school presented a [12] homely look." The night before the ban took effect was filled with the noise of artillery fire, waking Yousafzai multiple times. The following morning, she woke up late, but afterwards her friend came over and they discussed homework as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. That day, Yousafzai also read for the first time excerpts from her blog that had been published in a local newspaper. Her father, Ziauddin, recalled that someone had come up to him with the diary saying how wonderful it was, but he could only smile and not tell them it was actually [12] written by his daughter. Banned from school After the ban, the Taliban continued to destroy schools in the area. On 19 January, Yousafzai wrote "Five more schools have been destroyed, one of them was near my house. I am quite surprised, because these [33] schools were closed so why did they also need to be destroyed?" But Yousafzai did not stop thinking about her education. Five days later in her blog, she wrote about studying for her exams: "Our annual exams are due after the vacations but this will only be possible if the Taliban allow girls to go to school. We were told to prepare certain [33] chapters for the exam but I do not feel like studying." She also criticizes the Pakistani military's operations many times. Helicopters of Pakistan military dropped toffees, but it did not last long. "Whenever we hear the choppers flying we run out and wait for the toffees but it does not happen anymore", Yousafzai wrote on 26 January. Two days later, Yousafzai traveled to Islamabad with her parents, but despite the havoc of the Swat Valley, she could not resist making comparisons: "It is my first visit to the city. Its beautiful with nice bungalows and wide roads. But as [33] compared to my Swat city it lacks natural beauty". After Islamabad, the family traveled to Peshawar, where they

stayed briefly with relatives. Yousafzai writes about her five-year-old brother who was playing in the lawn. Her father asked him what he was doing, and he replied "I am making a grave". The war was taking a toll on both her brothers. On the road to Bannu their bus hit a pothole, waking her 10-year-old brother, who asked their mother, "Was it a [33] bomb blast?" In Bannu, where women customarily wear veils, Yousafzai "refused to wear one on the grounds that [33] I found it difficult to walk with it on". By February 2009, Yousafzai was back in Swat, but girls' schools were still closed. In solidarity, private schools for boys had decided not to open until 9 February, and notices appeared saying [33] so. But no such notices had been displayed outside girls' schools. On 7 February, Yousafzai and a brother returned to their hometown of Mingora, where the streets were deserted, and there was an "eerie silence". "We went to supermarket to buy a gift for our mother but it was closed, whereas earlier it used to remain open till late. Many [33] other shops were also closed", she writes in her blog. Their home was burgled and their television stolen. Precarious peace After boys' schools reopened, the Taliban lifted restrictions on girls' primary education, where there was co-education. Girls-only schools were still closed. Yousafzai wrote that only 70 pupils out of 700 pupils who [33] were enrolled attended. On 9 February, Yousafzai's maid mentioned that the situation in Swat had become very precarious and that her husband told her to go back to Attock. Yousafzai went on to write about it thoughtfully in her blog. As some of her daily routines began to return to normal, Yousafzai wrote more about her home life, in which one can gain insight into her personality. On 12 February, she mentioned that her teacher for religious education came in the afternoon. In the evening she played with her brothers "amid fighting and arguments", and [33] [26] she also played computer games. It is known that she owned a laptop. Yousafzai mentioned that before the Taliban imposed restrictions on the cable network, she used to watch the Star Plus television channel and her [33] favorite drama was Raja Kee Aye Gee Barat, which she translated as "My dream boy will come to marry me". On 15 February, gunshots could be heard in the streets of Mingora, but Yousafzai's father, Ziauddin, reassured her, saying "dont be scared this is firing for peace". Her father had read in the newspaper that the government and the militants were going to sign a peace deal the next day. Later that night, when the Taliban announced the peace deal on their FM Radio studio, another round of stronger firing started outside. "People believe more in what the militants say rather than the government," Yousafzai wrote in her blog. When they heard the announcement, [33] Yousafzai's mother and father started crying, and her two younger brothers had tears in their eyes. Only three days later, their hopes were tested. A Pakistani reporter, Musa Khankhel, had been killed after covering a peace rally [34] led by Sufi Muhammad, father-in-law of local Taliban leader Maulana Fazlulla. That same day, 18 February 2009, [35][36] Yousafzai apparently gave an interview with Capital Talk, a well-known Pakistani news program. She would return to the same program six months later. On 21 February, Yousafzai got what she had been hoping for. Fazlulla announced on his FM radio station that he was lifting the ban on women's education, and girls would be allowed to [33] attend school until exams were held on 17 March, but they had to wear burqas. Girls' schools reopen On 25 February, Yousafzai wrote on her blog that she and her classmates "played a lot in class [33] and enjoyed ourselves like we used to before". Helicopters aren't appearing as frequently nor discussions about the army and Taliban. But there is still gossip in town about a woman who fell down wearing a traditional burqa, and when a man tried to help her she refused, saying Dont help me brother, as this will bring immense pleasure to [33] Maulana Fazlullah. On 1 March, attendance at Yousafzai's class was up to 19 of 27 pupils, but the Taliban were [33] still active in the area. Shelling continued and relief goods meant for displaced people were looted. Only two days later it appeared that the peace deal was breaking down. Yousafzai wrote that there was a skirmish between the military and Taliban, and the sounds of mortar shells could be heard. "People are again scared that the peace may not last for long. Some people are saying that the peace agreement is not permanent, it is just a break in fighting," [33] she writes. Her younger brother is scared to go to school because he fears he might be kidnapped. On 9 March, Yousafzai wrote about a science paper that she performed well on, and added that the Taliban were no longer [37] searching vehicles as they once did. Her blog ends three days later on 12 March 2009. The following month, in April, President Asif Ali Zardari signed a controversial regulation into law that formally established a stricter [38] interpretation of sharia law in the Swat region. The act is supported by Sufi Muhammad, the founder of Tehreek-eNafaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi, a Taliban group operating in the area, who says that now "women will not be [38] allowed either to go to jobs or markets". It is unclear how Yousafzai was affected by this outcome. Later that month, government and Taliban forces began to clash once again, and in May the government launched military operations throughout the district. Refugee After the BBC diary ended, Yousafzai and her father were approached by New York Times reporter Adam B. [29] Ellick about filming a documentary, which is where many details of this time are captured. In May, the Pakistani Army moved into the region to regain control during the Second Battle of Swat. Mingora was evacuated and Yousafzais family was displaced and separated. Her father Ziauddin went to Peshawar to protest and lobby for support, while she was sent into the countryside to live with relatives. "I'm really bored because I have no books to

read" Yousafzai is filmed saying in the documentary. Her mother was not allowed to be filmed. That month, after criticizing militants at a press conference, Yousafzai's father, Ziauddin, received a death threat over the radio by a Taliban commander. Obsessed by his mission to restore the Swat Valley, her father also happened to forget [4] Yousafzai's birthday, and with typical boldness, she ridiculed him in a text message and forced him to apologize, [26] and to buy everyone a round of ice cream. But Yousafzai was deeply inspired in her activism by her father. That [4] summer, for the first time, she committed to becoming a politician and not a doctor, as she had once aspired to be. By early July, refugee camps were filled to capacity, and Taliban commanders were still alive. The prime minister made a long-awaited announcement saying that it was safe to return to the Swat Valley. The Pakistani military had pushed the Taliban out of the cities and into the countryside. After three months of separation, Yousafzai's family reunited, and on 24 July 2009 they headed home. They made one stop first to meet with a group of other grassroots activists that had been invited to see United States President Obamas special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke. Yousafzai pleaded with Holbrooke to intervene in the situation, saying "Respected ambassador, if you can help us in our education, so please help us". When her family finally did return [4] home, they found it had not been damaged, and her school had sustained only light damage. Political career and activism Following the documentary, Yousafzai was interviewed on the national Pashto-language [29] station AVT Khyber, the Urdu Aaj Daily, and Canadas Toronto Star. On 19 August, she returned to Capital Talk, where she reiterated her desire to become a politician, naming Benazir Bhutto as an inspiration. She reportedly criticized President Zardari on television, saying "At times I think if Zardaris daughter were studying in Swat the [35][39] schools would have never shut down. Her BBC blogging identity was being revealed in articles as early as December 2009. She also began appearing [5] on television to publicly advocate for female education. But Yousafzai's recognition seems to have been taking off not only because of her own actions, but also because of her father, who had become known as one of the few people to stand up against the Taliban. Those were the most terrible days the darkest in our history, her father said. We spared no efforts to speak up against terrorism and that struggle brought us into the limelight". As for Yousafzai, her father says she got influenced by what was going on and gradually she joined me Chair of District Child Assembly Swat In late 2009, Yousafzai's political career appears to have started. A video dated 22 December 2009 shows Yousafzai entering an assembly room full of children who rise and begin clapping as they see her. She takes her chair at a table onstage where, behind her, a large banner reads District Child Assembly [42] Swat. A UNICEF video from the following year explains. The assembly was established by the Khpal Kor Foundation [1] in 2009 with the support of UNICEF, to provide "a unique opportunity for young people to voice their concerns about child right's issues, and to present solutions to address these concerns." The video goes on to highlight Yousafzai, the chair of the assembly, and her opinion of the discussion. "It was a good experience for the girls that they can share their views in front of the stakeholders, the non-governmental and governmental organizations", she [15] [43] says. She appears to have held the position through at least November 2011. Continued activism In December 2009 at the latest, Yousafzai began participating in the Institute for War and Peace Reporting's "Open Minds" project, which brought journalism training and discussions of current affairs to 42 schools in Pakistan. The program also edited their work and put them in touch with local newspapers. Yousafzai's [29] own success had inspired other young people, and many of those approaching the program were girls. Yousafzai [9] had hoped to organize the Malala Education Foundation, which would help poor girls go to school. A video from [8] April 2012 refers to the foundation. Rise to fame In October 2011, Desmond Tutu announced Yousafzai's nomination for the International Children's Peace Prize and she became a celebrity in Pakistan. Her public profile rose even further when she was awarded [28] Pakistan's first National Youth Peace Prize two months later in December. As Yousafzai became more recognized, the dangers facing her became more acute. The Taliban has been known to attack civilians who speak out against the [44] group. Death threats were published in newspapers and slipped under her door. On Facebook, where she was an active user, she began to receive threats and fake profiles were created under her name. Yousafzai deleted her [28] personal page and attended digital-security sessions, but vowed to never stop working for education for girls". When none of this worked, a Taliban spokesman says they were "forced" to act. In a meeting held in the summer of 2012, Taliban leaders unanimously agreed to kill her. Assassination attempt On 9 October 2012, a Taliban gunman shot Yousafzai as she rode home on a bus after taking an exam in Pakistans Swat Valley. The masked gunman shouted "Which one of you is Malala? Speak up, otherwise I [24] will shoot you all", and, on her being identified, shot at her. She was hit with one bullet, which went through her
[16] [14] [14][40]

[4]

head, neck, and ended in her shoulder. Two other girls were also wounded in the shooting: Kainat Riaz and Shazia [20] Ramzan, both of whom were stable enough to speak to reporters and provide details of the attack. After the shooting, Yousafzai was airlifted to a military hospital in Peshawar, where doctors were forced to begin operating after swelling developed in the left portion of her brain, which had been damaged by the bullet when it passed [46] through her head. After a three-hour operation, doctors successfully removed the bullet that had lodged in her shoulder near her spinal cord. Taliban claim Ehsanullah Ehsan, chief spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that Yousafzai "is the symbol of the infidels and obscenity," adding that if she survived, they would target her [17] [47] again. Taliban leaders had decided a few months earlier to kill her, and assigned gunmen to carry it out. In the days following the attack, the Taliban reiterated their justification, saying Yousafzai had been brainwashed by her father, Ziauddin. We warned him several times to stop his daughter from using dirty language against us, but he didnt listen and forced us to take this extreme step, a Taliban spokesman said, adding that Yousafzai and her father [20] remain on the Talibans list of intended victims. The Taliban later seemed to be qualifying their criticism, saying "We did not attack her for raising voice for education. We targeted her for opposing mujahideen and their war", although the Taliban had closed girls' schools in Swat as part of their rule. The Taliban also justified their attack as part of religious scripture, saying that the "Quran says that people propagating against Islam and Islamic forces [48] would be killed", going on to say that "Sharia says that even a child can be killed if he is propagating against Islam". Other groups strongly disagreed. On 12 October 2012, a group of 50 Islamic clerics in Pakistan issued a fatw a ruling of Islamic law against the Taliban gunmen who tried to kill Yousafzai. Islamic scholars from the Sunni Ittehad Council publicly denounced attempts by the Pakistani Taliban to mount religious justifications for the shooting of [19] Yousafzai and two of her classmates. Most Pakistani government officials have refrained from publicly criticising [48] the Taliban by name over the attack, in what critics say is a lack of resolve against extremism. Medical treatment The day following the attack, Yousafzai was still being treated in the intensive care unit of the military hospital in Peshawar, where doctors performed a decompressive craniectomy, in which part of the skull is removed to allow room for the brain to swell. Before the surgery, Yousafzai was moving her hands and feet, which [49] suggested there was no paralysis, and she verbally responded to a teacher immediately after the shooting. A plane was being held on standby at nearby Bacha Khan International Airport to move her out of Pakistan for further [46] treatment if necessary. On 11 October 2012, a panel of Pakistani and British doctors made the decision to move [49] Yousafzai to the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology in Rawalpindi. A medical team treating her at the hospital reported, "neurologically she has significantly improved coming days are very critical". Mumtaz Khan, a doctor, said that she had a 70% chance of survival. According to her uncle, Faiz Muhammad, she had not been conscious or [18] responsive since the surgery to remove the bullet and remained on a ventilator. A CT scan indicated that there [50] was still slight swelling in Yousafzai's brain, but her vital organs were intact and functioning normally. Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that Yousafzai would be shifted to Germany, where she could receive the best medical treatment, as soon as she was stable enough to travel. A team of doctors would travel with her, and the government [51][52] would bear the expenditures of her treatment. On 13 October 2012, doctors reduced Yousafzai's sedation and [53] she moved all four limbs. The following day, there were conflicting reports of where Yousafzai would be treated abroad and the current status of her health. Pakistans ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Jamil Ahmed Khan, said Yousafzai would be treated in Dubai, with a medical jet from the United Arab Emirates on standby to take her [54] abroad, conflicting with the previous report about Germany. With regard to Yousafzai's health, a source in her hospital told Al Jazeera that she remained in critical condition and had slim chances of recovering, adding that the [55] next 12 hours would be the most important. This contradicted other reports that Yousafzai was making "slow and [56] steady progress", and had been taken off the ventilator for a short amount of time. From their assessments, it is difficult to determine whether doctors are referring to her survival or the return of her physical and cognitive abilities. Offers to treat Yousafzai came from around the world, with several from the United States. One offer came from former US Representative Gabrielle Giffords, who had been through similar treatment after she was shot in the head in 2011. Giffords and her husband, Mark E. Kelly, had gone so far as to line up her neurosurgeon, Dr. Dong Kim, the head of neurosurgery at the Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, to travel to Pakistan. Another offer came from the American military hospital at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, and another from US Senator [57] John Kerry, who has longstanding political ties to Pakistan. On 15 October, Yousafzai traveled to the United Kingdom for further treatment, approved by both her doctors and family. Her plane landed in Dubai to refuel and then continued to Birmingham where she was treated at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, one of the [58] specialities of this hospital being the treatment of military personnel injured in conflict. The decision seemed to make both medical and diplomatic sense. The hospital provided integrated care, and Britain and Pakistan have [57] longstanding ties with a history stretching back to British rule in the Indian sub-continent before 1947. Doctors at

[45]

the hospital reported the next day that Yousafzai is "not out of the woods yet but at this stage we're optimistic [59] that things are going in the right direction". Rehabilitation On 16 October 2012, Dr. David Rosser, the Executive Medical Director of the hospital and one of the doctors treating Yousafzai, said that initial assessments by members of staff had been conducted, that detailed assessments from other specialists would follow, and that they were pleased with the progress she had made so [60] far. The director of a brain injury program at another hospital reported that since Yousafzai was shot in the left side of the head, she may have weakness on the right side of the body in the future, and have deficits in language [61] abilities. "It's six months to a year before you get a sense of what the long-term damage is", he said. On 17 October, reports from England said that Yousufzai had come out of her coma, was responding well to treatment, and [62] had a good chance of fully recovering without any brain damage. On 18 October 2012, the BBC reported that Yousufzai had been able to write notes in order to communicate, and, for the first time since the shooting, had been able to stand. However, one of her doctors also noted that "there were still some concerns about her smooth [63] recovery". Later updates on 20 and 21 October stated that she was stable, but was still battling an infection (a common but potentially serious side effect as a result of cavitating bullet wounds to the neck and skull which drive [64] bone fragments into tissue). She was resting comfortably. On 26 October 2012, Yousafzai was able to meet with her parents and the younger of her two brothers. Her father and Dr. Rosser gave briefings to the press, with her father recounting the care she had received in Mingora, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, and Birmingham, saying that when she was put on the plane to Britain, her brain had started to swell dangerously as she was in a medically induced coma, and they had started to think of the possibility of needing to make funeral arrangements, but that it had lessened during her time in Britain. Dr. Rosser said that the infection had disappeared, that she was able to walk largely unassisted, and that her hearing and vision were being tested to make sure they were undamaged by the bullet's trajectory. In a very positive sign, she retained memories of the last few days of her care in Britain, as well as [citation needed] of events that took place some time before the attack. By 8 November, she was photographed sitting up [65] in bed. On 3 January 2013, Yousufzai was released from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham to continue her [66][67] rehabilitation at her family's temporary home in the West Midlands. Later it was announced that she would have a procedure to attach a titanium plate to cover the hole in her head and implant a cochlear hearing device to [68] replace her eardrum. On February 2, 2013, Yousufzai had a five-hour operation to reconstruct her skull and [69] restore her hearing, and was reported in stable condition at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. Public reaction The Taliban have been clear in their response to the assassination attempt in that they will continue to target her, despite her survival, with a spokesman saying, "The attack was a warning to all youngsters in the area [70] that they would be targeted if they followed her example." The assassination attempt received immediate worldwide media coverage and produced an outpouring of sympathy, along with widespread anger. Protests against the shooting were held in several Pakistani cities the day after the attack. Pakistani officials offered a 10 million rupee (US$105,000) reward for information leading to the arrest of the attackers. Responding to concerns about his safety, Yousafzai's father, Ziauddin, said "We wouldn't leave our country if my daughter survives or not. We have an [52] ideology that advocates peace. The Taliban cannot stop all independent voices through the force of bullets." The singer Madonna dedicated her song "Human Nature" to Yousafzai at a concert in Los Angeles the day of the [71] attack. "This made me cry," Madonna said, "The 14-year-old schoolgirl who wrote a blog about going to school. [18] The Taliban stopped her bus and shot her. Do you realize how sick that is?" Angelina Jolie wrote an article about telling the event to her children, and answering questions like "Why did those men think they needed to kill [72] Malala? Through the Women in the World Foundation, Jolie and Tina Brown launched a campaign to raise money [73] for girls' education in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Former First Lady of the United States Laura Bush wrote an op-ed [74] piece in the Washington Post about Yousafzai, comparing her to Anne Frank. World leaders unanimously denounced the attack. United States President Barack Obama found the news of the shooting "reprehensible, [75] disgusting and tragic". Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, speaking at a gathering of the Girl Scouts of the USA, said Yousafzai had been "very brave in standing up for the rights of girls" and that the attackers had been "threatened by [76] that kind of empowerment". United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon called it a "heinous and cowardly [77] [59] act". Pakistan's president described it as an attack on "civilized people". Attention has also been drawn to the [78] role of the media in allowing her to be exposed to risk at a young age. Indian director Amjad Khan announced that he would be making a biographical film based on Malala Yousufzai and was in the process of shortlisting a child actor who will portray her. "Im sure it will be a courageous effort that will help shed some light on the age old issues facing South Asia... As of today, Malala is the name of a revolution not only in her own country but around the world... Im writing this film as a tribute to this young girl and not only she but also for the million others who are inspired by her act," he said.

Corruption - an epidemic
The curse of corruption is felt in every circle. We are told that this new epidemic is spreading like wild fire in India in every sphere of activity; from the bottom rung of a low paid worker to the highest strata of society-the judiciary. After all man is the same wherever he is. Michael de Montaigne, the great French philosopher, had once said, "we are all the same wherever we are seated, but upon our own arses. How true! Even Shakespeare must have had the taste of this human malady when he said: "Man whether in the palace or pad, castle or cottage, is governed by the same emotions and passions. Root Cause of corruption: It is all in the human nature. The monetary economy of competition breeds corruption in a big way. The ego, the constant manifestation of the impurities and inadequacies of the ones mental attitude, makes one forget his true nature-Godliness; man being the true image of God, the compassionate, all pervading, helping, and giving self. Better interpersonal relationships, emotional independence and tolerance should be the basis of mental peace, and not hatred, greed and one-upmanship. Unfortunately the present atmosphere of competition in the monetary economy makes man forget his true nature while trying to acquire wealth by fair means and foul. Slowly the new awakening is palpable in the distant horizon. The worlds richest man, Bill Gates has donated a whooping sum of a billion dollars for charity. It is not for nothing that he has done that except to get mental peace. Tatas, Birlas, Rockefellers, Nobels, Fords and many others in the past did just that to get peace of mind. Ego shrinking is said to be the new mantra for the younger generation all over the world. They have seen the destruction and carnage of their elders in search of money and fame and they would want a more peaceful life for themselves. If this catches on, may be, a day would soon come when making money no longer would be our sole religion. Prof. Hubbells telescope and the advances in quantum physics should teach the future generation that our physical and mental self, the basis of all our ego problems, is only an apparent reality. Interdependence would be the order of the day following on the networking of the computer era. Rather than decreasing personal freedom, it would respect the right for freedom of others equally important. That would take away the wind out of the sail of this ship of corruption, which seems to circle the world over and over again. Indian Malady: Soon after independence the leaders very quickly lost the patriotic fervor that brought them together to fight the British. Unfortunately, the anti-establishment mind set did not change very much and even the common man did not look upon his own government as friendly. The multitude of rules and regulations made matters worse. A vicious cycle started functioning. The unscrupulous used the very rules to help them get what they want by bending the rules and they took the help of the politicians and the bureaucrats to do just that. The politicians could see their fortune for the future elections to keep their seats of power intact. They needed money and this was the easy way of getting that money. As a quid pro quo monetary gratification must have started. The officers, the ones who did not have a conscience, could also cash in on this golden opportunity. Together they built up this devil of corruption. Mans greed and his proclivity for comfort gradually got the better of his judgement and his ethical considerations. Later leaders thus institutionalized corruption of political parties. Late sixties and seventies saw the rise of this breed with the then rulers using dubious methods of ruling the country. Their minions grew like mushrooms all over the country, some of them past masters in the art of corruption. They were all over the country but some states had more of them. Gradually the system marginalized the good ones among the politicians and the officers. A few of them, per force, had to get away, as they were unable to bear the suffocating atmosphere. Today it is respectable to be corrupt. Nobody bothers about being corrupt and the common man many a time likes the corrupt politician and the officer, as the latter are easily amenable to get his wants howsoever sinful they could be. In todays scenario the truly honest politician or officer could never survive. The adult franchise system that we have adopted from the British is a boon to these anti-social elements to get elected with money and muscle power. This has become a mouth-eating-the-tail business with more and more corrupt politicians and criminals entering the hallowed portals of our Parliament and the assemblies. The laws of the country to punish the guilty are adequate to catch these, but the implementation of the rules depends on the men and women who seem to have lost their moral fibre soon after we became independent. Naked corruption talked about even inside legal temples makes one shudder to think of the future of this country. If the custodians of the law themselves start eroding into its core, resulting in the common man losing faith in the judiciary, would be a sad day for all of us. The whole system becomes a mockery of keeping up the hoary tradition of this great country. An occasional small fish is caught and paraded and made much of in the media and that is the last that one hears about the story. What happens to that man at the end of the day is another sad story? The various wings of the law enforcing machinery themselves have become experts in making black money through corrupt practices. They have also devised ways and means of getting out of the net of the law. Recent reports of the customs officials in airports trying to cover the closed circuit television monitors in the customs area is ample proof that many others are using similar methods to operate freely. Anatomy of Corruption: There are different breeds of the corrupt. Casual converts: This breed is less these days. They are not perennially corrupt but succumb to temptation on and off. They are not very dangerous as they have corruption free interludes where they might attempt to do good.

Congenitally Corrupt: This is a dangerous variety. Corruption is in their genes. The environment today makes the gene penetrate very well and this manifests in the hard core corruption. These are very difficult to treat and they would be very good in escaping the anti-corruption dragnet. The gene could only penetrate in a conducive atmosphere. Our only hope of reforming these is the possibility of the change in the environment. Compulsive behaviour: This is a mental state where they have an irresistible urge to be corrupt. Whether they like it or not they have to take money. I was told that there was a Chief Minister of a state who would not get sleep unless his daily booty has been more than a crore of rupees! Such are the people who even get awards in our country if there is any political expediency! Criminally Corrupt: This has a dignified name in our set up. They are called extortionists. They strike unheralded, but mostly catch the large sharks in big cities. They could eventually percolate down to smaller targets if the bigger fish disappear from the waters! Unlike them the white-collar extortionists, the corrupt politicians and officers have no ethics in their trade! Corruption Generators: These are the wheeler-dealers, called the middlemen. They entice the politicians and the officialdom into their net to get their work done. These are the most dangerous variety. They are like poisonous snakes lurking in our midst. They are usually very respectable people who mingle with the rich and powerful and strike in broad daylight to catch their prey. These operate internationally and they know no boundaries. They would go to any extent to get at their target. They could even be a national security risk. Management of the Disease: What would be the remedy for this cancer? There is no cure for cancer. We could, however, try and prevent cancer, if possible. As a palliative measure we could make the cancer grow slower than its pace and ease the disabling symptoms of cancer. That should be our strategy for the future. Immediately we should apply all the palliative measures. Some of them could be as harsh as the radiation and chemotherapy of cancer with all their attendant side effects. The radiation therapy for corruption should take its lessons from the underworld dons. When these dons want to extort money from some one they threaten him first and when the victim does not respond positively he is shot at and if possible killed. On the surface of it may look preposterous that they are killing the hen that could lay the golden egg. But in the long run they are doing their job very systematically. The underworld wants every one to know that they mean business and they sacrifice this golden egg-laying hen to frighten all the future hens so that they could collect the eggs before they hatch! What a strategy! One or two corrupt politicians should be sent to jail for life and made to do hard work. The latter should be publicized so much that all the others must get the message. What we do today is the opposite. We advertise the act of corruption so much that people get fed up with it and at the end no one is really caught and the whole episode is forgotten. No politician or senior officer one so far has been sent to jail for corruption among politicians although it is common knowledge that most of them, if not all of them, are corrupt. Every case, including the Bofors case, would eventually come to naught. The adversarial judicial system that we have inherited from the British could never get at the true culprits if they could hire an excellent lawyer to defend them. Many corrupt politicians even celebrate their acquittal by the courts. This is the best encouragement for the novice in the field to get into this habit. If a few genuinely corrupt people are given the capital punishment it will work wonders to lessen the menace in society. Then we have to have devise palliative treatments like effective measures to contain the disease and treat its symptoms. Long term measures should start in the elementary schools where the true Indian ethos of dharma should be inculcated into the virgin fertile but innocent minds. Macaulays system of education that we use today is the cause of all our troubles. He had contempt for us in India when he wrote: West is best and the East is only beast. He must have evolved the educational system for the beasts in the East, which we, unfortunately, follow in principle even today. This must change to the Indian style of education of the timeless Vedic wisdom; the latter has no religion or God attached to it, as many would want us to believe. It proclaims the Dharma (not religion); the obligations of an individual to society. If one knows that he is a part of society and is what he is because of society, he would never resort to such base instincts like corruption. This awakening should start in childhood. It is very difficult to convert a convert later in life. The Indian wisdom and learning have been the basis of all wisdom in the world although the West has now distorted that in their favour. In a classical book, India in Greece written in 1852 in England, a Greek author E. Pococke clearly provides evidence to show how the Greek civilization was the result of different groups of migrants from India who brought the Vedic wisdom to Greece to start the so called western wisdom. All that is history now. The next generation, at least, should have exposure to the truth. The Vedic wisdom proclaims that it is for the whole world and all the future religions should also be respected equally. This idea of universal brotherhood, coupled with the modern scientific discovery that the egocentric attitude of the mind with the "I concept is detrimental to mental peace should give enough courage for the future generation to abhor corrupt practices.

Greenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental[2] environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.[3] Greenpeace states its goal is to "ensure the

ability of the Earth to nurture life in all its diversity"[4] and focuses its campaigning on world wide issues such as global warming, deforestation, overfishing, commercial whaling, genetic engineering, and anti-nuclear issues. Greenpeace uses direct action, lobbying and research to achieve its goals. The global organization does not accept funding from governments, corporations or political parties, relying on 2.9 million individual supporters and foundation grants.[5][6] Greenpeace has a general consultative status in the United Nations Economic and Social Council[7] and is a founding member[8] of the INGO Accountability Charter; an international non-governmental organization that intends to foster accountability and transparency of non-governmental organizations. Greenpeace evolved from the peace movement and anti-nuclear protests in Vancouver, British Columbia, in the late 1960s and early 1970s. On September 15, 1971, the newly founded Don't Make a Wave Committee sent a chartered ship, Phyllis Cormack, renamed Greenpeace for the protest, from Vancouver to oppose United States testing of nuclear devices in Amchitka, Alaska. The Don't Make a Wave Committee subsequently adopted the name Greenpeace.[9] In a few years, Greenpeace spread to several countries and started to campaign on other environmental issues such as commercial whaling and toxic waste. In the late 1970s, the different regional Greenpeace groups formed Greenpeace International to oversee the goals and operations of the regional organizations globally.[10] Greenpeace received international attention during the 1980s when the French intelligence agency bombed the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland's Waitemata Harbour, one of the most well-known vessels operated by Greenpeace, killing one individual.[11] In the following years, Greenpeace evolved into one of the largest environmental organizations in the world.[12][13] Greenpeace is known for its direct actions[14][15] and has been described as the most visible environmental organization in the world.[16][17] Greenpeace has raised environmental issues to public knowledge,[18][19][20] and influenced both the private and the public sector.[21][22] Greenpeace has also been a source of controversy;[23] its motives and methods have received criticism[24][25] and the organization's direct actions have sparked legal actions against Greenpeace activists.[26][27] Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace by: Catalysing an energy revolution to address the number one threat facing our planet: climate change. Defending our oceans by challenging wasteful and destructive fishing, and creating a global network of marine reserves. Protecting the world's ancient forests and the animals, plants and people that depend on them. Working for disarmament and peace by tackling the causes of conflict and calling for the elimination of all nuclear weapons. Creating a toxic free future with safer alternatives to hazardous chemicals in today's products and manufacturing. Campaigning for sustainable agriculture by rejecting genetically engineered organisms, protecting biodiversity and encouraging socially responsible farming. Greenpeace is present in 40 countries across Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and the Pacific. To maintain its independence, Greenpeace does not accept donations from governments or corporations but relies on contributions from individual supporters and foundation grants. Greenpeace has been campaigning against environmental degradation since 1971 when a small boat of volunteers and journalists sailed into Amchitka, an area north of Alaska where the US Government was conducting underground nuclear tests. This tradition of 'bearing witness' in a nonviolent manner continues today, and our ships are an important part of all our campaign work. What we do: The issues we work on Greenpeace exists because this fragile Earth deserves a voice. It needs solutions. It needs change. It needs action! Stop climate changeClimate change: With the world on the brink of runaway climate change, it is time to get serious. We're calling upon governments and industry to step up and make big improvements. And there's a lot you can do to help. Protect ancient forests..Forests: Forests are home to about two-thirds of the world's land-based species of plants and animals. They keep the climate stable and maintain the balance of life on Earth. Their destruction produces about one fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions. Defending our oceansOceans: Seen from space the Earth is covered in a blue mantle. It is a planet on which the continents are dwarfed by the oceans surrounding them and the immensity of the marine realm. Agriculture: Greenpeace is campaigning for agriculture that is good for the planet and people. Healthy food grown with the environment- not against it. Farming that helps farmers to cope with climate change. Eliminate toxic chemicals..Toxic pollution: Toxic chemicals in our environment threaten our rivers and lakes, our air, land, and oceans, and ultimately ourselves and our future.

End the nuclear ageNuclear: Greenpeace has always fought - and will continue to fight - vigorously against nuclear power because it is an unacceptable risk to the environment and to humanity. The only solution is to halt the expansion of all nuclear power, and for the shutdown of existing plants. Greenpeace India: Greenpeace India has been working on various issues related to the environment since 2001. Their work in India is focused on four broad campaigns; Stop Climate Change, Sustainable Agriculture, Defending Our Oceans, and Nuclear. Over the years Greenpeace India has built a strong base of supporters spread across the country. Greenpeace India has also launched an online platform called Greenwired, where volunteers can start their own activities like - discussions, creating actions, surveys, vidoes/photos, writing blogs, etc

Carbon footprints
A carbon footprint has historically been defined by Championne as "the total sets of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by an organization, event, product or person."[1] However, calculating the total carbon footprint is impossible due to the large amount of data required and the fact that carbon dioxide can be produced by natural occurrences. It is for this reason that Wright, Kemp, and Williams, writing in the journal Carbon Management, have suggested a more practicable definition: "A measure of the total amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) emissions of a defined population, system or activity, considering all relevant sources, sinks and storage within the spatial and temporal boundary of the population, system or activity of interest. Calculated as carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) using the relevant 100-year global warming potential (GWP100)."[2] Greenhouse gases can be emitted through transport, land clearance, and the production and consumption of food, fuels, manufactured goods, materials, wood, roads, buildings, and services.[3] For simplicity of reporting, it is often expressed in terms of the amount of carbon dioxide, or its equivalent of other GHGs, emitted. Most of the carbon footprint emissions for the average U.S. household come from "indirect" sources, i.e. fuel burned to produce goods far away from the final consumer. These are distinguished from emissions which come from burning fuel directly in one's car or stove, commonly referred to as "direct" sources of the consumer's carbon footprint.[4] The concept name of the carbon footprint originates from ecological footprint,discussion,[5] which was developed by Rees and Wackernagel in the 1990s which estimates the number of "earths" that would theoretically be required if everyone on the planet consumed resources at the same level as the person calculating their ecological footprint. However, carbon footprints are much more specific than ecological footprints since they measure direct emissions of gasses that cause climate change into the atmosphere. Measuring Carbon Footprints An individual's, nation's, or organization's carbon footprint can be measured by undertaking a GHG emissions assessment or other calculative activities denoted as carbon accounting. Once the size of a carbon footprint is known, a strategy can be devised to reduce it, e.g. by technological developments, better process and product management, changed Green Public or Private Procurement (GPP), carbon capture, consumption strategies, and others. Several free online carbon footprint calculators exist, with at least one supported by publicly available peer-reviewed data and calculations from the University of California, Berkeley's CoolClimate Network research consortium.[6][7] The mitigation of carbon footprints through the development of alternative projects, such as solar or wind energy or reforestation, represents one way of reducing a carbon footprint and is often known as Carbon offsetting. The main influences on carbon footprints include population, economic output, and energy and carbon intensity of the economy.[8] These factors are the main targets of individuals and businesses in order to decrease carbon footprints. Scholars suggest the most effective way to decrease a carbon footprint is to either decrease the amount of energy needed for production or to decrease the dependence on carbon emitting fuels.[8] Kyoto Protocol, carbon offsetting, and certificates Carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, and the emissions of other GHGs, are often associated with the burning of fossil fuels, like natural gas, crude oil and coal. While this is harmful to the environment, carbon offsets can be purchased in an attempt to make up for these harmful effects. The Kyoto Protocol defines legally binding targets and timetables for cutting the GHG emissions of industrialized countries that ratified the Kyoto Protocol. Ways to reduce carbon footprint The most common way to reduce the carbon footprint of humans is to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. In manufacturing this can be done by recycling the packing materials, by selling the obsolete inventory of one industry to the industry who is looking to buy unused items at lesser price to become competitive. Nothing should be disposed off into the soil, all the ferrous materials which are prone to degrade or oxidize with time should be sold as early as possible at reduced price. This can also be done by using reusable items such as thermoses for daily coffee or plastic containers for water and other cold beverages rather than disposable ones. If that option isn't available, it is best to properly recycle the disposable items after use. When one household recycles at least half of their household waste, they can save 1.2 tons of carbon dioxide annually[23][unreliable source?]. Another easy option is to drive less. By walking or biking to the destination rather than driving, not only is a person going to save

money on gas, but they will be burning less fuel and releasing fewer emissions in to the atmosphere. However, if walking is not an option, one can look into carpooling or mass transportation options in their area. Yet another option for reducing the carbon footprint of humans is to use less air conditioning and heating in the home. By adding insulation to the walls and attic of one's home, and installing weather stripping or caulking around doors and windows one can lower their heating costs more than 25 percent. This helps because it reduces the amount of energy needed to heat and cool the house. One can also turn down the heat while they are sleeping at night or away during the day, and keep temperatures moderate at all times. Setting the thermostat just 2 degrees lower in winter and higher in summer could save about 1 ton of carbon dioxide each year [23][unreliable source?]. The carbon handprint movement emphasizes individual forms of carbon offsetting, like using more public transportation or planting trees in deforested regions, to reduce one's carbon footprint and increase their "handprint."[24] How Carbon Footprints Work: Footprints offer clues about where we came from and where we're headed. Their impressions tell us something about the animals that leave them. But while actual footprints offer details on size, weight and speed, carbon footprints measure how much carbon dioxide (CO2) we produce just by going about our daily lives. A drive to work, a flip of a light switch and a flight out of town all rely on the combustion of fossil fuels like oil, coal and gas. When fossil fuels burn, they emit greenhouse gases like CO2 that contribute to global warming. Ninety-eight percent of atmospheric CO2 comes from the combustion of fossil fuels [source: Energy Information Administration]. People concerned with the environment and global warming usually try to reduce their carbon output by increasing their home's energy efficiency and driving less. Some start by calculating their carbon footprint to set a benchmark -- like a weigh-in before a diet. A carbon footprint is simply a figure -- usually a monthly or annual total of CO2 output measured in tons. Web sites with carbon calculators turn easy-to-supply information like annual mileage and monthly power usage into a measurable tonnage of carbon. Most people try to reduce their carbon footprint, but others aim to erase it completely. When people attempt carbon neutrality, they cut their emissions as much as possible and offset the rest. Carbon offsets let you pay to reduce the global greenhouse gas total instead of making radical reductions of your own. When you buy an offset, you fund projects that reduce emissions by restoring forests, updating power plants and factories or increasing the energy efficiency of buildings and transportation. Some companies have started to include footprints on their labeling. Carbon labels appeal to consumers who understand and monitor their own carbon footprints and want to support products that do the same. The labels estimate the emissions created by producing, packaging, transporting and disposing of a product. The concept is similar to life cycle analyses, the more intricate forerunner of carbon footprints. Life cycle analyses or assessments evaluate all of the potential environmental impacts that a product can have during its existence -- they're a more focused version of a carbon footprint. But life cycle analyses require teams of researchers who plot and compile data from every aspect of production, transportation and disposal. Personal carbon footprints are less precise but still give a quick, general idea of CO2 output. Best of all, they take about five minutes to calculate. Calculating Carbon Footprints: To remain as accessible as possible, most carbon calculators ask very simple questions about consumption. They accept estimates of annual electricity usage or mileage instead of exact and difficult-to-provide totals. Carbon calculators usually start by asking for your location. Regardless of your personal consumption, your carbon footprint is partly determined by the state you live in. Some states rely more on dirtier sources of power like coal; others use larger percentages of renewable sources that produce less CO2. Most calculators also ask for the size of your household. The calculator can then differentiate between your personal carbon footprint and that of the house as a whole. To determine the amount of CO2 produced by home electricity, the calculator divides the estimated or exact usage by the price of power in the area. The calculator then multiplies this number by the state's emissions factor, a figure that relates to the type of energy the state uses. Calculators also factor in natural gas, heating oil and propane use. Most calculators account for the lower emissions of green power subscribers. Some power companies allow customers the option to pay a bit more on their monthly bill to receive a certain percentage of power from renewable sources. This reduces the state's production of fossil-fueled power and helps develop a green market. Carbon footprints also include the CO2 produced by transportation. Most people don't know their annual fuel usage, so calculators usually ask for an estimated annual mileage and the car's make, model and year. The calculator divides mileage by the car's fuel efficiency to determine annual fuel usage. This figure is then multiplied by the emissions factor of gasoline or diesel fuel, which converts it to pounds of CO2. For air travel, some carbon calculators ask for an annual estimate of mileage. Other calculators account for increased emissions during takeoff and ask for the number of short, medium, long or extended flights. After compiling all the figures, the calculator produces a total CO2 output in tons -- a carbon footprint. Some calculators even put footprints in context by comparing them with the national or global averages. If you have the data ready, the whole process takes the calculator about 30 seconds. But what do you do after figuring out how much CO2 you produce? In the next section, we'll learn how to knock down your footprint a few sizes.

Reducing Carbon Footprints Carbon footprints help people keep track of changes. Because footprints quantify an amount of carbon that increases or decreases based on energy use, they let people know that a new hybrid car or home insulation really does help lower emissions. Transportation accounts for 33 percent of CO2 emissions in the United States, so many people try to lower their mileage [source: EIA]. Some walk or bike whenever possible; others carpool, take public transport or invest in fuel-efficient cars. Home energy use accounts for 21 percent of U.S. CO2 emissions, so it helps to have an efficient home. [source: EIA] Setting the thermostat at a moderate temperature and installing good insulation and double-paned windows lowers energy costs while keeping your house comfortable. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), energy-efficient appliances and green power sources also help lower consumption. Of course, individual efforts to reduce emissions can go only so far. Cutting CO2 and other greenhouse gases down to safer levels requires significant government regulation. Lessening carbon footprints does, however, let people see where they are and how they can change. Those who think government regulation moves too slowly or who want to accept personal responsibility for their emissions can track their own reductions and alter their individual habits.

Marine pollution
Marine pollution occurs when harmful, or potentially harmful, effects result from the entry into the ocean of chemicals, particles, industrial, agricultural and residential waste, noise, or the spread of invasive organisms. Most sources of marine pollution are land based. The pollution often comes from nonpoint sources such as agricultural runoff and wind blown debris and dust. Many potentially toxic chemicals adhere to tiny particles which are then taken up by plankton and benthos animals, most of which are either deposit or filter feeders. In this way, the toxins are concentrated upward within ocean food chains. Many particles combine chemically in a manner highly depletive of oxygen, causing estuaries to become anoxic. When pesticides are incorporated into the marine ecosystem, they quickly become absorbed into marine food webs. Once in the food webs, these pesticides can cause mutations, as well as diseases, which can be harmful to humans as well as the entire food web. Toxic metals can also be introduced into marine food webs. These can cause a change to tissue matter, biochemistry, behaviour, reproduction, and suppress growth in marine life. Also, many animal feeds have a high fish meal or fish hydrolysate content. In this way, marine toxins can be transferred to land animals, and appear later in meat and dairy products. History Although marine pollution has a long history, significant international laws to counter it were only enacted in the twentieth century. Marine pollution was a concern during several United Nations Conferences on the Law of the Sea beginning in the 1950s. Most scientists believed that the oceans were so vast that they had unlimited ability to dilute, and thus render pollution, harmless. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, there were several controversies about dumping radioactive waste off the coasts of the United States by companies licensed by the Atomic Energy Commission, into the Irish Sea from the British reprocessing facility at Windscale, and into the Mediterranean Sea by the French Commissariat l'Energie Atomique. After the Mediterranean Sea controversy, for example, Jacques Cousteau became a worldwide figure in the campaign to stop marine pollution. Marine pollution made further international headlines after the 1967 crash of the oil tanker Torrey Canyon, and after the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill off the coast of California. Marine pollution was a major area of discussion during the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, held in Stockholm. That year also saw the signing of the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, sometimes called the London Convention. The London Convention did not ban marine pollution, but it established black and gray lists for substances to be banned (black) or regulated by national authorities (gray). Cyanide and high-level radioactive waste, for example, were put on the black list. The London Convention applied only to waste dumped from ships, and thus did nothing to [1] regulate waste discharged as liquids from pipelines. Pathways of pollution There are many different ways to categorize, and examine the inputs of pollution into our marine ecosystems. Patin (n.d.) notes that generally there are three main types of inputs of pollution into the ocean: direct discharge of waste into the oceans, runoff into the waters due to rain, and pollutants that are released from the atmosphere. One common path of entry by contaminants to the sea are rivers. The evaporation of water from oceans exceeds precipitation. The balance is restored by rain over the continents entering rivers and then being returned to the sea. The Hudson in New York State and the Raritan in New Jersey, which empty at the northern and southern ends of Staten Island, are a source of mercury contamination of zooplankton (copepods) in the open ocean. The highest concentration in the filter-feeding copepods is not at the mouths of these rivers but 70 miles south, nearer Atlantic City, because water flows close to the coast. It takes a few days before toxins are taken up by the [2] plankton . Pollution is often classed as point source or nonpoint source pollution. Point source pollution occurs when there is a single, identifiable, and localized source of the pollution. An example is directly discharging sewage and industrial waste into the ocean. Pollution such as this occurs particularly in developing nations. Nonpoint source pollution occurs when the pollution comes from ill-defined and diffuse sources. These can be difficult to regulate. Agricultural runoff and wind blown debris are prime examples.

Direct discharge Pollutants enter rivers and the sea directly from urban sewerage and industrial waste discharges, sometimes in the form of hazardous and toxic wastes. Inland mining for copper, gold. etc., is another source of marine pollution. Most of the pollution is simply soil, which ends up in rivers flowing to the sea. However, some minerals discharged in the course of the mining can cause problems, such as copper, a common industrial pollutant, [2] which can interfere with the life history and development of coral polyps. Mining has a poor environmental track record. For example, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, mining has contaminated [3] portions of the headwaters of over 40% of watersheds in the western continental US. Much of this pollution finishes up in the sea. Land runoff Surface runoff from farming, as well as urban runoff and runoff from the construction of roads, buildings, ports, channels, and harbours, can carry soil and particles laden with carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and minerals. This nutrient-rich water can cause fleshy algae and phytoplankton to thrive in coastal areas; known as algal blooms, which have the potential to create hypoxic conditions by using all available oxygen. Polluted runoff from roads and highways can be a significant source of water pollution in coastal areas. About 75 percent of the toxic chemicals that flow into Puget Sound are carried by stormwater that runs off paved roads and driveways, rooftops, [4] yards and other developed land. Ship pollution Ships can pollute waterways and oceans in many ways. Oil spills can have devastating effects. While being toxic to marine life, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), found in crude oil, are very difficult to clean up, [5] and last for years in the sediment and marine environment. Discharge of cargo residues from bulk carriers can pollute ports, waterways and oceans. In many instances vessels intentionally discharge illegal wastes despite foreign and domestic regulation prohibiting such actions. It has been estimated that container ships lose over 10,000 [6] containers at sea each year (usually during storms). Ships also create noise pollution that disturbs natural wildlife, [7] and water from ballast tanks can spread harmful algae and other invasive species. Ballast water taken up at sea and released in port is a major source of unwanted exotic marine life. The invasive freshwater zebra mussels, native to the Black, Caspian and Azov seas, were probably transported to the Great Lakes via ballast water from a transoceanic [8] vessel. Meinesz believes that one of the worst cases of a single invasive species causing harm to an ecosystem can be attributed to a seemingly harmless jellyfish. Mnemiopsis leidyi, a species of comb jellyfish that spread so it now inhabits estuaries in many parts of the world. It was first introduced in 1982, and thought to have been transported to the Black Sea in a ships ballast water. The population of the jellyfish shot up exponentially and, by 1988, it was wreaking havoc upon the local fishing industry. The anchovy catch fell from 204,000 tons in 1984 to 200 tons in 1993; sprat from 24,600 tons in 1984 to 12,000 tons in 1993; horse mackerel from 4,000 tons in 1984 to zero in [7] 1993. Now that the jellyfish have exhausted the zooplankton, including fish larvae, their numbers have fallen dramatically, yet they continue to maintain a stranglehold on the ecosystem. Invasive species can take over once occupied areas, facilitate the spread of new diseases, introduce new genetic material, alter underwater seascapes and jeopardize the ability of native species to obtain food. Invasive species are responsible for about $138 billion [9] annually in lost revenue and management costs in the US alone. Atmospheric pollution Another pathway of pollution occurs through the atmosphere. Wind blown dust and debris, including plastic bags, are blown seaward from landfills and other areas. Dust from the Sahara moving around the southern periphery of the subtropical ridge moves into the Caribbean and Florida during the warm season as the ridge builds and moves northward through the subtropical Atlantic. Dust can also be attributed to a global transport [11] from the Gobi and Taklamakan deserts across Korea, Japan, and the Northern Pacific to the Hawaiian Islands. Since 1970, dust outbreaks have worsened due to periods of drought in Africa. There is a large variability in dust transport [12] to the Caribbean and Florida from year to year; however, the flux is greater during positive phases of the North [13] Atlantic Oscillation. The USGS links dust events to a decline in the health of coral reefs across the Caribbean and [14] [15] Florida, primarily since the 1970s. Climate change is raising ocean temperatures and raising levels of carbon [16] dioxide in the atmosphere. These rising levels of carbon dioxide are acidifying the oceans. This, in turn, is altering [17] aquatic ecosystems and modifying fish distributions, with impacts on the sustainability of fisheries and the livelihoods of the communities that depend on them. Healthy ocean ecosystems are also important for the [18] mitigation of climate change. Deep sea mining Deep sea mining is a relatively new mineral retrieval process that takes place on the ocean floor. Ocean mining sites are usually around large areas of polymetallic nodules or active and extinct hydrothermal vents at [19] about 1,400 - 3,700 meters below the oceans surface. The vents create sulfide deposits, which contain precious [20][21] metals such as silver, gold, copper, manganese, cobalt, and zinc. The deposits are mined using either hydraulic pumps or bucket systems that take ore to the surface to be processed. As with all mining operations, deep sea mining raises questions about environmental damages to the surrounding areas. Because deep sea mining is a relatively new field, the complete consequences of full scale mining operations are unknown. However, experts are certain that removal of parts of the sea floor will result in disturbances to the benthic layer, increased toxicity of the [20] water column and sediment plumes from tailings. Removing parts of the sea floor disturbs the habitat of benthic [19] organisms, possibly, depending on the type of mining and location, causing permanent disturbances. Aside from

direct impact of mining the area, leakage, spills and corrosion would alter the mining areas chemical makeup. Among the impacts of deep sea mining, sediment plumes could have the greatest impact. Plumes are caused when the tailings from mining (usually fine particles) are dumped back into the ocean, creating a cloud of particles floating [19] in the water. Two types of plumes occur: near bottom plumes and surface plumes. Near bottom plumes occur when the tailings are pumped back down to the mining site. The floating particles increase the turbidity, or [22] cloudiness, of the water, clogging filter-feeding apparatuses used by benthic organisms. Surface plumes cause a more serious problem. Depending on the size of the particles and water currents the plumes could spread over vast [19][23] areas. The plumes could impact zooplankton and light penetration, in turn affecting the food web of the [19][23] area. Types of pollution Acidification The oceans are normally a natural carbon sink, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Because [25][26] the levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide are increasing, the oceans are becoming more acidic. The potential consequences of ocean acidification are not fully understood, but there are concerns that structures made of calcium [27] carbonate may become vulnerable to dissolution, affecting corals and the ability of shellfish to form shells. Oceans and coastal ecosystems play an important role in the global carbon cycle and have removed about 25% of the carbon dioxide emitted by human activities between 2000 and 2007 and about half the anthropogenic CO 2 released since the start of the industrial revolution. Rising ocean temperatures and ocean acidification means that the capacity of [28] [29] the ocean carbon sink will gradually get weaker, giving rise to global concerns expressed in the Monaco and [30] Manado Declarations. A report from NOAA scientists published in the journal Science in May 2008 found that large amounts of relatively acidified water are upwelling to within four miles of the Pacific continental shelf area of North America. This area is a critical zone where most local marine life lives or is born. While the paper dealt only with [31] areas from Vancouver to northern California, other continental shelf areas may be experiencing similar effects. A related issue is the methane clathrate reservoirs found under sediments on the ocean floors. These trap large amounts of the greenhouse gas methane, which ocean warming has the potential to release. In 2004 the global [32] inventory of ocean methane clathrates was estimated to occupy between one and five million cubic kilometres. If all these clathrates were to be spread uniformly across the ocean floor, this would translate to a thickness between [33] three and fourteen metres. This estimate corresponds to 500-2500 gigatonnes carbon (Gt C), and can be compared with the 5000 Gt C estimated for all other fossil fuel reserves. Eutrophication Effect of eutrophication on marine benthic life Eutrophication is an increase in chemical nutrients, typically compounds containing nitrogen or phosphorus, in an ecosystem. It can result in an increase in the ecosystem's primary productivity (excessive plant growth and decay), and further effects including lack of oxygen and severe reductions in water quality, fish, and other animal populations. The biggest culprit are rivers that empty into the ocean, and with it the many chemicals used as fertilizers in agriculture as well as waste from livestock and humans. An excess of oxygen depleting chemicals in the water can lead to hypoxia and the creation of a dead [35] zone. Estuaries tend to be naturally eutrophic because land-derived nutrients are concentrated where runoff enters the marine environment in a confined channel. The World Resources Institute has identified 375 hypoxic coastal zones around the world, concentrated in coastal areas in Western Europe, the Eastern and Southern coasts of [36] [37] the US, and East Asia, particularly in Japan. In the ocean, there are frequent red tide algae blooms that kill fish and marine mammals and cause respiratory problems in humans and some domestic animals when the blooms reach close to shore. In addition to land runoff, atmospheric anthropogenic fixed nitrogen can enter the open ocean. A study in 2008 found that this could account for around one t hird of the oceans external (non-recycled) nitrogen [38] supply and up to three per cent of the annual new marine biological production. It has been suggested that accumulating reactive nitrogen in the environment may have consequences as serious as putting carbon dioxide in [39] the atmosphere. One proposed solution to eutrophication in estuaries is to restore shellfish populations, such as oysters. Oyster reefs remove nitrogen from the water column and filter out suspended solids, subsequently reducing [40] the likelihood or extent of harmful algal blooms or anoxic conditions. Filter feeding activity is considered beneficial [41] to water quality by controlling phytoplanton density and sequestering nutrients, which can be removed from the [42][43] system through shellfish harvest, buried in the sediments, or lost through denitrification. Foundational work toward the idea of improving marine water quality through shellfish cultivation to was conducted by Odd Lindahl et [4 al., using mussels in Sweden. Plastic debris Marine debris is mainly discarded human rubbish which floats on, or is suspended in the ocean. Eighty percent of marine debris is plastic - a component that has been rapidly accumulating since the end of World War [45] [46] II. The mass of plastic in the oceans may be as high as one hundred million metric tons. Discarded plastic bags, six pack rings and other forms of plastic waste which finish up in the ocean present dangers to wildlife and [47] [48][49][50] fisheries. Aquatic life can be threatened through entanglement, suffocation, and ingestion. Fishing nets, usually made of plastic, can be left or lost in the ocean by fishermen. Known as ghost nets, these entangle fish, dolphins, sea turtles, sharks, dugongs, crocodiles, seabirds, crabs, and other creatures, restricting movement, causing

starvation, laceration and infection, and, in those that need to return to the surface to breathe, suffocation. Many [52] animals that live on or in the sea consume flotsam by mistake, as it often looks similar to their natural prey. Plastic debris, when bulky or tangled, is difficult to pass, and may become permanently lodged in the digestive tracts of [53][54] these animals, blocking the passage of food and causing death through starvation or infection. Plastics accumulate because they don't biodegrade in the way many other substances do. They will photodegrade on [55] exposure to the sun, but they do so properly only under dry conditions, and water inhibits this process. In marine environments, photodegraded plastic disintegrates into ever smaller pieces while remaining polymers, even down to the molecular level. When floating plastic particles photodegrade down to zooplankton sizes, jellyfish attempt to [56] [57] consume them, and in this way the plastic enters the ocean food chain. Many of these long-lasting pieces end [58] [59] up in the stomachs of marine birds and animals, including sea turtles, and black-footed albatross. Plastic debris tends to accumulate at the centre of ocean gyres. In particular, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch has a very high level of plastic particulate suspended in the upper water column. In samples taken in 1999, the mass of plastic exceeded [45][60] that of zooplankton (the dominant animal life in the area) by a factor of six. Midway Atoll, in common with all the Hawaiian Islands, receives substantial amounts of debris from the garbage patch. Ninety percent plastic, this debris accumulates on the beaches of Midway where it becomes a hazard to the bird population of the island. [61] Midway Atoll is home to two-thirds (1.5 million) of the global population of Laysan Albatross. Nearly all of these [62] [63] albatross have plastic in their digestive system and one-third of their chicks die. Toxic additives used in the manufacture of plastic materials can leach out into their surroundings when exposed to water. Waterborne [46] hydrophobic pollutants collect and magnify on the surface of plastic debris, thus making plastic far more deadly in [45] the ocean than it would be on land. Hydrophobic contaminants are also known to bioaccumulate in fatty tissues, biomagnifying up the food chain and putting pressure on apex predators. Some plastic additives are known to disrupt [60] the endocrine system when consumed, others can suppress the immune system or decrease reproductive rates. [64] Floating debris can also absorb persistent organic pollutants from seawater, including PCBs, DDT and PAHs. Aside [65] from toxic effects, when ingested some of these are mistaken by the animal brain for estradiol, causing hormone [59] disruption in the affected wildlife. Toxins Apart from plastics, there are particular problems with other toxins that do not disintegrate rapidly in the marine environment. Examples of persistent toxins are PCBs, DDT, pesticides, furans, dioxins, phenols and radioactive waste. Heavy metals are metallic chemical elements that have a relatively high density and are toxic or poisonous at low concentrations. Examples are mercury, lead, nickel, arsenic and cadmium. Such toxins can accumulate in the tissues of many species of aquatic life in a process called bioaccumulation. They are also known to accumulate in benthic environments, such as estuaries and bay muds: a geological record of human activities of the last century Underwater noise Marine life can be susceptible to noise or sound pollution from sources such as passing ships, oil exploration seismic surveys, and naval low-frequency active sonar. Sound travels more rapidly and over larger distances in the sea than in the atmosphere. Marine animals, such as cetaceans, often have weak eyesight, and live in a world largely defined by acoustic information. This applies also to many deeper sea fish, who live in a world of [81] darkness. Between 1950 and 1975, ambient noise in the ocean increased by about ten decibels (that is a tenfold [82] [83] increase). Noise also makes species communicate louder, which is called the Lombard vocal response. Whale [84] songs are longer when submarine-detectors are on. If creatures don't "speak" loud enough, their voice can be masked by anthropogenic sounds. These unheard voices might be warnings, finding of prey, or preparations of netbubbling. When one species begins speaking louder, it will mask other species voices, causing the whole ecosystem [85] to eventually speak louder. According to the oceanographer Sylvia Earle, "Undersea noise pollution is like the death of a thousand cuts. Each sound in itself may not be a matter of critical concern, but taken all together, the noise from shipping, seismic surveys, and military activity is creating a totally different environment than existed [86] even 50 years ago. That high level of noise is bound to have a hard, sweeping impact on life in the sea." Adaptation and mitigation Much anthropogenic pollution ends up in the ocean. The 2011 edition of the United Nations Environment Programme Year Book identifies as the main emerging environmental issues the loss to the oceans of massive amounts of phosphorus, "a valuable fertilizer needed to feed a growing global population", and [87] the impact billions of pieces of plastic waste are having globally on the health of marine environments. Bjorn Jennssen (2003) notes in his article, Anthropogenic pollution may reduce biodiversity and productivity of marine [88] ecosystems, resulting in reduction and depletion of human marine food resources. There are two ways the overall level of this pollution can be mitigated: either the human population is reduced, or a way is found to reduce the ecological footprint left behind by the average human. If the second way is not adopted, then the first way may be imposed as world ecosystems falter. The second way is for humans, individually, to pollute less. That requires social and political will, together with a shift in awareness so more people respect the environment and are less [89] [90] disposed to abuse it. At an operational level, regulations, and international government participation is needed. It is often very difficult to regulate marine pollution because pollution spreads over international barriers, thus [91] making regulations hard to create as well as enforce. Without appropriate awareness of marine pollution, the

[51]

necessary global will to effectively address the issues may prove inadequate. Balanced information on the sources and harmful effects of marine pollution need to become part of general public awareness, and ongoing research is [92] required to fully establish, and keep current, the scope of the issues. As expressed in Daoji and Dags research, one of the reasons why environmental concern is lacking among the Chinese is because the public awareness is low and therefore should be targeted. Likewise, regulation, based upon such in-depth research should be employed. In California, such regulations have already been put in place to protect Californian coastal waters from agricultural runoff. This includes the California Water Code, as well as several voluntary programs. Similarly, in India, several tactics have been employed that help reduce marine pollution, however, they do not significantly target the problem. In Chennai, sewage has been dumped further into open waters. Due to the mass of waste being deposited, open-ocean is best for diluting, and dispersing pollutants, thus making them less harmful to marine ecosystems.

Oil prices in India

The country has recently seen hike in diesel and petrol prices. Diesel price was recently hiked in March. This is the third hike since January 17, when the cabinet had decided to empower the OMCs to increase the price of diesel by small proportion every month. Oil prices are moving towards $100 a barrel internationally. International crude prices have an effect since India imports 80% of its needs. Oscillations in crude prices have a direct impact on refinery margins. Inadequate domestic supplies of this commodity is forcing the country to increase its import bill. India was the fourth largest consumer of oil and petroleum products in the world in 2011.. The country depends heavily on imported crude oil, mostly from the Middle East countries like Iran & Saudi Arabia and West Asia. Oil makes up 37 per cent of Indias import bill. Thus global prices effect India deeply. International scenario is also the cause of prices hike. Shortage in supply is one of the factors influencing it. The United States and the European Union last year introduced sanctions aimed at Iran's oil trade in a bid to force Tehran to the negotiating table over its disputed nuclear programme. Clearly concern about the Iran situation is having an impact on oil prices. According to the EIA, Irans top export destinations are China, Japan, and India. Thus in disruption of supply from Iran would affect India. Effects: The policy change that allows oil companies to fix diesel prices according to the international market prices and its immediate impact reflected in price hikes have left the industry, especially the small scale units, a worried lot. With these surging prices , there is a chain reaction. Increase in petrol price will increase the transportation cost, increase in transportation & logistic cost will increase in price of food and other goods, and this increase in price of goods would gradually force the people to loosen their pockets even more. Impact of decontrol of diesel on the common man Deregulation of Diesel is indeed a step forward, taking into consideration the enormous subsidy that is enjoyed by the users of this fossil fuel. Diesel forms the main fuel for commercial services and logistics: large quantity of the fuel is being consumed on a daily basis. So, statistically, the amount of revenues generated might, to some extent, be able to alleviate the problem of fiscal deficit. Agreed that the cost of public transport will go up by a certain amount, but for a government suffering from a 'plagued' economic growth, this slight increase in cost won't be such a matter of concern. However, bulk customers would have to pay the market price, the common man would be paying the inflated value considering a 45paise increase per month. This increase in the cost might change the current trend of consumers shifting to diesel vehicles from their petrol counterparts. So, we might see companies coming up with vehicles with more efficient and environment friendly engines running on alternative fuels. I know, this is slightly way ahead in the future, but this might as well be a start of it. Decontrol of diesel means that the government does not interfere in the pricing of the diesel. In Jan 2013, the government decision to allow oil marketing companies to make small corrections in the price of diesel can be stated as partial decontrol or a step in that direction. In order to control mounting under recoveries, oil companies can now periodically revise prices. The need for decontrol is emphasized by market experts as they feel that users should pay the fair price and also to avoid economic destability. They feel that the under recoveries that are shared by oil marketing companies, the government, and the upstream oil companies put unnecessary strain on their balance sheet. For oil companies, they affect their growth prospects and for the government, subsidies directly compete with the development expenditure. Impact on people:

Now that the government has decided to decontrol diesel prices for bulk users and allowed governmentcontrolled oil marketing companies to raise retail prices will be an opportunity for the OMCs. This is evident. Post government decision in January there have been 3 hikes in diesel prices. Diesel price hikes willl increase the transportation cost and logistic cost. A Rs 1 increase for a litre of diesel would result in at least a 1.5 per cent increase in freight charges. A Delhi-Mumbai-Delhi round trip would push up truck rentals by Rs 700. This will eventually lead to increase in food inflation. Thus prices of commodities and food will increase. In real state, costs may rise at least 20 per cent as the industry requires diesel in bulk. And for housing societies which run on generator sets due to shortage of power, maintenance costs will escalate immediately. The ailing power sector is set to suffer. Sources say Coal India is gearing up for a price hike to offset the impact of rising input costs, including that of diesel - which is expected to work out to Rs 550 crore extra. This will make the cost of power more expensive.

Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct manipulation of an organism's genome using biotechnology. New DNA may be inserted in the host genome by first isolating and copying the genetic material of interest using molecular cloning methods to generate a DNA sequence. Genetic engineering has applications in medicine, research, industry and agriculture and can be used on a wide range of plants, animals and micro organism. One of the best-known and controversial applications of genetic engineering is the creation and use of genetically modified crops. Across the world, there is huge controversy around the introduction of genetically modified/engineered (GM/GE) crops. On one hand there are a few biotech crop developers and scientists recommending the use of GM technology as solution for food security and on other there are concerns about its impact on human health, environment and socioeconomy. India: One of the major concerns about GM crops is that they only serve the purpose of multinational seed giants. All GM technologies come along with Intellectual Property Rights and patent tags of multinational seed companies which would ensure their monopolies as has happened in the case of Bt cotton, the only GM crop commercially cultivated in India. Genetic engineering, mainly of cotton, has made great strides in India. In 2011, cultivation of pestresistant Bt-cotton, which contains a protein toxic to insects, reached 10.6 million hectares88% of the countrys cotton cropup from 9.4 million hectares the previous year. economists estimate that Bt-cotton boosted Indias economy by $9.4 billion from 2002 to 2010 Many controversies surround the development and release of genetically modified foods, ranging from human safety and environmental impacts to ethical concerns such as corporate control of the food supply and intellectual property rights. Thus in 2010, the government put on hold commercial cultivation of Bt Brinjal. Law: Last year saw the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture in a report, unanimously agreed to by all 2 party members, asking the govt to avoid any haste in embracing GM technology in agriculture. Besides pointing at the various risks that GM crops could pose to the health of our citizens, biodiversity and farm livelihoods, it also asserted that there is a need for an all encompassing Bio-safety Authority through an Act of the Parliament, which is extensively discussed and debated amongst all stakeholders before acquiring shape of the law. The Committee also recommended an immediate stopping of all open releases of GM food crops including those in the name of field trials. The government has made it mandatory for GM food labeling from jan 2013 . It is mandatory to mention on every package, containing GM food, at the top of its principal display

2013 budget Highlights:

Tax credit of Rs. 2,000 for income upto Rs. 5 lakh . Surcharge of 10 per cent for taxable incomes above Rs. 1 crore, No review of tax slabs Excise duty on SUVs to be increased to 30 per cent from 27 per cent, SUVs registered as taxis exempted Commodities transaction tax levied on nonagriculture commodities futures contracts at 0.01 per cent Rs 532 crore to make post offices part of core banking Direct Taxes Code (DTC) bill to be introduced in current Parliament session Duty-free limits raised to Rs 50000 for men and Rs 1 lakh for women 18% rise in excise duty on Cigarattes, cigars and cheerots Service tax on all A/C restaurants Royalty tax hiked from 10% to 25% Tax Deducted at Source to be fixed at 1% on land deals over Rs 50 lakh No change in peak custom, excise rates.

5 to 10 per cent surcharge on domestic companies whose taxable income exceeds Rs 10 crore 11 lakh beneficiaries have received benefit under Direct Benefit Transfer scheme. Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Scheme to be rolled out throughout the country during the term of UPA Government. Modified GAAR norms to be introduced from April 1, 2016. Administration reform commission proposed Rs 5,87,082 crore to be transferred to states under share of taxes and non plan grants in 2013 14\ A number of measures to taken up Government and Non-government sources for women security. Rs. 1,000 crore for Nirbhaya fund Rs 6275 crore to Ministry of Technology, Rs 5216 crore to Department of Space, Rs 5280 crore to Department of Energy. These amounts are substantial increases." Rs. 2 trillion for defence sector First home loan from a bank or housing finance corporation upto Rs. 25 lakh entitled to additional deduction of interest upto Rs. 1 lakh. Proposal to launch Inflation Indexed Bonds or Inflation Indexed National Security Certificates to protect savings from inflation. On oil and gas exploration policy, the Budget proposes to move from the present profit sharing mechanism to revenue sharing. Natural gas pricing policy will be reviewed. Insurance companies can now open branches in Tier 2 cities and below without prior approval. All towns of India with a population of 10000 or more will have an LIC branch and one other public sector insurance company. Income limit for the tax-saving Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings Scheme is raised to Rs. 12 lakh from Rs. 10 lakh All public-sector banks have assured the Finance Minister that they will all have ATMs in their branch areas by 2014 India's first women's bank as a PSU proposed, Rs. 1,000 crore working capital announced India Infrastructure Finance Corporation (IIFC), in partnership with ADB will help infrastructure companies to access bond market to tap long term funds. Regulatory authority to be set up for road sector Four Infrastructure debt funds have been registered Rs 7 lakh crore target fixed for agri credit for 201314 compared to Rs 5.75 lakh crore in the current year. Eastern Indian states to get Rs 1,000 crore allocation for improving agricultural production. Green revolution in east India significant. Rice output increased in Assam, Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal; Rs 500 crore allocated for programme on crop diversification ICDS gets Rs. 17,700 crore. Average annual growth rate of agriculture and allied services estimated at 3.6 per cent in 2012 13 when 250 MT foodgrains was produced Rs 27,049 crore allocation to the Agriculture Ministry in 201314 The target for farm credit for 2013-14 has been set at Rs. 7,00,000 crore against Rs. 5,75,000 crore during the current year. Rs 14,873 crore for JNNURM for urban transportation in 201314 against Rs 7,880 crore in the current fiscal Foodgrain production in 201213 will be over 250 million tons Rs 15,260 crore to be allocated to Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation. Rs 80,194 crore allocation for Ministry of Rural Development in 201314. About Rs 33,000 crore for MGNREGA Rs. 5,000 crore for NABARD for agri storage facilities Godowns to be constructed with help of panchayats. Food grain productions have been raised drastically and only increase with each year. Rs 17,700 crore to be allocated for Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS): FM. National Food security bill is a promise of the UPA government. I hope the bill be passed as soon as possible. I have set apart Rs 10,000 crore to the expected cost of the act. An Institute for agricultural biotechnology will be set up in Ranchi, Jharkhand. Rs 1069 crore allocated to Department of Aryush: FM Rs 4,727 crore to be allocated for medical education and research. Rs 1,069 crore to be given to Department of Ayush.

Medical colleges in six more AIIMSlike institutions to start functioning this year; Rs 1650 crore allocated for the purpose. Rs 37,330 crore allocated for Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. Rs 110 crore to be allocated to the department of disability affairs, says FM. Additional sum of Rs 200 crore to Women and Child Welfare Ministry to address issues of vulnerable women. Rs 3511 crore allocated to Minority Affairs Ministry which is 60 per cent of the revised estimates. Rs 13215 crore for mid-day meal programme: Chidambaram The idea of setting up a PNGSY-2 causes uproar in the Parliament. The minister is interrupted the round of shouting, who clarifies that states that have completed PNGSY -1 will get the second version, the rest will continue under the first version The Right to Education Act is firmly in place, says Chidambaram, while announcing Rs. 27,250 crore to Sarva Shikhsa Abhiyaan in FY14. The Human Resources Development ministry meanwhile gets Rs. 65,867 crore, a rise of 17% from revised estimates. "Government committed to reconstruction of Nalanda University" - But no specific funds for the project was announced. Chidambaram announces additional fund allocation of Rs 200 crore to the Women and Child Development Ministry. He says women 'belonging to the most vulnerable groups must be able to live with self-esteem and dignity'. 169 crore given for development of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani (Natural medicine) and homeopathy Rs 41,561 crore for SC plan and Rs 24,598 crore for tribal plan. The move comes with a strong statement Plan Expenditure placed at Rs. 5,55,322 crore. It is 33.3 percent of the total expenditure while Non Plan Expenditure is estimated at Rs. 11,09,975 crore. The plan expenditure in 2013-14 will be 29.4 percent more than the RE of the year 2012-13. Fiscal Deficit for 2013-14 is pegged at 4.8 percent of GDP. The Revenue Deficit will be 3.3 percent for the same period. On oil and gas exploration policy, the Budget proposes to move from the present profit sharing mechanism to revenue sharing. Natural gas pricing policy will be reviewed. On coal, the Budget proposes adoption of a policy of pooled pricing. Benefits or preferences enjoyed by MSME to continue upto three years after they grow out of this category. Refinancing capacity of SIDBI raised to Rs. 10,000 crore. Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (TUFS) for textile to continue in 12th Plan with an investment target of Rs. 1,51,000 crore. Rs. 14,000 crore will be provided to public sector banks for capital infusion in 2013-14. A grant of Rs. 100 crore each has been made to 4 institutions of excellence including Aligarh Muslim University, Banaras Hindu University, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Guwahati and Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). A surcharge of 10 pe rcent on persons (other than companies) whose taxable income exceeds Rs.1 crore have been levied. Generation based incentives to wind energy projects reintroduced, Rs 800 crore provided for the purpose to Ministry of New & Renewable Energy Rs 14,000 crore capital infusion into public sector banks in 201314 Standing Council of Experts in Ministry of Finance to examine transaction cost of doing business in India Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (FSLRC) to submit its report next month Incubators set up by companies in academic institutions will qualify for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities Rs 500 crore would be allocated for addressing environmental issues faced by textile industry Concessional six per cent interest on loans to weavers. SEBI will simplify procedures for entry of foreign portfolio investors SIDBIs refinancing facility to MSMEs to be doubled to Rs 10,000 crore 5 million tons Dabhol LNG import terminal to be operated at full capacity in 2013 14 Coal imports during AprDec 2012 crossed 100 million tonnes and expected to go up to 185 million tonnes in 201617, Government will provide Rs 14000-crore capital infusion in state-run (public-sector) banks in 2013/14 Oil and gas exploration policy will be reviewed and moved from profit sharing to revenue sharing

Policy on exploration of shale gas on the anvil; natural gas pricing policy will be reviewed and uncertainty removed Rs. 9,000 crore earmarked as the first installment of balance of CST compensations to different States/UTs. Govt to construct power transmission system from Srinagar to Leh at the cost of Rs 1,840 crore, Rs 226 crore provided Rs 2400 crore for textile technology upgradation Two new ports in West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh Many manufacturing projects stalled due to regulatory process A company investing Rs 100 crore or more in plant and machinery in April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2015 will be allowed 15 per cent investment deduction allowance apart from depreciation To provide appropriate incentives for semiconductors industry including zero customs duty on plants and machineries. Fresh push for Bangalore-Chennai industrial corridor. Minister says the corridor to be developed in cooperation with the Japanese. DIPP and Japans JICA preparing plan for Chennai Bengaluru Industrial corridor Power sector gets a nod - States encouraged to restructure financial systems to improve sector as a whole and sign MoUs for the same effect. Rs 25,000 cr to be raised through tax free bonds: Chidambaram "Doing business in India must be seen as easy, friendly and mutually beneficial" - Second reference to increasing FDI in India. Government seems to betting heavily on a large FDI influx to help with the deficient The revised expenditure target is Rs 14,30,825 crore or 96 per cent of Budget estimate for this fiscal. In 201314, the budget estimate is Rs 16,65,297 crore. Budget expenditure is Rs 16,65,297 crore and Plan expenditure Rs 5,55, 322 crore: FM. Plan expenditure in 12th Five Year Plan revised to Rs 14,30,825 crore or 96 per cent of budgeted expenditure 24.3 % hike in expenditure for health care both rural and urban health mission. 12.5 % hike in Scheduled caste and Scheduled tribe sub-plans Average economic growth rate in 11th Plan period is 8 per cent, highest ever in any Plan period. Battle against inflation must be fought on all counts. Foreign investment is imperative Current account definict high due to dependence on oil , high gold imports Need $75billion to bridge CAD

India's lopsided development puts pressure on the cities

42% of Indias population is estimated to be below poverty line and most of it lives in the villages. In the larger cities where employment opportunities abound, the population below poverty line is less than 10%. This urban rural divide is the foremost reason behind Indias uneven development. Let us understand what the causal factors are not on the basis of emotional arguments, as is the wont nowadays, but based on facts. e pattern of economic growth in India is lop-sided, leaving a vast section of the society vulnerable, says an economist from Jawaharlal Nehru University. "This kind of pattern of growth accentuates insecurities," argued Professor Ravi Shankar Srivastava of JNU's Centre for the Study of Regional Development. In his keynote address, titled 'Expanding social security in the neo-liberal world: India's tryst with rights-based approach,' delivered at Guelph University last month, he discussed the lack of social security in India, more so for the poor. In developing countries like India, "Vast segments of the population lack formal social security cover, and suffer from persistent chronic deprivation," Srivastava said. 'One reason for the lack of formal social security is that the high proportion of the workforce in the informal sector is either stagnant or increasing," he explained."Even in countries with high economic growth (India included), increasing numbers of workers - often women - are in less secure employment, such as casual labor, home work and certain types of self-employment. Although this phenomenon is not restricted to developing countries, the share of the informal workforce in such countries is exceptionally large," he said. Therefore, Srivastava suggested that social security should form part of the human rights, basic rights of the people. Rene Veron, who teaches geography and international development at Guelph University and who invited Srivastava, said that the "Lack of social security in countries like India is quite glaring. People there are very vulnerable. There's lot of insecurity for the poor. So social security is extremely important for them," he agreed with Srivastava. "There should be a right-based approach to development, and right-based social security." To him Srivastava's argument that 'the pattern of growth accentuates insecurities' implied there was "lop-sided growth." The growth being experienced in India is causing regional disparity to increase, he said. The growth was driven by urban development but not in the agricultural sector. If there was any, it was minimal, he said. Such lopsided growth leaves a large section of society losing out on the benefits of

growth. Veron rejected the accepted view that India's economic gains had begun percolating down to the poorer sections, saying such behavior was difficult to measure. He and Srivastava worked on a joint project titled 'Globalisation and the Poor', a joint JNU and Guelph University project sponsored by the Indo-Canadian Shastry Institute. They studied various sectors in Madhya Pradesh [ Images ]. "The general picture we found really is that the poor and the weaker sections generally cannot benefit very much from globalisation and liberalisation which are now being used for economic growth. Some sections of the society have now become more vulnerable as there's lack of employment opportunities for them," Veron said. Their project was not to "argue against globalisation or liberalisation per se but we argued that the state really has to try to mitigate the negative consequences of globalization and liberalization. For doing that the state has to expand social security," Veron said. In his keynote presentation, Srivastava said, "Once the right to social security is accepted as a human right it would obligate the state to accepting their 'substantive rights' including the right to food, health, education, etc." Veron agreed that in Canada [ Images ], social security implies state coverage for education and healthcare. "The state contributions in India on these sectors is very low," he said, agreeing with Srivastava. "In India, formal social security arrangements (including health care, accidents, and old age benefits) cover eight percent of the workforce in the formal sector," he said, adding that another six percent of the workforce is believed to be covered under some sort of social security mechanism based on social insurance principles and state contributions. He agreed India had "evolved a plethora of schemes programs to provide social assistance, generate employment during slack seasons and droughts, improve access of the poor to land and other productive assets, etc. But many of these schemes were not as effective as they should be, he said. "India's social security expenditure is a relatively small part of GDP and total public expenditure approximately 3.6 to 4.8 percent in the former case and 12 to 16 percent in the latter - depending on the items one chooses to include in the rubric of social security," explained Srivastava. It is good for the people that during "the last few years' there have been 'a dramatic extension of rights-based social security initiatives in India, catalysed by civil society pressure and in many cases also supported by governments in power and by political parties across a wide spectrum." This has interestingly "occurred in a period when a larger role for government in the social sector is certainly not self-evident," Srivastava said. He attributed this change to the deepening of Indian democracy. Supporting Srivastava's suggestion for enlarging social security coverage and making that legally obligatory on the part of the state, Veron said to him the current economic growth in India "is not reaching all sections of the society. So we cannot lose sight of those people being left behind by this economic growth. Economic growth is probably giving the state a chance to invest more in social security and social welfare." When asked whether social security could be entrenched in the basic rights in a country with huge population and huge disparity in income, Veron's answer was in the affirmative. "The bureaucracy in India is very strong. The country has already achieved quite a few things. So, I don't think it is totally impossible to improve social security aspect in the country," he said. Both Veron and Srivastava referred to the arguments of Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen [ Images ]: "If you have social security properly entrenched, social security in terms of education and health, that way you will have more efficient and productive workforce. In other words good social development can eventually be very positive for economic growth," he said.

State controlled economy vs liberalised economy

To understand liberalized economy, it is better to proceed from the opposite of a liberlized economoy - it is called a State dictated, planned and controlled economy, a kind of regimente economy which does not allow much of economic freedom to individuals or household and managers of factories and firms, traders and agriculturists. All economic decisions are taken by the State/ Government and its bureacracy. These decisions include what to produce, how much to produce, where to produce and how to produce of different goods, how to distribute the produce goods among the people in what qantities of each good and service and at what prices. So all production, price, consumption, employment, factory location, technology choice and investment, export and import decisions are taken by the State/ Govt. bureacracy based on what the state think as good for the society. Generally such economies do now allow foreign investment in their countries or has plethora of restrictions on foreign capital investnments and foreign companies operating in these economies.There is no need for any market for goods and services in that syatem. Normally there is no private ownership of property or capitalist owner of firms in such State deictated, regimented economy. Even if these are allowed, the signifinace of their existent is extremely limited because the use of such property or operation of such firms is dictated by the State. There is free banking or financial services. THERE IS ECONOMIC repression of people and ban on free markets. There is virtually a ban on any private individual or firm to take ny decision in regard to investment, location of plants, production technology, production scale, quantity of production, quantity to sell, prices at which to sell or buy, how much to buy,etc. Example is the earstwhile Soveit Russia and close approximations are current Russia, China, Cuba, North Korea. Any relaxation in State controls or removal of State authority to take economic decisions in any area is an act of liberalization. As more and more relxations in such regimes are made, the economy becomes less regimented, but can remain a State dominated and planned economy with individual freedom extremely regulated and restricted, playing a minor role in

economic decision making. There may be private sector businesss but they are regulated and control and the public sector businesses remain the dominant and overwhelming. Examples of such economies are India fter 1991,Pakistan, Vietnam, etc. As further relaxations are made, the State's role in economic decsion making gets progressively restricted. There are free markets but lots of regulations and largely State/ Govt. dictated and controlled regulatory agencies that restricts economic freedom of choice to people , entrepreneurs and firms subjected to detailed scrutiny and interference by the regulators. Examples of such countries are Japan and Germany where the State continues to pklay a dominant role even in private sector decision making. But some countries like the USA and UK had always been liberalized economies in which private sector, individual entrepreneurs and free markets played the dominant role in economic decision making at the micro-level with some State regulations. These countries had time to time imposed State controls and regulatory interference on the markets and free enterprise in the name of macroeconomic stability, financial system stability and redistribution of wealth and incomes, besides playing the mjor role in macro-economic and systemic risk management. When these countries decide to furthur reduce restrictions on individual freedom and markets they are said to be deregulting and liberalising. Sometimes, especilly in times of difficulties in sustaining economic growth, these economies deregulate and liberalize. On the other hand, in times of economic distress, rising unemployment due to economic slowdown and failure of markets and large private sector institutions due to imprudent or corrupt or irrational behavior of some economic agents like business managers, mania-riden public (crowd psychlogy), regulators, auditing and inspecting agencies, the countries may reintroduce controls and economic freedom restrianing regulations in certain areas of economic activity, specially in financal sector and international trade. Thus, there is no permanently and completely liberalized economy. The most liberized economies are qwestern capitalist and free market economies, South Korea, Singapore, etc. Since 1980s, many countries which were very regimented had moved ahead with economic liberalization in varying degrees. These countries include China, India, Russia, Brazil, Vietnam and many many others. But none of these countries are as liberalized economies as the UK and US economies. In other words, economic liberalization is a broad term that usually refers to fewer government regulations and restrictions in the economy in exchange for greater participation

Should India change its national game?

Points to speak in Favour of the topic Hockey is not so much popular among the masses now as much it used to be earlier. Almost all other major games have attracted audience attention more than hockey. Cricket has been the mainstay of Indian sports for a long time now and is the choice of the nation. Hence, cricket deserves to be the national game. Sticking with hockey is only a matter of formality for India now. People dont follow the game, nobody knows the matches' schedules or the players' names. And to top it all, the game has no money, so parents don't encourage their children to play. Inspite of sponsorships and even an IPL like makeover (Indian Hockey League), Indian hockey hasn't been able to create any following. The game itself is very weak and has no support from the government or private sponsors. Points Against the topic At the end of the day, games are played for fun. If watched closely, a hockey match can be as much, if not more, exciting as a cricket game. Cricket is worshiped in India, more than any other game. That doesnt mean that other games should stop existing! Cricket is popular because Indian Team is among the best in the world. If our hockey team starts to match global standards, people would automatically start following the game. Everyone know that our past hockey team was a force to reckon with. India has won Olympic golds in hockey and produced arguably the best hockey player the world has ever seen - Major Dhyanchand. India still holds the record for being the only team to have won 8 Olympic Gold medals with 6 in a row! If hockey begins to get the encouragement from government and proper facilities are setup, players would themselves feel motivated to win. And once they start winning, the money would automatically start flowing in. Indian hockey is not popular among the masses because of the media. While cricket has always got the preferential treatment of first page coverage, hockey always used to get the last one. But this is changing of late. Media recently has covered major players like Saina Nehwal in Badminton, Rohan Boppana, Leander Pace in Tennis extensively. But for media attention, our hockey team need to win more matches.

Instead of changing the national game, India should work to make it more popular. One step in this regard could be to take aid from BCCI. With huge coffers of money, BCCI has the capacity to help the Hockey Federation and make the sport popular in India. India Pakistan encounters are still followed with great enthusiasm in India. We surely have the talent, we just dont have player motivation. And so media and general public have to start doing their bit. Like other countries Indian media needs to give equal coverage to all sports alike. Money is a big factor in any sport. All our cricketers are millionaires. If players are paid well, they would perform better. Big Business houses (like Sahara did) need to step in and support the sport.

Conclusion The national game might not have to change if the general attitude towards the game changes. The game needs governments support to revive. The public has a responsibility to make the game of Hockey popular. They should go to watch matches and watch them on TV as well. This would increase sponsorships, bring in support for the game and make it popular, and boost player confidence as well. The national game then would truly become national.

The corrupt efficient politician vs the inefficient honest politician

Favor * Corrupt but efficient politician can bring a difference in Indian government. Currently most of our politicians are corrupt and inefficient. * The politicians are not able to take care of citizen's benefits because they are inefficiants. If we have the efficient politicians who are bit corrupt but able to serve nation, that would change scenario. * Inefficiency of politicians came out in recent Mumbai terror attacks. If we have slightly efficient people than such kind of attacks would have never happened. *corrupt but efficient will do...coz what ultimately matters is getting d work done effectively. so his bribe or corruption is nothing but jst d additional charge or fees for his efficiency. Against * A corrupt politician cannot fulfill his duties even he is efficient because he will use his efficiency to fulfill his selfishness. They forget that they were elected to work for the welfare of public and not to fulfill their own pockets. * Whereas an honest politician might not be able to perform but at least; he will not be part of current dirty politics and social corruption. * How one can be inefficient if he is performing his duties with honesty. * Corruption is destroying our society we cannot choose a corrupt person as our leader. * Honesty will work and show its color...... and corruption is actually breaking the back born country....... If an politician is corrupt he earns a lot of money or other incentives so automatically he is motivated to do work.. and people in India will always approach such a person. Where as a honest politician has no such motivating factor for him so it is obvious that his efficiency will reduce. Also we in India we term all politician in one category even if he is good. So a honest politician is better and will always do better things for the country rather that a corrupt politician.. *Corruption blind folds people as they put in all their effort in making money by wrong means. They become efficient in doing wrong things. * A corrupt politician can never fulfill his duties even if he is efficient as he is the not honest with his job. * If a politician is inefficient but honest then with the power of honesty he/she can uproot corruption from the system making it a beautiful place to live. *Due to corruption India is lagging behind. Now by choosing corrupt people whether they are efficient enough to bring a change in the country we can not worsen the situation more. Conclusion * A person who has chosen by millions of people must be efficient and honest. * Sometimes he may take some benefits out of system but he should be honest towards benefits of society and people who have chosen him * Inefficiency or efficiency cant be measured but if a person is corru pt it is legally unavoidable. Every politician represents a number of people who elect them so that they will bring good policies for the growth and welfare of general public. Thus it should be the responsibility of the politician to fulfill his promise efficiently by being honest to his profession. In todays time we need honest politicians who are efficient to take the country in the right direction.

Greenhouse effect
The greenhouse effect is a process by which thermal radiation from a planetary surface is absorbed by atmospheric greenhouse gases, and is re-radiated in all directions. Since part of this re-radiation is back towards the surface and the lower atmosphere, it results in an elevation of the average surface temperature above what it would be in the absence of the gases. Solar radiation at the frequencies of visible light largely passes through the atmosphere to warm the planetary surface, which then emits this energy at the lower frequencies of infrared thermal radiation. Infrared radiation is absorbed by greenhouse gases, which in turn re-radiate much of the energy to the surface and lower atmosphere. The mechanism is named after the effect of solar radiation passing through glass and warming a greenhouse, but the way it retains heat is fundamentally different as a greenhouse works by reducing airflow, isolating the warm air inside the structure so that heat is not lost by convection. If an ideal thermally conductive blackbody was the same distance from the Sun as the Earth is, it would have a temperature of about 5.3 C. However, since the Earth reflects about 30%[5] [6] of the incoming sunlight, this idealized planet's effective temperature (the temperature of a blackbody that would emit the same amount of radiation) would be about 18 C.[7][8] The surface temperature of this hypothetical planet is 33 C below Earth's actual surface temperature of approximately 14 C.[9] The mechanism that produces this difference between the actual surface temperature and the effective temperature is due to the atmosphere and is known as the greenhouse effect.[10] MECHANISM: The Earth receives energy from the Sun in the form UV, visible, and near IR radiation, most of which passes through the atmosphere without being absorbed. Of the total amount of energy available at the top of the atmosphere (TOA), about 50% is absorbed at the Earth's surface. Because it is warm, the surface radiates far IR thermal radiation that consists of wavelengths that are predominantly much longer than the wavelengths that were absorbed (the overlap between the incident solar spectrum and the terrestrial thermal spectrum is small enough to be neglected for most purposes). Most of this thermal radiation is absorbed by the atmosphere and re-radiated both upwards and downwards; that radiated downwards is absorbed by the Earth's surface. This trapping of longwavelength thermal radiation leads to a higher equilibrium temperature than if the atmosphere were absent. This highly simplified picture of the basic mechanism needs to be qualified in a number of ways, none of which affect the fundamental process. The incoming radiation from the Sun is mostly in the form of visible light and nearby wavelengths, largely in the range 0.24 m, corresponding to the Sun's radiative temperature of 6,000 K.*19] Almost half the radiation is in the form of "visible" light, which our eyes are adapted to use.About 50% of the Sun's energy is absorbed at the Earth's surface and the rest is reflected or absorbed by the atmosphere. The reflection of light back into spacelargely by cloudsdoes not much affect the basic mechanism; this light, effectively, is lost to the system. The absorbed energy warms the surface. Simple presentations of the greenhouse effect, such as the idealized greenhouse model, show this heat being lost as thermal radiation. The reality is more complex: the atmosphere near the surface is largely opaque to thermal radiation (with important exceptions for "window" bands), and most heat loss from the surface is by sensible heat and latent heat transport. Radiative energy losses become increasingly important higher in the atmosphere largely because of the decreasing concentration of water vapor, an important greenhouse gas. It is more realistic to think of the greenhouse effect as applying to a "surface" in the midtroposphere, which is effectively coupled to the surface by a lapse rate. The simple picture assumes a steady state. In the real world there is the diurnal cycle as well as seasonal cycles and weather. Solar heating only applies during daytime. During the night, the atmosphere cools somewhat, but not greatly, because its emissivity is low, and during the day the atmosphere warms. Diurnal temperature changes decrease with height in the atmosphere. Within the region where radiative effects are important the description given by the idealized greenhouse model becomes realistic: The surface of the Earth, warmed to a temperature around 255 K, radiates long-wavelength, infrared heat in the range 4100 m.*19+ At these wavelengths, greenhouse gases that were largely transparent to incoming solar radiation are more absorbent.[19] Each layer of atmosphere with greenhouses gases absorbs some of the heat being radiated upwards from lower layers. It re-radiates in all directions, both upwards and downwards; in equilibrium (by definition) the same amount as it has absorbed. This results in more warmth below. Increasing the concentration of the gases increases the amount of absorption and re-radiation, and thereby further warms the layers and ultimately the surface below.[8]Greenhouse gasesincluding most diatomic gases with two different atoms (such as carbon monoxide, CO) and all gases with three or more atoms are able to absorb and emit infrared radiation. Though more than 99% of the dry atmosphere is IR transparent (because the main constituentsN2, O2, and Arare not able to directly absorb or emit infrared radiation), intermolecular collisions cause the energy absorbed and emitted by the greenhouse gases to be shared with the other, non-IR-active, gases. Greenhouse gases By their percentage contribution to the greenhouse effect on Earth the four major gases are: water vapor, 3670% carbon dioxide, 926% methane, 49% ozone, 37%

The major non-gas contributor to the Earth's greenhouse effect, clouds, also absorb and emit infrared radiation and thus have an effect on radioactive properties of the atmosphere Role in climate change Strengthening of the greenhouse effect through human activities is known as the enhanced (or anthropogenic) greenhouse effect.[23] This increase in radiative forcing from human activity is attributable mainly to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.[24] According to the latest Assessment Report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, "most of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations". CO2 is produced by fossil fuel burning and other activities such as cement production and tropical deforestation.[26] Measurements of CO2 from the Mauna Loa observatory show that concentrations have increased from about 313 ppm [27] in 1960 to about 389 ppm in 2010. The current observed amount of CO2 exceeds the geological record maxima (~300 ppm) from ice core data.[28] The effect of combustion-produced carbon dioxide on the global climate, a special case of the greenhouse effect first described in 1896 by Svante Arrhenius, has also been called the Callendar effect. Over the past 800,000 years,[29] ice core data shows that carbon dioxide has varied from values as low as 180 parts per million (ppm) to the pre-industrial level of 270ppm.[30] Paleoclimatologists consider variations in carbon dioxide concentration to be a fundamental factor influencing climate variations over this time scale. Real greenhouses The "greenhouse effect" of the atmosphere is named by analogy to greenhouses which get warmer in sunlight, but the mechanism by which the atmosphere retains heat is different.[33] A greenhouse works primarily by preventing absorbed heat from leaving the structure through convection, i.e. sensible heat transport. The greenhouse effect heats the earth because greenhouse gases absorb outgoing radiative energy and re-emit some of it back towards earth. A greenhouse is built of any material that passes sunlight, usually glass, or plastic. It mainly heats up because the Sun warms the ground inside, which then warms the air in the greenhouse. The air continues to heat because it is confined within the greenhouse, unlike the environment outside the greenhouse where warm air near the surface rises and mixes with cooler air aloft. This can be demonstrated by opening a small window near the roof of a greenhouse: the temperature will drop considerably. It has also been demonstrated experimentally (R. W. Wood, 1909) that a "greenhouse" with a cover of rock salt (which is transparent to infra red) heats up an enclosure similarly to one with a glass cover.[3] Thus greenhouses work primarily by preventing convective cooling.[4][34] In the greenhouse effect, rather than retaining (sensible) heat by physically preventing movement of the air, greenhouse gases act to warm the Earth by re-radiating some of the energy back towards the surface. This process may exist in real greenhouses, but is comparatively unimportant there. Earths natural greenhouse effect makes life as we know it possible. However, human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels and clearing of forests, have intensified the natural greenhouse effect, causing global warming.[11]

What is soil conservation?

Soil conservation is a set of management strategies for prevention of soil being eroded from the Earths surface or becoming chemically altered by overuse, acidification, salinization or other chemical soil contamination. It is a component of environmental soil science. Decisions regarding appropriate crop rotation, cover crops, and planted windbreaks are central to the ability of surface soils to retain their integrity, both with respect to erosive forces and chemical change from nutrient depletion. Crop rotation is simply the conventional alternation of crops on a given field, so that nutrient depletion is avoided from repetitive chemical uptake/deposition of single crop growth. Practices There are also conventional practices that farmers have invoked for centuries. These fall into two main categories: contour farming and terracing, standard methods recommended by the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service, whose Code 330 is the common standard. Contour farming was practiced by the ancient Phoenicians, and is known to be effective for slopes between two and ten percent.[2] Contour plowing can increase crop yields from 10 to 50 percent, partially as a result from greater soil retention.[citation needed] There are many erosion control methods that can be used such as conservation tillage systems and crop rotation. Keyline design is an enhancement of contour farming, where the total watershed properties are taken into account in forming the contour lines. Terracing is the practice of creating benches or nearly level layers on a hillside setting. Terraced farming is more common on small farms and in underdeveloped countries, since mechanized equipment is difficult to deploy in this setting. Human overpopulation is leading to destruction of tropical forests due to widening practices of slash-and-burn and other methods of subsistence farming necessitated by famines in lesser developed countries. A sequel to the deforestation is typically large scale erosion, loss of soil nutrients and sometimes total desertification. Perimeter runoff control Trees, shrubs and groundcovers are also effective perimeter treatment for soil erosion prevention, by insuring any surface flows are impeded. A special form of this perimeter or inter-row treatment is the

use of a grassway that both channels and dissipates runoff through surface friction, impeding surface runoff, and encouraging infiltration of the slowed surface water. Salinity management Salinity in soil is caused by irrigating the crops with salty water. During the evaporation process the water from the soil evaporates leaving the salt behind causing salinization. Salinization causes the soil structure to break down causing infertility and the plants cannot grow. The ions responsible for salination are: Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+ and Cl-. Salinity is estimated to affect about one third of all the earths arable land.[4] Soil salinity adversely affects the metabolism of most crops, and erosion effects usually follow vegetation failure. Salinity occurs on drylands from overirrigation and in areas with shallow saline water tables. In the case of over-irrigation, salts are deposited in upper soil layers as a byproduct of most soil infiltration; excessive irrigation merely increases the rate of salt deposition. The best-known case of shallow saline water table capillary action occurred in Egypt after the 1970 construction of the Aswan Dam. The change in the groundwater level due to dam construction led to high concentration of salts in the water table. After the construction, the continuous high level of the water table led to soil salination of previously arable land. Use of humic acids may prevent excess salination, especially in locales where excessive irrigation was practiced. The mechanism involved is that humic acids can fix both anions and cations and eliminate them from root zones. In some cases it may be valuable to find plants that can tolerate saline conditions to use as surface cover until salinity can be reduced; there are a number of such saline-tolerant plants, such as saltbush, a plant found in much of North America and in the Mediterranean regions of Europe. Soil Ph Soil pH levels adverse to crop growth can occur naturally in some regions; it can also be induced by acid rain or soil contamination from acids or bases. The role of soil pH is to control nutrient availability to vegetation. The principal macronutrients (calcium, phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium, magnesium, sulfur) prefer neutral to slightly alkaline soils. Calcium, magnesium and potassium are usually made available to plants via cation exchange surfaces of organic material and clay soil surface particles. While acidification increases the initial availability of these cations, the residual soil moisture concentrations of nutrient cations can fall to alarmingly low levels after initial nutrient uptake. Moreover, there is no simple relationship of pH to nutrient availability because of the complex combination of soil types, soil moisture regimes and meteorological factors. Soil organisms When worms excrete egesta in the form of casts, a balanced selection of minerals and plant nutrients is made into a form accessible for root uptake. US research shows that earthworm casts are five times richer in available nitrogen, seven times richer in available phosphates and eleven times richer in available potash than the surrounding upper150 mm of soil. The weight of casts produced may be greater than 4.5 kg per worm per year. By burrowing, the earthworm is of value in creating soil porosity, creating channels enhancing the processes of aeration and drainage. Microorganisms Soil microorganisms play a vital role in macronutrient wildlife. For example, nitrogen fixation is carried out by free-living or symbiotic bacteria. These bacteria have the nitrogenase enzyme that combines gaseous nitrogen with hydrogen to produce ammonia, which is then further converted by the bacteria to make other organic compounds. Some nitrogen-fixing bacteria such as rhizobia live in the root nodules of legumes. Here they form a mutualistic relationship with the plant, producing ammonia in exchange for carbohydrates. In the case of the carbon cycle, carbon is transferred within the biosphere as heterotrophs feed on other organisms. This process includes the uptake of dead organic material (detritus) by fungi and bacteria in the form of fermentation or decay phenomena. Mycorrhizae Mycorrhizae are symbiotic associations between soil-dwelling fungi and the roots of vascular plants. fungi helps increase the availability of minerals, water, and organic nutrients to the plant, while extracting sugars and amino acids from the plant. There are two main types, endomycorrhizae (which penetrate the roots) and ectomycorrhizae (which resemble 'socks', forming a sheath around the roots). They were discovered when scientists observed that certain seedlings failed to grow or prosper without soil from their native environment. Some soil microorganisms known as extremophiles have remarkable properties of adaptation to extreme environmental conditions including temperature, pH and water deprivation. Degradation and contamination The viability of soil organisms can be compromised when insecticides and herbicides are applied to planting regimes. Often there are unforeseen and unintended consequences of such chemical use in the form of death of impaired functioning of soil organisms. Thus any use of pesticides should only be undertaken after thorough understanding of residual toxicities upon soil organisms as well as terrestrial ecological components. Killing soil microorganisms is a deleterious impact of slash and burn agricultural methods. With the surface temperatures generated, virtual annilation of soil and vegetative cover organisms are destroyed, and in many environments these effects can be virtually irreversible (at least for generations of mankind). Shifting cultivation is also a farming system that often employs slash and burn as one of its elements. Systems, most of which have an adverse effect upon soil quality and plant metabolism. While the role of pH has been discussed above, heavy metals, solvents, petroleum hydrocarbons, herbicides and pesticides also contribute soil residues that are of potential concern. Some of these chemicals are totally extraneous to the agricultural landscape, but others (notably herbicides

and pesticides) are intentionally introduced to serve a short term function. Many of these added chemicals have long half-lives in soil, and others degrade to produce derivative chemicals that may be either persistent or pernicious. One alternative to chemicals in agriculture is soil steaming. Steam sterilizes the soil by killing almost all beneficial and harmful micro organisms. However no harmful remains are left. Soil health may even increase since steam unlocks nutrients in the soil which may lead to better plant growth after the thermal treatment. Typically the expense of soil contamination remediation cannot be justified in an agricultural economic analysis, since cleanup costs are generally quite high; often remediation is mandated by state and county environmental health agencies based upon human health risk issues. Mineralization To allow plants full realization of their phytonutrient potential, active mineralization of the soil is sometimes undertaken. This can be in the natural form of adding crushed rock or can take the form of chemical soil supplement. In either case the purpose is to combat mineral depletion of the soil. There are a broad range of minerals that can be added including common substances such as phosphorus and more exotic substances such as zinc and selenium. There is extensive research on the phase transitions of minerals in soil with aqueous contact.[6] The process of flooding can bring significant bedload sediment to an alluvial plain. While this effect may not be desirable if floods endanger life or if the eroded sediment originates from productive land, this process of addition to a floodplain is a natural process that can rejuvenate soil chemistry through mineralization and macronutrient addition.

Organic farming
Organic farming is a form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control. Organic farming uses fertilizers and pesticides but excludes or strictly limits the use of manufactured (synthetic) fertilizers, pesticides (which include herbicides, insecticides and fungicides), plant growth regulators such as hormones, livestock antibiotics, food additives, genetically modified organisms,[1] human sewage sludge, and nanomaterials.[2] Organic agricultural methods are internationally regulated and legally enforced by many nations, based in large part on the standards set by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), an international umbrella organization for organic farming organizations established in 1972.[3] IFOAM defines the overarching goal of organic farming as: "Organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic agriculture combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved..." International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements Since 1990, the market for organic products has grown from next to nothing statistically, reaching $55 billion in 2009 according to Organic Monitor (www.organicmonitor.com). This demand has driven a similar increase in organically managed farmland which has grown over the years 2001-2011 at a compounding rate of 8.9% per annum.[5] As of 2011, approximately 37,000,000 hectares (91,000,000 acres) worldwide were farmed organically, representing approximately 0.9 percent of total world farmland (2009). What is organic farming? Organic farming works in harmony with nature rather than against it. This involves using techniques to achieve good crop yields without harming the natural environment or the people who live and work in it. The methods and materials that organic farmers use are summarised as follows: To keep and build good soil structure and fertility: recycled and composted crop wastes and animal manures the right soil cultivation at the right time crop rotation green manures and legumes mulching on the soil surface To control pests, diseases and weeds: careful planning and crop choice the use of resistant crops good cultivation practice crop rotation encouraging useful predators that eat pests increasing genetic diversity using natural pesticides Organic farming also involves: careful use of water resources good animal husbandry

A modern approach to farming Organic farming does not mean going back to traditional methods. Many of the farming methods used in the past are still useful today. Organic farming takes the best of these and combines them with modern scientific knowledge. Organic farmers do not leave their farms to be taken over by nature; they use all the knowledge, techniques and materials available to work with nature. In this way the farmer creates a healthy balance between nature and farming, where crops and animals can grow and thrive. To be a successful organic farmer, the farmer must not see every insect as a pest, every plant out of place as a weed and the solution to every problem in an artificial chemical spray. The aim is not to eradicate all pests and weeds, but to keep them down to an acceptable level and make the most of the benefits that they may provide. Combined techniques On an organic farm, each technique would not normally be used on its own. The farmer would use a range of organic methods at the same time to allow them to work together for the maximum benefit. For example the use of green manures and careful cultivation, together provide better control of weeds than if the techniques were used on their own. Why farm organically? Organic farming provides long-term benefits to people and the environment. Organic farming aims to: increase long-term soil fertility. control pests and diseases without harming the environment. ensure that water stays clean and safe. use resources which the farmer already has, so the farmer needs less money to buy farm inputs. produce nutritious food, feed for animals and high quality crops to sell at a good price. Modern, intensive agriculture causes many problems, including the following: Artificial fertilisers and herbicides are easily washed from the soil and pollute rivers, lakes and water courses. The prolonged use of artificial fertilisers results in soils with a low organic matter content which is easily eroded by wind and rain. Dependency on fertilisers. Greater amounts are needed every year to produce the same yields of crops. Artificial pesticides can stay in the soil for a long time and enter the food chain where they build up in the bodies of animals and humans, causing health problems. Artificial chemicals destroy soil micro-organisms resulting in poor Soil structure and aeration and decreasing nutrient availability. Pests and diseases become more difficult to control as they become resistant to artificial pesticides. The numbers of natural enemies decrease because of pesticide use and habitat loss. Crop nutrition To produce a healthy crop an organic farmer needs to manage the soil well. This involves considering soil life, soil nutrients and soil structure. Artificial fertilisers provide only short term nutrient supply to crops. They encourage plants to grow quickly but with soft growth which is less able to withstand drought, pests and disease. Artificial fertilisers do not feed soil life and do not add organic matter to the soil. This means that they do not help to build good soil structure, improve the soils water holding capacity or drainage. The soil is a living system. As well as the particles that make up the soil, it contains millions of different creatures. These creatures are very important for recycling nutrients. Feeding the soil with manure or compost feeds the whole variety of life in the soil which then turns this material into food for plant growth. This also adds nutrients and organic matter to the soil. Green manures also provide nutrients and organic matter. These are plants with high nitrogen content that are sown as part of a rotation and are dug into the soil when young. It is important to remember, however, that using too much animal manure or nutrient rich organic matter, or using it at the wrong time, could be as harmful as using man-made, artificial fertilisers. The organic farmer must cultivate the soil at the right time and in the right ways to provide the best living conditions for the soil life and plant roots. Choice of crops Each crop and crop variety has its own specific needs. In some places it will grow well and others it will not. Crops are affected by; soil type rainfall altitude temperature the type and amount of nutrients required the amount of water needed These factors affect how a crop grows and yields. If a crop is grown in a climate to which it is not suited, it is likely to produce low yields and be more susceptible to pest and diseases. This then creates the need to use agrochemicals

to fertilise the crop and control pest and diseases. The successful organic farmer learns to grow the crops and varieties which are suited to the local conditions. He should grow crops which are suited to his geography and climate. He should choose varieties which are suited to the local conditions such as local varieties.

Rotations Growing the same crops in the same site year after year reduces soil fertility and can encourage a build up of pests, diseases and weeds in the soil. Crops should be moved to a different area of land each year, and not returned to the original site for several years. For vegetables a 3 to 4 year rotation is usually recommended as a minimum. Crop rotation means having times where the fertility of the soil is being built up and times where crops are grown which remove nutrients. Crop rotation also helps a variety of natural predators to survive on the farm by providing diverse habitats and sources of food for them. A typical 4 year rotation would include a cycle with maize and beans, a root crop and cereals with either of the following; 1. Grass or bush fallow (a fallow period where no crops are grown). 2. A legume crop where a green manure, which is a plant grown mainly for the benefit of the soil, is grown Natural pest and disease control Pests and diseases are part of nature. In the ideal system there is a natural balance between predators and pests. If the system is imbalanced then one population can become dominant because it is not being preyed upon by another. The aim of natural control is to restore a natural balance between pest and predator and to keep pests and diseases down to an acceptable level. The aim is not to eradicate them altogether. Chemical control Pesticides do not solve the pest problem. In the past 50 years, insecticide use has increased tenfold, while crop losses from pest damage have doubled. Here are three important reasons why natural control is preferable to pesticide use. Safety for people Artificial pesticides can quickly find their way into food chains and water courses. This can create health hazards for humans. Human health can also be harmed by people eating foods (especially fruit and vegetables) which still contain residues of pesticides that were sprayed on the crop. There is also much concern for those people using chemical pesticides. The products may be misused because the instructions are not written in the language spoken by the person using them. This has led to many accidents such as reports of people suffering from severe skin rashes and headaches as a result of using chemical pesticides. There are an estimated one million cases of poisoning by pesticides each year around the world. Up to 20,000 of these result in death. Most of the deaths occur in tropical countries where chemical pesticides which are banned in Europe or the USA are still available. Cost Using natural pest and disease control is often cheaper than applying chemical pesticides because natural methods do not involve buying materials from the outside. Products and materials which are already in the home and around the farm are most often used. Safety for the environment There are a number of harmful effects that chemical pesticides can have on the environment: Chemical pesticides can kill useful insects which eat pests. Just one spray can upset the balance between pests and the useful predators which eat them. Artificial chemicals can stay in the environment and in the bodies of animals causing problems for many years. Insect pests can very quickly, over a few breeding cycles, become resistant to artificial products and are no longer controlled. This means that increased amounts or stronger chemicals are then needed creating further economic, health and environmental problems. Natural control There are many ways in which the organic farmer can control pests and diseases. Growing healthy crops that suffer less damage from pests and diseases. Choosing crops with a natural resistance to specific pests and diseases. Local varieties are better at resisting local pest and diseases than introduced varieties. Timely planting of crops to avoid the period when a pest does most damage. Companion planting with other crops that pests will avoid, such as onion or garlic

Land degradation
Land degradation is a process in which the value of the biophysical environment is affected by one or more combination of human-induced processes acting upon the land.[1] also environmental degradation is the gradual destruction or reduction of the quality and quantity of human activities animals activities or natural means example

water causes soil erosion, wind, etc. It is viewed as any change or disturbance to the land perceived to be deleterious or undesirable.[2] Natural hazards are excluded as a cause, however human activities can indirectly affect phenomena such as floods and bush fires. This is considered to be an important topic of the 21st century due to the implications land degradation has upon agronomic productivity, the environment, and its effects on food security.[3] It is estimated that up to 40% of the world's agricultural land is seriously degraded. Measuring Land degradation is a broad term that can be applied differently across a wide range of scenarios. There are four main ways of looking at land degradation and its impact on the environment around it: A temporary or permanent decline in the productive capacity of the land. This can be seen through a loss of biomass, a loss of actual productivity or in potential productivity, or a loss or change in vegetative cover and soil nutrients. A decline in the lands usefulness: A loss or reduction in the lands capacity to provide r esources for human livelihoods. This can be measured from a base line of past land use. Loss of biodiversity: A loss of range of species or ecosystem complexity as a decline in the environmental quality. Shifting ecological risk: increased vulnerability of the environment or people to destruction or crisis. This is measured through a base line in the form of pre-existing risk of crisis or destruction. A problem with measuring land degradation is that what one group of people call degradation, others might view as a benefit or opportunity. For example, heavy rainfall could make a scientific group be worried about high [5] erosion of the soil while farmers could view it as a good opportunity to plant crops. Causes: Land degradation is a global problem, largely related to agricultural use. The major causes include: Land clearance, such as clearcutting and deforestation Agricultural depletion of soil nutrients through poor farming practices Livestock including overgrazing and overdrafting [6] Inappropriate irrigation and overdrafting Urban sprawl and commercial development Soil contamination including Vehicle off-roading Quarrying of stone, sand, ore and minerals Increase in field size due to economies of scale, reducing shelter for wildlife, as hedgerows and copses disappear Exposure of naked soil after harvesting by heavy equipment Monoculture, destabilizing the local ecosystem Dumping of non-biodegradable trash, such as plastics Effects [7] The main outcome of land degradation is a substantial reduction in the productivity of the land. The major stresses on vulnerable land include: Accelerated soil erosion by wind and water Soil acidification and the formation of acid sulfate soil resulting in barren soil Soil alkalinisation owing to irrigation with water containing sodium bicarbonate leading to poor soil structure and reduced crop yields [8] Soil salination in irrigated land requiring soil salinity control to reclaim the land Soil waterlogging in irrigated land which calls for some form of subsurface land drainage to remediate the [8] negative effects Destruction of soil structure including loss of organic matter Overcutting of vegetation occurs when people cut forests, woodlands and shrublands to obtain timber, fuelwood and other productsat a pace exceeding the rate of natural regrowth. This is frequent in semi-arid environments, where fuelwood shortages are often severe. Overgrazing is the grazing of natural pastures at stocking intensities above the livestock carrying capacity; the resulting decrease in the vegetation cover is a leading cause of wind and water erosion. It is a significant factor in Afghanistan. Agricultural activities that can cause land degradation include shifting cultivation without adequate fallow periods, absence of soil conservation measures, fertilizer use, and a host of possible problems arising from faulty planning or management of irrigation. They are a major factor in Sri Lanka and the dominant one in Bangladesh. The role of population factors in land degradation processes obviously occurs in the context of the underlying causes. In the region, in fact, it is indeed one of the two along with land shortage, and land shortage itself ultimately is a consequence of continued population growth in the face of the finiteness of land resources. In the context of land shortage the growing population pressure, during 1980-1990, has led to

decreases in the already small areas of agricultural land per person in six out of eight countries (14% for India and 22% for Pakistan). Population pressure also operates through other mechanisms. Improper agricultural practices, for instance, occur only under constraints such as the saturation of good lands under population pressure which leads settlers to cultivate too shallow or too steep soils, plough fallow land before it has recovered its fertility, or attempt to obtain multiple crops by irrigating unsuitable soils. High population density is not always related to land degradation. Rather, it is the practices of the human population that can cause a landscape to become degraded. Populations can be a benefit to the land and make it more productive than it is in its natural state. Land degradation . is important factor of internal displacement in many African and Asian countries Severe land degradation affects a significant portion of the Earth's arable lands, decreasing the wealth and economic development of nations. As the land resource base becomes less productive, food security is compromised and competition for dwindling resources increases, the seeds of famine and potential conflict are sewn. Sensitivity and resilience Sensitivity and resilience are measures of the vulnerability of a landscape to degradation. [5] These two factors combine to explain the degree of vulnerability. Sensitivity is the degree to which a land system undergoes change due to natural forces, human intervention or a combination of both. Resilience is the ability of a landscape to absorb change, without significantly altering the relationship between the relative importance and [10] numbers of individuals and species that compose the community. It also refers to the ability of the region to return to its original state after being changed in some way. The resilience of a landscape can be increased or decreased through human interaction based upon different methods of land-use management. Land that is degraded becomes less resilient than undegraded land, which can lead to even further degration through shocks to the landscape. Climate change Significant land degradation from seawater inundation, particularly in river deltas and on low-lying ] islands, is a potential hazard that was identified in a 2007 IPCC report As a result of sea-level rise from climate change, salinity levels can reach levels where agriculture becomes impossible in very low lying areas.

Impact of Coalition governments on the progress of the nation

A coalition government (known in the United States as a fusion administration) is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate, reducing the dominance of any one party within that coalition. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament. A coalition government might also be created in a time of national difficulty or crisis, for example during wartime, or economic crisis, to give a government the high degree of perceived political legitimacy, or collective identity it desires whilst also playing a role in diminishing internal political strife. In such times, parties have formed all-party coalitions (national unity governments, grand coalitions). If a coalition collapses, a confidence vote is held or a motion of no confidence is taken. To deal with a situation in which no clear majorities appear through general elections, parties either form coalition cabinets, supported by a parliamentary majority, or minority cabinets which may consist of one or more parties. Cabinets based on a coalition with majority in a parliament, ideally, are more stable and long-lived than minority cabinets. While the former are prone to internal struggles, they have less reason to fear votes of non-confidence. Majority governments based on a single party are typically even more stable, as long as their majority can be maintained. In many democratic countries, such as Germany, France, Australia, India, Israel and Italy, government by a coalition of political parties is considered normal. Often in such countries there are many political parties with a significant level of popular support in elections. This means no one party usually can gain more than 30% of the seats in the parliament or national assembly, so it is necessary for several parties to come together to form a viable government, generally under the premiership of the leader of the largest party involved. In Practice To deal with a situation in which no clear majorities appear through general elections, parties either form coalition cabinets, supported by a parliamentary majority, or minority cabinets which may consist of one or more parties. Cabinets based on a coalition with majority in a parliament, ideally, are more stable and long-lived than minority cabinets. While the former are prone to internal struggles, they have less reason to fear votes of nonconfidence. Majority governments based on a single party are typically even more stable, as long as their majority can be maintained. Coalition cabinets are common in countries in which a parliament is proportionally representative with several organized political parties represented. Parliamentary democracies ruled by multiparty cabinets make foreign policy decisions in a fairly unique institutional context, complicated by the politics of coalition government. Recent research suggests that this context is associated with foreign policy behaviors that are quite distinct in character from foreign policy made by single party cabinets. In particular, coalitions tend to engage in more extreme (both more peaceful and more aggressive) and more committed foreign policies. In this paper, we examine the reasons behind extreme foreign policy choices by coalition cabinets. We also investigate the proposition that some coalitions are more likely to engage in conflictual behavior, while others are more likely to be cooperative. In doing so, we unpack the category of coalitions and study the effects that certain cabinet characteristics have on

foreign policy. In particular, we examine the effects of coalition strength, the number of parties in the coalition, and the ideological placement of coalition parties. These characteristics stem from different institutional and political situations that coalitions face, but are also connected to long-standing psychological explanations of group decision making. Our study is a quantitative analysis using published data on the characteristics of coalitions. Politics of India The place in a framework of a federal parliamentary multi-party representative democratic republic modeled after the British Westminster System. The Prime Minister of India is the head of government, while the President of India is the formal head of state and holds substantial reserve powers, placing him or her in approximately the same position as the British monarch. It is not that coalition-culture has affected the national politics only the states have also been affected at individual levels. The trend of coalition politics is still not being strongly felt at the state level, when compared to the national politics. The bigger states such as UP, Karnataka and Maharashtra are more likely to get a coalition government when compared to smaller states though smaller states like Jharkhand have also repeatedly got coalition government. Coalition Governments in India A Brief Timeline The writing on the wall is clear coalition governments at the center will be the norm, rather than exception at the center, at least for the foreseeable future. In this context, it is interesting to note their performance till now. The experience has been a mixed bag, though one feels that negatives have far outweighed the positives. The first ever coalition experiment in free India, in 1977, was a disaster of unprecedented proportions. The worthies of the coalition could not see eye to eye on almost any matter, and the different pushes and pulls disintegrated the government before it could even complete term. The 1989 coalition government was another travesty the coalition government came into being on an anti-Congress and anti-Rajiv Gandhi platform, and ended two years later. Funnily enough, the government collapsed because Congress withdrew its support to Chandrashekhar, who was the Prime minister at that time. The next government was formed by Congress as the leading party, though supported again by a rag-tag combination of various parties. The coalition succeeded in completing its full five-year term, though not before giving some anxious moments. Major controversies marred the term of this government especially the Securities Scam, Babri Masjid incident, Mumbai bomb blasts and then riots, and a number of corruption charges the telecom scandal and the JMM bribery charges leading among them. The most notable achievement of this government was that the economic reforms were finally started in India. The period 1996-1999 was almost completed in a daze, as far as the government at center is concerned. BJP turned out to be the single largest party, and was invited to form the government. However, BJP failed to gather the herd effectively, and fell well short of the needed numbers. The next largest party, Indian National Congress, declined to form a government, and instead chose to support a rag-tag coalition of impossibly adverse partners, named National front. Predictable, the period saw two prime ministers HD Devegowda and IK Gujaral. It is a homage to Indian democracy that a person like HD Devegowda, an unknown entity in national politics till then, and having only a handful of MPs in his own party, could become the PM of India. The next election bought glad tidings for BJP, which again emerged as the single largest party. This time, the party succeeded in cobbling together a coalition (National Democratic Alliance), and completed its full term in the office satisfactorily, with Atal Behari Vajpayee at the helm as Prime Minister. However, the alliance could not repeat its performance in the next general elections, much to the surprise of analysts. In 2004, Indian National Congress emerged as the single largest party, though not large enough to form the government on its own steam It combined with the Left Front to form the government. The INC and the Left Front alliance was pulled in different directions from the inside, but survived its quota of five years somehow. The INC and the Left Front were diametrically opposite in thinking and ideology, and this manifested in significant almost crippling differences with regards to policies, especially economic and foreign policies. In 2009, INC fared much better in elections and came back into power, much to its own surprise. However, even this improved performance was not enough to get a clear majority, and a coalition was formed with various parties. A number of parties agreed to support the government from outside, without expecting any returns in form of cabinet berths etc. being free from the leftist yoke, the government has worked quite freely till now, though no significant achievement has resulted, that one could write home about.

Does the UN have relevance today

After the failure of League of Nations, the necessity of an international organization of wider character was felt. This need was fulfilled with the creation of UN in 1945. It had the responsibility to maintain international peace and promote cooperation in solving international economic, social and humanitarian problems. The UN has completed fifty seven years and apparently seems to be more assertive, confident and visible, both in its approach and actions. The recent manifestations of this confidence have been its interventions in Kuwait, Somalia, Angola, Rwanda, Zaire and Afghanistan. Apart from few highlights the UN has always been in question for its power to handle the disturbing issues around the world. The founders of the UN had envisaged that the organization would act to prevent conflicts between nations and make future wars impossible, however the outbreak of the Cold War made peacekeeping agreements extremely difficult because of the division of the world into hostile camps.

The UN has also drawn criticism for perceived failures. In many cases, member states have shown reluctance to achieve or enforce Security Council resolutions, an issue that stems from the UN's intergovernmental natureseen by some as simply an association of 192 member states who must reach consensus, not an independent organization Looking at the past it can be said that UN has failed in serious issues but nevertheless it has made progress toward world cooperation and has adapted to changing circumstances that were not dreamed of by its founders. The United Nations Organisation (UNO) was constituted in October 1945 to save mankind from the scourge of war. The League of Nations which came into existence after World War I failed to prevent the differences between nations from snowballing into another war-World War II. But, a lot has changed during the last over six decades. Now there are no full fledged wars, but terrorist attacks. The world is suffering from hunger and deadly diseases like AIDS. Besides, there are problems like human trafficking, pedalling of narcotics, and rampant poverty in many parts of the world. One of the debates is whether the UN is relevant in the changed international scenario. The historic event of signing of the United Nations Charter was started in San Francisco on June 26, 1945. Forty-five Nations, including India, were initially invited to the San Francisco Conference. Poland, one of the original signatories of the United Nations Declaration, did not attend as the political atmosphere was not clear in that country at that time. Later on, Poland signed the Charter. After that on 24 October 1945 the United Nations Charter came into existence, formally understood as birth of the UN. The day is celebrated to memorize our common legacy, common inheritance and its achievements. The achievements of United Nations have always been debated and during last two decades the relevance of the organisation has been questioned. It is always argued that the organisation is not democratic in nature; rather it is manipulated by a handful of powers like US and its cronies for serving their own purposes. The UN day, i.e. is also notable for messages issued by the UN Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly. In addition, special briefings are arranged for non-governmental organisations on UN-related topics. Sometimes schools and civic groups arrange peace marches and other such events. The tradition of celebrating United Nations Day with a concert is a powerful souvenir of common aspiration of nations to discover harmony and solidarity. The cultural treasures of nations are shared in the celebrations to cultivate peace and harmony across the world. The celebrations are also aimed at emphasizing the longer term goals of peace and justice and for remembering nations common legacy. The composition of the Security Council has always been a bone of contention among the member countries. For many years, some member-states have been advocating expansion of the Security Council, arguing that adding new members will cure the democratic and representative shortfall from which the Council suffers. The Security Council reflects the global power structure of 1945, and it was in 1965, the last time, under pressure from a growing membership, that the UN expanded the Council, bringing its total membership to 15. This arrangement makes the Council both autocratic and fruitless. The veto- wielding permanent members (P5) avert many issues from reaching the Councils agenda and they often selfishly block widely -agreed and much-desirable initiatives. Despite the ten elected members, the Security Council remains geographically unbalanced and unrepresentative. At the heart of this divide lies a disagreement over claims to new permanent Council seats. Brazil, India, Japan and Germany want a permanent seat in the Council, and have threatened to session their monetary or military troop offerings to the UN if they are not rewarded with permanent member status. African countries have also uttered the need for permanent African representation in the Council to bring an end to the domination of industrialised nations in the influential UN organ. But the P5 prefer to keep their oligarchy. Nations agree on the Co uncils loopholes, but they differ sharply on the required solutions. On September 16, 2008, however, the United Nations members endorsed Indias viewpoint that the General Assembly should begin the inter-governmental negotiations on expansion of the Security Council, with consensus emerging in favour of starting parleys by February 2009. Pakistan and its allies had favoured the open-ended working ground (OEWG) continuing negotiations until consensus is reached. But India had advocated that the issue be sorted out at inter-governmental negotiations as OEWG had failed to reach any agreement after more than a decade of discussions. After regular discussions, the OEWG agreed to recommend that the UN General Assembly begin informal negotiations on expanding membership of the Council no later than 28 February 2009. The United Nations appears to be in bad shape, and has almost become ineffectual, says an article drawn from a new book, New World Disorder: The United Nations after the Cold War-An Insiders View by David Hannay. Events in the Balkans, in Rwanda and elsewhere have shown that the post-Cold War hopes about the UN presiding over a stable world have been dashed to the ground. The Security Council is divided over crucial issues like Iran, Myanmar, North Koreas nuclear program, Zimbabwe, and now, Georgia. Stymied in doing anything useful, the council keeps itself busy inventing ever more formats of meeting and forms of expression, says former British diplomat Carner Ross in the piece. Efforts at reform are nowhere to be seen. Leadership, from the UN Secretariat or the leading states of the UN, including the UK, is notable only in its utter absence, he adds. The 2003 Iran War is perhaps the biggest reason for the failure of the UN, since it was seen by most of the world as a deliberate abuse of internal law and the hold of the US and the UK over the Security Council. Also responsible is the new-found assertiveness of Russia and China, and the growing economic and strategic selfconfidence gained by other countries, including Sudan-all making the world a multipolar entity. Besides, conflicts deal with by the United Nations is increasingly located inside rather than between states.

Then there is the issue of scant leadership. The Secretary- General seems to have been appointed by the P5, on the understanding that he is not to offer a firm steers, either on political issues or the United Nations necessary reforms. But what is the solution to its institutional problem? The UN can sure be made more open and accountable. It will require a determined and sustained effort to do this, and few countries show any willingness to take on this burden. Instead, most of them seem content to let the UN deteriorate. Other challenges that lie ahead for the UN are to stress the need to re-energise the fight against poverty and strengthen its efforts for development. The 2005 World Summit highlighted the significant role played by the United Nations in influencing a collective vision of advancement. The developmental goals have been laid down under framework of Millennium Development Goals. The role of the United Nations in conflict prevention, peacemaking and peace building have always been discussed in high pitch, but for any kind of success in this regard, approach must be integrated, coordinated and comprehensive. Enhancing the UNs capacity for preventive diplomacy and supporting sustainable peace processes will help to enhance the Organisations credentials. The menace of terrorism is another important global challenge which has been on the agenda of the United Nations for decades. In September 2006 for the first time in history, all UN member-states agreed to a common strategic and operational approach to fight the scourge. In the emerging global scenario, the persisting risks posed by nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction underscore the need for revitalisation of the disarmament agenda. Bringing human rights to all people of the world is another challenge to be taken care of. The Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR), a part of the United Nations Secretariat, has a unique mandate from the international community to promote and protect all human rights. The modern humanitarianism demands more accountable, transparent, predictable and coordinated approach to confront the crisis. Furthermore, the Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has expressed his commitment to an Organisation that delivers more effectively. On 24 July 2008 a newly-created group of legal experts played a pivotal part in improving the system of internal justice within the United Nations. The Internal Justice Council was created after the General Assembly decided to reshape the UN justice system. The working of the UN has been severely criticized by some nations on several grounds. But the fact cannot be denied that the world body has so far achieved its basic objective of preventing a large war involving more than two nations. It has stopped many skirmishes and mediated peaceful dialogue. Its agencies and organs have played a major role in maintaining a world order besides helping in alleviating poverty, preventing diseases from becoming epidemics, helping the cause of children and women in poor countries providing loans through financial institutions like IMF and ADB. The UN provides a platform to world leaders to be united and fight world problems in cooperation with one another. Though its organs like Security Council need structural reforms, yet we can conclude that the UN is still relevant today.

Coal mining and its impact on the environment

12 Environmental Effects of Coal Mining Coal is a fossil fuel that's burned to generate electricity and heat, or liquefied to produce gas and diesel fuel. Coal begins as plant matter that's trapped underground for centuries, and over time becomes petrified due to lack of exposure to air. What results is a useful but highly controversial rock that, while valuable to human energy production, is nevertheless difficult, expensive and dangerous to obtain -- with high costs to the environment and human health. There is much debate whether the environmental effects of coal mining justify its continued use. Coal is either extracted from deep inside the earth or removed from its surface. The former is known as underground mining, the latter as strip mining or mountaintop removal. Either process contributes a high level of damage to the environment: #12 Noise pollution One of the most obvious (albeit perhaps least harmful) environmental effects of coal mining is noise pollution. Coal mining is a loud, day- and night-long process that disrupts the lives of those in the surrounding communities, reduces the quality of life and can go on for decades. #11 Loss Of Wildlife Coal mining requires a large expanse of territory. When a mining operation moves in, it invades and destroys sizable ranges of wilderness area, displacing the native fauna and removing habitat and food sources. This eventually results in an imbalanced ecosystem -- and even the endangerment or extinction of entire species. #10 Sink Holes Another environmental effect of coal mining is "mine subsidence" -- the earth sinking as a result of a disturbance to its foundation. This occurs when the coal deep below our planet's surface is removed from its bed. #9 Topographical Alteration Coal mining irreparably damages plant life and soil, creating barren patches of land that are not only aesthetically unpleasing but contribute to loss of valuable topsoil, erosion and dust storms. #8 Flooding Coal mining and preparation generates millions of gallons of highly toxic, semi-solid waste called "slurry." To contain the slurry, dams are often built in between the mountains from where the coal is

being mined. There are several documented instances in which slurry dams have failed, resulting in deadly floods and ensuing environmental disaster. #7 Water Pollution Highly acidic runoff from coal stocks and handling facilities, known as acid mine drainage (AMD), infiltrates waterways, contaminating local water supply and affecting the PH balance in the surrounding lakes and streams. #6 Air Pollution Coal dust, in addition to being dirty and unpleasant smelling, is dangerous if inhaled over an extensive period of time. People with prolonged exposure to coal dust are at high risk of contracting "Black lung disease," which left untreated can lead to lung cancer, pulmonary tuberculosis, and heart failure. #5 Fires Since coal is combustible, the threat of fire is another example of the environmental effects of coal mining. If a fire occurs in a coal bed, it can last for years or even decades, potentially spreading and releasing noxious fumes into the surrounding community. #4 Toxicity Coal and coal waste contain heavy metals such as lead, mercury and arsenic, which are highly toxic both to plant and animal life. #3 Acid Rain Possibly one of the scariest environmental effects of coal mining is the threat of acid rain. The high acidity of AMD remains in the water supply even through evaporation and condensation, which enables it to stay in the atmosphere and eventually return in the form of "acid rain," thus perpetuating the cycle of pollution. #2 Radiation Coal contains trace elements of radium and uranium, which, when released into the environment, can lead to radioactive contamination. While it's true that these elements occur in small amounts, enough coal is routinely burned at coal processing plants to produce dangerous levels of radioactive waste. #1 Climate Change High levels of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is released during the mining process, contributing to the destruction of the ozone layer. Carbon dioxide, another greenhouse gas, is released in the combustion (burning) process, when coal is used to fuel electric generators and steam engines. As a result, global warming is probably one of the most significant and widely-felt environmental effects of coal mining.

River contamination in India

Most of India's major rivers are contaminated at several stretches, with many "hot-spots" not fit for drinking purposes, irrigation, outdoor bathing and propagation of wildlife, a first of its kind survey conducted by the Central Water Commission (CWC) has revealed. The "Water Quality hot-spots in the Rivers of India" survey which highlighted the extent of river water contamination in India, singled out 12 'hot spots' in eight Indian states. Almost all of the rivers surveyed -- Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra, Narmada, Yamuna, Tapti, Krishna, Godavari, Kaveri and Mahanadi -are a major source of water for millions of people in several states that these rivers pass through. Rivers in several spots in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Orissa, Jharkhand, Bihar, Kerala and Gujarat had relatively high values of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), which was more than the 3.0 mg/l-level set by BIS (Bureau of Indian Standard). Most of these stretches also have high total coliform and fecal coliform level, which are ascribed to sewage discharge, open defecation, cattle wallowing, disposal of animal caracass and unburnt bodies. Coliform organisms are used as indicators of water pollution. The survey has revealed that lot of effluent and sewage is being generated, for a major portion of which there are no effluent treatments. This has resulted in discharge of this sewage into the rivers untreated or only partially treated, former CWC chairman AK Bajaj said, adding, "Besides this rampant use of fertilisers and pesticides, open defecation, lack of solid waste management practices also contributes to surface water pollution". The report, which listed out quality of water on parameters set by the BIS, such as the presence of pH, chloride, fluoride, arsenic, calcium, magnesium, iron, among others, was based on the average values observed during the past 10 years at CWC's monitoring stations across these major rivers. According to the report, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh were the states where river stretches were found to have high values of pH above the prescribed limit of 8.5. (pH is the measurement of hydrogen ion concentration in water). Though higher pH in water was not found to have any direct affect on human health, the water treatment for removal of viruses, bacteria and other harmful organisms can have an indirect effect on health, the report said. Also, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Bihar, Jharkhand, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh were the states in which 15 testing stations in rivers were found to have fluoride concentration more 1.5 mg/l. Excessive fluoride has been the cause of several ailments. BIS has recommended an upper desirable limit of 1.0 mg/l of F as desirable concentration of fluoride in drinking water, which can be extended to 1.5 mg/l of F in case no alternative source of water is available. River or ground Water having fluoride concentration of more than 1.5 mg/l are not suitable for drinking purposes. 'Holy rivers' has rather become a myth today. According to a report of the National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) all the fourteen big rivers of India are badly polluted. They cover 85 per cent of the surface

flow of water in the country. The main pollutant of river water is industrial waste. River Jamuna in Delhi receives 6000 kg of dissolved solids, 3000 kg of heavy metals and 200 kg of detergent every day. In its 48 km stretch around Delhi Yamuna gets polluted through 17 drains that bring toxics, acids and a number of chemicals that affect the health of the river and consequently of all those who depend on it for drinking and bathing water. The Ganga starts getting polluted by chemicals from Rishikesh itself. It receives effluents from the Indian Drug and Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (IDPL) and Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL). The flow of toxic effluents including chemicals, metallurgic deposits and fertilizers to river Periyar in Kerala is so great that the people living on its banks have a high incidence of skin diseases. Cauvery and Kapila in Karnataka are so polluted that in a stretch of 10 km of the banks of Cauvery people suffer badly from skin diseases, boils and burning sensation. Cauvery receives industrial wastes from Tamil Nadu. The story of Godavari is no different. It receives 4,500 gallons of toxic waste everyday from Andhra Paper Mills alone. Plankton on which fish live has been dying in large numbers in the river. Similarly Hooghly and Damodar, receive untreated waste from coal washeries, pulp and paper mills, steel mills and chemical industries in Bengal. Hooghly receives industrial wastes of 150 big factories including jute mills, textile mills, paper and pulp factories, distilleries and tanneries. Even the fish have been greatly contaminated causing bone diseases and arthritis among those who eat fish in the area. The waste of fertilizer plant and Indian Oil Corporation flowing into Mahi Sagar in Gujarat has killed fish, cattle and even elephants. Human and animal excreta flow to all the rivers in India. As it is untreated it is responsible for almost all water borne diseases. Untreated sewage flows into the Jamuna in Delhi through 17 open drains. Chambal a Tributary of the Jamuna is the most polluted river in Rajasthan. The people between Rajpura and Nagda suffer from acute skin diseases because of water pollution. Efforts have been made to remove the pollution of the Ganga through the efforts of Central Ganga Authority (CGA). No serious efforts have been made anywhere else. Three things are essential to let the rivers flow as pure as they were in the past. All industries in the cities on the banks of rivers should, under strict vigilance, treat their effluents before the water flows to the river. Municipalities and Corporations should have treating centers for their drain water. These will provide energy besides supplying pure water to the rivers. No government efforts can make the rivers unpolluted if the common man has no consciousness how to keep the rivers too unpolluted as he keeps his house neat and clean. Non Government Organizations (NGO) can play an important role in educating the people both in cities and the rural areas.

The problems of clinical waste

What is Clinical Waste? It refers to any waste that consists wholly or partly of: Human or animal tissue Blood or bodily fluids Excretions Drugs or other pharmaceutical products Swabs or dressings Syringes, needles or other sharp instruments which, unless rendered safe, may prove hazardous to any person coming into contact with it. Clinical waste also refers to any other waste arising from medical, nursing, dental, veterinary, pharmaceutical or similar practice, investigation, treatment, teaching or research. Health care waste, if not managed scientifically has the potential of posing a serious threat to health and environment. The grave health hazard posed by the inefficient handling of clinical waste to the most proximate i.e. the hospital staff, ragpickers, municipal workers and the community at large , have been well, documented. In developing countries, incorporation of a holistic and scientific clinical waste policy within in overall hospital management is still an exception and not a rule. Very broadly clinical waste is defined as `any solid or liquid waste that is generated in the diagnosis, treatment or immunisation of human beings or animals, in research pertaining thereto, or in the production or testing of biologicals. Definitions of clinical waste have evolved with a view to aid in regulating it. Given the fact that the clinical waste stream is an extremely complex one, and which includes chemicals which could be hazardous , as also normal kitchen or office waste which are akin to municipal solid waste, the definition of regulated clinical waste becomes important. Broadly clinical wastes include all types of wastes produced by hospitals, clinics, doctors' offices and other clinical and research facilities, these wastes include infectious, hazardous, radioactive and other general wastes. While a term like `hospital waste' would encompass all wastes which emanate from a health care facility, `clinical waste' can be generated in small clinics or outfits without kitchens or offices. The definition used must also keep in mind that only a small portion of the total hospital waste is infection, which could range from 10 to 25%. No matter which definition is used, it should enable an identification of infectious or potentially infectious waste in any health related waste stream. Over time various narrower descriptions have been used in various regulations around the world.

Risks associated with infectious clinical wastes Infected hospital waste can transmit diseases, especially if it finds portals of entry. "There is strong epidemiological evidence from Canada, Japan and the USA, that the main concern of infectious hospital waste is the transmission of HIV/AIDS virus and, more often of Hepatitis B or C virus (HBV) through injuries caused by syringes contaminated by human blood." To the Community: The risk to the general public is secondary and occurs in three ways: (1) accidental exposure from contact with wastes at municipal disposal bins; (2) exposure to chemical or biological contaminants in water; (3) exposure to chemical pollutants (e.g., mercury ,dioxin) from incineration of the wastes. To the Workers: Environmental workers, including ward boys, janitors, municipal workers and ragpickers, along with nurses are the group most at risk from infected clinical waste. However, there is a lack of priority on basic worker safety when dealing with wastes within health care facilities, and installing end-of-pipe disposal technologies does little to minimise their risk. Sharps, which include syringes and needles, have the highest disease transmission potential amongst all categories of clinical waste. Almost 85% of sharp injuries are caused between their usage and subsequent disposal. More than 20% of those who handle them encounter `stick' injuries, as studies show. It is of less importance if the shap is later incinerated or autoclaved, if it has already transmitted disease. A three year study carried out in Jordan found that of the 1000 odd persons involved in patient related activities, 248 health care workers had needle stick injuries, of which 34.6% were staff nurses, 19% environmental workers, 15.7% interns, 11.7% residents, 8.5 % practical nurses and 6% technicians. The study concluded that needlestick and sharp injuries occur frequently in developing countries, and that safer disposal facilities and routine hepatitis B vaccine should be adopted. Hazardous clinical waste risks Largely ignored, this class of hospital waste, which consists mainly of chemicals and discarded cytotoxic drugs, poses risk scenarios to hospital workers. Some common hazardous chemicals, some of which are probable carcinogens or pose other health risks include: Chemotherapy and Antineoplastioc chemicals , which are the largest volume of hazardous chemicals. Formaldehyde, which is normally used in pathology, autopsy, embalming etc. Photographic chemicals such as fixer, developer which has 45% glutaraldehyde etc. Solvents such as methyl chloride, chloroform, freons, trichloroethylene etc. Mercury Ethylene Oxide used as sterilizers. Incineration of Clinical Waste Most clinical administrations have focused on installing disposal technologies such as incinerators and not on implementing a practice' of waste management within the hospital. Environmental and Health risks associated with clinical waste incineration Incineration has specific health concern since it not only destroys the pathogen but also the material on which the pathogen resides. In the process they transform solid and liquid toxic wastes into gaseous emissions. The pollutants of Clinical waste incinerators, include: Pathogens (entities with infection potential), Metals (e.g. cadmium, a neurotoxic chemical and thought to be a probable human carcinogen), Acid gases (e.g. hydrogen chloride, nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxides), which can cause acute effects such as eye and respiratory irritation, can contribute to acid rain, and may enhance the toxic effects of heavy metals) Particulate emissions (which can absorb heavy metals and organic and lodge in human lungs, and serve as irritants possible responsible for chronic health effects). Increased chlorine made material e.g. PVC, which creates dioxin, a known animal carcinogen, and considered human carcinogen. A Case Study of India: India can serve as a case study for developing countries, since the context of developing countries is very different from that of more industrialised societies. India has witnessed accelerated activity in clinical waste disposal. Not only does it have a large health care sector which ranges from elite services to primary health care, but it also has a large presence of other stakeholders such as multilateral funding agencies, highly informed NGOs and clinical professionals, a legal framework, health agencies like WHO, within the overall constraints which a developing country faces. The solutions which evolve here can serve as a guide for all other developing countries. In India , like in many other developing countries, the disposal of clinical wastes has been handled very casually and thus with time it has assumed the proportions of a crisis management problem . Municipal bins

overflow with municipal as well as clinical waste; and there is a general fear of epidemic tormenting city administration. Despite recommendations both here as well as abroad, to rectify waste management systems within an overall framework, hospital administrations have ignored larger systemic practices and instead picked up only end -of -pipe solutions such as incineration . Incorporation of scientific treatment and disposal of clinical ashes in the overall hospital management is a long cherished dream , yet to be achieved. Even the most elementary technology i.e. incineration is installed only in the tertiary care hospitals and even there in most cases incinerators operate at sub-optimal conditions The overall scenario on segregation of wastes too is undisputedly dismal. Srishti studies have constantly shown that in the majority of the hospitals there is no segregation of wastes and even in hospitals where it is there, waste is handled so casually that infectious wastes and sharps are dumped `alongwith the rest. Colour coded bags are not used either due to their unavailability or the doctors and nurses are not aware of the need to segregate the wastes. In other cases, where wastes are segregated by the hospital staff, it is done for the purpose of retrieving useful items. Even in several hospitals with or without incinerators, contractors are engaged to dispose of clinical wastes. This gives way to malpractices as waste recycling by ragpickers, and possible reuse of used syringes has become an accepted way of life. Further, majority of the facilities give no primary treatment to the liquid wastes before discharging them into the sewers. Even some large hospitals use municipal crematoria for organs, tissues etc. Hospitals are currently burning wastes or dumping bins which are transported to unsecured dumps. The wastes contain mercury and other heavy metals, chemical solvents and preservatives (e.g.,formaldehyde) which are known carcinogens and plastics (e.g. ,PVC) which when combusted produce dioxins and other pollutants which pose serious human health risks not only to workers but to the general public through food supplies . The workers in the health care facilities do not take care of the hazards associated with clinical wastes. Workers are not provided protective gears like gloves ,face masks and boots in most of the health care facilities. In the instances where they are provided, workers do not use the protective equipment as it impedes their work and they find it uncomfortable. The lack of awareness about the importance and benefits of waste management programmes in health care facilities is due to several reasons- includes the staff's unexplained unwillingness to participate, lack of motivation, lack of proper training and education besides the permanent cash crunch which hampers providing protective gear to hospital staff for segregating wastes. and above all , the harsh fact -treating wastes is not profitable. Thus, much groundwork needs to be done . Capacity building in the health care sector, traning and awareness, involvement of all agencies such as the Ministry of health and the state health departments,the WHO and better enforcement of regulation with greater polluter acceptability have to be addressed. This is important, keeping in consideration the resource crunch crisis and poor quality health care services prevailing in the health care sector in India. Further, many external forces are forcing unviable approaches on a funds starved health care sector in India e.g. World Bank had recommended, though this is now changing, the setting up of on -site incinerators in its State Health Systems Development Project II for Karnataka , Punjab and West Bengal. There is however a ray of hope since there are changes in the right direction too, albeit small ones. Some hospitals are opting for autoclaves in place of incinerators, and the Government of Delhi has ordered seven large autoclaves. The first centralised microwave technology was granted approval by the CPCB in Sept 96 and is awaiting installation. There is a move for training and capacity and agencies UNDP are also getting involved. The World Bank and the WHO are coming up with more sustainable and cleaner policies. NGOs and the media are playing a watchdog as well as a constructive role in helping set up model hospital systems. Though the industrial sector has still to catch up with viable alternatives, though there is a recognition that a sizeable market exists, and entrepreneurs are appearing on the scene. The need is for constant action and a continuing focus on finding cost effective and effective solutions.

The purpose of flashmobs A flash mob (or flashmob)[1] is a group of people who assemble suddenly in a public
place, perform an unusual and seemingly pointless act for a brief time, then quickly disperse, often for the purposes of entertainment, satire, and artistic expression. Flash mobs are organized via telecommunications, social media, or viral emails. The term, coined in 2003, is generally not applied to events and performances organized for the purposes of politics (such as protests), commercial advertisement, publicity stunts that involve public relation firms, or paid professionals.[7][10][11] In these cases of a planned purpose for the social activity in question, the term smart mobs is often applied instead. Precedents and precursors In 19th-century Tasmania, the term flash mob was used to describe a subculture consisting of female prisoners, based on the term flash language for the jargon that these women used. The 19thcentury Australian term flash mob referred to a segment of society, not an event, and showed no other similarities to the modern term flash mob or the events it describes. In 1973, the story "Flash Crowd" by Larry Niven described a concept similar to flash mobs.[19] With the invention of popular and very inexpensive teleportation, an argument at a shopping mallwhich happens to be covered by a news crew quickly swells into a riot. In the story, broadcast coverage attracts the attention of other people, who use the widely available technology of the teleportation booth to swarm first that eventthus intensifying the riotand then other events as they happen. Commenting on the

social impact of such mobs, one character (articulating the police view) says, "We call them flash crowds, and we watch for them." In related short stories, they are named as a prime location for illegal activities (such as pickpocketing and looting) to take place. Flash mobs began as a form of performance art.[13] While they started as an apolitical act, flash mobs may share superficial similarities to political demonstrations. Flash mobs can be seen as a specialized form of smart mob,[7] a term and concept proposed by author Howard Rheingold in his 2002 book Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution.[ Crime Crimes associated with flash mobs are rare but occasionally make international headlines. Referred to as "flash robs", "flash mob crimes", "crime mobs", or "flash mob violence" by the media,[30] these mobs start with the intent or lead to the destruction of private property, rioting, violence, and personal injury. Mark Leary, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University, said, "the illegal and violent component is also not unlike ordinary crimes where a group of people do something illegal. What social media adds is the ability to recruit such a large group of people, that individuals who would not rob a store or riot on their own feel freer to misbehave without being identified." Law enforcement and governments have used several methods to combat these crimes with the use of pepper spray, mass arrests, and criminal charges.[32][33] In the United States, a few cities experienced waves of crimes committed by groups of people.[17] In Philadelphia the riots drew harsh condemnation from mayor Michael Nutter and resulted in curfews being imposed in two local districts.[34][35][36] The city of Braunschweig, Germany has stopped flash mobs by strictly enforcing the already existing law of requiring a permit to use any public space for an event.[37] In the United Kingdom, a number of flash mobs have been stopped over concerns for public health and safety.[38] The British Transport Police have urged flash mob organizers to "refrain from holding such events [silent disco] at railway stations".Bill Wasik has expressed "surprise by the new focus of some of the gatherings" and said it is "terrible that these Philly mobs have turned violent".[17] Advocates and organizers of legal flash mobs consider "flash mob crime and similar neologisms used by the media to be inaccurate and damaging to the reputation of flash mobs.[40] Purpose: The general purpose of a flash mob is to create a light-hearted gathering of people to intrigue and mystify bystanders. In the Mp3 Experiment, for example, participants downloaded musical tracks before attending the event, and spontaneously broke into dance, following instructions embedded in the tracks. During No Pants Day, participants ride the New York City subway system without pants. Indian articles on topic: (News stories) Wake up Delhi, sing flash mobs for 'One Billion Rising': The young men and women on Valentine's Day gave a collective performance near Jantar Mantar, where thousands had gathered in December to protest against the brutal gang-rape and death of a young woman. Crossing their arms, shuffling their feet and singing "Wake up Delhi! End violence against women!", hundreds of people took part in flash mobs across Delhi to mark the global 'One Billion Rising' campaign on Thursday.The young men and women on Valentine's Day gave a collective performance near Jantar Mantar, where thousands had gathered in December to protest against the brutal gang-rape and death of a young woman.Hundreds of women politicians and activists have supported the initiative and many students participated in the flash mob dancing to the song "Jaago Dilli jaago!" (Wake up Delhi!), said Padmini Krishnan, one of the organisers.A flash mob is an impromptu gathering of people at a public place to perform an unusual song or a jig for a brief time and disperse, to raise an issue.The 'One Billion Rising' campaign aims to gather people from all walks of life to pledge their commitment to ending violence against girls and women, said college student Megha Mishra, who took part in a flash mob."I'm rising because I could have been one of those woman, who was battered, sexually abused. I'm rising because I'm a woman, aware of the potential of women and want to show the world I care and dare," wrote Christy Abraham of NGO Action Aid on the campaign's Facebook page.Similar flash mobs gathered in the National Capital Region, with street plays and dance dramas.The next such event would take place March 8 to mark Women's Day, Kamla Bhasin, the campaign's south Asia coordinator, said. About 200 countries are participating in the campaign. An estimate by the United Nations Development Fund for Women shows that at least one of every three women in the world is beaten, raped, or otherwise abused during her lifetime. In most cases, the abuser is a family member. Flash mob calls for empowerment: Chandigarh College of Engineering and Technology, As the run up to their three-day literary extravaganza, Lexicon, 2013, students of Chandigarh College of Engineering and Technology (CCET) organized a flash mob at the Sector 17 Plaza. Lexicon, 2013 will be organized from April 5 to 7.Stressing on the need for women's empowerment, students undertook a signature campaign, inviting people from all walks of life to share their views on ways to empower women and make the city safe for them.Besides, the message, the flash mob also featured an energetic dance performance by the CCET dance group, Beatles. Through the dance, the performers depicted the suppression of women in a patriarchal society and the burning need to break the shackles.People in Sector 17 expressed their support for the cause and their appreciation of the performance by a thundering applause.

Amrit Sidhu, convener of Lexicon, 2013, said, "Our aim is to encourage people to speak up for the rights of women. With injustice against them mounting, it is imperative that steps be taken to rectify the situation. With this performance, we wanted to spread the message loud and clear." Flash mob: a new marketing tool?: Flash mobs are being used as a tool for promotion. Big corporates and production houses have found a new publicity tool in flash mob s the sudden dance or act by a group of people at bustling public places like railway stations, markets or shopping malls.A recent show was organised for the publicity of film Don 2 and TV show Dance India Dance.An old concept abroad for the purpose of entertainment, satire or artistic expression, flash mobs kicked off in India when 23-year-old Shonan Kothari led a huge crowd to dance to the tunes of Rang de Basanti at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) railway station in Mumbai. It got thousands of views on Youtube later on.After the grand success of that show, several flash mobs have been organised by several NGOs, groups and organisations in various cities, including the national capital, to send across messages. A few days back, a group danced at the Sarojini Nagar market to the tune of Sadda Haq to send a message against sexual harassment and female foeticide.Flash mobs, which appear spontaneously, but are well planned and choreographed, are now being used frequently as a marketing tool to reach out to masses.The one organised at Ambience mall in Gurgaon for the promotion of Shahrukh Khan starrer Don 2 started off with a group of guys indulging in a fake fight and asking each other where is Don. They, along with other group members, then start dancing over Zara dil ko thaam lo from the film.Ambika Sharma, managing director and CEO of Pulp Strategy Communication, which organised the flash move for the flick, says that flash mobs as part of a marketing initiative are a great enabler of buzz, provided there is an existing call to action. It needs balance of visual appeal, clutterbreaking entry and keeping alive the element of surprise. The key is to ensure that the energy on ground translates into online. The video of our flash mob has seen over 10000 shares on Facebook and over 54000 views online in a week since its pr esence online, informs Ambika.People were taken aback during flash mob performances at Rajouri Garden market, Saket and Janakpuri, organised by Zee TV with an aim to create a buzz around the launch of season three of TV show Dance India Dance.The trend has caught up among event management companies and corporates due to the spontaneity and surprise factor that comes with flash mobs. Zee marketing head, national channels, Akash Chawla says, The highest recall value of a thing is when it happens suddenly.The dance mob videos were uploaded on various social networking sites to further increase the audience base, Chawla added.

Inflation and the Indian Economy

Inflation is the rapidly rising prices of goods and services caused to the increase in the supply money. Inflation arises when the demand for goods and services in an economy exceeds the supply of same. Inflation is a determinant in functioning of any economy. India is a country with a mixed economy model that comprises both capitalism and socialism hence the challenges faced are vital for its growth model. The recent rise in inflation has been found to consist of several political and economic crisis under the prime ministry of Dr Manmohan Singh. Contesting on the challenges faced, several economists have questioned the method of measuring inflation to be faulty. The present day process being used in India has been The Wholesale Price Index while several other developed countries adopt the Consumer price index to calculate inflation. Measurement Challenge There are two basic system of measuring inflation present today. While India adopts the prior method which is considered to be lesser advanced. The demographics and structures of India don't permit it to adopt the second basis system of measuring inflation. Issues The challenges faced by a developing economy are many, especially when in context of the Monetary Policy with the Central Bank, the inflation and price stability phenomenon. There has been a universal argument these days when monetary policy is determined to be a key element in depicting and controlling inflation. The Central Bank works on the objective to control and have a stable price for commodities. A good environment of price stability happens to create saving mobilization and a sustained economic growth. The former Governor of RBI C. Rangarajan points out that there is a long-term tradeoff between output and inflation. He adds on that short-term trade-off happens to only introduce uncertainty about the price level in future. There is an agreement that the central banks have aimed to introduce the target of price stability while an argument supports it for what that means in practice. Factors There are several factors which help to determine the inflationary impact in the country and further help in making a comparative analysis of the policies for the same.The major determinant of the inflation in regard to the employment generation and growth is depicted by the Phillips curve. Demand Factors It basically occurs in a situation when the aggregate demand in the economy has exceeded the aggregate supply. It could further be described as a situation where too much money chases just few goods. A

country has a capacity of producing just 550 units of a commodity but the actual demand in the country is 700 units. Hence, as a result of which due to scarcity in demand the prices of the commodity rises. This has generally been seen in India in context with the agrarian society where due to droughts and floods or inadequate methods for the storage of grains leads to lesser or deteriorated output hence increasing the prices for the commodities as the demand remains the same. Supply Factors The supply side inflation is a key ingredient for the rising inflation in India. The agricultural scarcity or the damage in transit creates a scarcity causing high inflationary pressures. Similarly, the high cost of labor eventually increases the production cost and leads to a high price for the commodity.The energies issues regarding the cost of production often increases the value of the final output produced. These supply driven factors have basically have a fiscal tool for regulation and moderation. Further, the global level impacts of price rise often impacts inflation from the supply side of the economy. Domestic Factors The underdeveloped economies like India have generally a lesser developed financial market which creates a weak bonding between the interest rates and the aggregate demand. This accounts for the real money gap that could be determined as the potential determinant for the price rise and inflation in India. There is a gap in India for both the output and the real money gap. The supply of money grows rapidly while the supply of goods takes due time which causes increased inflation. Similarly Hoarding has been a problem of major concern in India where onions prices have shot high in the sky. There are several other stances for the gold and silver commodities and their price hike.[3] External Factors. The exchange rate determination is an important component for the inflationary pressures that arises in the India. The liberal economic perspective in India affects the domestic markets. As the prices in United States Of America rises it impacts India where the commodities are now imported at a higher price impacting the price rise. Hence, the nominal exchange rate and the import inflation are a measures that depict the competitiveness and challenges for the economy. Inflation Rate: Inflation rose marginally to 6.84 per cent in February 2013 as food items such as rice, wheat,

onions and fruits became costlier. The upward pressure on inflation may make it harder for the Reserve Bank to lower interest rates. It had projected March-end inflation at 6.8 per cent. Meanwhile, as per official data released today the rate of price rise in the manufactured items category witnessed a slight decline at 4.51 per cent last month. Overall, inflation rate in food articles category, which has a 14.34 per cent share in the WPI basket, too witnessed a decline at 11.38 per cent. Inflation in the food articles category was at 11.88 per cent in January.Onions were costlier by 154.33 per cent for the month of February, as against the inflation rate of 111.52 per cent in January.Rice became costlier by 18.84 per cent in February, as against 17.31 per cent in the previous month. However, inflation in vegetables was at 12.11 per cent, from 28.45 per cent in January.Inflation rate in wheat and cereals stood at 21.63 per cent and 19.19 per cent respectively in February.Potato and pulses prices declined by 45.99 per cent and 14.96 per cent, from 79 per cent and 16.89 per cent respectively in January 2013.While the inflation rate in egg, meat and fish category stood at 12.85 per cent, for milk it was up 4.57 per cent.Fruits were costlier by 8.93 per cent.

Environmental ethics
Environmental ethics is the part of environmental philosophy which considers extending the traditional boundaries of ethics from solely including humans to including the non-human world. It exerts influence on a large range of disciplines including environmental law, environmental sociology, ecotheology, ecological economics, ecology and environmental geography. Contents There are many ethical decisions that human beings make with respect to the environment. For example: Should we continue to clear cut forests for the sake of human consumption? Why should we continue to propagate our species, and life itself? [1] Should we continue to make gasoline powered vehicles? What environmental obligations do we need to keep for future generations?[2][3] Is it right for humans to knowingly cause the extinction of a species for the convenience of humanity?

 How should we best use and conserve the space environment to secure and expand life? [4] The academic field of environmental ethics grew up in response to the work of scientists such as Rachel Carson and events such as the first Earth Day in 1970, when environmentalists started urging philosophers to consider the philosophical aspects of environmental problems. Two papers published in Science had a crucial impact: Lynn White's "The Historical Roots of our Ecologic Crisis" (March 1967)[5] and Garrett Hardin's "The Tragedy of the Commons" (December 1968).[6] Also influential was Garett Hardin's later essay called "Exploring New Ethics for Survival", as well as an essay by Aldo Leopold in his A Sand County Almanac, called "The Land Ethic," in which Leopold explicitly claimed that the roots of the ecological crisis were philosophical (1949).The first international academic journals in this field emerged from North America in the late 1970s and early 1980s the US-based journal Environmental Ethics in 1979 and the Canadian based journal The Trumpeter: Journal of Ecosophy in 1983. The first British based journal of this kind, Environmental Values, was launched in 1992. Marshall's categories of environmental ethics There have been a number of scholars who've tried to categorise the various ways the natural environment is valued. Alan Marshall and Michael Smith are two examples of this, as cited by Peter Vardy in "The Puzzle of Ethics".[8] For Marshall, three general ethical approaches have emerged over the last 40 years. Marshall uses the following terms to describe them: Libertarian Extension, the Ecologic Extension and Conservation Ethics.[9] Libertarian extension Marshalls Libertarian extension echoes a civil liberty approach (i.e. a commitment to extend equal rights to all members of a community). In environmentalism, though, the community is generally thought to consist of nonhumans as well as humans. Andrew Brennan was an advocate of ecologic humanism (eco-humanism), the argument that all ontological entities, animate and in-animate, can be given ethical worth purely on the basis that they exist. The work of Arne Nss and his collaborator Sessions also falls under the libertarian extension, although they preferred the term "deep ecology". Deep ecology is the argument for the intrinsic value or inherent worth of the environment the view that it is valuable in itself. Their argument, incidentally, falls under both the libertarian extension and the ecologic extension.Peter Singer's work can be categorized under Marshall's 'libertarian extension'. He reasoned that the "expanding circle of moral worth" should be redrawn to include the rights of non-human animals, and to not do so would be guilty of speciesism. Singer found it difficult to accept the argument from intrinsic worth of a-biotic or "non-sentient" (non-conscious) entities, and concluded in his first edition of "Practical Ethics" that they should not be included in the expanding circle of moral worth.[10] This approach is essentially then, biocentric. However, in a later edition of "Practical Ethics" after the work of Nss and Sessions, Singer admits that, although unconvinced by deep ecology, the argument from intrinsic value of non-sentient entities is plausible, but at best problematic. We shall see later that Singer actually advocated a humanist ethic. Ecologic extension Alan Marshall's category of ecologic extension places emphasis not on human rights but on the recognition of the fundamental interdependence of all biological (and some abiological) entities and their essential diversity. Whereas Libertarian Extension can be thought of as flowing from a political reflection of the natural world, Ecologic Extension is best thought of as a scientific reflection of the natural world. Ecological Extension is roughly the same classification of Smiths eco-holism, and it argues for the intrinsic value inherent in collective ecological entities like ecosystems or the global environment as a whole entity. Holmes Rolston, among others, has taken this approach.This category might include James Lovelock's Gaia hypothesis; the theory that the planet earth alters its geo-physiological structure over time in order to ensure the continuation of an equilibrium of evolving organic and inorganic matter. The planet is characterized as a unified, holistic entity with ethical worth of which the human race is of no particular significance in the long run. Conservation ethics Marshall's category of 'conservation ethics' is an extension of use-value into the non-human biological world. It focuses only on the worth of the environment in terms of its utility or usefulness to humans. It contrasts the intrinsic value ideas of 'deep ecology', hence is often referred to as 'shallow ecology', and generally argues for the preservation of the environment on the basis that it has extrinsic value instrumental to the welfare of human beings. Conservation is therefore a means to an end and purely concerned with mankind and intergenerational considerations. It could be argued that it is this ethic that formed the underlying arguments proposed by Governments at the Kyoto summit in 1997 and three agreements reached in Rio in 1992.[citation needed] Humanist theories Following the bio-centric and eco-holist theory distinctions, Michael Smith further classifies Humanist theories as those that require a set of criteria for moral status and ethical worth, such as sentience.[citation needed] This applies to the work of Peter Singer who advocated a hierarchy of value similar to the one devised by Aristotle which relies on the ability to reason. This was Singer's solution to the problem that arises when attempting to determine the interests of a non-sentient entity such as a garden weed. Singer also advocated the preservation of "world heritage sites," unspoilt parts of the world that acquire a "scarcity value" as they diminish

over time. Their preservation is a bequest for future generations as they have been inherited from our ancestors and should be passed down to future generations so they can have the opportunity to decide whether to enjoy unspoilt countryside or an entirely urban landscape. A good example of a world heritage site would be the tropical rainforest, a very specialist ecosystem or climatic climax vegetation that has taken centuries to evolve. Clearing the rainforest for farmland often fails due to soil conditions, and once disturbed, can take thousands of years to regenerate. Applied theology The Christian world view sees the universe as created by God, and humankind accountable to God for the use of the resources entrusted to humankind. Ultimate values are seen in the light of being valuable to God. This applies both in breadth of scope - caring for people (Matthew 25) and environmental issues, e.g. environmental health (Deuteronomy 22.8; 23.12-14) - and dynamic motivation, the love of Christ controlling (2 Corinthians 5.14f) and dealing with the underlying spiritual disease of sin, which shows itself in selfishness and thoughtlessness. In many countries this relationship of accountability is symbolised at harvest thanksgiving. (B.T. Adeney : Global Ethics in New Dictionary of Christian Ethics and Pastoral Theology 1995 Leicester) Anthropocentrism Anthropocentrism simply places humans at the centre of the universe; the human race must always be its own primary concern. It has become customary in the Western tradition to consider only our species when considering the environmental ethics of a situation. Therefore, everything else in existence should be evaluated in terms of its utility for us, thus committing speciesism. All environmental studies should include an assessment of the intrinsic value of non-human beings.[11] In fact, based on this very assumption, a philosophical article has explored recently the possibility of humans' willing extinction as a gesture toward other beings.[12] The authors refer to the idea as a thought experiment that should not be understood as a call for action. What anthropocentric theories do not allow for is the fact that a system of ethics formulated from a human perspective may not be entirely accurate; humans are not necessarily the centre of reality. The philosopher Baruch Spinoza argued that we tend to assess things wrongly in terms of their usefulness to us.[citation needed] Spinoza reasoned that if we were to look at things objectively we would discover that everything in the universe has a unique value. Likewise, it is possible that a human-centred or anthropocentric/androcentric ethic is not an accurate depiction of reality, and there is a bigger picture that we may or may not be able to understand from a human perspective. Peter Vardy distinguished between two types of anthropocentrism.[13] A strong thesis anthropocentric ethic argues that humans are at the center of reality and it is right for them to be so. Weak anthropocentrism, however, argues that reality can only be interpreted from a human point of view, thus humans have to be at the centre of reality as they see it. Another point of view has been developed by Bryan Norton, who has become one of the essential actors of environmental ethics through his launching of what has become one of its dominant trends: environmental pragmatism. Environmental pragmatism refuses to take a stance in the dispute between the defenders of anthropocentrist ethics and the supporters of nonanthropocentrist ethics. Instead, Norton prefers to distinguish between strong anthropocentrism and weak-or extended-anthropocentrism and develops the idea that only the latter is capable of not underestimating the diversity of instrumental values that humans may derive from the natural world.[14] A recent view relates anthropocentrism to the future of life. Biotic ethics are based on the human identity as part of gene/protein organic life whose effective purpose is self-propagation. This implies a human purpose to secure and propagate life. [1] [4] Humans are central because only we can secure life beyond the duration of the Sun, possibly for trillions of eons. [15] Biotic ethics values life itself, as embodied in biologial structures and processes. Humans are special because we can secure the future of life on cosmological scales. In particular, humans can continue sentient life that enjoys its existence, adding furter motivation to propagate life. Humans can secure the future of life, and this future can give human existence a cosmic purpose. [1] [4] Status of the field Environmental ethics became a subject of sustained academic philosophic reflection in the 1970s. Throughout the 1980s it remained marginalized within the discipline of philosophy, attracting the attention of a fairly small group of thinkers spread across the world. Only after 1990 did the field gain institutional recognition at programs such as Colorado State University, the University of Montana, Bowling Green State University, and the University of North Texas. In 1991, Schumacher College of Dartington, England, was founded and now provides an MSc in Holistic Science.These programs began to offer a masters degree with a specialty in environmental ethics/philosophy. Beginning in 2005 the Department of Philosophy and Religion Studies at the University of North Texas offered a PhD program with a concentration in environmental ethics/philosophy.In Germany, the University of Greifswald has recently established an international program in Landscape Ecology & Nature Conservation with a strong focus on environmental ethics. In 2009, the University of Munich and Deutsches Museum founded the Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society, an international, interdisciplinary center for research and education in the environmental humanities.

Higher education should be privatized

Essay 1: Higher education in India today is ridden with many and varied problems including broadening of access, ensuring equity, and the financial crunch. India has quite a large system of higher education with 250 universities, over 10,500 colleges and nearly 55 lakhs of students being taught by over 3 lakhs of teachers. And yet the proportion of the university and college going student population in the relevant age group of 16-23 is dismal 6 per cent. This is quite low even when compared with developing countries, the figure being 20 per cent for both Egypt and Thailand, and 16 per cent for Mexico. In the developed countries, however, access to higher education is to the tune of 40 per cent and more. Thus, in spite of a general expansion of higher education in India, inadequate access continues to cause concern. Further, while enrolment of women and those belonging to SC/ST groups and other backward communities has improved, they are still very much under represented.Providing increased access to education, meeting the challenge of equity and improving the quality of education entails large investment. To solve the problem of resource crunch, a suggested way is exploring additional avenues of generating systems own resources instead of being fully dependent on the state exchequer. It is imperative here that the higher education system has to seek participation both of the Government as well as private and voluntary bodies. Some amount of private funding thus appears inevitable for making up the deficit caused by inadequate state funding.The overall investment in education as a proportion of the gross domestic product (GDP) is still below the norm of 6 per cent as stated in the National Policy on Education. Since provision of free and compulsory education at the elementary stage is a Constitutional commitment, budgetary allocation for this sector of education is continuously on increase. This has affected the resource allocation touniversities and most higher education institutions all over the country, which are facing acute financial crisis. While the universities are at pain in persuading the Government for increased budgetary allocations, some of them have simultaneously taken measures for generating funds of their own.It is high time the university system resorted to long-term resource planning instead of taking the state support for granted. Each university will have to identify avenues of resource generation, internal as well as external, depending upon the nature of its programme offerings and the locale. The internal measures, amongst other things, may include proper utilization of funds, general economy in expenditures, pooling and sharing of departmental and institutional resources and most importantly, rationalization of fee structure. As for the external resources, the important avenues include donations from alumni, philanthropists and others, consultancy, university-industry interaction, etc.In most institutions of higher education, at present, the tuition fees contribute very little towards earnings while the recurring expenditure on each student is much higher. The Swami Nathan panel set up by the UGC has suggested building up a reservoir of funds by collecting educational from industries and other user organizations. Setting up of an Educational Development Bank of India initially with shares of ? 1000 crore each by the State Governments, Central Government and international financial agencies has also been suggested. Raising money through consultancy work or job assignment by institutions to industries or other professional organizations is yet another avenue being profusely recommended.The private initiative in education, especially higher education is not altogether new to India. Some of the leading universities namely, the Banaras Hindu University and the Aligarh Muslim University came up with the efforts of certain dedicated individuals and financial support of the community at large. Again, a large number of educational institutions in the country especially those concerned with general and professional higher education have been established on private and voluntary initiative with or without financial subsidy from the Government.A few private institutions of higher education have been given virtual university status by being recognized as 'Deemed Universities'. A few universities like Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University in Delhi have been created consisting of only affiliated private self-financing colleges. A few private institutions like International Business Schools and Indian Institute of Information Technology are allowed to operate virtually as universities. There has also been a general trend towards liberalization and opening of education sector to private initiative especially in the southern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.Thus, the private higher education system constitutes more than 50 per cent of the higher education sector. Hence, what is required is not restriction but more growth so that with competition, quality will automatically improve. Perhaps a rating agency, which could provide a standard procedure for ranking of institutions of higher learning based on predetermined criteria, could instill students with greater confidence in their choices.The road ahead for India is directly linked to creation of quality higher education institutions in a big way to meet the challenge of the knowledge hub, which India is fast becoming. Since the Government resources for higher education are simply not enough, recourse to quality private higher education, both university and non-university is essential. India needs to have a proactive demand based policy towards private higher education including foreign institutions/universities desirous of setting up campus in India or entering into joint-ventures. The central and state Governments could offer tax concessions/fiscal incentives for setting up campuses.Since private institutions are already using a higher fee structure, there has arisen a need for financing of higher education for students, especially those from low income households. Like in the United States, it has become necessary to evolve a guarantee system, where students from low income households are eligible for a student loan without parental security or guarantee so that there is no discrimination due to the financial background of the student. Subsidization of the interest rate for students may be based on the student's and student's family income. An innovative financial mechanism needs to be evolved

incorporating some of the salient features of the systems existing in the UK and USA.In the context of the current changing social and economic fabric of the country, it appears almost certain to go in for private funding of education. The recent paradigm shift in Indian economic and political philosophy has led to the demand of private universities so as to meet the challenge of contemplated open economy and the demand for qualitative human resources and high level of R & D.However, the Partial privatization calls for caution against, amongst others things, the resultant commercialization of education, obstacles in merit based admissions, deterioration in academic standards, encroachment in institutions and autonomy, service conditions of teachers, and education becoming subservient to market logic advanced by the private sector in the country. Essay 2: Since the impact of privatization is penetrating all sectors of the economy, it is bound to affect education sector as well. As it is very difficult to meet the democratic aspirations of the people for further expansion of educational system due to paucity of resources it is therefore, being felt that the private sector is inducted in education so that it car share the burdens of the state in funding education. Development of Thought: In India, the privatization of edu-cation has been taking place at the school level without much resistance. But it has not made much dent into other levels. However privatization, though necessary has some drawbacks. Private education trusts often become merely profit making business ventures with no social ideals or objectives. If privatization of education comes into conflict with the equity objective, state intervention would be desirable. It is necessary that state intervention be in-creased in private sector institutions to increase the quota of seats to the poor and deprived sections and help in promoting human resources development to keep pace with the emerging requirements. It is important to see that a thorough change is at-tempted without merely making cosmetic changes. Only then can our educa-tion system be revamped in the desired direction. The wave of privatization is sweeping across the world. Within an economy, it is aimed at breaking the monopoly of the public sector in a number of areas, more especially areas connected with infrastructure. The essence of privatization lies in the induction of private ownership in publicly owned enterprises. This can range from total denationalization (zero public ownership) to various degrees of private ownership in the form of joint ventures. This is the narrow sense in which the concept is used, but in a broader sense, it connotes besides private owner-ship. Introduction of private management and control in public enterprises. The process involves the private sector in the ownership or operation of a state owned enterprise. Since the impact of privatization is penetrating all sectors of the economy, it is bound to affect education sector as well. The question arises: Why is privatization being recommended in education. Firstly, it is alleged that the policies followed in India under the Nehru- Mahalanobis Model placed excessive responsibility for the expansion and devel-opment of education on the state. Consequently, the expansion and establishment of education institutions and facilities have been shouldered mainly by the State. At the elementary levels of education, the state-sponsored schools have been responsible for the spread of literacy, more especially in rural areas, but even in urban areas, bulk of the schools are state run or aided by the state. At the level of secondary, higher secondary and the college and university as well, public sector has played a dominant role in the development of education system. A stage has now come when the state is finding it very difficult to meet the democratic aspirations of the people for further expansion of educational system due to paucity of resources, because the demand for funds for the educational sector has to compete with the demand for resources for the other sector. It is, therefore, being felt that the private sector be inducted in education so that it can share the burdens of the State in funding education. Secondly, the expansion of the horizons of knowledge is taking place at a rapid pace all over the world; the underdeveloped economies must keep pace with this explosion of knowledge. Emphasizing this point the World Bank has stated: "Today knowledge explosion is dividing the world into fast moving, rich economies that use knowledge effectively and slow moving, poor economies that do not. Education or knowledge industry is becoming a key factor in the pro-cess of development. This being so, education is no longer viewed as a social service, it is con-sidered a necessary economic input and as such investment in education is treated as a factor contributory to human resources development. In this effort towards human resource development, the private sector is also expected to play its part since it is a major beneficiary of the knowledge industry. Thirdly, according to W.W. Rostow, the world is passing through the fourth Industrial Revolution (1985). This encompasses genetics, communications, ro-bots, lasers and new industrial material and the various tools and products incor-porating the micro chip. The growth of Satellite TV and the developments in computer technology have further escalated the information revolution. These technological developments have increased the requirements of highly educated and well-trained techical manpower. The publicsector is hampered by lack of resources and cannot meet the needs of industry and other sectors of the economy. Therefore, the private sector must be initiated in the programmes of training skilled manpower to take advan-tage of hi-tech opportunities. Fourthly, privatization can respond more promptly and efficiently than the public sector which is hamstrung with structural and operational inflexibilities to market signals or market demand for labour and take effective steps to promote human resource development to keep pace with

the emerging requirements. Fifthly, over the years, the public sector has failed to generate resources from the recipients of education. Education has become more or less a free public service. This has devalued education in the eyes of the recipients. Privatization, by charging the full cost or a substantial portion of the cost and at times, by charging cost-plus pricing for the service provided is likely to generate greater responsibility among the recipients of education i.e., the students. As a consequence, students are likely to insist on greater efficiency in teaching and improvement in its quality. Lastly, privatization, by generating more resources from student fees, will help to reduce fiscal burden on the Government. The major components of privatization of education include the following: Establishment, in the private sector of institutions imparting education and skills viz., schools, colleges, polytechnics, research laboratories, professional colleges in agriculture, engineering, medicine, management etc. Withdrawal of subsidies by introducing full costing in the individual and the institutional domain. In case this is not possible all at once introducing a system of gradual withdrawal of subsidies by increasing fees over a time and in the interregnum, continuing a declining scale of state support. To introduce the culture of private organization by granting the management the right to hire and fire academic and other sup-porting staff. To grant the right to the management to start or stop courses in response to market signals. To persuade the users of the output of educational institutions to contribute towards the funding of educational expenditure. In India, the privatization of education has been taking place at the school level without much resistance. A dual system has come to be established at various levels of school education. In the public sector, we have primary, second-ary, and senior secondary schools which impart instruction through the mother tongue at the primary stage and thereafter, English is introduced as a language along with other subjects. Up to the 10th standard, all children have a common syllabus. Thereafter, they go in for specialization in different areas at the higher secondary level. The fee charged in these schools is very nominal. Thus a very large number of students coming from low income groups can afford instruction in these schools. As against these schools which are directly under the management and control of the state, we have schools run in the private sector which in popular parlance are called "public schools''-a misnomer, because most of these schools are established and run by private entrepreneurs in education, on commercial lines. These schools impart instruction through the medium of the English language. They charge very high fees which cover not only the current cost of education but also contribute towards the cost of buildings and other equipment. The educational entrepreneurs, taking advantage of the high demand for education in English medium schools, generally get land allotted at a nominal cost in the name of some educational society formed for the purpose. In the initial stages, some temporary structures are put up. Later on, as students are admitted, funds begin to flow in the name of development fee, building fee, tuition fee, games fee, cultural programmes fee etc. These institutions charge cost plus pricing for the services rendered by them. Since they are unaided schools and do not receive any grant from the Gov-ernments they pay very low salaries to their academics and other staff. The prevalence of high degree of unemployment helps them to recruit qualified staff which works under a rigid discipline and is liable to summary removal at the will of the management. The high degree of insecurity of service enables the manage-ment to extract the maximum output from the staff. Some of the schools functioning under the auspices of reputed educational denominations do pay better salaries and pay scales, but even these do not compare: favorably with the State-run schools. Over a period of time, these schools are able to construct huge buildings and purchase costly equipment to modernize their establishments. In this way, a large percentage of unaided private schools have converted education into business enterprise. Earlier these schools were confined to metropolitan areas and big cities, bait now they are spreading even to smaller towns. Even the charitable trusts like the DAV managements, Khalsa Dewan, Gurudwara Prabandhak Committees, Sanatan Dharam Foundation, etc. Which initially were motivated by the urge to impart instruction in Indian languages and propagate Indian culture have been swept off their ideological postures by the entrepreneurial pragmatism of privatization. However, they continue to use the trade-marks of their religious or social organization to get concessions and facili-ties, especially land at throw away prices from the Government. In several cases, a chain of English medium schools is operated under a particular organization. With the passage of time, the philanthropic spirit of the founders of these organizations has been replaced by a commercial approach which legitimizes the selling of education at the highest price possible. These schools cater to the needs of the rich business class and also to the middle and the upper middle class wanting desperately to transcend their present status. In other wrds, the privatization of school education is rapidly churning out the children from high income groups into English medium 'public schools' while their counterparts from the poor and lower middle classes continue to go to State-run schools. In these English medium public schools, parents pay the full cost of educa-tion (generally leaving a good profit margin for the educational entrepreneurs) while, in the state run schools, highly subsidized education is imparted in the vernacular. At the higher education level, the scenario is very different. Malcolm Adiseshaiah (1992) has classified higher education institutions in India into four groups: those founded, funded and run by the state governments; those founded, funded and run by private agencies; those founded, and run by private agencies but funded by the government; and those founded and run by private agencies but funded partly by government and

partly by non-governmental sources. Majority of the institutions in higher education belong to category 'd', but under pressure from teachers association, they are moving into category 'c'. The Acharya Ramamurti Committee to Review the National Policy of Edu-cation (1986), in its report towards an Enlightened and Humane Society (1990) mentions: "Though education has been in the Concurrent List in the Constitution since 1976, it remains primarily a state activity. Bulk of the investments is made by the state governments. Free and compulsory education is expected to be provided by the States for all children up to 14 years of age. In most states, education is free in the entire school stage. Up to class XII education is free for girls in all the states. The fee structure for higher education in the colleges and universities has virtually remained unchanged for many years. The pattern of educational development has, consequently, come to be dependent on the avail-ability of public resources for education." Data reveal that the share of the Government in financing education has increased from 68 per cent in 1950-51 to 85 percent in 1980-81. However, the share of fees has declined from 20.4 per cent in 1950-51 to merely 12 per cent in 1980Sudipto Mundle and M. Govinda Rao have calculated the subsidies going to education at different levels. Data reveal that since elementary education was to be provided on a free and compulsory basis as per constitutional directive the recovery was expected to be negligible. But the unfortunate fact of the educa-tional scenario is that even at the secondary and University/higher education level, recovery cost is less than two per cent. In other words, education at all levels is practically available at a nominal cost. It may also be noted that about 74 per cent of the total subsidy (Rs 9,576 crores) finances elementary and sec-ondary education and 19 per cent is devoted to university and higher education. Data regarding State-wise recovery rates of cost of education at various levels in 14 major states of India for 1987-88 reveal that lowest recovery rate in higher education is observed in Uttar Pradesh (0.13 per cent), followed by Madhya Pradesh (9.5 per cent), Kerala (7.85 per cent) and West Bengal (7.56 per cent). However, the recovery rate of Bihar even in technical education is dismally low at 0.53 per cent. There is no doubt that some states have recently taken some strong measures to increase the recovery rate by raising tuition and other fees, but still the overall scenario that obtains in the sphere of higher education indi-cates that there is a considerable degree of lack of courage to raise the level of fees, even through bulk of the beneficiaries belong to the relatively upper income groups. Dr. B Shiva_ Reddy has analyzed the impact of subsidies on the recipients of education from the point of view of equity. For this purpose, he has classified subsidies under two heads: General Subsidy (GS) and Specific Subsidy (SS). GS is enjoyed by all students irrespective of economic or social groups to which they belongs. However, mainly aimed at students belonging to lower socio-economic groups and hence benefiting only a specific section of student's viz., Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Listed Backward Commu-nities (LBCs). In 1980-81, about 22 per cent of higher education subsidy was a specific type. SS not only covers tuition fee but also other educational expenses. The Supreme Court, in its judgment on the Mohini Jain vs. the Govern-ment of Karnataka case, declared in 1992 that the right to education was a fundamental right and that the charging of capitation fee was arbitrary, unfair and, therefore, violate of the fundamental right to equality contained in Article 14 of the Constitution. Mohini Jain, the petitioner in the case, was admitted to the medical college in Karnataka, but she could not take advantage of admission as she could not pay Rs 60,000 per year as capitation fee.There is no doubt that fees at state-run medical colleges are pitifully low and, therefore, they subsidies education of the more affluent sections of our society and thus there is a case for raising fees in such institutions, but this does not entitle the private entrepreneurs in education to charge such heavy capitation fees that it virtually denies equality of opportunity to the poor for professional education. S.P. Sathe has rightly argued: "If access to such professions is avail-able on merit, respect for meritocracy is enhanced. On the other hand, if one can have access to these professions on money power, it would lead to further deni-gration of merit as a value. Consequently, the State may allow private institutions to provide education but such institutions have to be subjected to control of the state and have to conform to what the Constitution of India enjoins. Privatization of education if comes in conflict with the equity objective, state intervention would be desirable.This is precisely the import of the Supreme Court judgment. Amartya Sen also pleads for state intervention in health, education and social security. To quote, Amartya Sen: "Given the limitations of market-based allocation of health ser-vices, education and social security, it is not surprising that the market-relevant economies, even when very rich, frequently have lower achievement in terms of standard indicators of quality of life than poor economies making better use of public delivery of health care, education and social insurance."

A distinction has to be made between privatization and commercialization of education. India has a long tradition of private effort in higher education. Tilak, Maharishi Karve, Madan Mohan Malaviya, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, DAV Trusts, Sanatan Dharam Sabha, Khalsa Dewan, Jamia Milia Islamia and many other charitable trusts started educational institutions to widen educational opportunity in the society. But modern educational entrepreneurs are not guided by philan-thropic motives of the earlier reformers, but intend to invest in educational institutions to realise higher rates of return on their investments, because the demand for professional education is very high and the risk involved in this investment minimal. But this approach comes in conflict with Article 21 in conjunction with Article 14 of the Constitution and thus it has compelled Justice Kuldip Singh to hold that "capitation fee, charged with the connivance or permission of the State amounts to violation of the right to equality." Thus both from the point of view of accentuating social inequality and resultant adverse effects on educational standards, the decision of the Andhra Pradesh Government to permit filling up 50 per cent seats on the basis of capitation fees was held violate of the Con-stitution. Article 21 enjoins on the State to enable people the right to live which has been expanded and interpreted by the Supreme Court as the right to live with dignity. Besides this, Article 41 directs the State as under: The State shall, within the limits of its economic capacity and development, make effective provision for securing the right to education. Further, the State has been directed under Article 45 to Endeavour to provide free and compulsory education for all chil-dren until they complete the age of 14 years within a period of 10 years of the commencement of the Constitution. There is unanimity regarding the provision of free and compulsory education because in the theory of public finance, it is argued that primary education is an essential social good as it involves many social benefits. It is also held that taking into account the widespread social benefits of literacy, the rate of return on primary education is the highest. But higher edu-cation is also a merit good because it enhances the capabilities and efficiency of the citizens. It is, therefore, incumbent on the State to ensure that higher education is provided to meet the demands of competent and skilled manpower. The state should ensure that the entitlement to higher education is based on the principle of merit, rather than the capacity to afford. It is this aspect of higher education that has compelled the Supreme Court to declare right to education as a fundamental right even in sphere of higher education. Since all fundamental rights are enforceable only against the state, how is that the Supreme Court struck down the legislative sanction provided by the Andhra Pradesh Assembly to charge capitation fees by the private entrepreneurs of education. Explaining this riddle, E.Nagasaila and V.Suresh clarify: "It is only because the SC held that there is a fundamental right to education and the state is duty-bound to provide the same, and any private venture in the field of edu-cation can be only by way of delegation of the state's duty, could the charging of capitation fees be struck down as being arbitrary and hence violated of Article 14 which guarantees equality to all citizens. If the state's duty to provide education at all levels is not recognized, then the private entrepreneurs are under no obligation to act either fairly or in accordance with larger goals of the Con-stitution and would be quite justified in having profit as the only motive in running education institutions." In the theory of privatization as applicable to industry, the firms have been insisting on an exit policy and their inalienable right to hire and fire staffs, their right to stop the production of a product which no longer enables the firm to earn profit or even the right to close the unit if it becomes sick. The question in the privatization of education is: Would it be possible or desirable to grant this right to private entrepreneurs of education? Finally, the right to hire and fire staff existed in the pre-independence period in educational institutions run by the private trusts and this led to ruthless exploitation of both teaching and non teaching staff. It was precisely this policy of hire and fire which led to the development of teachers' organization and gave them the characteristics of trade unions. As a consequence, they were able to win the right of security of service. The pendu-lum seems to have swung to the other extreme and this absolute security of service is the cause of serious deterioration in work ethics. On account of the trade union pressure, it may neither be possible nor desirable to introduce Jaissez faire in higher education, but it would certainly be desirable to introduce measures of accountability in the system. The unfortunate part of the present situation is that even promotions have become automatic- based on the years of service put in and the competitive spirit of achieving higher academic merit either from advanced reading or research is being relegated to the background. Secondly, the right to start or stop courses, depending upon viability, that is, profitability of a course would commercialize education. This would be very unhealthy development because in the education sector, everything should not be judged on the touchstone of the profit motive. There are courses in Sanskrit, other less known languages, social sciences, physical sciences which may not attract a very large number, of students, yet from the point of view of preservation of past knowledge and culture, they may be important in their own right. Since privatization should not be treated as synonymous with commercialization, the right to start or stop a course cannot be given to private entrepreneurs due to the very nature of the business in which they have made an

investment. However, the need for rationalization of staff due to the limitedness of resources and failure to generate more resources from the recipients of education has to be accepted. Education is a public and merit good and as such, it is incumbent on the society to provide education to its people. It has been enshrined in our Consti-tution under Article 41 that "the state shall, within the limits of its economic capacity and development, make effective provision for securing the right to work, to education and to public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement, and in other cases of undeserved want." Obviously, as the development of the society takes on rapid strides and the economic capacity of the state is enlarged, it is obligatory on the part of the state to allocate more resources to education with a view to (a) provide free and compulsory elementary education to all children up to 14 years of age, (b) to provide secondary and higher education to more and more of its citizens so that they can exercise their right to live with dignity, and (c) that the state shall Endeavour to provide equality of opportunity among not only individuals of opportunity but also groups of individual suffering from various disabilities such as that of caste, sex, economic and social deprivation etc. On the question of privatization, it would be relevant to consider the forms of privatization: Zero privatization of education with total responsibility to be taken over by the State at all levels. Mild privatisation of education and by gradually increasing recovery cost of education by way of fees to 50 per cent level. The remaining cost should be subsidized by the state. Intensive privatisation by insisting that at least 75 per cent cost be covered by student fees and employ-ers' contribution. Total privatisation with total freedom to private sector to es-tablish educational institution sand recover full cost from the beneficiaries or even charge cost plus pricing and generate profit from investment in education. Out of these forms, the first and the last option cannot be considered as feasible, since in a mixed economy, it is neither feasible not desirable to depend exclusively either on the public sector to expand the capacity of public sector institutions to fully meet the needs of the economy, nor is it possible for the private sector to cater to total societal needs. There is no doubt that the public sector institutions both at the school and the College/University, level have a much better record of responding to the social needs of SCs and STs and other backward sections of the society than the private sector institutions. It is, therefore, necessary that state intervention be increased in private sector institutions to increase the quota of seats to the poor and deprived sec-tions. This can be made applicable to private sector institutions which receive government assistance to cover their deficits. Even in fully financed private sector institutions, as per the Supreme Court Judgment, education is a fundamental right and no institution can be permitted to charge capitation fees which deny admission on the basis of merit and permits higher education/professional education on the strength of money power. The state must enact suitable legislation to impose reasonable restrictions on such institutions consistent with the goals enunciated in Article 21, Article 41 and Article 45 of our Constitution. While framing legislation, it has to be ensured that privatisation does not degenerate into commercialization of education. With this end in view, a system of grant of free ships for the economically weaker sections of society has to be built in and rein, forced. Private sector institutions should also take affirmative action to help the weaker sections to acquire professional/higher education which is otherwise not within the reach of the society. For nearly four decades, fees in higher education have remained stagnant at 19 -50-51 levels and thus the share of fees has come down to only five per cent of total educational expenditure. In the Universities, it is less than one per cent. The state has been caving in due to the pressure of organised student unions dominated by student leaders belonging to affluent parents.This trend needs to be reversed. In the course of the next 10 years, fees as a component of total recurring expenditure should contributed at least 25 per cent of total expenditure. Such stipulation should be made contingent for the receipt of grants. This re-quires a phased programme of raising fees. The Ramamurti Committee (1990) made the following recommendation in this regard: "In the circumstances, a justifiable strategy is bringing about an appropriate increase in the fees payable by students going in for Higher Educa-tion. This increase should be appropriately linked to at least the cost of recurring expenditure and levels of income of the parents of the beneficiaries. The richest quartile of the people can be a 75 per cent of the cost of the education; the next richest quartile 50 per cent of the cost and the next richest quartile 25 percent. The last quartile of the economically weak (to be appropriately defined) need not bear any part of the cost".Although apparently, the recommendation of the Ramamurti Committee appear to be very rational as it prescribes a differential fee structure on the basis of four broad slabs, in practice it is very difficult to implement. In a country, were a small proportion of the population is engaged in salaried employment and a very small proportion pays income tax, it is quite possible that during the course of implementation, the business classes may not get caught in the net and the entire burden may be put on salary earners. A more pragmatic approach would be to prescribe a uniform system of the higher fees and within the system to permit 25 per cent of the students belonging to weaker sections full exemption from fees. Such a step would increase the recovery rate and thus reduce the state burden on education. Coupled with this, there should be periodic revision of fee structure so that resource generation from fees accounts for at least 25 per cent of total recurring expenditure in State run or state-aided institutions. "Besides tuition fees, fees charged for specific purposes in the Higher Edu-cation Institutions like laboratory fees, library fees, building fees, magazine fees,

games fees etc., also have to be increased on a rational basis with reference to the costs of providing the relevant facilities/services"."With the ever-increasing number of examinees, examination fees can also be an important means of raising internal resources to meet the cost of Higher Education".The basic purpose of Ramamurti Committee's suggestion is to increase the recovery rate in higher education costs by reducing the element of subsidy. In that sense, the recommendation appears to be overdue.Education Cess or Graduate Tax has also been suggested by the World Bank to be charged from the users of output of higher educational institutions, more especially the corporate sector.The Ramamurti Committee is very skeptical about this suggestion as it states: "Graduate taxes, if any, are to be imposed upon the beneficiaries i.e. the users of services of graduates, namely, employers.However, the employers are likely to resist imposition of such taxes on ground of economic viability of their own operations getting adversely affected. This is also likely to result in discouragement of employment of the qualified."In our country, the corporate sector is the biggest user of educated man-power, but is not prepared to contribute anything to the higher education sector. This is in sharp contrast to the situation prevailing in developed countries where the Universities receive substantial support from the corporate sector by way of grants.Either the corporate sector itself starts funding higher education as a matter of policy, or alternatively the state should impose education Cess on the corporate sector so that a certain portion of its gross profits is utilized to fund higher education.This education Cess should be a kind of surcharge so that it cannot be evaded. Ramamurti Committee is unnecessarily apprehensive of the resistance by the employers not to employ graduates.The kind of manpower needed today due to the electronics revolution needs much highly skilled and educated manpower and persons trained in professional education. Such a fear, therefore, appears to be unfounded.Universities/Higher Education Institutions can undertake Research Projects on behalf of the Corporate Sector (both the public and the private corporate sect or).A part of the Research Project funds can be used to supplement the deficit of the Institutions or to create suitable infrastructures in the form of research laboratories, computer facilities,- libraries to conduct research in a com-petent manner.

What is global warming?

Article: global warming does far more damage to poor countries than they do to the climate. In a report in 2006 Nicholas (now Lord) Stern calculated that a 2C rise in global temperature cost about 1% of world GDP. But the World Bank, in its new World Development Report*, now says the cost to Africa will be more like 4% of GDP and to India, 5%. Even if environmental costs were distributed equally to every person on earth, developing countries would still bear 80% of the burden (because they account for 80% of world population). As it is, they bear an even greater share, though their citizens' carbon footprints are much smaller . As December's Copenhagen summit on climate change draws near, poor countries are expressing alarm at the slow pace of negotiations to replace the Kyoto protocol. Agreed (partially) in 1997, this bound rich countries to cut their greenhouse-gas emissions by 5.2% from 1990 levels by 2012. Counting the cost of global warming is hard because no one really knows how much to attribute to climate change and how much to other factors. But one indication of its rising costs is the number of people around the world affected by natural disasters. In 1981-85, fewer than 500m people required international disasterassistance; in 2001-05, the number reached 1.5 billion. This includes 4% of the population of the poorest countries and over 7% in lower-middle-income countries (see chart 3). In all, reckons the World Health Organisation, climate change caused a loss of 5.5m disability-adjusted life years (a measure of harm to human health) in 2000, most of it in Africa and Asia. Estimates by the Global Humanitarian Forum, a Swiss think-tank, and in a study in Comparative Quantification of Health Risks, a scientific journal, put the number of additional deaths attributable to climate change every year at 150,000. The indirect harm, through its impact on water supplies, crop yields and disease is hugely greater. The poor are more vulnerable than the rich for several reasons. Flimsy housing, poor health and inadequate health care mean that natural disasters of all kinds hurt them more. When Hurricane Mitch swept through Honduras in 1998, for example, poor households lost 15-20% of their assets but the rich lost only 3%. Global warming aggravates that. It also increases the chances of catching the life-threatening diseases that are more prevalent in poorer countries. In many places cities have been built just above a so-called malaria line, above which malariabearing mosquitoes cannot survive (Nairobi is one example). Warmer weather allows the bugs to move into previously unaffected altitudes, spreading a disease that is already the biggest killer in Africa. By 2030 climate change may expose 90m more people to malaria in Africa alone. Similarly, meningitis outbreaks in Africa are strongly correlated with drought. Both are likely to increase. Diarrhoea is forecast to rise 5% by 2020 in poor countries because of climate change. Dengue fever has been expanding its range: its incidence doubled in parts of the Americas between 1995-97 and 2005-07. On one estimate, 60% of the world's population will be exposed to the disease by 2070. Next, as Mr Rokonuzzaman's story showed, poor countries are particularly prone to flooding. Ten of the developing world's 15 largest cities are in low-lying coastal areas vulnerable to rising sea levels or coastal surges. They include Shanghai, Mumbai and Cairo. In South and East Asia the floodplains of great rivers have always been home to vast numbers of people and much economic activity. Climate change is overwhelming the social and other arrangements that in the past allowed countries and people to cope with floods. National budgets can ill afford the cost of improving defences. The Netherlands is also affected and is spending $100 per person a year on flood

defences. In Bangladesh that sum is a quarter of the average person's annual income.The biggest vulnerability is that the weather gravely affects developing countries' main economic activitiessuch as farming and tourism. Global warming dries out farmland. Since two-thirds of Africa is desert or arid, the continent is heavily exposed. One study predicts that by 2080 as much as a fifth of Africa's farmland will be severely stressed. And that is only one part of the problem. Global warming also seems to be speeding up the earth's hydrologic cycle, causing both floods and droughts (more rains fall in shorter periods, with longer gaps between). In addition, by melting glaciers, global warming reduces nature's storage capacity. Two-thirds of the world's fresh water is stored in glaciers. Their melting leaves poor countries with less of a buffer to protect farmers against changing weather and rainfall patterns. This kind of increasing unpredictability would be dire news at the best of times: hit by drought and flood, the land becomes less productive. It is compounded by another problem. The higher-yielding, pest-resistant seed varieties invented in the 1960s were designed to thrive in stable climes. Old-fashioned seeds are actually better at dealing with variable weatherbut are now less widely used. Reinstituting their use will mean less food. In India the gains from the Green Revolution are already shrinking because of local pollution, global warming and waning resistance to pests and disease. A study for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology forecast that yields of the main Indian crops would decline by a further 4.5-9% over the next 30 years because of climate change. A recent assessment based on a large number of studies of what might happen in the long run if carbon continues to be pumped into the atmosphere found that world farm production could fall by 16% by the 2080s, and possibly by as much as 21% in developing countries. Although the timescale makes such figures no more than educated guesses, there is not much doubt that climate change is undermining the gains from intensive farming in developing countries at the very time when population growth and greater wealth mean the world will need to double food production over the next three or four decades. By 2050 the world will have to feed 2 billion to 3 billion more people and cope with the changing (water-hungry) diets of a richer population. Even without climate change, farm productivity would have to rise by 1% a year, which is a lot. With climate change, the rise will have to be 1.8%, says the bank. If these myriad problems have a silver lining, it is that they give developing countries as big an interest in mitigating the impact of climate change as rich ones. As the World Bank says, climate-change policy is no longer a simple choice between growth and ecological well-being. Sideways to Copenhagen In principle that shift should make a climate-change deal in Copenhagen more likely, by increasing the number of countries that want an agreement. But two big problems remain. First, the poor countries want large amounts of money. To keep global warming down to an increase of 2C, the World Bank calculates, would cost $140 billion to $675 billion a year in developing countriesdwarfing the $8 billion a year now flowing to them for climate-change mitigation. The $75 billion cost of adapting to global warming (as opposed to trying to stop it) similarly overwhelms the $1 billion a year available to them.Second, poor countries see a climate-change deal in fundamentally different terms. For rich countries the problem is environmental: greenhouse gases are accumulating in the atmosphere and must be cut, preferably using the sort of binding targets recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. For developing countries the problem is one of fairness and history: rich countries are responsible for two-thirds of the carbon put into the atmosphere since 1850; to cut emissions in absolute terms now would perpetuate an unjust pattern. Poor countries therefore think emissions per head, not absolute emissions, should be the standard.Moreover, targets set at national level have little effect in poor countries where public administration works badly. So rich and poor also disagree about the conditions attached to any money for mitigating or adapting to climate change. The rich see this as a sort of aid, designed for specific projects with measurable targets, requiring strict conditions. Poorer countries see the cash as no-strings compensation for a problem that is not of their making.The cost of climate change gives developing countries a big interest in a deal at Copenhagen. But what sort of deal they wantand how hard they push for itis another matter altogether.

Innovations in education
Education is the crucible in which Innovations are forged. Promoting creativity and incentivizing innovations through our educational institutions is a first step towards broadening and deepening the impact of innovations in our society and economy. In large scale education systems such as ours, catering to a vast population with relatively limited resources, this is a major challenge. At the same time, with rapid advances in new technologies, changing needs of the economy, and the very presence of the challenges identified above, the sector itself presents a fertile ground for pioneering innovations. Many of our schools and colleges are still stuck in the industrial age assembly line methods inform our pedagogy. Schools evolved from a need to feed the factories, bureaucracies and armies with people who could follow instructions and sustain repetitive processes. What was needed was a reliable part that would keep the machinery of the state or organization running smoothly. Schools responded to the needs of the employers of the day and trained students in performing task based activities, in stamina and in discipline. They learnt to respect hierarchies which represented both power and aspiration. It is acknowledged that education is about preparing children for the future. A future that is unknown and changes more rapidly than traditional curricula committees can keep pace with. The

future of education has to include pedagogic models that totally invert the structures of the past where schools are not about promotions or competition, for the business of learning and the business of assessment are different beasts. Innovative models that include group and peer learning, game based learning and freeform pathways have been used in schools with a certain degree of success. Some have gained credibility over the years and gamification is a science in itself now. Others have more skeptics than supporters, such as pure online learning. India has been at the forefront of the back end of this innovation revolution with a large and mature contingent of instruction design teams. But these design teams have been working to supply international markets, with the Indian education market being too nascent to support the industry. Even today, the innovators are held back due to the hurdles presented by a new market. The education entrepreneur seeking to build eVeltio Ten, a network for teachers spoke of the dissenting voices that told them not to try to sell to teachers because they think technology is the enemy. Some how or the other, providers found ways to avoid the teacher and sell to students or the administration. The teacher, however, had to run the smart class, had to deal with the students' improved access to canned digital content. A shared learning solution to the new issues facing teachers is on offer today. Similarly, students have the option to learn socially, via various networks on offer many of them customized for learning and assessment such as Xplore. Others, such as Education Initiatives have been in the standardized assessment area for a decade a very Indian innovation nonetheless. School Cinema has curated movies to derive lessons for students. While the larger players such as Educomp brought audio-visual learning to the classroom, others such as iDiscoveri took them further down the chain. Innovations today are more engaging, interactive and find new ways to build and reward achievement. These innovations are young still, and many are being tested with schools and students. Yet they are the way of the future and will define the path to leapfrogging over other nations in education attainment levels. The current learning by rote system has served its purpose and time. While still not denying the utility of examinations, competition, the hunger to win or the other benefits of the traditional system, it is time to move on and hone a different set of skills and abilities. It becomes the responsibility of enlightened educators to abandon their fears and the need for thcae familiar and comforting blanket of habit and try out new ways of teaching with or without technology. They owe this not only to their present students, but to future generations. Innovations are not created via bright ideas alone but are honed through practice and feedback from dare I say it - mistakes. The best education practices for any community will only come from the responses of the student and teacher community. It is they who must build the future of learning.

Kumbh Mela 2013

Kumbh Mela is a mass Hindu pilgrimage of faith in which Hindus gather to bathe in a sacred river. It is the world's largest religious gathering, with 80 million people expected in 2013.[2] It is held every third year at one of the four places by rotation: Haridwar, Allahabad (Prayag), Nasik and Ujjain. Thus the Kumbh Mela is held at each of these four places every twelfth year. Ardh ("Half") Kumbh Mela is held at only two places, Haridwar and Allahabad, every sixth year. The rivers at these four places are: the Ganges (Ganga) at Haridwar, the confluence (Sangam) of the Ganges and the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati at Allahabad, the Godawari at Nasik, and the Shipra at Ujjain. Kumbh means a pitcher and Mela means fair in Hindi. The pilgrimage is held for about one and a half months at each of these four places where it is believed in Hinduism that drops of nectar fell from the Kumbh carried by gods after the sea was churned. The festival is billed as the "worlds largest congregation of religious pilgrims".*3+ There is no scientific method of ascertaining the number of pilgrims, and the estimates of the number of pilgrims bathing on the most auspicious day may vary; approximately 80 million people attended on 14 February 2013. Mauni Amavasya traditionally attracted the largest crowds at the mela, held here every 12 years. The current Kumbh Mela was held on 14 January 2013 at Allahabad.The day marked the second and the biggest Shahi Snan (royal bath) of this event, with 13 akharas taking to the Sangam. 10 Feb 2013 was the biggest bathing day at the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela and probably the largest human gathering on a single day. Over 30 million devotees and ascetics took holy dip on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya.[4] Kumbh Mela takes place every twelve years at one of four places: Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik. The Mela in its different forms alternates between Prayag, Nashik, Ujjain and Haridwar [11][12][13] every third year. The Ardh (half) Kumbh Mela is celebrated every six years at only two places, Haridwar and Prayag. Kumbh Mela takes place every twelve years at one of four places: Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik. The Mela in its different forms alternates between Prayag, Nashik, Ujjain and Haridwar every third year.[11][12][13] The Ardh (half) Kumbh Mela is celebrated every six years at only two places, Haridwar and Prayag. Kumbh Mela is celebrated at different locations depending on the position of the planet of B haspati (Jupiter) and the sun. When Jupiter and the sun are in the zodiac sign Leo (Simha Rashi) it is held in Trimbakeshwar, Nashik; when the sun is in Aquarius (Kumbh Rashi) it is celebrated at Haridwar; when Jupiter is in Taurus (Vrishabha Rashi ) and the sun is in Capricorn (Makar Rashi) Kumbha Mela is celebrated at Prayag; and Jupiter and the sun are in Scorpio (Vrishchik Rashi) the Mela is celebrated at Ujjain.[24][25] Each site's celebration dates are calculated in advance according to a special combination of zodiacal positions of Sun, Moon, and Jupiter. The current Maha Kumbh Mela began on 14

January 2013 at Prayag.[32] According to expectations more than 100 million people will attend the 2013 Kumbha mela.[33][34] The ritual The major event of the festival is ritual bathing at the banks of the river in whichever town Kumbh Mela being held:Ganga in Haridwar, Godavari in Nasik, Kshipra in Ujjain and Sangam (confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati) in Allahabad (Prayag. Nasik has registered maximum visitors to 75 million. Other activities include religious discussions, devotional singing, mass feeding of holy men and women and the poor, and religious assemblies where doctrines are debated and standardised. Kumbh Mela is the most sacred of all the [citation needed] pilgrimages. Thousands of holy men and women attend, and the auspiciousness of the festival is in part attributable to this. The sadhus are seen clad in saffron sheets with Vibhuti ashes dabbed on their skin as per the requirements of ancient traditions. Some, called naga sanyasis, may not wear any clothes even in severe winter Most significant days during the Kumbh Mela Bhishma Ekadasi Snan: On this day, Bhishma Pithamaha, the oldest, wisest, most powerful and most righteous person belonging to the Kuru dynasty (approx. over 5000 years ago), narrated the greatness of Lord Krishna through [37] Sri Vishnu Sahasranama to Yudhishtira, the oldest brother of Pandavas. The Maha Kumbha Mela is held at Allahabad (Prayag) (27 January to 10 March 2013). An estimated 30 million people visited the Maha Kumbh Mela on 10 February 2013 and an estimated 100 million are expected to visit the place [48] during the festival spread over 55 days. On 10 February 2013 a stampede at the railway station killed 36 and [49] injured at least 39. In the vast crowds some elderly people, predominantly women, are abandoned by their [2] families. Here are the details of most auspicious days (bathing dates) in year 2013 during Maha Kumbh Festival [50] (mela). 14 January 2013 (Monday) Makar Sankranti 27 January 2013 (Sunday) Paush Purnima 6 February 2013 (Wednesday) Ekadashi Snan 10 February 2013 (Sunday) Mauni Amavasya Snan (Main Bathing Day) 15 February 2013 (Friday) Vasant Panchami Snan 17 February 2013 (Sunday) Rath Saptami Snan 21 February 2013 (Thursday) Bhisma Ekadashi Snan 25 February 2013 (Monday) Maghi Purnima Snan 10 March 2013 (Sunday) Mahashivratri Maha Kumbh Mela, the world's largest religious gathering, is drawing to an end on Sunday on the occasion of Mahashivaratri. Over 50 lakh devotees are expected to take bath in the holy river Ganges on the last day. The 55-day festival held at Sangam in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, began on the auspicious day of Makar Sankranti. Mahashivaratri 'Snan' marks the end of the Maha Kumbh. Thousands of Naga Sadhus or Hindu-Shaivite ascetics with ash-covered bodies and matted hair are expected to bathe near the Sangam along with an equal number of pilgrims on the final day. "Over 60 million people attended the festival in 2001 and this time we believe 120 million people have participated," festival chief Mani Prasad Mishra told AFP. More than 5,000 policemen have been deployed and administration is on high alert foreseeing heavy influx of devotees in the city for last snan. "Witnessing a huge rush of devotees, we have stepped up vigil and ghats located at sector number 3, 4, 10, 12, 13 and 14 have been taken under scanner. Security has been stepped up in the city especially in temples and Sangam area ahead of the Snan," Divisional commissioner Devesh Chaturvedi told The Times of India. The two-month-long festival occurs every 12 years at four places - Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik. It rotates between these four places every three years. The next festival will take place in 2016 at Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, on the banks of the river Shipra, where it is also known as "Simhastha". Kumbh Mela is the largest religious congregation in the world, takes place every 12 years on the banks of the Sangam, the confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. It attracts millions of people from across the globe for 55 days. The Kumbh festival gets bigger with every edition. In 2001, over 40 million people attended the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad. At the Ardh Kumbh Mela in 2007, over 70 million people graced the banks of the Ganga at Prayag. This years Kumbh mela is expected to bring together 100 million people from different part of India and from countries such as the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, France, Indonesia and Japan. Kumbh also holds a special reverence in other religions like Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism and tens of thousands of monks visit the Kumbh to take a dip in the sacred waters. Here are 10 things about the Kumbh Mela that you probably didnt know 1. Kumbh, literally means pitcher. As per Hindu scriptures, the festival got its name after the four drops of elixir obtained in Samudra Manthan that fell on Earth during the struggle between devas and asuras for immortality. Kumbh is celebrated at the four places where the four drops are supposed to have fallen Prayag, Haridwar, Nashik and Ujjain.

2. During the 55 days that the event is held, the entire Kumbh Mela area is designated as a district. The makeshift township is constructed and deconstructed within weeks. 3. The Kumbh mela has its own police station, fire station, post office, railways reservation counter which is rebuilt every 12 years. 4. The order in which the Sadhus enter the water is fixed. First the Juna, and the Niranjani and Mahanirvani akharas proceed into the water. 5. The first written evidence of the Kumbh Mela can be found in the accounts of Chinese traveller Huan Tsang who visited India in 629645 CE, during the reign of King Harshavardhana. 6. The Kumbh Festival starts from Haridwar and is celebrated at Prayag, Nashik and Ujjain at an interval of 3 years. The celebrations return to Allahabad after 12 years. 7. Over fifteen pontoon bridges and 35,000 toilets have been set up for the nearly two-month long Mela this time. 8. After visiting the Kumbh Mela of 1895, Mark Twain wrote: It is wonderful, the power of a faith like that, that can make multitudes upon multitudes of the old and weak and the young and frail enter without hesitation or complaint upon such incredible journeys and endure the resultant miseries without repining. It is done in love, or it is done in fear; I do not know which it is. No matter what the impulse is, the act born of it is beyond imagination, marvelous to our kind of people, the cold whites. 9. The Kumbh Mela is going to be the subject of a case study at Harvard University. Researchers will study the logistics and economics behind it, and the pop-up mega-city that comes to life in Allahabad during the religious event. 10. The total area of the Mela premises is 50.83 square kilometres, almost double the size of the event in 2001 and more than 200 times the area of Vatican City, worlds smallest country. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.

What is meant to be, will always find a way All things are difficult before they are easy When all is said and done there is more said than done Haste makes waste What is meant to be, will always find a way Its not the load that breaks you down. It is the way you carry it India is a poor country with rich people. Sometimes answers are simple to complicated questions To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people only exist. Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning. Your focus determines your reality Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world Impact of Facebook and Twiiter on youth