Good Morning Thought - 22nd June 2013!

There is a silence in between two communications. If you are happily flowing with the communication, the silence is a joyful filler complementing the flow. Otherwise it becomes an obstruction that may sometimes prove a dampener...

Good Morning!

Campaign Update: 18th June 2013!

Save Mahanadi to Save Lives...

Dear Friends/Co-sailors,

Greetings from Water Initiatives Odisha!

As we gear up to launch our unique and first of its kind campaign "Healthy Rivers, Happy Cities" in the state of Odisha, I would quickly take you through the latest updates.

On 17th June we had a preparatory meeting of volunteers who have formed the "Sambalpur City Water Watch Group" to decide the final preparations for the campaign launch.  The meeting has decided a tentative programme schedule for the campaign launch day function that we will name "Healthy Mahanadi Festival".  We are having more meetings to finalize the agenda and will get back with the details soon.  

However, let me inform you about a small change in the date of the programme.  We are now holding the campaign launch on 29th June instead of the originally planned 30th.  This is because we could not get a suitable venue for a large gathering that we expect.

In the mean while we had another round of citizen's monitoring of Mahanadi and Kathajodi at Cuttack where eminent wildlife expert and noted environmentalist Biswajit Mohanty is volunteering the lead the move.  Please see the following two posts in my blog and facebook for some more details about that.

http://climatecrusaders.blogspot.in/2013/06/god-finds-human-wastes-unbearable-at.html

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151624333449133.1073741826.518759132&type=1

Now that the campaign launching date is fixed, may I request all of you to see if you can make to it at Sambalpur on the 29th to be with us on that date.  It would be our pleasure to have you here and the volunteers at Sambalpur will certainly be encouraged.  

Look forward to hear from you and your continued support.

Thanks and regards,

Ranjan

Save Mahanadi to Save Lives!

God finds human wastes unbearable at Cuttack!

@Cuttack: Paramhansha Shiva Temple

Poor God, stands helplessly on the bank of Kathajodi where Cuttack's drain waters - carrying garbage and sewage - get discharged raw, without any treatment.  Well, I think I heard his voice as he tried to send out a SOS call to save him from this stink.   Shiva, known for his ability to swallow poison, must be finding it very difficult to digest the human wastes.  The Asuras' poison was a simple formula.  Humans' are as complicated as the species themselves...

Waiting to be engulfed by the Sea!

Even as the sea keeps gushing in to swallow the Pentha village, the World Bank supported project running hundreds of crores is a non-starter.  Teams after teams are visiting the village for about three years now but there is hardly any protection visible.  Wish the Sea was as callous as the government.  Unfortunately, it creeps in faster by the day…

Healthy Rivers, Happy Cities - A citizen's campaign!

Healthy Rivers, Happy Cities

A citizens Initiative to know the health of Rivers and build responsible citizenship to protect rivers and water bodies

(A campaign led by Water Initiatives Odisha and open for other groups with similar objectives and ethics to join)

Dear Friends/Co-sailors,

Greetings from Water Initiatives Odisha (WIO)!

As you are aware WIO has been at the forefront of water conservation and advocacy efforts in Odisha. On World Water Day 2010 we took a pledge, on the banks of River Bheden, to save Odisha's rivers from decaying and dying.  Ever since that day WIO has been working to strengthen its endeavours to conserve and protect our rivers and their ecosystems.

Realizing the fact that the emerging urban areas - which are growing rapidly and in ecologically insensitive ways - are treating our rivers as drain lines and garbage bodies, we at WIO decided to start a campaign to involve the urban communities in protection of the Rivers.  This made us to talk to several of our member organisations, friends and well wishers and after about six months of such discussions we decided to start a citizen driven campaign called "Healthy Rivers, Happy Cities".  

A note on the campaign can be found at http://www.odishareporter.in/top_news/healthy-rivers-happy-cities

We are happy to share that many groups and individuals have shown their interest to be part of it and citizens have already initiated dialogues among themselves in Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. As part of the drive, besides meetings, citizens are also starting to visit Rivers and other Water Bodies to take stock of the pollution and related problems.  

We want to build a healthy relationship between our Rivers and urban citizens.  We want your support in keeping our Rivers Healthy and flowing.  

Initially the campaign is building around Mahanadi and as you can find out from the following links from media coverage of our Environment Day release, we are planning a "Healthy Mahanadi River Festival' at Sambalpur on 30th June 2013.  This is just the beginning.  The campaign will then cover all rivers of the cities and their dependent cities. 

http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/water-initiatives-to-hold-healthy-mahanadi-river-fest.html

http://www.orissadiary.com/CurrentNews.asp?id=41660

This is a campaign driven by voluntary action and we all are volunteering for the activities and programmes.  We urge upon you, all concerned citizens, to come forward and join hands with us. 

To be part of this campaign, please write back at ranjanpanda@gmail.com or waterinodisha@gmail.com.

Lets be the change, lets save our Rivers...

Thanks and regards,

Ranjan

http://www.hindustantimes.com/IndiaSectionPage/worldenvironment/Green-Heroes-Odisha-s-conservation-master/Article1-1070897.aspx

    

--
Ranjan K Panda

Convenor
Water Initiatives Odisha: Fighting water woes, combating climate change... more than two decades now!
INDIA
Mobile:             +919437050103      

Email: ranjanpanda@gmail.com, ranjanpanda@yahoo.com

You can also mail me at: ranjan.waterman@facebook.com

Skype: ranjan.climatecrusader
 Blog: http://www.climatecrusaders.blogspot.com/ 
 Please join our group 'Save Rivers Save Civilizations' at http://www.facebook.com/groups/220598744649462

Please join our new campaign https://www.facebook.com/ChildrenNeedWaterToPlay

 Water talks to me, I speak for Water...

Water Initiatives Odisha (WIO) is a coalition of civil society organisations, farmers, academia, media and other concerned, which has been working on water, environment and climate change issues in India for more than two decades now.

Good Morning Thought - 11th June 2013!

Some think sorrow is what they should deal with themselves and not let others get worried, but some can go to the extent of marketing it as a commerce venture...

Good Morning!