India and the COP-18

India and the COP-18

By Ms. Shweta Tyagi

The two-week long negotiations of the 18th Conference of the Parties (CoP 18) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which took place in Doha (Qatar) ended  on 7 December 2012. There was a wide range of expectations articulated before the meeting. The 17th CoP had been held in Durban, where parties to the convention had taken a few decisions, essentially in the nature of continuing the dialogue along established lines. There seemingly has emerged a broad consensus among the observers that three main things have emerged out of the COP-18 Outcomes. The first is the continuation of the Kyoto Protocol. There is a second commitment period from the European Union, Norway and Australia and others who have signed on. However, the other side of the coin is the level ambition and the number of countries who have signed on has gone down quite a lot [the US, Japan, Canada, Russia and New Zealand have not signed on].But this keeps the show on the road and one can hope the continuation of the negotiation towards a new treaty. The second major issue was finance. Developing countries were expecting rich countries to put forward a number on how much they would provide in the next few years between 2013 and 2020 – they’ve promised (US) $100 billion from 2020, but nothing in between. A few countries, like the UK and the European Union, stepped forward with some numbers, but the rest of the countries didn’t. So all we have is a vague promise that they will try and provide funding at the same level as they did in the last years which was roughly (US) $10 billion a year.  So that was quite disappointing for the developing countries. The third and last major issue was something new that could be counted as a significant victory for the more vulnerable countries – something called “loss and damage.” This refers to compensations to vulnerable communities for the loss and damage caused by climate change. While we didn’t set up an international mechanism on loss and damage in Doha, which is what the least development countries wanted, we have an agreement to look at the possibility of setting up an international mechanism in future. This was vehemently opposed by developed countries, particularly the United States of America, who didn’t want this item to remain on the agenda because they worried it opened up the door for unlimited compensation. But in the end they let the compromise text go through. The US hasn’t agreed the mechanism, but it has agreed to discuss the mechanism, which in a way is a victory as they wanted it totally shut it down in Doha. India’s Dilemma While there is a general sense of agreement on the principle of equity per se, the challenge now will be to make the world agree on operationalising equity.  According to R.R Rashmi, chief Indian negotiator at the 18th UN Conference of Parties on Climate Change in Doha, ‘equity cannot remain just an idea; it should become an operational principle.’ Earlier, India’s Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Jayanthi Natarajan, had also made it clear that India would not compromise on the principles of equity and historical responsibility. Thus far, India has been extremely successful in projecting its views in each successive CoP. But as far as domestic action is concerned, there is a need to pay greater attention to meeting the goals laid down by the government itself. The prime minister had announced the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) on 30 June 2008. This action plan was the result of a very extensive and rigorous exercise carried out by the Government of India, under the direction of the prime minister himself. It involved state governments, a number of experts from outside the government who are members of the Prime Minister’s Advisory Council and many others. However, it is questionable whether the eight missions identified under the NAPCC are actually being implemented as comprehensively as required. The perception both within and outside the government is that perhaps it is not. As far as India is concerned, this action plan has unique benefits and, quite apart from addressing global objectives, would provide substantial co-benefits at the domestic level. While negotiations under the UNFCCC and an agreement on decisions may not be moving as rapidly as some may expect in India, it is critical that the NAPCC be pursued with rigour and determination at every level of government and by all major stakeholders in society, including business and industry. After all we cannot ignore Gandhiji’s advice to “be the change you want to see in the world”. During the crucial phase of the Doha negotiations, some observes felt that India should walk out of the Conference of the Parties (COP18) negotiations if issues such as “equity”, “finance and technology transfer” were not part of the deal. It was argued that talks about mitigation would be “meaningless”, and the “pledge and review” would make the planet a common hell. While asserting that the pledge and review system of polluting more and more would make the planet a common hell for all, which could not be accepted, these experts  lambasted the US, the world’s biggest CO2 emitter and stated that to cut 17 percent emissions below 2005 levels (by the US), effectively would mean cutting nothing below 1990 level. It was meaningless. India’s Technology Advantage The optimistic side of the otherwise pessimistic side of the outcome of the COP-18 vis-à-vis India is that it acquires key role in tech transfer for combating climate change, especially after it took a lead role in an agreement for a mechanism on transferring of expertise to developing countries. Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) an autonomous organization under the Department of Science & Technology has been selected as one of the nine institutions comprising the Climate Technology Centre and Network, which forms the core of the technology mechanism. The mechanism, agreed two decades after it was first proposed, brings some cheer to the UN-sponsored climate negotiations at Doha, where talks have been blocked by sharp differences between developing and industrialized countries. India has had a lead role in helping formulate and forge this agreement on the technology transfer and development mechanism. The technology transfer and development mechanism has been envisaged as a global partnership between the developed and developing worlds in the effort to deal with climate change. Technology is a key pillar of an agreement on climate change and is central to any balanced outcome. It is crucial as developing countries, particularly the more vulnerable and less developed, do not have the financial or technical wherewithal to develop technologies that are necessary to deal with the adverse impacts of climate change. For India, the only sticking point remains on the contentious issue of intellectual property rights on which there is no agreement between the developed and developing countries. However, this is unlikely to come in the way of operationalising the technology mechanism. India, EU and G-77 and China support a structure in which the climate technology centres report to the technology executive committee, which is turn reports to the Conference of Parties, the supreme decision making body under the aegis of the UN.

Perspectives on XVI NAM Summit After the UN, the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) is the most important world body as it represents nearly two-thirds of the UN members and about 55 percent of the world population.  NAM emerged during the 1960s in the context of the bi-polar world; with the United States of America(USA) leading the ‘Free World’ on the one hand, and  the Soviet Union at the head of a coalition of revolutionary communist countries, on the other.  Imbued with the desire of preserving their hard-won freedom from colonial powers and pusue independent foreign policy by not joining the regional military groupings sponsored by the Westrn Bloc headed by the US as well as the Eastern Bloc headed by the erstwhile Soviet Union, leaders of the newly independent nations of Asia and Africa, such as Jawaharlal Nehru (India), Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana), Ahmed Sekou Toure (Guinea)  Gamal Abdel Nasser (Egypt), Emperor  Haile Selassie (Ethiopia)  and Yugoslavia’s Josip Broz Tito argued that developing countries should refrain from aligning their countries with either bloc, but pursue their own independent path in international affairs. This was in this backdrop that the origin of the Non-Aligned Movement took place, which was inaugurated with the convening of the first NAM Summit held in belgrade (Yugoslavia) in September 1961.  The Non-aligned Movement adopted two ideological pillars to guide the work of the Movement; Political decolonisation of all territories under colonial domination and; Reform of an unjust global economic order which consigned developing countries to the underdog status of ‘hewers of wood and water’, while the advanced industrial countries produced manufactured goods.   Over the decades, the NAM has traversed a long way to prove its relevance and justification. The successful organization of the XVI Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement from 26 to 31 August 2012 in Tehran (Iran) is a testimony to this fact. The NAM Summit meeting in Tehran was held in three phases: preparatory senior officials meeting on 26-27 August, ministerial level meeting on 28-29 August, and the Summit on 30-31 August 2012. Representatives from over 100 countries gathered in the Iranian capital to discuss the new global challenges. Venezuela was selected the host for the 17th NAM Summit in 2015, while two countries, namely Azerbaijan Republic and Fiji, were accepted as the new members of the organization. As of August 2012, the organisation comprises 120 member states, including the non-UN member state of Palestine, and 21 other observer countries. Iran will hold the NAM presidency for three years until the 17th summit in Venezuela in 2015. Agenda The base of the NAM summit's negotiations' framework is the "Final Document" adopted during the Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement Coordinating Bureau which was held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt from 7 to 10 May 2012. The Foreign Ministry Iran said that the agenda would primarily consist of issues pertaining to nuclear disarmament, human rights and regional issues. Iran also intended to draw up a new peace resolution aiming to resolve the Syrian civil war. During the summit, Iran was to draw up a new peace resolution aiming to resolve the Syrian crisis. Iran’s Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi opened the first meeting and spoke of NAM's original goal: "We believe that the timetable for ultimate removal of nuclear weapons by 2025, which was proposed by NAM, will only be realised if we follow it up decisively." At the opening of the ministerial meeting Khamenei said: "The UN Security Council has an irrational, unjust and utterly undemocratic structure, and this is an overt dictatorship. The control room of the world (the Security Council) is under the control of the dictatorship of some Western countries." Al Jazeera interpreted Moon's reaction as "nonplussed." The Senior Officials Meeting was held on 26 and 27 August 2012. The officials reviewed the Sharm El Sheikh's document and issued a draft document which should be endorsed by the ministerial meetings. Iran's deputy foreign minister, Mohammad Mehdi Akhondzadeh, who was also secretary general of the senior officials meeting, read parts of the draft document at the press conference and mentioned some of the main points including rejection of all forms of terrorism ,as well as all form of occupation including occupation of the Palestinian territories by Israel, requesting weapons of mass destruction and nuclear weapon disarmament, condemning unilateral sanctions and replacing unipolar management of international politics with collective management. According to Akhundzadeh, the draft urges for a Middle East free from nuclear weapons and emphasizes "inalienable" right of all NAM member states for the peaceful use of nuclear energy, envisaged by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The Ministerial Meeting with presence of foreign ministers of NAM countries was held on 28-29 August 2012. Egypt's Deputy Foreign Minister, Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy, handed the presidency of the ministerial meeting for three years at the opening ceremony of the meeting. After opening remark of Ali Akbar Salehi and listening to the report of Senior Officials Meeting which was delivered by Mohammad Mehdi Akhondzadeh, the ministers starts to review the document. After preparation of the final document for the leaders summit, Ali Akbar Salehi participated in a press conference and emphasized on the four main topics that were discussed at the meeting including establishment a task force in New York to pursue Palestine's membership in the United Nations and act against Israel's "illegal" measures against Palestinians, finding solution for Syrian crisis with United Nations cooperation, acting against monopolizing of the financial mechanisms in the world by using US dollar and finally establishment of a work group in New York to study the mechanisms of plural management of the world . On 30 August 2012, the summit was inaugurated by Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Then Egypt President, Mohammad Morsi, as the chair of the 15th summit declared opening of the 16th summit and presented the report of NAM's chairmanship during the past three years, then officially handed the presidency of the Non-Aligned Movement to Iran President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. After Morsi, President of the Sixty-sixth session of the United Nations General Assembly, Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Mon, Chair of the Group of 77 Mourad Benmehidi, host President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh delivered their opening speeches. XVI NAM Summit in Tehran In his inaugural address to the summit, Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei condemned the use of nuclear and chemical weapons as an "unforgivable sin", and called for "Middle East Free from Nuclear Weapons". While arguing that it was ironic for the US to oppose nuclear proliferation while it possessed the largest stockpile of nuclear weapons and had used them in the past, Khamanei also accused the US and its Western allies of providing Israel with nuclear weapons. The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, who was described as visibly irritated, decried Iran's position towards Israel in his opening speech. He said it was "utterly wrong" to describe Israel in "racist terms" or to deny its right to exist. He called on both Iran and Israel to stop making threats against the other. While describing Iran's cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as "constructive and useful," Ban Ki-Moon demanded that Iran boost global confidence in its nuclear program by "fully complying with the relevant (UN) Security Council resolutions and thoroughly cooperating with the IAEA." Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi denounced the Syrian government, an ally of Iran, calling it "oppressive" and said that it was an "ethical duty" to support the Syrian revolt against the al-Assad government. Walid al-Moallem, Syrian foreign minister, walked out in protest, although Mahmoud Ahmadinejad remained seated beside Morsi. Morsi called for a peaceful transition to freedom and democracy in Syria. Like Iran, Morsi also called for reform in the structure of the UN Security Council. At the summit Egypt's Mohammed Morsi also handed over the leadership of the body to Iran for the next three years. India at Summit Addressing the 16th NAM summit in Tehran on 30 August 2012, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, while admitting to deficits in global governance, called on the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to “take the lead” in reforming international institutions like the UN, even as it urged member states to tackle problems by “developing solutions that are best suited to our own circumstances”. He also sought immediate steps to reduce tensions in global hotspots like West Asia and North Africa. According to Manmohan Singh, “the deficit in global governance is perhaps most stark in the sphere of international peace and security and in restoring just and fair economic mechanisms”. “Our movement should take the lead in building global governance structures that are representative, credible and effective,” he said, adding it was his “sincere hope” there can be agreement “on action to reform institutions such as the United Nations Security Council, the World Bank and the IMF”. Prime Minister of India Addressing NAM Summit at Tehran He further added that existing problems could not be solved effectively without a greater voice for developing countries on issues such as global trade, finance and investment. Noting in this context that developing countries can be “drivers of global growth”, he said that international financial institutions should be encouraged to fund infrastructure development in the developing world “in innovative ways”. “We should also urge that the current economic crisis should not lead to a dilution of development assistance flows from the developed world,” Manmohan Singh cautioned. Pointing to the other tasks ahead for NAM members, the prime minister urged them to collaborate “in tackling problems and developing solutions that are best suited to our own circumstances”. “For example, the developing world is rich in renewable sources of energy like solar power. We should use our financial and intellectual resources to develop renewable energy technologies that get less attention in the industrialised world where the resource base is different. Adoption of these technologies will also enable us to contribute to preservation of the environment. Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh also focused on the need to invest in the knowledge economy and building human resources so that the youth, when faced with “our unique developmental challenges”, have the creativity and energy to find solutions “that are innovative, frugal and affordable”. “We need to provide them skills and equip them to find productive employment in a rapidly changing and inter-connected global economy,” the prime minister said. India would be happy to contribute to a NAM initiative on skill development, particularly focused on the knowledge economy. Summit Concludes The 16th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit concluded in the Iranian capital of Tehran on 31 August 2012 after the adoption of the outcome documents which lay emphasis on peace. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the rotating chairman of the summit, read part of the final documents at the closing ceremony of the event, and said that the participants unanimously expressed their commitments to the principles and objectives of the NAM. Participants called for "fundamental changes" in global governance and collective management of the world as the precondition of establishing peace, and all of them expressed the call for avoiding conflicts in the world, Ahmadinejad said. "We agreed to ensure human rights and human dignity to develop love, affection and honesty," he said, adding that "We can solve the global challenges based on friendship." He said that, by approving the final documents of the summit, the member states sent "important political messages" for establishing peace and justice in the world. In the final documents, solidarity with the Palestinians has been emphasized as well. But despite all sides' efforts, the Tehran meeting failed to please all as some major global issues seem to be remaining as they were. On 31 August 2012, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who had been in Tehran for the first day of the two-day summit, regretted that Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had yet to reach agreement on resolving Iran's nuclear issue. Through a statement issued in the United Nations by his spokesman Farhan Haq, Ban pressed for a "diplomatic and negotiated solution" to the prolonged problem. Ban's statement was in response to the latest quarterly report by the IAEA on Iran's disputed nuclear program, which said Thursday that Tehran is hindering the UN nuclear watchdog's inspection of its Parchin military complex, a possible site being used for suspected nuclear weapon development. Conclusion The XVI NAM Summit held in Iran in the last week of August 2012 presented a mixed bag of reactions of performance by different countries. The Summit hogged international limelight, as one expert has put it, not because it had something significant to say or do in the global arena but primarily because the incoherence of the grouping as a whole was once again put on display for the outside world. The summit was helpful for Iran to show that  it was not as isolated as many might believe, in the face of international opprobrium and a multitude of sanctions. Egypt’s new President Morsi was able to establish his credentials as a leader of ‘non-aliged Egypt’ by calling spade a spade vis-à-vis Syria and showing his disapproval for Iranian actions, though mildly. However, India’s performance at the NAM summit was disturbing. The U.N. secretary general and the Egyptian president stood up for their convictions, but prime minister of India failed to even articulate a coherent position based on the imperatives of Indian national interest. According to one opinion, “This was not really surprising as increasing Indian domestic political demands have imposed significant costs on the management of India's external relations.” India has lost the aura and halo it once enjoyed as a leading NAM member by focusing on its national interests as well as the interests of other developing countries. There is a need for India to reoreint its approach towards NAM which is a veritable forum it to revive its image and leadership role for the developing countries. Its economic clout and technological edge can help it regain its ost position, if handed properly.

Bonn Conference on Climate Change

Bonn Conference on Climate Change By Shweta Tyagi, Executive Secretary, India Water Foundation, New Delhi. The Bonn Climate Change Conference took place from 14 to 25 May 2012 in Bonn, Germany. The conference comprised the 36th sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA). It also included the 15th session of the Ad HocWorking Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (AWG-LCA), the 17th session of theAd Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP) and the first session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP). Under the SBI, key issues discussed included loss and damage, national adaptation plans (NAPs), and reporting by Annex I and non-Annex I parties. The SBSTA focused on agriculture, research and systematic observation, and methodological guidance on REDD+ (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries, and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries). Technology and response measures were considered under both the SBI and SBSTA. Under the AWG-KP, the focus was on issues that need to be finalized to adopt a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol and for the AWG-KP to conclude its work at the eighth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 8). These include: matters relating to quantified emission limitation or reduction objectives (QELROs) with a view to adopting these as amendments to Annex B to the Kyoto Protocol and carry-over of assigned amount units (AAUs). While discussions under the AWG-KP advanced understanding of these issues, many outstanding questions remain, including the length of the second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol and carry-over of surplus units. Under the AWG-LCA, parties initially debated the agenda and whether it adequately reflected progress since the adoption of the Bali Action Plan at COP 13 in 2007. After agreement on the agenda, debates continued on which issues require consideration so that the AWG-LCA can finalize its work at COP 18 in Doha. Developed countries stressed “significant progress” and the various new institutions established in Cancun and Durban. They called for a focus on specific tasks mandated by Decision 2/CP.17 (Outcome of the work of the AWG-LCA). Developing countries identified the need to continue discussing issues, such as finance, technology, adaptation, capacity building and response measures in order to fulfill the mandate in the Bali Action Plan. Under the ADP, discussions centered on the agenda and election of officers. After nearly two weeks of discussions, the ADP plenary adopted the agenda and agreed on the election of officers during the final day of the conference. At the close of the Bonn Conference, many felt that the atmosphere had been “tense,” especially under the ADP. They expressed hope that this would not have a lasting impact, putting at risk efforts to rebuild trust in the process over the past two years since Copenhagen and the “delicate balance” of interests reflected in the Durban Package. Broadly speaking, UN preparatory meetings, such as the one in Bonn, seldom get much attention from the mainstream media, because they tend to be technical, no prominent political leaders take part, and as a result there are rarely any sound bites for the media. However, this time it was different because, shortly after this meeting a major summit of UN Sustainable Development, Rio+20, will be held. The 1992 summit in Rio de Janeiro was a turning point in global awareness for several reasons. Major environmental law documents were produced - the Rio Declaration, a Global Policy of Sustainable Development for the 21st Century, and Agenda 21 - and two important global framework conventions on climate change and biological diversity were agreed upon. The Earth Summit was by far the biggest international conference ever convened. More than 100 heads of states took part. Rio+20 will not be nearly as successful. Many things have changed since 1992. Most importantly, climate change has been recognised as a dangerous threat to human security caused in large part by human activity. This threat is gradually entering our daily life. Concurrently, geopolitical, economic and technological competition among the old guard economies and new members of world society has become boisterous. This is what makes the Bonn talks so significant. The people should follow what is going on there. During the last few years, the multilateral UN talks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) so as to lessen the major impact of climate change's adverse effects, degenerated into a kind of international contest between developing and developed countries, doing nothing to reduce emissions while blaming each other for the failure. The people who initiated these talks in the early 1990s are no more on the scene and a new generation has arrived, new political leaders emerged, and different ideological perspectives have gained prominence. More importantly, geopolitical balances have become more complicated. The geopolitical map is far more complex than two decades ago, almost giving rise to nostalgic feelings of fondness for the Cold War era of stable bipolarity. The sharp division between developed and developing countries no longer describes environmental diplomacy, although it continues to exist on paper. China’s emergence as a leader gives it global legitimacy among the countries of the South. India and Brazil are still developing countries, but their ambition is not associated at this time with asserting claims of global leadership. Their robust economic growth in recent years does make them eager to play a leadership role. Yet they are not willing to give up their growth-oriented economic policies easily, and their internal economic challenges remain enormous, especially mass poverty. Voices advocating policies beneficial for the developing world are still not strong enough to ensure that the developed world continues to uphold legally binding commitments. This was demonstrated at the recent Durban meeting. There are also emerging mid-income developing countries, including Mexico, Turkey, South Africa and South Korea, trying to find their own comfort zone, reflecting their particular national interests. Meanwhile, the 48 Least Developed Countries (LDCs), 33 of them in Africa, are becoming a voice of the voiceless, as the UNFCCC gives them more rights than others in relation to climate change commitments. These countries are the most victimised by the threats posed by climate change, despite beng the least responsible for the buildup of greenhouse gases. Looking Ahead Bonn demonstrated that, as many have said, Durban was a carefully negotiated package contingent on all elements of the outcome moving forward in tandem. However, what is clear is that parties have a very different perspective of what the future looks like in terms of, inter alia, the ADP’s mandate, how to terminate the AWGs and what to focus on for effectively addressing climate change. As evidenced in Bonn, constructive ambiguity results in uncertainty that can sometimes breed mistrust. This mistrust is often manifested through disputes over procedure and consequently hampers progress. Looking ahead, parties have their work cut out to accomplish tasks they agreed to in Durban. They will need to exercise goodwill, integrity and congeniality in order to deliver on the ultimate objective of meaningful mitigation action for the post-2012 era. There have emerged new questions and diplomats are not equipped to answer them properly. It needs philosophical and ethical understanding, responsible leadership, and in the end, public-spirited and globally oriented solutions. The most vexing question today is: how long can we expect to keep ourselves safe and secure behind man-made walls as we face the perils of climate change?

happy women`s day

Dashing zigzag across the pattern of our life playing
husband
mother
genius
wife
scholar
chauffer
student

friend
then finding yourself alone for a moment
a sliver of a day , loving what you are in a very special way
being soft and yielding with a inner core of steel.....
happy women`s day to my cowomen....

Celebrate an Eco Friendly Holi

Ideally, the joyous festival of Holi is meant to celebrate the arrival of Spring while the colors used in Holi are to reflect of the various hues of spring season. But unfortunately, in modern times Holi does not stand for all things beautiful. Like various other festivals, Holi too has become ruthlessly commercialized, boisterous and yet another source of environmental degradation. To de-pollute Holi and make it in sync with nature, as it is supposed to be, several social and environmental groups are proposing a return to more natural ways of celebrating Holi.

The aim of this articles is to generate awareness amongst people about the various harmful effects around Holi celebrations and encourage people to celebrate an eco friendly Holi!

Please read on to know about the three main environmental concerns around Holi -

The use of toxic chemical colours. The use of wood for burning Holi fires. The wasteful use of water during Holi.

1. Harmful Effects of Chemical Colours
In earlier times when festival celebrations were not so much commercialized Holi colors were prepared from the flowers of trees that blossomed during spring, such as the Indian Coral Tree (parijat) and the Flame of the Forest (Kesu), both of which have bright red flowers. These and several other blossoms provided the raw material from which the brilliant shades of Holi colours were made. Most of these trees also had medicinal properties and Holi colors prepared from them were actually beneficial to the skin.

Over the years, with the disappearance of trees in urban areas and greater stress for higher profits these natural colours came to be replaced by industrial dyes manufactured through chemical processes.

Around 2001, two environmental groups called Toxics Link and Vatavaran, based in Delhi, did a study on all the three available categories of colours available in the market - pastes, dry colours and water colours. The study revealed that all of these three forms of chemical Holi colors are hazardous.

Harmful Chemicals in Holi Paste type colors
According to their researched fact sheet on Holi, the pastes contain very toxic chemicals that can have severe health effects. Please check the table below to know about the chemical used in various Holi colors and their harmful effects on human body.

Color

Chemical

Health Effects

Black	Lead oxide	Renal Failure
Green	Copper Sulphate	Eye Allergy, Puffiness and temporary blindness
Silver	Aluminium Bromide	Carcinogenic
Blue	Prussian Blue	Contract Dermatitis
Red	Mercury Sulphite	Highly toxic can cause skin cancer

(Source: Vatavaran)

Harmful Chemicals in Gulal
The dry colours, commonly known as gulals, have two components – a colourant that is toxic and a base which could be either asbestos or silica, both of which cause health problems. Heavy metals contained in the colourants can cause asthma, skin diseases and adversely affect the eyes.

Harms of Wet Holi Colors
Wet colours, mostly use Gentian violet as a colour concentrate which can cause skin dis-colouration and dermatitis.

These days, Holi colours are sold loosely, on the roads, by small traders who often do not know the source. Sometimes, the colours come in boxes that specifically say ‘For industrial use only’.

Click to read more on Holi Chemical colors

Action Taken by Environmental Groups
Following the publication of these studies several environmental groups took up the cause to encourage people to return to a more natural way of celebrating Holi. Amongst these,

Navdanya, Delhi published a book called Abir Gulal, which spoke of the biodiversity that was the source of natural colours. Development Alternatives, Delhi and Kalpavriksh, Pune have developed educational tools to teach children simple ways of making their own natural Holi colours. The CLEAN India campaign has been teaching children how to make beautiful natural colours.

Make your own Holi colours
Holi festival lovers will be thrilled to know that it is possible to make simple natural colors in one’s own kitchen. Here are some very simple recipes to make natural colours:

Color

Method of Preparation

Yellow	1) Mix turmeric (haldi) powder with chick pea flour (besan) 2) Boil Marigold or Tesu flowers in water
Yellow liquid color	Soak peels of pomegranate (Anar) overnight.
Deep Pink	Slice a beetroot and soak in water
Orange - red paste	Henna leaves (mehndi) can be dried, powdered and mixed with water.

For more information please read How to make Natural colours?

Purchase Natural Holi Colors
For those who do not have the time to make their own colours, there is the choice of buying natural Holi colours. Several groups are now producing and promoting such colours, although it is important to verify the ingredients of the colours and ensure you know enough about the source.

2. The Holi Bonfire
The burning of fuel wood to create the bonfire for Holika Dahan presents another serious environmental problem. According to a news article, studies done in the state of Gujarat reveal that each bonfire uses around 100 kg of wood, and considering that approximately 30,000 bonfires are lit in the state of Gujarat just for one season, this leads to a wastage of a staggering amount of wood.
Groups such as Sadvichar Parivar are now advocating one symbolic community fire, rather than several smaller bonfires across the city as a way to reduce wood consumption. Others are also suggesting that these fires be lit using waste material rather than wood.

3. A Dry Holi?
In the current situation, when most cities in India are facing acute water scarcity, the wasteful use of water during Holi, is also being questioned. It is common for people to douse each other with buckets of water during Holi, and children often resort to throwing water balloons at each other. The idea of a dry Holi seems alien at first, especially as the climate becomes warmer around Holi, and the water provides welcome relief from the heat. However, considering that in some urban areas, citizens can go without water for several days, it seems wasteful to use so much water simply for a celebration.

Environmental Consciousness Amongst People
It is a relief to notice that the awareness about the environmental impacts of celebrating Holi are being brought to light by various NGOs. And gradually, more and more Indians are choosing to turn to a more natural and less wasteful way of playing Holi.

You were there in my womb but now you will be forever in my heart

I debated and debated whether I should write about this. This topic which often is considered so personal that people advise you against even mentioning it, leave alone writing about it in a blog.

The very feeling of giving birth to another life brought a sense of fulfillment in my heart. Even i started to recognise myself as a true, complete woman who has been able to support another life. But not every woman gets this treasured feeling. Some women are not able to carry their babies to term. They suffer miscarriages. A sense of incompleteness surrounds a woman, who has had a miscarriage.i am one of them who suffered a miscarriage.I  am completely overwhelmed with grief and loss – my own personal tsunami , was   numb and have kind of made a painful peace with myself acknowledging the loss and admitting defeat with destiny.

 the loss of a baby or a miscarriage, It was not until I had one a weeks back that I realised that every second woman I know has gone through this tragedy. And most have gone through it all alone. Not because they didn't have friends but because you are not supposed to announce a pregnancy till three months and then if you miscarry there is nothing to announce anyways. I wonder why

A miscarriage is such a traumatic experience for any woman not only physically but mentally and emotionally too. And when you are dealing with the loss of a life which was growing in your womb, all you want is lots of warmth, hugs and support.

I could hardly contain my excitement when I went in for my  scan. Seeing my babies on the screen was to be the highlight of my day. But when I saw the look on my specialist's face my heart sank. 

– I was  deeply shocked to learn that neither the embryo had a heartbeat nor was it growing and I was carrying a dead baby. My specialist pulled the curtain to give me some privacy but at that point I couldn't cry. In my mind I was convinced that if I'd had a miscarriage there would be some sign – cramps, bleeding or loss of pregnancy symptoms. I was sure that I would know the moment my baby died.

I didn’t realize babies could die without any immediate change to your pregnancy symptoms and felt terrible to think that I had been carrying dead baby inside me and didn’t know. What type of mother was I?

It wasn't until I was being wheeled into surgery, for a d & c the next morning, that the tears started to stream down my face.

It was then that reality hit and I realized that when
I emerged I would no longer have my baby.
It was to be scraped away.

The physical healing process was quick and painless. But the emotional pain was overwhelming and long lasting.

When I went home later that day I just sat in the room I couldn’t believe that my much longed-for baby was gone and I would never get to hold him in my arms. My much wanted dream of being a mother was being shattered.

Emotionally it was such a tough time but what made it worse was the reaction from other people. Some people avoided me and  said It was “nature's way” .

Almost everybody expected that, as soon as I had healed from the surgery, I should be back at work and acting as if nothing had happened. The world just continued to function. Meantime I was overwhelmed with grief and loss.

I felt anxious and depressed and a sense of overwhelming helplessness. I struggled to function and wondered what was wrong with me.

At that time I didn’t know that this was a normal reaction
or that there were simple things that I could do to
help me heal emotionally and physically.

I found it really difficult to find the help I needed and felt incredibly alone, 

Doctors couldn't find a reason for the miscarriage. Desperate for answers I asked whether it was something that I ate. They assured me it wasn't but I still questioned whether it was something that I had done. The doctor said it was just one of those things.

So easy for the doctors to say and so difficult for us to listen to........ but i have resolved not to give in

As now I am obsessed.......

Are State Splits a Boon or Bane

Are State Splits a Boon or Bane

Mayawati has set the cat among the pigeons. Ramming a resolution through its Vidhan Sabha to split Uttar Pradesh four-ways, she has in one fell swoop thrown the opposition into disarray, stolen the thunder from Rahul Gandhi's advocacy of a separate Bundelkhand, and changed the game for next year's state elections. She has, in the process, burnished her image as a leader capable of decisive action.

The message can hardly be lost on the national level where theUPA government  appears to be floundering at sixes and sevens. Politics aside, does her justification that the move is in the interests of the people and pro-development hold water? Creation of smaller states in the past has produced mixed results.

They are the success stories like Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Goa. Then there are underachievers like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and the north-eastern states, with the possible exception of Sikkim. But perhaps the prospects for the four proposed UP disaggregates could best be seen in the light of Uttarakhand's decade of experience since it was carved out of UP in 2000. Both have similar governance structures and mindsets, different geographical and social endowments notwithstanding.

Like all other small states, the first striking outcome of the creation of Uttarakhand was the tremendous increase in corruption. A smaller state meant more familiar faces as ministers, often with kinship or political connections to local power brokers. More frequent contacts ensued due to relatively shorter distances for travel back and forth, with more effective devolution of power to panchayats adding a functional rationale. All this led to a much closer nexus between politicians from the state down to village levels. The bureaucracy, sandwiched as it was in between, came to the party willy-nilly.

The result has been that dubious decisions and corrupt manipulation of the state machinery have become easier, though at the same time, their more responsiveness to local grievances and demands has come about. It would be interesting to find out how Uttarakhand would fare in a comprehensive corruption index as compared to its past as part of Uttar Pradesh! One survey of households reporting (petty?) bribes indicates that the state has become one of the most corrupt, way ahead of Uttar Pradesh. While siphoning of money has no doubt prevented exploitation of Uttarakhand's full potential, there is evidence that its separation from UP has quickened the pace of development.

Uttarakhand's average gross state domestic product has grown 28.8% during 2000-01 and 2007-08, exactly three times that of Uttar Pradesh, while it is a low 11.8% for all states. Road infrastructure is visibly more extensive and better maintained. Electrification has spread impressively, helped by the state becoming surplus in power thanks to the Tehri Dam. Power generation has almost tripled in the last decade and the state has achieved nearly 98% electrification from negligible levels earlier. Travelling across the state at night earlier, one could see whole hillsides in darkness. Today, almost all are lit up wherever there are clusters of habitation.The taraiarea , agriculturally developed by refugees from Punjab post-Partition , has been transformed from rural serendipity to the bustle of industrial activity. The entire belt from Dehradun through Roorkee, Kashipur and Rudrapur to Haldwani is dotted with factories, including major enterprises such as the Tata Nano automobile factory. The property market is booming because of increasing demand for residential and tourist facilities from the country's newly prosperous middle class.Impressive gains in social indicators include literacy rates, particularly female literacy. There are, of course, sectors whose potential remains largely untapped. The natural beauty of the state lends itself to much greater development of the tourism industry . Its high literacy levels can be an ideal platform for the IT industry and its quality educational institutions for upgrading skills of India's youth bulge.

Uttarakhand, with its numerous rivers and valleys, has tremendous potential for supplying hydropower to an energy-starved India, as also for water management and flood control. With 65% area under forests, it can play a greater role in carbon sequestration. The state government estimates that it provides direct and indirect ecosystem services to the tune of Rs 17,000 crore per annum to the country. What conclusions should the citizens of Paschim Pradesh, Awadh, Bundelkhand and Poorvanchal, if indeed these proposed states see the light of the day, draw for what is in store for them? Expect more of wheeling and dealing , Haryanvi- or Mayawatistyle. But can they  also look forward to more responsive governance and more rapid development?