Chat Archives

Chat on "Conservation and Development in Emerging India" dated November 18, 2010

Gautam: Hi
Susan Sharma: Today stopic is Conservation and development in emerging India Welcome Gautam
Gautam: Thanks for the invite
Susan Sharma: Please start introducing the topic till others come in
Gautam: Well the topic is simple enough I think
Gautam: A lot of the issues in the world we are facing today are due to a very basic problem of coordination
Gautam: And unfortunately a lot of wildlife issues are tied in closely to this.
Gautam: Biodiversity loss is being helped along by a very strong push from development
Susan Sharma: That is an interesting thought
Gautam: Well I had noticed something from the archive in a topic about animals adapting
Gautam: and maybe thats a good start here
Gautam: Perhaps its time we begin to adapt to what we are doing to the planet and the rest of the biosphere
Gautam: I dont believe Nature is the one here that needs help...
Gautam: I think its more Humanity that really needs a little nudge
Gautam: We need to save ourselves.
Susan Sharma: Humanity benefits if we conserve nature..
Gautam: By disconnecting from the rest of the organisms on this planet, we have forgotten our place in nature
Gautam: Yes
Gautam: Thats true
Gautam: But our "benefit" at this point is what drives everything
nitin chinchorkar: hello
Susan Sharma: Ok. Then how does one go about achieving the connect with nature
Susan Sharma: Hi Nitin
nitin chinchorkar: hi
Gautam: Hi Nitin, welcome
nitin chinchorkar: interested in Western Ghats biodiversity project
nitin chinchorkar: hi Gautam
Gautam: Yes, what about it?
nitin chinchorkar: know anything abt its status?
Gautam: But to answer your question Susan I think its important for people to be aware of the idea that people start to see our place
Gautam: that of being one piece of this larger organism
Gautam: Very little, pieces here and there.
nitin chinchorkar: UNO is going to award it "World Heritage " status
Gautam: There are basically small groups doing different kinds of work, unfortunately a singular holistic plan still evades us.
nitin chinchorkar: yes thats right
Susan Sharma: Western Ghats project is a huge one-affecting a big chunk of humanity
Gautam: The same reason why in this case, a good design standpoint should be the core of this approach
nitin chinchorkar: Maharashtra govt is granting permission for bauxite mining in Sindhudurg dist
Gautam: Roads, buildings, wildlife corridors all could be setup together if looked at correctly
Gautam: Yes I know. A friend of mine from germany in fact was in the area a few weeks ago and told me a lot about what is happening
Gautam: Really quite a sad situation
nitin chinchorkar: and it is playing havoc with that region's ecology
Gautam: Unfortunately corruption is a very real problem
Susan Sharma: Can we ban all mining -Then whathappens to development?
Gautam: I dont think thats the idea
nitin chinchorkar: some of the medicinal plants are becoming exinct
Gautam: I believe mining can happen, but well planned and well executed, could be in fact helpful to local communities.
Gautam: For example, taking the idea of medicinal plants, one could create policy that makes sure that the mining company can mine
nitin chinchorkar: the big companies dont stick to the terms and conditions
Gautam: but 20% of their work days
Gautam: that is out of 100 days, for 20 days their heavy equipment could be used
Gautam: for making ecological developments, such as water harvesting systems, stream or river restoration
Gautam: or the labour could go into setting up of forest nurseries
Gautam: yes, but that is the village purview
Gautam: If you can get the villagers into the scheme of selling or growing those medicinals
Gautam: (the pharma industries and spa industries are growing and need more products)
Susan Sharma: That is a sensible proposal -authorities need to have the will power to implement it
Gautam: then they would be able to see to it that these conditions are met
nitin chinchorkar: today only 3 of us are attending the chat --- I think people are not interested in ecology and invironment and what lies in future
Gautam: Yes, and some do. Unfortunately too much game playing at the lobbyist/govt interface
Gautam: AH!! The lights are back in on in Mumbai!
Alok Mishra: Namaste to everybody
Gautam: Good I can be on longer.
Gautam: Hi Alok
Alok Mishra: hi
nitin chinchorkar: Is this the root cause -- common man is disinterested?
Gautam: Susan, is there a reason that chat doesnt allow long and wordy statements?
Susan Sharma: The CEC of Supreme Court has managed collecting a large fund for reforestation
Gautam: I think disillusioned is more like it
Susan Sharma: by collecting a levy for cutting trees for development. A success story on the lines suggested by Gautam
Susan Sharma: Sorry Gautam, limited by the system
Gautam: Funds is not the issue, unfortunately. Glad they could do it, but they now need to figure how to use the funds.
Gautam: Ah, I see.
nitin chinchorkar: more highways are coming up on BOT contrac
Gautam: This is the problem, inflow of foreign funds for conservation and ecodevelopment is also there, plus there is money from within, but no place to put it.
nitin chinchorkar: they cut the trees and dont plant new trees
Gautam: At small scale, its even ok to cut trees.
Gautam: Esp. in forest areas.
nitin chinchorkar: The timber mafia is hand in glove with govt babus and politicians
Susan Sharma: Alok, I see you are in education-what are your views?
Susan Sharma: Can we do something to make a difference
Alok Mishra: I spoke majority of the people on the issue of drastic change in climate
Alok Mishra: and I found a kind of learned helplessness among them
Alok Mishra: even the educated strata of the society has shown
nitin chinchorkar: they cut old trees and plant some useless foreign variety
Susan Sharma: Helplessness-Gautam is that how you see it?
Gautam: As I said earlier:Disillusionment
Gautam: Im so small what I alone do.
Alok Mishra: so first we have to gain the confidence of majority of population by setting toughest rule on climatic curroption
Gautam: Alok, have you considered creating a database with the contacts of all those people? Maybe you could send them some info when you find some good initiative
nitin chinchorkar: there is on example near my city
nitin chinchorkar: Mr Popat Pawar
Gautam: What is that?
Gautam: Oh he has done super super work
Gautam: You live close?
Gautam: Friend of mine did a documentary on him
Susan Sharma: What does Pawar do?
nitin chinchorkar: He has changed the face of his village with help of Mr Anna Hazare
Gautam: Very good example of bottom up approach toward conservation leading to economic and ecological self sufficiency
Gautam: Or some combination of those three concepts anyway
nitin chinchorkar: many people come to see his role model
nitin chinchorkar: water conservation and tree plantation
nitin chinchorkar: no sugar cane plantation
Gautam: He basically pushed his village people to do some basic land works, watershed restoration, plantation work
nitin chinchorkar: you are right
Susan Sharma: It will be great if all of you can blog about such initiatives on IWC blog. It will reach a larger no. of people
Alok Mishra: sure
nitin chinchorkar: it is 20 kms from my city Ahmednagar
Susan Sharma: Gautam, what is the name of the doc. on Pawar?
nitin chinchorkar: you should invite people to visit his village
Gautam: Dunno. Will have to ask my friend dunno if he has finished it
Gautam: Nitin you may know him, have you heard of Yogesh Kardile?
nitin chinchorkar: see it first hand
Alok Mishra: yes I know Yogesh
nitin chinchorkar: Yes I read abt Kardile
Gautam: Basically he is the one who is doing the doc.
Gautam: Susan, ill ask him if its done, if it is Ill let you know.
Susan Sharma: Thanks.
nitin chinchorkar: Hivare Bazaar
Gautam: In fact this can bring us back to the topic at hand
nitin chinchorkar: name of Mr Pawar's village
Gautam: I work with Yogesh, a community dev. guy working with tribals
Gautam: As well as an alternative energy company Hindustan Renewable Energy
Gautam: I think this approach is something that could work
Gautam: This is why we need to work alongside developers and sensitize them
nitin chinchorkar: he is doing something in eco-tourism
Gautam: At the moment there are many new emerging concepts sch as green building which can be used to steer dev toward true conservation
Gautam: Yes, that also.
Gautam: He basically does ecotourism activities in tribal areas where he is working to bring in funds for proper development of basic infrastructure
nitin chinchorkar: eco-tourism gives the tribals some income and incentive
Gautam: Yes, basically in this case conservation can help development.
nitin chinchorkar: Highest mountain peak in Maharashtra
Gautam: Yes, in this case conservation helps development
nitin chinchorkar: right
Gautam: Next step would be for the development that happens to be in tune with the ecology of the region
Gautam: and not just sit side by side, but to help the biodiversity of the surroundings by being there
Gautam: So a road built could have reptile and amphibian underpasses to aid in crossing and breeding sites can remain undisturbed
Gautam: Buildings could have green walls/vertical gardens and green roofs which could be planted with agricultural produce and natives for restoration
nitin chinchorkar: before closing let us exchange our e-mail IDs -- so we will be able to keep in touch and exchange our information and data
nitin chinchorkar: aditya.chinchorkar@gmail.com
Gautam: And energy could be site specific, such as what biomass incinerators for electricity
Gautam: gautam.muralidharan@gmail.com, you can see my website on the link for the chat I think
nitin chinchorkar: web address?
Gautam: www.oikos.co.in
nitin chinchorkar: Susan and Alok ??
Susan Sharma: Biomass incinerators-can you explain a bit
Susan Sharma: Susan: susan_sharma@hotmail.com
Alok Mishra: akmishra.edu@gmail.com
Gautam: Basically a closed stove/burner type contraption, which burns biomass of any type - grass/leaves/wood, and can create electricity from this combustion
Alok Mishra: it was an enlightening session indeed
Susan Sharma: Do use the user facilities at IWC-you can upload a trip report about a visit to the tribal village, write a blog on initiatives
nitin chinchorkar: ok thanks Gautam --some of your points are very vital and everybody should think seriously abt it
Alok Mishra: I write popular science article on Biomimicry
Gautam: Glad to hear you got something out of it.
Gautam: Really?
Gautam: I am meeting the Biomimicry team from the guild tomorrow
Alok Mishra: I am planing to make a teachers trainig module on it
nitin chinchorkar: we should arrange a workshop with help of Yogesh
Alok Mishra: nice Gautam
Susan Sharma: Great idea Nitin
Gautam: Yeah they are here from the U.S. for a workshop at lavasa, same like the one they did in Mexico.
nitin chinchorkar: He lives there and knows the tribals
Gautam: Yes, I think you should speak to him, we can arrange. For sure he will talk to me about it if you tell him to.
nitin chinchorkar: let us see his efforts
Gautam: Yes, I met him because i had also done some development work for an NGO there some years ago.
nitin chinchorkar: we could ask our friends to his facilities
nitin chinchorkar: to use his facilities
Gautam: Yes, he conducts quite a few very nice camps.
nitin chinchorkar: instead of costly resorts
Susan Sharma: Nitin, can we ask Mr.Pawar to moderate a chat?
Gautam: That may be doubtful susan
nitin chinchorkar: we should visit his village first
Gautam: yes
Susan Sharma: OK
nitin chinchorkar: I will co-ordinate the visit
nitin chinchorkar: where everybody lives?
nitin chinchorkar: Me at Ahmednagar city
Susan Sharma: I live in Gurgaon
Gautam: bombay
nitin chinchorkar: Cell - 9822811042
Gautam: unfortunately dunno if ill have the time
Susan Sharma: Mail is the best way to stay in touch with me- or facebook
Gautam: I have been telling Yogesh Im coming to his place now for a year and havent had the time yet. And its only 7 hours away
nitin chinchorkar: try hard
nitin chinchorkar: given my mobile coz I am ready to co-ordinate the visit
Susan Sharma: Yes, Gautam I think we must take out some time-this group of four in the chat room that is
Gautam: Ok. Well Im glad you all came. Hope everyone got some food for thought. Hopefully no one is on a diet.
Susan Sharma: Gautam I will close the room when you say
Gautam: Yeah I mean if you all come, I can do maybe a day or two.
Gautam: Its all you Susan.
nitin chinchorkar: Visit to Mr.Anna Hazare-- Pawar and Kardile - 2 days programme
Susan Sharma: Any topic suggestion for next month chat?
Gautam: Thanks for the time.
nitin chinchorkar: should continue todays unfinished chat
Gautam: No idea. Need to look through the archives i think to figure it out
Susan Sharma: Do let me know if you suggestions for chat topics by mail
Gautam: Ah thats a good one
Gautam: heheh
Susan Sharma: It is not a bad idea Shall I say Cons..and Dev- Part II
Gautam: Alright. Good night everyone.
nitin chinchorkar: from chat rooms we should first go to the field
Gautam: That sounds fine.
nitin chinchorkar: thats the only alternative
Gautam: I think then probably a focus on a specific topic would be good
Gautam: Either construction or infrastructure or energy or something
Susan Sharma: Nitin, both have a role to play- On that note good night and thank you all!
Gautam: Thanks. Nite
nitin chinchorkar: thanks allround