“The uncreative mind can spot wrong answers but it takes a creative mind to spot wrong questions.”
A. Jay
“अरचनात्मक मस्तिष्क ग़लत उत्तरों को पकड़ सकता है लेकिन ग़लत प्रश्नों को पकड़ने के लिये रचनात्मक मष्तिष्क चाहिये।”
ए. जे.
Friday, March 28, 2025
Quote of the Day March 28, 2025
India’s First National Cooperative University
The Lok Sabha recently passed the Tribhuvan Sahkari University Bill, 2025, marking step in cooperative education in India. This initiative aims to establish the country’s first national cooperative university at the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) in Gujarat. The university is designed to enhance education, research, and training in the cooperative sector nationwide.
Purpose and Structure of the University
The Tribhuvan Sahkari University will serve as a hub for cooperative training. It will register cooperative training institutes across all states as affiliated colleges. The university will offer degree, diploma, and PhD courses. It is projected that around 800,000 individuals will receive certification annually.
Historical Context and Significance
The university is named after Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel, a pioneer of the cooperative movement in India and the founder of Amul. The cooperative model initiated by Patel transformed the dairy industry, boosting rural economies. Amul’s journey from a small cooperative to a leading dairy brand exemplifies the potential of cooperative societies.
Economic Impact and Job Creation
The establishment of the university is expected to create job opportunities. Currently, many cooperative leaders tend to hire from their own circles. The university will provide formal education in cooperative management, enhancing the skills of individuals in this sector. This initiative aims to develop a robust cooperative model that will strengthen the rural economy.
Funding and Future Plans
The government plans to infuse ₹10,000 crore into the cooperative dairy sector. This funding will promote a circular economy, facilitating the provision of resources like fodder and veterinary services. Plans also include the establishment of a cooperative insurance company and the introduction of ‘Sahkar Taxi’, which will operate similarly to ride-sharing services.
Challenges and Criticisms
Some opposition members questioned the decision to establish the university in Gujarat, suggesting other states with strong cooperative structures should have been considered. Concerns were raised about the potential bureaucratic challenges that could hinder the university’s effectiveness and accountability.
Broader Implications for Cooperatives
The new university will address the inadequacies in the current cooperative education and training framework. It aims to unify 284 training institutes and expand long-term cooperative courses. The establishment is expected to enhance the capacity of existing centres and create a comprehensive system for cooperative education.
Vision for the Cooperative Sector
The Tribhuvan Sahkari University is aligned with the government’s vision of ‘Sahkar Se Samriddhi’, aiming to boost rural economies and create valuable career opportunities in sectors like dairy, fisheries, and banking. It seeks to establish centres of excellence in cooperative education and training.
Ethnic Tensions in Manipur
The ethnic conflict in Manipur has drawn attention to the volatile region between Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts. This area has experienced violence, marked by recent clashes that resulted in loss of life. Various communities, including the Zomi, Hmar, and Kuki, are engaged in a struggle for power and representation.
Background of the Zo People
The Zo people are an ethnolinguistic group speaking Kuki-Chin languages. They are believed to have settled in Myanmar thousands of years ago, migrating from China. Over time, various tribes such as Chin, Kuki, Mizo, and Hmar emerged. Today, many Zo people reside in Manipur, Mizoram, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. Their shared history and cultural ties bind them together despite their diverse identities.
The Role of Community Identity
Community identity plays important role in the ongoing conflict. The Zomi community rejects the term “Kuki,” viewing it as a colonial imposition. This rejection stems from a desire to maintain distinct identities. The competition for representation among the tribes complicates the peace process, as each group seeks recognition of its unique heritage and claims of support.
Recent Developments and Clashes
Recent clashes erupted after a drunken brawl escalated into violence between the Zomi and Hmar-Kuki communities. This incident marks the fragility of peace in Churachandpur. Following the violence, community leaders signed a joint agreement to restore peace. However, tensions remain as groups continue to vie for political representation and influence.
Efforts for Peace and Dialogue
Efforts to broker peace have included meetings between influential leaders from the Zomi Reunification Organisation and the Kuki National Organisation. These discussions aim to establish a cessation of hostilities. However, mistrust persists, with accusations of exclusion from dialogues with the Meitei community. This dynamic complicates the process of achieving lasting peace.
The Concept of Zo Reunification
The idea of “Zo reunification” resonates among many, despite political challenges. The Zo people are spread across borders, leading to calls for a unified administrative unit. While the movement for reunification has stalled, it remains emotional and cultural aspiration for many Zo individuals.
The Influence of Religion
Religion also plays a role in the identity of the Zo people. Traditionally animist, many have converted to Protestant Christianity due to missionary influence. This shared religious background further unites the diverse tribes within the Zo community, even as they navigate their differences.
A walk for the cause of water conservation
The initiative of Jal Sahelis or water volunteers in Central India has won widespread appreciation in India. Several of them have received awards for their inspirational work.
he initiative of Jal Sahelis or water volunteers in Central India has won widespread appreciation in India. Several of them have received awards for their inspirational work. When last year the Prime Minister also expressed his admiration for these efforts, this further encouraged Jal Sahelis who decided to take up a significant project at a wider level. This initiative has been mobilized by the Parmarth voluntary organization mainly in the Bundelkhand region, under its director Sanjay Singh.
So far, the presence of Jal Sahelis had been seen and admired for village-level initiatives. Perhaps a time had come now for realizing their wider collective strength to strengthen water conservation efforts and programmes. After considerable discussion, senior members of the Parmarth team like Sanjay Singh and Gaurav Pandey came up with the idea of a foot march that would bring together a large number of Jal Sahelis to be together for a number of days, reaching village after village to know about water-related problems there and suggest solutions on the basis of the inspirational work they had been carrying out in their own villages for some years. This, it was hoped, would also strengthen their own sense of solidarity and empower them in terms of the realization of their unity and co-operation. Bundelkhand region, comprising 14 districts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, has often been in the news due to water scarcity but at the same time it should be emphasised that this region has important assets and strengths which if tapped properly can end this scarcity. However the solutions must be based on several specific features of the region and a lot can be learnt from traditional wisdom of conserving water and collecting water, particularly in tanks.
A significant number of such tanks go back about a thousand years to the times of Chandela kings. It has been learnt that the restoration of several of these damaged and depleted water sources provides one of the best ways of meeting the water needs of the Bundelkhand region. Another good option is to revive and rejuvenate several small rivers which used to be the lifeline for many remote villages but have been harmed to the extent of almost vanishing due to over-exploitation, excessive sand-mining, encroachments and other factors.
Parmarth is a leading voluntary organization of the region which has worked in cooperation with the government and local communities to improve water conservation in about 100 villages, helping to renovate about 100 tanks, apart from taking up the rejuvenation of six small rivers. An important plank of this work has been the mobilization of Jal Sahelis, recognized by their sky blue dress, who have been involved in important initiatives of river rejuvenation and tank restoration, apart from improving water supply and sanitation.
Once the idea of a march was born, there were several discussions on its planning in the course of which the idea continued to get bigger and finally a foot-march of about 300 km was planned. Finally this march of Jal Sahelis, called a Jal Sarankshan Yatra or water conservation march, took place recently from Orchha to Jaishankar Dhaam, covering about a 300-km distance in five districts – Niwari, Tikamgarh and Chhatarpur in Madhya Pradesh, and Jhansi and Lalitpur in Uttar Pradesh. While about 100 Jal Sahelis covered the entire distance, about 200 joined them for shorter intervals.
In addition many local people including women joined from one village to another or for longer stretches. At various places along the route Jal chaupals or water dialogues were organized in which various aspects of water conservation were discussed. The Jal Sahelis shared about their own work and also learnt about local initiatives. In the process information about the local water sources was also collected along with suggestions regarding the improvement efforts that were needed.
Such detailed information collected on the basis of interactions with local people can be very useful for improvement or restoration work. What is more, whenever time permitted, some work was also taken up for cleaning up or for preventing wastage of water. The response of villagers, including village leaders, panchayat representatives, women and youth, along the route was very encouraging. They made arrangements for food and organized ceremonies for paying their respect to marchers.
Frequently they showered flower petals on the marchers. All this attracted a lot of attention and support for the cause of water conservation and renovation of traditional water sources and protection of rivers. A big achievement of the march was that in the course of this march nearly 400 more women came forward in the villages covered by the march to enlist themselves as Jal Sahelis of the near future. As the tasks of water conservation have been identified and as future water volunteers have also been identified, it is likely that solutions to water-related problems in these villages will be found soon.
As a follow-up measure, dialogues with water authorities in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh for resolving many of these problems are also being taken up. The morale of the women marchers remained at a high level throughout the march, despite the very tiring schedule. In the evenings, on most days, a review meeting was also held to resolve any problems seen during the day, or to make further improvements. The director of Parmarth Sanjay Singh and several other members also walked with the marchers almost right through the march.
These marches can be a very good way of taking the message of water conservation to people in remote villages and also to spread inspirational information regarding some of the remarkably successful efforts of villagers and particularly village women in the recent past. These can lead to more such efforts by other people. It is really a remarkable achievement that these women not only contributed voluntary work earlier but in addition have also found the time and the energy to come out for a much longer period, despite many farm and family responsibilities, for a wider social cause. Such efforts should be widely encouraged.
BHARAT DOGRA
Source: The Statesman, 28/03/25
(The writer is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Planet in Peril, Protecting Earth for Children, A Day in 2071 and Man over Machine.)
Grave threat
Sacred groves are the secret wizards of conservation. Cultural values are fundamental to their conservation. In India, these areas hold deep meaning to indigenous communities
Sacred groves are tracts of verdant land rich in biodiversity that have been protected by local communities on account of their cultural and religious beliefs. Every sacred grove carries its own folklore and myths. The tribal nomenclatures for these copses vary: they are known as sarna in Jharkhand, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, devrai in Maharashtra, orans in Rajasthan, devarakadu in Karnataka, sarpakavu in Kerala, law lyngdoh in Meghalaya, lai umang in Manipur and so on.
In a judgment last December, the Supreme Court called for the protection and preservation of these sacred groves underlining their ecological and cultural significance. A national survey of these clusters, mapping their boundaries to ensure strict protection against agricultural activity, human habitation or deforestation, has been ordered. The highest court specifically referred to the vanishing orans in Rajasthan that cover about six lakh hectares and serve as a grazing reserve, water filtration reservoir and herb storehouse. The court granting protection under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, which allows for the declaration of ‘community reserves’, is an apt rejoinder to the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006. Environmentalists opine that these groves are crucial for thwarting desertification of the state’s arid and semi-arid regions.
Sacred groves are the secret wizards of conservation. Cultural and spiritual values are fundamental to their conservation. In India, these wilderness areas hold deep religious and spiritual meaning to indigenous communities. In Uttarakhand, for instance, with its rivers, lakes, caves, and forests, communities honour local deities like Haat Kaali, Kotgyari Devi, Mahakaali and more. Sacred groves in Uttarakhand are unique because they are not woodlands but alpine meadows. The facets of the divine grove might be diverse but its purpose remains the same: local dwellers consider it as part of their ethnic identity. That is the reason these woods endure and community belief systems, transmitted orally across generations, play a critical role in this. Even though there are no written records or stipulations, the belief systems ensure that sacred groves are not harmed. It is thus forbidden to pluck flowers, uproot plants or harm animals in these groves.
But these forest blotches are no longer free from anthropogenic pressure. This calls for administrative interventions that can take local people into confidence. If sacred groves can be brought under the protected area network as suggested by the Supreme Court, their conservation can be ensured. A major challenge that hinders the conservation of sacred groves is that villagers in their precincts are often impoverished. Since they depend on the natural resources of these groves to meet their daily needs, any step to conserve these patches must take into account the economic sustenance of locals. Worryingly, religious beliefs and taboos vital for the protection of sacred groves are also being eroded. Experiences in some sacred groves in the Himalayan region indicate that economic forces are influencing the traditional communities to abandon the community-oriented protection of these groves, leading to their commercial exploitation. Developmental activities, urbanisation, exploitation of resources and an increase in human population are the other additional threats to India's sacred groves.
Chiranjib Haldar
Source: Telegraph India, 28/03/25
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
Quote of the Day March 19, 2025
“Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times. If one only remembers to turn on the light.”
Albus Dumbledore
“खुशी खराब से खराब समय में भी ढूंढी जा सकती है। लेकिन तभी जब आप दीप जलाना याद रखें।”
एल्बस डम्बलडोर
Microlightning’s Role in Origin of Life
Recent studies have reignited interest in how life began on Earth. Traditionally, the Miller-Urey hypothesis suggested that lightning strikes on primordial oceans created the necessary organic compounds for life. However, new research indicates that crashing waterfalls and breaking waves may have played important role in generating these compounds through a process involving water sprays.
Miller-Urey Hypothesis
- The Miller-Urey experiment conducted in 1952 by Stanley Miller and Harold Urey is a mainstay of abiogenesis theory.
- They demonstrated that organic molecules could form from inorganic precursors when exposed to electrical energy.
- Their experiment simulated early Earth conditions, using a mixture of water, methane, ammonia, and hydrogen.
- The results yielded amino acids, essential building blocks of life.
- Despite its significance, the hypothesis faced criticism regarding the frequency and effectiveness of lightning strikes in real-world scenarios.
New Findings on Water Sprays
A new research at Stanford University challenges the lightning-centric view. The study published in *Science Advances* posits that water sprays can generate organic compounds without the need for external electricity. When water droplets collide, they acquire opposite charges, leading to tiny sparks termed “microlightning.” This process occurs naturally in various environments, suggesting that water sprays could have been ubiquitous on early Earth.
Microlightning Mechanism
The mechanism of microlightning is crucial to understanding this new perspective. Larger water droplets become positively charged while smaller droplets carry a negative charge. As these droplets approach each other, the resulting electrical discharges can facilitate chemical reactions. In experiments, spraying water into a gas mixture produced organic compounds like hydrogen cyanide, glycine, and uracil.
Implications for Abiogenesis
These findings have implications for theories of abiogenesis. The idea that water sprays could have been a primary source of organic compounds offers a more plausible scenario for the emergence of life. Unlike lightning, which is sporadic, water sprays would have been a constant feature of the early Earth’s environment. This research provides a fresh perspective on the conditions necessary for life to begin.
Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction 2024-2025
In 2024, the building and construction sector’s emissions did not increase for the first time since 2020. This milestone was reported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction. Despite this progress, the sector still accounts for over a third of global emissions. The Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction 2024-2025, released on March 17, 2025, indicates that decarbonisation efforts are beginning to yield results.
Current Emission Trends
The building sector’s emissions stabilised in 2024. This marks a very important shift in a sector that has long been a substantial contributor to climate change. The energy intensity of buildings decreased by nearly 10 per cent. Additionally, the proportion of renewable energy in final energy demand rose by about 5 per cent.
Importance of Policy Implementation
The report emphasises the urgent need for ambitious energy codes. Almost half of the world’s future buildings are yet to be constructed. Therefore, implementing strong energy policies is crucial. Currently, over 50 per cent of new buildings in emerging and developing economies lack such regulations.
Key Measures for Decarbonisation
The adoption of zero-carbon building energy codes is essential. Major carbon-emitting countries should implement these codes by 2028. All other nations are encouraged to follow suit by 2035. This measure is critical for achieving global climate objectives.
Financial Investments Required
Investment in building energy efficiency must increase . The sector needs to double its investments from $270 billion to $522 billion by 2030. This funding is vital for implementing measures such as circular construction practices, green leases, and energy-efficient retrofitting.
Challenges in Material Use
Construction materials like cement and steel contribute to emissions. They account for 18 per cent of global emissions and generate substantial waste. Addressing these challenges is necessary for reducing the sector’s environmental impact.
Workforce Development Needs
The building sector faces skill shortages. Workforce development programmes are essential to equip workers with the necessary skills for a sustainable future.
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