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2 ©2015 mayapraharaj.blogspot.in

Contents

1 2015 9

1.1 December . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

1.1.1 International Migrants Day 2015 (2015-12-18 06:08) . . . . . . . . . . . 9

1.1.2 COP21 Impact of climate change on health in tribal communities of Odisha(2015-12-07 14:52) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

1.1.3 Barrier free environment in Smart city Planning (2015-12-03 09:40) . . 11

1.2 November . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

1.2.1 Smart city Bhubaneswar and Safety for Women (2015-11-25 06:40) . . 13

1.2.2 World Town Planning Day 2015 (2015-11-09 09:56) . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

1.3 October . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

1.3.1 India a Low-income food deficit country (2015-10-16 16:05) . . . . . . . 16

1.3.2 Public space in Urban Planning (2015-10-06 08:57) . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

1.4 August . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

1.4.1 Tribal settlements and impact on health (2015-08-09 05:54) . . . . . . . 20

1.5 July . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

1.5.1 Disaster response planning (2015-07-11 08:21) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

1.5.2 CHARLES CORREA: MASTER OF CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE(2015-07-02 15:32) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

1.6 June . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

1.6.1 Climate change and Food security (2015-06-05 05:07) . . . . . . . . . . 24

1.7 May . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

1.7.1 BHUBANESWAR: HIGHER-INTENSITY QUAKE NOT UNLIKELY(2015-05-22 00:45) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

1.8 April . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

1.8.1 OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO ASBESTOS (2015-04-28 14:11) . . . . 28

1.8.2 CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION RESPONSES IN URBAN SEAS(2015-04-22 04:44) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

1.8.3 TOURISM AND HERITAGE MANAGEMENT (2015-04-18 09:28) . . . . . 32

1.8.4 KOENIGSBERGER’S BHUBANESWARWITNESSESMANY TRANSFORMA-TIONS (2015-04-13 09:29) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

1.9 March . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

1.9.1 INCLUSIVE, CONVENIENT AND SAFE CITIES FOR WOMEN(2015-03-09 18:31) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

1.9.2 SMART CITIES (2015-03-02 08:05) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

©2015 mayapraharaj.blogspot.in 3

BlogBook CONTENTS

2 2014 41

2.1 December . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

2.1.1 Inclusive Access for Disabled (2014-12-03 00:07) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

2.2 November . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

2.2.1 Safe Neighbourhood Design to prevent Crimes (2014-11-25 06:11) . . . 43

2.2.2 Bio-Toilet for Eco-friendly sanitation (2014-11-19 09:30) . . . . . . . . . 44

2.2.3 Climate change: Challenge to Urban Planning (2014-11-08 04:53) . . . 47

2.3 October . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

2.3.1 Family Farming to prevent Hunger and Poverty (2014-10-16 06:56) . . . 48

2.3.2 Rights of Slum Populations in the City (2014-10-06 06:02) . . . . . . . . 50

2.3.3 Gandhian concept of Rural-Urban Interdependence (2014-10-03 09:55) 52

2.4 September . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

2.4.1 Odisha Nature Tourism (2014-09-29 16:22) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

2.4.2 Ozone Layer Protection (2014-09-16 09:44) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

2.4.3 Urban Flooding in capital city Bhubaneswar (2014-09-06 06:23) . . . . 57

2.5 August . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

2.5.1 Architectural Photography of Monuments (2014-08-19 09:41) . . . . . . 59

2.5.2 Vernacular Architecture and Indigenous Technology (2014-08-11 09:55) 61

2.6 July . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

2.6.1 Growing Population and Sustainable Housing (2014-07-11 09:44) . . . 63

2.6.2 Effective Drug Rehabilitation Centre (2014-07-03 15:38) . . . . . . . . . 65

2.6.3 Role of Family against Elder Abuse (2014-07-03 15:27) . . . . . . . . . . 66

2.7 June . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

2.7.1 Poverty Elleviation and Child Labour (2014-06-13 23:05) . . . . . . . . . 66

2.7.2 Odisha’s coastal ecosystems under increasing threat (2014-06-08 05:57) 68

2.7.3 BHUBANESWAR ENVIRONMENT DEGRADED BY HUMAN ACTIVITIES(2014-06-05 15:33) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

2.8 May . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

2.8.1 TOBACCO-FREE COLLEGE CAMPUSES (2014-05-31 16:12) . . . . . . . 72

2.8.2 EARTHQUAKE RESISTANT MEASURES IN BHUBANESWAR(2014-05-28 10:17) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

2.8.3 WORLD’S FINEST CULTURAL HERITAGES (2014-05-21 10:05) . . . . . 76

2.8.4 LIVING INSTITUTIONS THAT BOND VISITORS WITH CULTURES(2014-05-19 09:27) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

2.8.5 ECOTOURISM IN CHILIKA (2014-05-12 09:38) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

2.9 April . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

2.9.1 Bio- Medical Waste Management in Bhubaneswar (2014-04-28 10:01) . 82

2.9.2 Odisha tops Malaria states in India (2014-04-25 09:20) . . . . . . . . . . 84

2.9.3 Green Vision for City Planning (2014-04-23 09:29) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86


CONTENTS BlogBook

2.9.4 Konark temple conservation demands urgent attention (2014-04-20 10:32) 88

2.9.5 Bhubaneswar to become World Heritage City (2014-04-15 11:49) . . . . 90

2.9.6 Vector-borne diseases in Slums (2014-04-07 10:10) . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

2.9.7 Friendly houses for Autistics (2014-04-03 12:40) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

2.10March . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

2.10.1 Role of Youth to fight climate change (2014-03-23 11:19) . . . . . . . . . 95

2.10.2 City urban forests and Climate change (2014-03-21 09:15) . . . . . . . . 96

2.10.3 Community safety for Women (2014-03-10 13:49) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

2.11February . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

2.11.1 Astronomical Architecture (2014-02-28 09:40) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

3 2013 103

3.1 December . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

3.1.1 Safe Public Space Design for Women (2013-12-23 10:08) . . . . . . . . . 103

3.1.2 Regional Planning to reduce Rural-Urban migration (2013-12-18 10:19) 103

3.1.3 Barrier free Design (2013-12-03 14:30) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

3.2 November . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

3.2.1 Urban transport governance reform in India (2013-11-21 13:25) . . . . 106

3.2.2 Traffic Demand Management Strategy (2013-11-19 10:50) . . . . . . . . 107

3.2.3 ODISHA TOWN PLANNING DAY TO REMEMBER KOENIGSBERGER(2013-11-08 07:02) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

3.3 October . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

3.3.1 NEEDED:Use of Disaster risk info on Land use Planning(2013-10-29 13:47) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

3.3.2 RURAL-URBAN GROWTH LINKAGES IMPORTANT FOR POVERTY ALLE-VIATION (2013-10-17 08:34) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

3.3.3 BETTER FUTURE FOR ALL DEPENDS ON WOMEN’S EDUCATION(2013-10-11 14:24) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

3.3.4 NEEDED: MORE PUBLIC TRANSPORT THAN PERSONAL VEHICLES(2013-10-07 06:17) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

3.4 September . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

3.4.1 TIME FOR ECO TOURISM PLANNING,ANSUPA (2013-09-27 08:36) . . . 115

3.4.2 INDIAN PERSPECTIVE FOR PROTECTION OF OZONE LAYER(2013-09-21 22:21) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

3.4.3 PROTECT OZONE LAYER (2013-09-16 20:08) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

3.5 August . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

3.5.1 TRIBALS’ ROLE IN CONSERVING MEDICINAL PLANTS NEEDS GREATERRECOGNITION (2013-08-10 06:18) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

3.6 July . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

3.6.1 Sustainable Human Settlement Planning (2013-07-11 22:59) . . . . . . 122


BlogBook CONTENTS

3.7 June . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

3.7.1 Drug against Sustainable Livelihood (2013-06-26 06:20) . . . . . . . . . 124

3.7.2 Sustainable Land Management against Desertification (2013-06-17 00:10) 126

3.7.3 Age-friendly cities (2013-06-15 03:53) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

3.7.4 Help Elders live happily (2013-06-15 03:48) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

3.7.5 End Child Labour (2013-06-12 07:11) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

3.7.6 Heritage Conservation: Odisha (2013-06-05 14:17) . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

3.7.7 Urban Agriculture (2013-06-05 05:03) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

3.8 May . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

3.8.1 Tobacco-free cities (2013-05-31 04:32) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

3.8.2 Smoking between Poverty and Mortality (2013-05-31 04:27) . . . . . . . 135

3.8.3 Biodiversity: Bhitarkanika (2013-05-22 01:08) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

3.8.4 Biodiversity: Similipal (2013-05-22 00:22) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

3.8.5 Water birds in India (2013-05-11 13:37) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

3.8.6 Wetland degradation (2013-05-11 13:33) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

3.9 April . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

3.9.1 Rescue of Child Ragpickers (2013-04-28 05:48) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

3.9.2 Environmental health risk of slum-dwellers (2013-04-25 18:40) . . . . . 143

3.9.3 Global action Plan: Malaria (2013-04-25 05:09) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

3.9.4 Urbanisation adds to growing levels of greenhouse gas (2013-04-24 06:41) 146

3.9.5 GREEN URBANISM (2013-04-24 06:36) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148

3.9.6 Bhubaneswar Vision-2030 (2013-04-17 15:37) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

3.9.7 Koenigsberger’s Bhubaneswar Planning (2013-04-17 15:34) . . . . . . . 149

3.9.8 Health and Housing (2013-04-17 15:26) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151

3.9.9 Fighting High Blood Pressure (2013-04-17 15:21) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

3.9.10 Creating right environment (2013-04-04 20:04) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

3.9.11 Autism friendly environment (2013-04-04 20:02) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

3.10March . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

3.10.1 Weather Watch (2013-03-26 10:19) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

3.10.2 Water Scarcity (2013-03-26 10:18) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

3.10.3 Pollution problems (2013-03-26 10:16) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

3.10.4 Woman’s Safety (2013-03-11 16:04) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

3.10.5 Safety Initiatives (2013-03-11 16:00) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

3.10.6 Urban Heat Island Effects (2013-03-11 15:58) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

3.10.7 Intelligent Buildings (2013-03-11 15:56) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

3.11February . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

3.11.1 Air pollution cause of Cancer (2013-02-08 13:42) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

3.11.2 Indoor Air pollution (2013-02-08 13:41) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159


CONTENTS BlogBook

4 2012 161

4.1 December . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

4.1.1 Migration and Climate Change (2012-12-18 14:10) . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

4.1.2 Migration and Poverty (2012-12-18 14:08) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

4.1.3 Sustainable Energy for All (2012-12-11 14:49) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

4.1.4 COP18 Doha : Women’s Voices in Climate Change (2012-12-11 14:39) . 162

4.1.5 Remember Persons with Disabilities (2012-12-11 13:29) . . . . . . . . . 162

4.1.6 Barrier free Environment (2012-12-11 13:28) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162

4.1.7 Traffic Travails (2012-12-11 13:27) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

4.1.8 Traffic calming Measures (2012-12-11 13:23) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

4.1.9 Green Renewable Energy (2012-12-11 13:19) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

4.2 November . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

4.2.1 Cities must create jobs (2012-11-03 10:21) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

4.2.2 Disaster Reduction (2012-11-03 10:17) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

4.2.3 Cyclone Management (2012-11-03 10:05) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

4.2.4 Urban sprawl Bhubaneswar (2012-11-03 09:55) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

4.2.5 Eco-cities (2012-11-03 09:48) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

4.2.6 Spatially managed Cities (2012-11-03 09:44) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

4.2.7 Save Planet (2012-11-03 09:41) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

4.2.8 Quake proof Buildings (2012-11-03 09:29) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

4.2.9 Planning & Realities (2012-11-03 09:24) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166

4.2.10 Indigenous Knowledge (2012-11-03 09:17) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166

4.2.11 Tribal Architecture (2012-11-03 09:08) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166

4.2.12 Population & Environment (2012-11-03 08:59) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166

4.2.13 City without Slums (2012-11-03 08:48) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

4.2.14 Hottest Titilagarh (2012-11-03 08:35) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

4.2.15 Forest & Environment (2012-11-03 08:19) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

4.2.16 Green Cities (2012-11-03 08:17) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

4.2.17 Green Buildings (2012-11-03 08:08) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168

4.2.18 Bhubaneswar cultural identity (2012-11-03 07:58) . . . . . . . . . . . . 168

4.2.19 World Habitat Day 2005 (2012-11-03 07:51) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168


BlogBook CONTENTS


1. 2015

1.1 December

1.1.1 International Migrants Day2015 (2015-12-18 06:08)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/rural-urban-div ides-in-india-impact-on-migration.html

RURAL-URBAN DIVIDES IN INDIA: IMPACTON MIGRATION

The United Nations’ International MigrantsDay is observed on December 18 to recog-nise the efforts, contributions and rights ofmigrants worldwide. The day is celebratedto identify and curb all kinds of violence andabuse faced by the migrants and their familymembers and advocate respect for their pri-mary human rights.

UNmember States and intergovernmental andnon-governmental organizations observe theday through the dissemination of informationon the human rights and fundamental free-doms of migrants, and through the sharing ofexperiences and the design of actions to en-sure their protection.

Migrants constitute about one third of India’surban population and the share has been in-creasing. The share of migrants in the urbanpopulation has increased from 31.6 per centin 1983 to 33 per cent in 1999-2000 and to 35per cent in 2007-2008 (NSSO 2007-2008). Allthree sectors of the Indian economy, agricul-ture, industry and services employ very large

numbers of migrant workers. The major subsectors using migrant labourers are textiles,construction, stone quarries and mines, brickkilns, small-scale industry and street vending.

There are 106 urban local bodies (ULBs)in Odisha and every urban body in theState has more or less migrant populations.Bhubaneswar as the capital city has attractedmigrants from both rural and urban areas forbetter opportunity for business and employ-ment. There is not enough provision for thehousing and other infrastructural facility forthe migrant people in the city. They sufferfrom poor living and working conditions, so-cial isolation, poor access to basic amenities,while most of them settled down in slum pock-ets.

A majority of the world’s people live in urbanareas, yet in India, the majority of the popu-lation is still rural. There are gaps in key de-velopment indicators between urban and ru-ral dwellers in many low- and middle-incomecities in India. The gap has started since In-dia’s independence in 1947 and the country’sgrowth was based to develop urban areasmorethan the rural areas by introducing industri-alisation and urban infrastructure. This hascaused an imbalance between urban and ru-ral areas. There is a linkage between the ruraland urban development. These linkages mat-ter because rural and urban livelihoods are in-terconnected economically and socially. Froma rural perspective, most farmers depend onurban markets to secure their livelihoods. Ru-ral households also depend on urban centersor small towns for various services as hospi-tals, banks, and Government offices etc. Like-wise, urban areas are linked to the rural sec-tor through several channels. For example,various urban businesses and enterprises de-pend on rural area for their goods and services.They also rely on rural areas for the supply ofrawmaterials. Urban consumers, on the otherhand, benefit from cheap and sustained foodsupply from rural areas.

Rural urban disparities in development influ-ence migration pattern in Indian cities. This isdue to imbalance in the level of development


BlogBook 1.1. DECEMBER

between rural and urban area. Opportunitiesin urban areas for employment and educationetc have been a pull factor attractingmigrationfrom rural to urban areas and from smallertowns and cities to larger urban areas. Themain reason for rural migrants to urban areasis high rates of unemployment, poverty, smallsize of land holdings and lack of infrastruc-tural development. It leads to overpopulationof urban areas.

The global plan of action outlined in the Habi-tat Agenda emphasises the interdependencebetween urban and rural areas and the needto promote their balanced development. So,rural and urban areas should be connectedby infrastructure, principally transport, elec-tricity and telecommunication networks. Pub-lic policies and urban and regional plans canhelp support economic growth while protect-ing natural and agricultural land uses.

A majority of the villages in the country stillface constraints such as access to education,health facilities, drinking water, power, roadsetc. A Village Development Plans (VDPs) canbe adopted to integrate development of the vil-lages in an integrated manner. This would in-clude economic development, infrastructuraldevelopment and other aspects of human de-velopment i.e., education, health, drinking wa-ter supply etc.

The Constitution of India (under Article 19,which is a fundamental right of citizens) givesthe right to citizens to travel, reside and carryout any trade, profession or business in anypart of the country. The 73rd and 74th amend-ments initiated the processes for introducinginstitutional arrangements for seeking inte-grated development of settlements, areas andregions. For this purpose these amendmentsprovide for two types of committees namelyDistrict Planning Committee and Metropoli-tan Planning Committee. These committeeswould ensure that the plans prepared by localbodies at village and town levels are integratedand accommodated within the framework of20 to 25 years perspective plans and 5 yearseconomic development plans prepared at thenational and State levels.

Institute of Town Planners, India in the year1995 conducted a study to detail out urbandevelopment plan formulation and implemen-tation (UDPFI) guidelines. The basic purpose

of the study was to arrive at a methodol-ogy of plan preparation that would not onlyhelp to prepare better master plans but alsohelp in achieving integrated development ofrural-urban areas. The UDPFI guidelinessuggest various institutional support mech-anisms that would help in achieving rural-urban integration.

The United Nations Economic and Social Com-mission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP)Committee on Socio-Economic Measures to Al-leviate Poverty in Rural and Urban Areas, atits meeting in December 2001, recommendedthat, “Governments pay more attention tothe development of small and medium-sizedtowns and build the capacity for poverty alle-viation of local Governments in those townsin order to reduce the pressure on mega-cities” .The United Nations Economic and So-cial Council (UNECOSOC) High Level Segmentin Geneva in 2003 urged Governments to “Pro-mote rural-urban linkages by developing andstrengthening a system of intermediate-sizesecondary and tertiary settlements (towns) tostimulate rural development as well as to min-imize the negative impacts of rural-urban mi-gration.

Despite these developments, there is a widegap between rural and urban India with re-spect to technology, living condition and eco-nomic empowerment etc. Rural India mostlydepends on agricultural sector.

The growth rate in primary sector (agriculture)is 2-3 per cent when compared to secondaryand tertiary sector which are growing at therate of 8-12 per cent. Due to this there is alarge scale migration of labour forces from ru-ral to urban in search of employment.

Urban-rural integration of the Yanliang dis-trict in China is a good example of this im-plementation mechanism. The integrationstrategy was designed to encompass urban-rural economic restructuring, coordination ofurban-rural economic ties, unified planningof the urban-rural ecosystem, computerizedmanagement of the infrastructure in an at-tempt to develop urban and rural relationship.

This type of city model can be followed in Indiafor rural-urban integration.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/rural-urban-divides-in-india-impact-on-migration.html


http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/rural-urban-divides-in-india-impact-on-migration.html



1.1. DECEMBER BlogBook

1.1.2 COP21 Impact of climate changeon health in tribal communitiesof Odisha (2015-12-07 14:52)

[1]http://outreach.stakeholderforum.org/ind-ex.php/previous-editions/cop-2 1-paris/118-94-impacts-of-climate-change-on-health-in-tribal-communities-ofodisha-india

1. http://outreach.stakeholderforum.org/index.php/previous-editions/cop-21-paris/11894-impacts-of-climate-change-on-health-in-tribal-communities-of-odisha-india

1.1.3 Barrier free environmentin Smart city Planning(2015-12-03 09:40)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/smart-city-plan ning-must-suit-needs-of-the-disabled.html

The United Nations International Day of Per-sons with Disabilities is observed on Decem-ber 3 to focus on issues that affect people withdisabilities worldwide.

This year’s theme is Inclusion matters: Accessand empowerment for people of all abilities’that seeks to reduce inequalities and removebarriers to equal participation for persons withdisabilities in society. The United NationsConvention on the Rights of Persons with Dis-abilities (CRPD) stipulates the importance ofinterventions to improve access to different do-mains of the environment including buildings,transportation, information, and communica-tion.

The UN General Assembly in the recent yearshas repeatedly emphasised that the genuineachievement of the Millennium DevelopmentGoals (MDGs) and other internationally agreeddevelopment goals requires the inclusion andintegration of the rights, and well-being, aswell as the perspective of persons with dis-abilities in development efforts at national, re-gional and international levels.

The World Health Organization (WHO) in a2011 study estimated that 15.3 per cent ofthe world’s population deals with some or theother kind of disability. In India the disabled


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population has increased by 22.4 per cent be-tween 2001 and 2011. The number of dis-abled, which was 2.19 crore in 2001, rose in2011 to 2.68 crore.

As per the 2001 Census, there were 10, 21,335disabled persons in Odisha. As per the 2011Census, the total disabled population is 12,44,402, registering a growth of 21.84 per centduring the decade. The percentage of theState’s disabled population to total populationhas increased from 2.78 in the 2001 Censusto 2.96 in the 2011 Census.

Disabled people face many obstacles in theirday-to-day activities in public places. In someareas there is no proper access to move for awheelchair user. This becomes a major hur-dle for disabled people to move freely. Dis-abled friendly toilets are mostly absent in rail-way station, bus stand, Government offices,schools, colleges and hospitals. There aremany housing issues which individuals withdisabilities confront when trying to live in thecommunity. In any new housing developmentin a city, most of the units are designed forgeneral needs. However, among them 2 to 5per cent are disabled people.

Disabled persons encounter many obstaclesthat prevent them from moving about freelyand safely. Therefore, while designing thebuilt environment, adequate space should beallocated for persons using mobility devices,e.g. wheelchairs, crutches and walkers, aswell as those walking with the assistance ofother persons. Attention should be given to di-mensions of wheelchairs used locally. This de-cides the width of entrances and exits, widthof the passage / corridor, lift size and toi-let size. A wheelchair may be operated bythe user alone or with a helper’s assistancefor Non-Ambulatory. Design requirements forSemi-Ambulatory include, width of passagefor crutch users, finishes of floor surface withnon slip floor material, installation of handrailto support the body weight at the criticalplaces such as staircase, toilet, ramp, passagewith a change of level, extension of handrailon the flat landing at the top and bottom of thestairs to prevent slipping off the cane or crutchfrom the side of the stairs or ramps. Personswith totally blind or with impaired vision makeuse of other senses such as hearing or touchto compensate for the lack of vision. It is nec-

essary to give instructions accessible throughthe sense of touch (hands, fingers or legs).

Design requirements include, use of guidingblocks for persons with impaired vision toguide them within the buildings and outsidethe building, installation of information boardin Braille, installation of audible signage (an-nouncements) and sufficient walking space forsafe walking. Hearing Disabilities Persons inthis category are totally deaf or have difficultyin hearing. They generally use their sight togather information in public places. Designrequirements include provision of informationboard in an easily understandable manner,layout diagrams to help the persons easilyreach the desired place. Barrier Free Environ-ment may be applied for residential buildings,commercial buildings, hospitals, educationalinstitutions, religious centers etc.

Today information and communication tech-nologies in particular have impacted a lot ofpeople’s daily lives. However, not all peoplehave access to technology and the higher stan-dards of living it allows. A number of citiesand metropolitan areas around the world areimplementing the “Smart City” concept. Thesmart city mission in India is to improve thequality of life in 100 fast growing urban cen-ters, including Bhubaneswar. The aim is toincrease all citizens quality of life and to im-prove the efficiency and quality of the ser-vices provided by city planning authorities.Smart cities can be a place where the dis-abled feel free to move in public places. But inBhubaneswar the majority of the public placesare not barrier free.

Most of the early considerations around smartcities have been about better use of energy,more efficient traffic flow and smart services.Besides, the smart city should provide moreinclusive environment for the disabled peopleto participate in the smart environment. Forexample, a wheelchair user going to the shop-ping, public places, railway stations and air-ports should be able to identify the ideal routeto the particular area. The open spaces aredesigned in such a manner that they can beused by everyone.

This approach to the smart city planning pro-cess will benefit the disabled persons. At least2-5 per cent of the residential buildings inthe city should be made accessible to persons


1.2. NOVEMBER BlogBook

with disabilities by providing disabled-friendlylifts, toilets as well as signage. In order tomeet the need of particularly disabled peoplein housing, the house should be as barrier-free as possible. Before building any apart-ment house for the handicapped, it is advis-able to note street conditions and access totransportation. Besides, small-scale modifica-tions within the housing complexes like provi-sion of ramps for wheel chair may be requiredto get in and out of their homes. For the con-venience of wheelchair-bound persons the au-thority should provide lifts and widen the door-way for them as far as practicable.

Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportuni-ties, Protection of Rights and Full Participa-tion) Act, 1996 enacted by the Government ofIndia on January 1, 1996 is to create barrierfree environment for persons with disabilitiesand to make special provisions for the integra-tion of persons with disabilities into the socialmainstream.

Odisha Government has enacted Persons withDisabilities (Equal opportunities, Protectionof right and full participation) Odisha Rules,2003. As per the rules the buildings, places,transportation systems for public use will bemade barrier free.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/smart-city-planning-must-suit-needs-of-the-disabled.html

1.2 November

1.2.1 Smart city Bhubaneswarand Safety for Women(2015-11-25 06:40)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/smart-city-bhub aneswar-needs-to-be-safe-for-women.html

Cities across the world are increasingly becom-ing unsafe for women. There is no city orcountry in the world where women and girlslive free of the fear of violence. Whether walk-ing in streets, using public transport, going toschool, college or workplace or selling goodsat the market, women and girls are subject tothe threat of sexual harassment and violence.To raise awareness and trigger action to endviolence against women, the United Nationsobserves the International Day for the Elimi-nation of Violence against Women on Novem-ber 25. The theme for this year is “Preventviolence against women”.

Women’s safety involves strategies, practicesand policies which aim to reduce gender-based violence. According to National CrimeRecords Bureau (NCRB) data, there is a grad-ual increase in the number of rapes reportedin India – from 24,923 in 2012 to 33,707 in2013. The report says a total of 33,707 rapecases were filed across the country in 2014.

In 2014, 14,606 cases of crimes againstwomen were registered in Odisha. There isalso a gradual increase in the number of rapesreported in Odisha – from 1,458 in 2012 to1,832 in 2013 and 2,011 in 2014.

Women in Bhubaneswar are not safe in publicand workplaces. In Bhubaneswar, the num-ber of rapes reported was 56 in 2012, 81 in2013 and 138 in 2014. Besides, gender-basedviolence is present at various levels, begin-ning with discrimination in education, nutri-tion, employment and wages.

It is well-accepted that in cities, women’ssense of security in public places varies de-pending on their own personal experiences ofthe place, or based on the experiences of otherwomen. At times, they are unable to carry outtheir daily activities, to participate in the lifein the city, move around freely, study, work oreven enjoy leisurely activities.

In an ambitious plan to upgrade urban In-dia, the Government of India is planningto build 100 Smart Cities which would beequipped with high-tech communication capa-bilities. Odisha capital Bhubaneswar leads inthe Smart City race. A city cannot be smartand sustainable if women are not safe andlive in fear. International cities have eitherimplemented or are experimenting with smart


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BlogBook 1.2. NOVEMBER

technologies in the areas of intelligent trans-port management systems and public safety.Countries like China have already built smartcities that have building with sensor monitor-ing traffic flows and security cameras. Thedata can be directly sent to the city adminis-trators.

In February 2015, Bhubaneswar has takenthe initiative to instal CCTV cameras at differ-ent locations. It is being utilised as a tool tocontrol crimes and enhance traffic movement.Bhubaneswar is one of the first cities in Indiathat has empowered its citizens by setting up astate-of-the-art online grievance redressal sys-tem. This system, popularly known as ‘My cityMy pride’ (MCMP), was launched with an ob-jective of providing a citizen-centric approachtowards online service delivery.

A Smart City should be inclusiveness and equi-table. It is important for the policymakers toadopt a gender-inclusive urban plan so thatwe can ensure better participation of womenin urban planning process. It is expectedthat a Smart City will generate options for allresidents to pursue their livelihoods and in-terests meaningfully. This refers to a city’sability to create employment opportunities, so-cial sustainability, environmental sustainabil-ity, safety and security, inclusiveness, easeof seeking and obtaining public services, cost-efficient healthcare, quality education, trans-parency, accountability and opportunities forparticipation in governance. Smart cities usemultiple intelligence systems to gather publicsafety information effectively and respond toevents efficiently. In the approach documentof the Smart Cities Mission by the Governmentof India, it is clearly laid down that one of thekey objectives is to promote cities that providesmart solutions for safety and security of cit-izens, particularly women, children and theelderly. Safer city programmes can be organ-ised to contribute to a better understandingof gender-based violence and development ofadequate tools to prevent it. Local authori-ties can improve the city’s physical environ-ment, for example, through better street light-ing, building alternatives to dark and secludedwalkways or even by positioning bus-stops insafer areas.

Safe cities are the stepping stones to smartcities. Women’s Safety Audits (WSA) can help

build smart communities. WSA is a participa-tory tool that is used for collecting and assess-ing information about perceptions of safety inpublic spaces. It is a process that brings peo-ple together to walk through a physical envi-ronment, evaluate how safe it feels and iden-tify ways to make it safer. A women’s safetyaudit is a simple and effective way to find outfrom women about aspects and places in thecommunity that pose obstacles to safety andaccess.

Violence against women is one of the mostwidespread violations of human rights. TheSexual Harassment of Women at Workplace(Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act,2013 provide protection against sexual harass-ment of women at workplace and for preven-tion and redressal of complaints of sexual ha-rassment and matters connected therewith orincidental thereto has been enacted by theParliament. The principle of gender equalityis enshrined in the Indian Constitution in itsPreamble, Fundamental Rights, FundamentalDuties and Directive Principles. Articles 14and 15 not only grant equality to women butalso empower the State to adopt measuresof positive discrimination in favour of womenand protect their rights. Articles 16, 39, 42and 51 favours gender mainstreaming .Thereare also several sections of the Indian PenalCode that deal with sexual harassment. De-spite legal measures, violence against womenis not yet eliminated. The issue can be ad-dressed through implementation of effective le-gal measures and change in attitude.

Urban planners can take up responsibilitiesand play a role in improving the situation ofwomen by designing ‘Safe Public Spaces forWomen and Girls’. Besides, They have a rolein helping women enter the decision-makingprocess. Equal representation is certainly away to ensure that the needs of men andwomen are addressed in a Smart City planningand management.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/smart-city-bhubaneswar-needs-to-be-safe-for-women.html


http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/smart-city-bhubaneswar-needs-to-be-safe-for-women.html




1.2.2 World Town Planning Day 2015(2015-11-09 09:56)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/vision-for-affo rdable-hous-ing-and-regeneration.html

VISION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING ANDREGENERATION

The World Town Planning Day (WTPD) is heldon November 8 in 30 countries, including In-dia, to recognise and promote the role of plan-ning in creating livable communities and sus-tainable urbanisation. An international organ-isation for the WTPD was founded in 1949 bylate Prof Carlos Maria della Paolera of the Uni-versity of Buenos Aires.

Urbanisation has created a number of prob-lems like shortage of dwelling units, unau-thorised residential colonies, encroachment ofpublic land, etc. By 2030, about 3 billion peo-ple, or about 40 per cent of the world’s popu-lation, will need proper housing and access tobasic infrastructure and services.

Some Indian cities are planned ones and somehave grown up haphazardly. Almost all townshave substandard houses and slums. In India,the housing shortage is estimated to be 18.78million at the end of the 11th Five-Year Plan.

A recent State-wide estimate by a technicalgroup on urban housing shortage says thereis a shortfall of about 4.10 lakh housing unitsin Odisha. It is further estimated that approx-imately 3.60 lakh affordable dwelling unitswould have to be added in the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack region exclusively to accommodatethe growth during next 10 years. The LIGand EWS sections count more than 90 % ofthe total housing shortage. Now, over 30 % ofBhubaneswar’s population lives in slums. Ac-cording to a BMC report, the total slum popu-lation is 3,08,614 and total household unitsare 60,612. Increase in land value, cost ofconstruction and lack of affordability for thepeople are the major reasons for the shortage

of housing in Bhubaneswar. It has been ob-served that there are more numbers of HIGand MIG housing in the central part of the cityand also in the periphery. Compared to this,LIG and EWS housings are very few.

Housing regeneration is an essential part ofthe process of urbanisation. It helps in effec-tive land use, rejuvenates decaying housingstock and infrastructure and brings in freshinvestments and new development. In highdensity areas of the cities, regeneration offersan alternative way to rebuild the inner coreareas by replacing old and obsolete housingstock with fresh stock and improved physi-cal environment. Cities like Delhi and Mum-bai face constraints on the availability of openland. And they have virtually no developableland available in the core areas, which re-main densely populated. With no developableland in the core area, redeveloping existingreal estate properties seems to be the logicalsolution. The transformation brought aboutby successful redevelopment of properties hasreinforced the belief that repositioning of ex-isting dilapidated areas can help create newspace and modern infrastructure. Even Gov-ernment agencies and development authori-ties are now expanding the use of redevelop-ment process for facilitating efficient land useand for redesigning urban spaces to offer sus-tainable housing. After the owner agrees toput his property for redevelopment, the devel-oper pays an amount of consideration to himfor permitting redevelopment of the buildingor the open plot. The redevelopment trend iscatching on in Indian cities. A number of hous-ing societies and independent property ownersin other cities have started coming forward toreinvent their property by choosing redevelop-ment.

There are several schemes introduced by theGovernment of India to provide housing for all.The schemes include Pradhan Mantri AwasYojana (PMAY), along with its long-plannedSmart Cities mission, and the Atal Missionfor Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation(AMRUT). The PMAY is an ambitious schemeaimed to develop two crore affordable housingunits for the urban poor. Besides, the Housingfor All schemes would ensure every urban poorto own a house. Odisha has been included inthe Housing-for-All scheme under the PMAY.Odisha’s 42cities have been included in the


BlogBook 1.3. OCTOBER

list of over 305 cities and towns across nineStates for implementing the scheme. The Cen-tral Government also has two other major ini-tiatives. First, under the Jawaharlal NehruNational Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM),there is a component for Basic Services for Ur-ban Poor (BSUP) and the Rajiv Awas Yojana(RAY), which aims at creating slum-free cities.

Housing has a significant role to play in ur-ban regeneration because, firstly, it is an im-portant part of the social/cultural dimensionof regeneration, and secondly, it is directly re-lated to the welfare of communities. Housingcan play a significant role in achieving environ-mental sustainability.

Housing shortage would not be a major prob-lem if there is no mismatch between the peo-ple for whom the houses are being built andthose who need them. Within the urban popu-lation, there is a rapidly growing informal sec-tor whose ability to borrow from the formalmarket is not adequately recognised. This isalso posing a new challenge to architects, plan-ners and policymakers to provide housing forall. The reason is that affordable housing is acritical concern for low-income groups. An ex-perimental housing model can meet the chal-lenge through a set of policies and incentivesthat will bridge the gap between price and af-fordability. This will enable a sustainable andeconomically viable affordable housing modelfor both government housing agencies and aswell as private developers.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/vision-for-affordable-housing-and-regeneration.html

1.3 October

1.3.1 India a Low-income food deficitcountry (2015-10-16 16:05)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/india-still-a-l ow-income-f-ood-deficit-country.html

INDIA STILL A LOW-INCOME FOOD-DEFICITCOUNTRY

World Food Day is celebrated on October 16in honour of the date of the founding of theFood and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) ofthe United Nations in 1954. This is a day ofaction against hunger. The theme for this yearis ‘Social protection and agriculture: Breakingthe cycle of rural poverty’. Social protection,defined by the United Nations Research Insti-tute for Social Development, is concerned withpreventing, managing and overcoming situa-tions that adversely affect people’s wellbeing.Social protection consists of policies and pro-grammes to reduce poverty and vulnerabilityby promoting efficient labour markets and di-minishing people’s exposure to risks and en-hancing their capacity to manage economicand social risks.

The world’s population is likely to reach 9.1billion by 2050. The FAO estimates that by2050, global food demand will increase by 70per cent. This is going to put tremendouspressure on already scarce land and water re-sources implying an urgent need for an alter-native way to combat food shortages.

About 73 per cent of the world populationshave no access to adequate social protection.


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1.3. OCTOBER BlogBook

A majority of them live in the rural areas of de-veloping countries and many of them dependon agriculture for a living. Poor rural house-holds are already constrained by limited ac-cess to resources, low agricultural productiv-ity and poorly functioning markets.

Hunger is a global problem. The cost of foodis rising. Despite a substantial increase infood grain production since Independence, In-dia is still classified as a low-income food-deficit country. A recent United Nations an-nual hunger report says India is placed at topin the world hunger list, surpassing China. In-dia ranks 135th out of 187 countries in the2014 UNDP Human Development Index and55th out of 76 countries in the Global HungerIndex.

*Odisha has been put in the category ofseverely food-insecure regions. It has beenpointed out that severe food insecurity inOdisha is primarily due to the presence ofvulnerable rural population who are basicallyScheduled Caste & Scheduled Tribe with poorand marginal livelihood assets or livelihoodsusceptible to natural disasters. The averagetribal have less than two acres of land, fromwhere they produce food for five to six months.For rest of the period, they depend on forestproducts and the Public Distribution System(PDS) rice. With incomes insufficient to buyfood, many of the households are in debts andin the food-insecure category. In many ar-eas the poor tribals migrate to neighbouringStates for work.

Agriculture is the main driver of economicdevelopment. Higher agriculture productiv-ity can positively impact poverty reduction byincreasing rural incomes and reducing foodprices. Most of India’s poor live in rural ar-eas and are engaged in agriculture. Agricul-ture contributes nearly one-fifth of the grossdomestic product (GDP). To improve the ruraleconomy, the Government has planned sev-eral programmes.

As per the 2011 Census, 83.3 crore Indianslive in rural areas and 37.7 crore in urban ar-eas. Rural development has great significancefor India as 69 per cent of the people live inrural areas.

*Of the total population of Odisha, around83.32 per cent live in rural areas and 16.68per cent in urban areas. As much as 85 % of

the State’s populations are dependent on agri-culture, fisheries and forestry. The State Gov-ernment should facilitate agriculture throughvarious schemes to achieve food security. Eco-nomic policies should be reoriented to provideadequate support for agriculture and its vastrural population. Besides, agriculture canprovide the largest source of employment tothe rural poor.

The Institute of Town Planners, India in theyear 1995 conducted a study to detail out ur-ban development plans formulation and im-plementation (UDPFI) guidelines. The ba-sic purpose of the study was to arrive at amethodology of plan preparation that wouldnot only help prepare better master plansbut also achieve an integrated developmentof rural-urban areas. The UDPFI guidelinessuggest various institutional support mech-anisms that would help in achieving rural-urban integration. Adequate infrastructuresuch as transportation, communication, en-ergy and basic services is the backbone of theurban-rural development linkage approach.

Adequate investments in infrastructure, par-ticularly transportation infrastructure, alsoimprove rural productivity. Development poli-cies that facilitate these rural-urban linkagescan promote economic growth and povertyreduction. Policies that increase growth inagriculture and promote rural-urban linkageshave the potential to reduce poverty. Smallurban centres, on the one hand, are ‘markettowns’ that offer markets and services for lo-cal agricultural producers and retail and ser-vice provision for their populations and thesurrounding populations. The areas can bewell-positioned to positively influence rural de-velopment and agricultural productivity. Re-gional food systems should be strengthenedthrough inclusion of efficient and accessiblemarkets and distribution systems in urbanplanning and design. The National Food Secu-rity Act, 2013 aims to provide subsidised foodgrains to approximately two-thirds of India’speople. The Act is a milestone in the history ofIndia’s fight against hunger and malnutritionas it empowers more than 800 million Indians(75 % of the rural and 50 % of the urban popu-lation living below and just above the povertyline) to legally claim their right to highly sub-sidised staple foods.



The land is the basic need for food security.City planners have a unique opportunity to fa-cilitate and lead food security initiatives at aregional level through the decisions about theuse of land. In many regions productive agri-cultural land has been converted to other uses.During the planning stage, planners could beinvolved in collection of data on regional fooddemand and assessment on the impact of cur-rent planning on the regional food system. In-tegration of agriculture with regional develop-ment can provide food to both rural and urbanresidents. It is imperative to adopt develop-ment control measures to safeguard agricul-tural land from urban sprawl. At the sametime, provision of more income security andinvestment in rural livelihoods can improve lo-cal economic development and promote socialprotection.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/india-still-a-low-income-food-deficit-country.html

1.3.2 Public space in Urban Planning(2015-10-06 08:57)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/public-space-vi tal-component-of-modern-urban-planning.html

PUBLIC SPACE VITAL COMPONENT OF MOD-ERN URBAN PLANNING

The United Nations has designated the firstMonday of October every year as World Habi-tat Day since 1986. This year, the UN has cho-sen the day’s theme Public Spaces for All. Theday will raise awareness about the need forwell designed and managed public spaces andstreets. This will enhance community cohe-sion and safety for all citizens through activityand events held in public spaces and streets.

Sustainable Development Goals provide uni-versal access to safe, inclusive and accessi-ble green and public spaces, in particular forwomen and children, older persons and per-sons with disabilities. It is in this regard thatUN-Habitat together with the main partner forWorld Habitat Day 2015, UN Women, are hon-oured to celebrate and launch this theme dur-ing October 2015.

A public space is a social space that is gener-ally open and accessible to all citizens. Roads(including the pavement), sidewalks, markets,playgrounds, public squares and parks aretypically considered public space. To createinclusive cities that respect the rights of every-one, we need to create conditions and physicalenvironments where women, men, girls andboys can live, work, go to school, move around,and socialise without fear of harm. We alsoneed to change attitudes and policies that per-petuate violence against women. This is es-sential for economic and social developmentand for meeting the Millennium DevelopmentGoal commitments entered into by the inter-national community in 2000.

The public open space is a significant contribu-tor to urban sustainability at both neighbour-hood and city scales. It provides environmen-tal, health, social services and economic ben-efits. Public spaces reduce stress and pro-vide peacefulness. Its social service includessocial interaction among neighbours and theeconomic benefit is clean air for good health.However, in the present context the idea ofpublic space has been modified, as the notionof neighbourhood has changed gradually withurbanization. The present neighbourhoodsdisplay a very different environment than tra-ditional neighbourhoods both physically andsocially.

The nieghbourhood unit concept developed byCA Perry aimed at creating a sense of be-longing among local residents. He defined aneighourhood unit with an elementary school,which is at a walkable distance for the childrenof that particular neighbourhood. Adjacent tothe school there is a park for both childrenand residents of the neighbourhood to relaxand socialize in their leisure time. Developedas a low density dwelling unit with a popula-tion of 10 families per acre, the neighbourhoodunit would occupy around 160 acres and has a


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shape which would render it necessary for anychild to walk a distance of not more than one-quarter mile to school. About 10 per cent ofthe area would be allocated to recreation, andthorough traffic arteries would be confined tothe surrounding streets, internal streets be-ing limited to service access for residents ofthe neighbourhood. The unit would be servedby shopping facilities, churches, and a libraryand a community center. Those sections orneighbourhoods have some particular physi-cal or social characteristics that distinguishthem from the rest of the settlement. The clus-tering of these neighbourhoods has formedtowns and cities.

Bhubaneswar was originally planned onneighbourhood concept. There are more pub-lic spaces in Koenigsberger’s neighbourhoodplan for children and adults for different recre-ation activities. The city transformed in a vari-ety of ways. The public spaces have declined.Now, neighbourhood unit concept has evolvedin a variety of ways with the impact of socio-economic processes as well as technologicaladvancements. The concept of neighbourhoodhas been transformed with the transformationof cities. Apartment typology and gated com-munities are now regarded as new types ofneighbourhoods. Commercial areas and pub-lic spaces are designed simultaneously. Butthese are not sufficient for the present popula-tion. In Bhubaneswar, people who witnessedthose years in early 1950s, describe the re-lationship within nieghbourhood with socialbonding and proximity. They gather in differ-ent public spaces and share their feelings anddevelop a social relationship with each other.Public spaces prove to be a vital componentof the neighbourhood for the establishment ofthe sense of place and belonging. The publicspace is also used for different functions andfestivals. A number of events that could at-tract children and families are performed inthe festival. This gives an opportunity to es-cape from daily routines and allow socialisingwith other people. The festival is an opportu-nity for them to know and interact with theneighbours. In addition to this, people go tothe public space for walking in the morningand evening. This contributes to the neighbor-hood image, community pride and identity ofpeople and it gives a symbolic value to the cityneighbourhood.

In Bhubaneswar each neighbourhood coversan area of 150 to 160 acres and comprisesabout 850 families. In each neighbourhoodthere are schools, shopping centres, openfield and recreation ground and several openspaces evenly distributed, with houses aroundthem to form courts, instead of one centrallarge open space. This pattern exists even to-day in most of the core areas of the city. Mostof the neighbourhoods in the city are compactwith low-rise housing and small open spacesleft apart for parks and playgrounds. Thesespaces are surrounded by a cluster of dwellingunits. There are also organised recreationalparks and playgrounds in the city.

Post independence Neighbourhood (1950) de-veloped on Government land has more publicspaces than areas developed on private land.In planned residential neighbourhoods underGovernment schemes, there is allocation ofland for recreational use whereas, sufficientspace for recreation is not available in privateownership land. Some of the new residentialareas developed after 1970 do not have the re-quired provisions of public spaces like parksand playgrounds.

According to the Urban Development Plan For-mulation and Implementation (UDPFI) guide-lines, the overall city level open space require-ment is 10-12 m² per person. Hence the openspace requirement in the city as per 2011 pop-ulation status is more than 800 hectares (ha).However, the existing facility of parks in thecity is about 154 ha.

As per the Town and Country Planning Or-ganisation (TCPO) guidelines, 1.25 acres ofparks as recreation space should be providedper 1,000 population in the town level, and 1acre per 1,000 population in the neighbour-hood level. But the record on the city levelopen space shows a deficit in the provisionof recreational open space. There is an ad-ditional requirement of 3,000 ha for parksand playgrounds in the BDPA region projectedfor the year 2030. This requirement is tocater to the future population projected for theyear 2030. There is a need for renovation ofthe existing neighbourhoods with more pub-lic open spaces. Therefore, the role of publicspace has to be strengthened through plan-ning, especially in areas designed after 1990in Bhubaneswar.


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The city should offer different types of publicplaces throughout. There will be no conges-tion, pollution and traffic injuries. If it is dif-ficult to design a large public space, smallerplazas may be designed. People can simplywalk from their homes to the public space.This will reduce traffic and pollution. Besides,they enjoy the health benefits of physical ac-tivity.

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1.4 August

1.4.1 Tribal settlements and impacton health (2015-08-09 05:54)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/change-of-triba l-settlements-has-its-impact-on-health.html

CHANGE OF TRIBAL SETTLEMENTS HAS ITSIMPACT ON HEALTH

August 9 is commemorated as the Interna-tional Day of the World’s Indigenous People.The day is observed to promote and protect

the rights of the world’s indigenous inhabi-tants and recognises their achievements andcontributions to improve world issues such asenvironmental protection. This year’s theme“Ensuring indigenous peoples’ health and well-being” puts spotlight on the issue of their ac-cess to healthcare services as improving in-digenous peoples’ health remains a criticalchallenge. .

There are an estimated 370 million indige-nous peoples living in more than 70 countriesworldwide. In India, about 50 % of the tribalpopulation of the country is concentrated inthe States of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh,Jharkhand, Bihar and Odisha. Odisha hasbeen the homeland of 62 tribes. All the dis-tricts of Odisha have a tribal population in it.The State’s major tribes are Kondhas, Koyas,Gadabas, Juangs and Santals. They live inhouses made of mud walls and thatched roofs.Many houses are old, in poor condition andmay pose risks to the occupants. The indige-nous people most depend on forest resourcesfor their livelihoods. Those who live indepen-dent lives on their own lands, eating tradi-tional foods, continue to be healthy and strong.Dislocation from their land is almost alwayscoupled with rising illness. In general, themost devastating situations seem to have beenassociated with land scarcity.

No society can flourish without culture and nodevelopment can be sustainable without it. In-digenous peoples know this better than most,as custodians to rich linguistic and culturaldiversity. The lifestyle and tradition of eachindigenous community is unique. The landoccupied by them for dwelling is limited, thusposing no harm to landforms. Besides forestresources, they used to do some cultivation inforest land. Industrialisation and rising popu-lation became major threats for these commu-nities. This compelled them to look for alterna-tives. Therefore they have engaged themselvesin various non-agriculture sectors.

A majority of the traditional villages have un-dergone changes due to the changing needsof the society. Around the world, indigenouspeople have their land taken from them for eco-nomic development projects. Displacement intribal areas pave the way for distress migra-tion and change of ancestral land and extinctof culture. There is no scope of revival in the


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1.5. JULY BlogBook

new settlements and thousands of families aremigrating to slums and roadside squatter set-tlements. The shift towards higher density liv-ing among mixed communities, often with do-mestic animals and usually in conditions ofimproper sanitation leads to diseases and epi-demics.

The tribals of Odisha have been preservinga rich heritage of information on medicinalplants and their usage. Such traditionalknowledge system is important for modern so-cieties and should be protected for the sake ofsustainable use of forests, ecosystem services.They should be allowed to exercise their land-rights ownerships. The state has to preventoccurrence of human rights violations so asto uphold the rights over their ancestral landsand natural resources and preserve their cul-tural identity.

To improve the living standard of the Partic-ularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), theOdisha Government plans to provide betterhousing and livelihood programmes. The 73rdAmendment Act, 1992 intends to empower theGram Sabha and Gram Panchayat in tribalsocieties to preserve their customs and val-ues and ensure their rights over natural re-sources.

The tribal communities consider three factorsfor selection of a particular site for habitation,such as perennial source of water; the placemust be auspicious and should be free fromevil effects. Tribals are still following the in-digenous vernacular style for their settlementsand housing. The eco-friendly structures areeasily built with the indigenous people with-out the help of any technical personnel. Thebuildings like Indira Awash Yojana and An-ganbadi are some new developments in tribalsettlements. These houses are completely dif-ferent in terms of material, design and con-struction from the traditional building type.The course of development has impact on tra-ditional buildings and the natural harmonywith the surroundings. These practices canbe effectively adopted and integrated into thepresent building design keeping in view theirsocial need and function.

With improved information on indigenous peo-ples’ health, action can be taken to ensure ac-cess to culturally appropriate health care aswell as to safe and potable water, adequate

housing and health-related education. Inter-national, national and local action is urgentlyneeded to enable indigenous peoples to recon-nect with their lands, rebuild their shatteredlives and gain control over their futures.

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1.5 July

1.5.1 Disaster response planning(2015-07-11 08:21)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/disaster-response-planning-needed-for-vulnerable-populations.html

DISASTER RESPONSE PLANNING NEEDEDFOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS

Today’s society becomes more vulnerable tonatural disasters due to the concentration ofpopulations in cities. Vulnerability has in-creased owing to growing populations, envi-ronmental degradation and lack of planningand land management. Environmental dis-asters in many cases are the result of mis-usage of natural resources by human being.To raise awareness of global population issues,the World Population Day is observed on July11. The day was commemorated on July 11,1987 when the world’s population surpassedthe five-billion mark. The day’s theme thisyear is “Vulnerable Populations in Emergen-cies”.

Rapid population growth exacerbates vulnera-bility to the negative consequences of climatechange and exposes growing numbers of peo-ple to climate risk. As per the United Na-tions report on “The World Population Situa-tion in 2014”, the global population reached


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BlogBook 1.5. JULY

7.2 billion in 2014 and is expected to increaseby more than 2 billion by 2050. A world of7.2 billion is both a challenge and an oppor-tunity with implications on urbanisation andsustainable development.

Losses due to disasters have shown a grow-ing trend in terms of lives and property. Thelatest UN figures estimate that 60 million peo-ple around the world have been displaced fromtheir homes. Today, more than half of theworld population lives in urban areas makingit essential to focus on urban areas for disasterrisk reduction. Vulnerable populations makeup a large percentage of a community’s popu-lation. Vulnerable populations are defined as“a range of residents who may not be able tocomfortably or safely access and use the stan-dard resources offered in disaster prepared-ness, relief and recovery.”

Recent disasters in different parts of the worldshow some individuals have little or no abilityto address their own preparedness, responseand recovery. These may include seniors, peo-ple with disabilities, people living in poverty,etc. So, it is important to plan how officialsand responders will reach out to these groupsto help them. Working with the communityis important while planning for the vulnerablepopulations to utilise the knowledge, experi-ence and resources the community offers.

India has cities with high urban densities,and this can increase vulnerability and riskto these populations. Many of the highest-density areas are informal settlements lack-ing proper housing, infrastructure and ser-vices. Urbanisation and rapid populationgrowth lead to concentration of population inhazard and risk-prone areas, both in megacities and small and medium-size urban cen-tres.

In India, population explosion is detrimentalto the country’s development. Indian citiesare facing multiple challenges: rapid urbani-sation, inadequate urban services and infras-tructure, migration, ecological degradation,etc., which make them all the more vulner-able. The urban population has increasedfrom 17.97 per cent in 1961 to 31.16 per centin 2011. The Indian urban population hasincreased from 28.5 million in 1901 to 377million in 2011 (Census, 2011). The num-ber of cities (million-plus residents) has risen

sharply, from 35 to 53 during 2001–2011.

The technological development of India has ledto an increase in the number of factories. Thathas led to air and water pollution. More energyneeds to be produced to power these factories.When fossil fuels are burnt, gases are added tothe atmosphere. Many cities have crossed thelimits of suspended particulate matter, sulfurdioxide and other pollutants due to vehicularand industrial emissions. As the populationgrows, more and more forests are cleared. Thetrees that help reduce air pollution are notable to do so anymore. Nowadays, water pollu-tion is also an increasing problem. Due to theincrease in pollution, especially due to carbondioxide and chlorofluorocarbons, the ozonelayer is getting depleted. This layer plays themajor role in controlling the temperature ofearth.Numerous agencies in India along withGovernment are trying to make cities moreclimate-responsive. After the Government ofIndia’s initiative to strengthen municipal gov-ernance by the enactment of the Constitution(74th Amendment) Act in 1992, cities todayare quite well-placed to make decisions andto initiate innovative and replicable responsesto climate change.

Odisha is India’s eleventh most populousState as per the 2011 Census with about42 million people contributing 3.47 per centto the country’s total population. Odisha isprone to tropical cyclones, storm surges andheat waves. The State is also susceptible toearthquakes as a large part of it comes un-der Earthquake Risk Zone-II. Approximately70 per cent to 80 per cent of the State’s pop-ulation depends on natural resources to sur-vive. This makes Odisha further vulnerable toclimate change impacts.

Disaster response planning involves identify-ing, strengthening and organising resourcesand capacities so as to reach a level of pre-paredness for timely and effective response toa possible disaster. A well-coordinated plan isessential for efficient and successful disasterresponse. During an actual emergency, rapidand effective action is required. For this tohappen, disaster response planning must bein place before a calamity strikes.

Proper disaster response and planning mustbe based on an analysis of the risks faced bya country or a region. This involves identify-


1.5. JULY BlogBook

ing hazards and assessing vulnerabilities andcapacities at local, national or regional levels.To estimate the risk of possible disasters, it isnecessary to define the vulnerability of a pop-ulation exposed to particular threats. Plan-ners can establish vulnerability levels by con-sidering a variety of factors. During an emer-gency, there is often a lack of safe drinkingwater, appropriate sanitation facilities and hy-giene commodities. Sanitation and hygienepromotion also play a crucial role in the reduc-tion of environmental health risks. In somecases, emergency shelter provision is neededfor those whose homes have been destroyed orare unsafe. Delays in providing services canresult in needless suffering of those affectedby a disaster.

Community-based disaster managementplans should be undertaken to ensure betterpreparedness. The role of the local self-government institutions assumes greaterimportance in disaster management. Theywill be the first responders in emergencies.Work done in advance of possible emergenciesand disasters is an essential aspect of disastermanagement. It enables a reduction in thenumber and severity of disasters through pre-vention and mitigation, through preparationand planning.

One of the most important components of dis-aster mitigation is protection of the eco sys-tem. Efforts should be made to preserve andprotect these systems with people’s coopera-tion. Land use planning and management pro-vide various tools to prevent natural hazards.Therefore, a more active role of planning andland management is necessary, and it has tosupport a sustainable settlement developmentfor vulnerable populations.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/disaster-response-planning-needed-for-vulnerable-populations.html

1.5.2 CHARLES CORREA: MASTEROF CONTEMPORARY ARCHI-TECTURE (2015-07-02 15:32)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/charles-correa- master-of-contemporary-architecture.html

CHARLES CORREA: MASTER OF CONTEM-PORARY ARCHITECTURE

Charles Mark Correa (September 1, 1930 -June 16, 2015) was an Indian architect andurban planner. He was born in Secunderabad.Correa after his education at St. Xavier’s Col-lege, Mumbai, studied Architecture at the Uni-versity of Michigan and Massachusetts Insti-tute of Technology.He has been credited withcreation of contemporary architecture in post-independence India and was noted for his sen-sitivity to the needs of the urban poor anduse of traditional methods and materials. Hestarted his architectural practice in Mumbaiin 1958. He designed many housing com-plexes, museums, offices, etc. His early worksinclude the Pavilion for the All India HandloomBoard in New Delhi (1958) and the GandhiSmarak Sangrahalaya (1963), a museum andarchive at Mahatma Gandhi’s ashram on thebanks of the Sabarmati river in Ahmedabad.

Tube house in Ahmedabad designed by Cor-rea is a model of contemporary and energyefficient design, arranged in such ways thatcool air is naturally drawn through it througha vent close to the apex of the roof. TheRamkrishna House (1962) and the ParekhHouse (1967) in Ahmedabad remain some ofthe finest examples of tube house designedby Correa.The most important buildings afterthese were his Kanchanjunga high-rise apart-ments (1970 –1983) in Mumbai, Bharat Bha-van in Bhopal (1975-81), Vidhan Bhavan in


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BlogBook 1.6. JUNE

Bhopal (1980-87), Jawahar Kala Kendra inJaipur (1986), Research and Diagnostic Cen-ter in Lisbon (2004). His recent projects in-clude the Ismaili Centre in Toronto, the BrainScience Center at MIT, Boston and the Cham-palimaud Centre in Lisbon.

The Kanchanjunga apartment is a high- risecondominium of thirty-two luxury apartments.An interesting design feature of the apartmentis the conversion of verandah into a double-height garden. Such a space protects the liv-ing room from the sun and rain. The VidhanBhavan, Bhopal (1980) Plan is a series of gar-dens within gardens.Administrative offices areused to define a pattern of nine compartments.The five central ones are halls with courtyardscreating a micro climate of shade and runningwater and the four corners are occupied byspecialised function: the Vidhan Parishad, theVidhan Sabha, a combined hall and a library.

In the realm of urban planning, he is noted forhis sensitivity to fulfill the needs of the urbanpoor by using locally available material andtechniques. His planning for satellite townNew Bombay (transference from the mothercity of Bombay) provided housing for manypeople.He designed several low-cost housingschemes (Belapur housing, 1986). In Belapur,each unit is on its own individual site to allowfor expansion. The scheme caters for a widerange of income groups, from the lowest up tothe upper income levels. The bathroom andWC is on the courtyard while the kitchen isadjacent to the living spaces. All the buildingshave their own courtyard. Though the hous-ing typologies cover the entire range of incomegroups, the plot sizes differ only marginally –thus introducing the principle of equity. His“housing bill of rights” included concepts suchas incrementality, pluralism, identity, incomegeneration, and equity.

He has successfully used paintings and sculp-tures (often in collaboration with well-knownartists) to enhance the spatial architecton-ics (for example, in the Kala Academy inPanaji, Goa, 1984; the British Council in NewDelhi, 1992; and the Inter-University Cen-ter of Astronomy and Astrophysics in Pune,1992).From 1970-75, he was Chief Architectfor New Bombay. In 1985, Prime Minister Ra-jiv Gandhi appointed him Chairman of the Na-tional Commission on Urbanization. In 1984,

he founded the prestigious Urban Design Re-search Institute in Bombay.Correa taught inmany universities in India and abroad. Hewon several national and international awardsduring his life time. He has received Royal In-stitute of British Architect (RIBA) Royal GoldMedal (1984), Chicago Architecture Award(1986), IIA Gold Medal (1987). UIA GoldMedal by the International Union of Architects(1990), Master Architect Award, J K indus-tries, India (1991), Aga Khan Award for Achi-tecture (1998), Padma Shri (1972), Padma Vib-hushan (2006).

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1.6 June

1.6.1 Climate change and Food secu-rity (2015-06-05 05:07)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/climate-change- food-security-closely-related-issues.html

CLIMATE CHANGE, FOOD SECURITYCLOSELY-RELATED ISSUES

The World Environment Day is celebrated onJune 5 to raise awareness on positive envi-ronmental action to protect nature and planetEarth. The 2015 theme for the say is ‘Sustain-able consumption and production’. The slo-gan for the theme is ”Seven Billion Dreams,One Planet; Consume with Care.” The theme


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1.6. JUNE BlogBook

asks everyone to evaluate his or her consumerhabits.

The earth currently is approaching the pointwhere it’s physical and biological systems maynot be able to meet human demands for envi-ronmental goods and services, threatening theability of nations to meet their populations’ ba-sic needs for adequate food, clean water, en-ergy, shelter and a healthy environment.

Since the beginning, man has been affected byclimate and its influence over the Earth. Manyof the Earth’s ecosystems are nearing criti-cal tipping points of depletion or irreversiblechange, pushed by high population growthand economic development. By 2050, the pop-ulation is expected to reach 9.6 billion. Livingwell within planetary boundaries is the mostpromising strategy for ensuring a healthy fu-ture. Therefore, sustainable patterns of con-sumption and production in a world of lim-ited resources are an essential requirement forsustainable development.

The Earth’s physical and biological systemssuch as land, atmosphere and oceans providehumans with goods and services essential forsurvival and good health. Nowadays, a num-ber of global environmental problems are grow-ing more severe and are beginning to threatenthe ability of nations to meet the developmentgoals of a growing population. These envi-ronmental problems include climate change,loss of biological diversity, land degradationand desertification, deforestation and forestdegradation, pollution, etc. A change in theEarth’s climate would likely to affect biodiver-sity, change of distribution and productivityof land and forests. Similarly, conversion offorests and other green areas to other typesof land cover can increase greenhouse gasemission into the atmosphere and, thus, con-tribute to climate change, and can reduce bio-logical diversity and affect water resources.

Biodiversity is the foundation of life on Earth.It is crucial for the functioning of ecosystemswhich provide us with products and serviceswithout which we cannot live. Oxygen, food,fresh water, fertile soil, medicines, shelter,protection from storms and floods, stable cli-mate and recreation – all have their source innature and healthy ecosystems. Our food andenergy security strongly depends on biodiver-sity, which also serves as a safety-net to poor

households during times of crisis. The threatsto biodiversity could be specified in terms ofnatural and anthropogenic activities. Out ofthe numerous threats, human activity is re-sponsible for most of them.

Food security is both directly and indirectlylinked with climate change. Any alteration inthe climatic parameters such as temperatureand humidity which govern crop growth willhave a direct impact on quantity of food pro-duced. Besides, catastrophic events like floodand drought which are projected to multiplyas a consequence of climate change leadingto huge crop loss and leaving large patchesof arable land unfit for cultivation and hencethreatening food security. On a global level,increasingly unpredictable weather patternswill lead to fall in agricultural production andhigher food prices, leading to food insecurity

Biodiversity, climate change and food secu-rity are very closely related issues. Agricul-tural activities which are also responsible forreduction in biodiversity include indiscrimi-nate and massive use of pesticides, fungi-cides and chemical fertilisers in the crop field.These activities are responsible for extinctionof many pests, predators, parasites, birds,butterflies, pollinators and other animals inaquatic ecosystem. Some of these species playan important role in agricultural productionby associating them with pollination, improv-ing soil condition, fixing atmospheric nitrogen,improving soil physical properties and decom-position of organic matter. Thus, there is a ne-cessity to use eco-friendly techniques in agri-culture and minimise use of pesticides andother chemicals and resorting to organic cul-tivation, crop rotation to check reduction inbiodiversity.

Besides, sustainable consumption and pro-duction is highly needed for proper manage-ment of natural resources. Sustainable con-sumption is not necessarily about consum-ing less; it is about consuming better, i.e.,more efficiently with less risk to our healthand environment. It recognises that currentconsumption patterns are drivers for unsus-tainable production and resource degradation.Sustainable consumption requires a conver-gence of current consumption patterns and aneed for all to consume responsibly. It can bepromoted through a mix of policy, economic


BlogBook 1.7. MAY

and voluntary instruments, including formaland informal education.

Sustainable, clean and efficient production ofgoods and services is central to sustainable de-velopment. More emphasis is required on re-source efficiency in Government policies, pub-lic and private sector management practices,technology choices and investments to delivermore output per unit of input as well as lessassociated environmental damage.

India is both a major greenhouse gas emitterand a country most vulnerable to projectedclimate change. India is already experienc-ing changes in climate and its impacts in-cluding water stress, heat waves and drought,severe storms and flooding, and associatednegative consequences on agricultural produc-tions. India’s agricultural production and con-sequently its Gross Domestic Product (GDP)show a strong link with the year-to-year vari-ations of summer, monsoon rainfall. Indiamust work towards achieving a sustainableagricultural system. However, many chal-lenges exist in trying to achieve this goal. Thedegradation and scarcity of natural resources,pollution resulting from agricultural produc-tion, food loss and waste and food safety,both in terms of production and post-harvesthandling, are critical issues that must be ad-dressed to achieve sustainable agriculturalgrowth.

Regarding land degradation, it is estimatedthat nearly half of all land in India suffersfrom degradation due to various factors, in-cluding water and wind erosion, salinity andsoil acidity resulting from waterlogging. Themajority of this degradation is the result of im-proper land use practices, including such fac-tors as deforestation, increasing cultivation inareas of low potential or high hazard, impropersoil conservation tactics and crop rotation, im-proper intensification of agro-chemicals likefertiliser and pesticides, and poorly plannedirrigation systems.

In Odessa, agriculture holds a predominantposition in the State’s economy. About 85per cent of the State’s population dependson agriculture. Almost 60 % of land is de-voted to rain-fed agriculture and with water-dependant rice as its main crop. However,agriculture is vulnerable to the vagaries of cli-mate induced by weather changes. Rice pro-

duction suffers during severe droughts. Fur-ther, rice and grain grown in the flood-pronecoastal areas are prone to frequent erosion,inundation and other problems such as pestand disease outbreaks due to climate vari-ability. Community mobilisation on sustain-able production and consumption for food se-curity is a must. Food security can be at-tained by improved land and water manage-ment, adopting eco-friendly technologies andinitiating good agricultural practices in differ-ent agro-ecosystems.

Climate is the primary determinant of agri-cultural productivity which directly impactson food production across the globe. Agricul-ture is the most sensitive sector to the climatechanges because the climate of a region deter-mines the nature and characteristics of vege-tation and crops. Therefore, there is a need todevelop a long-term land use plan to ensurefood security and climatic resilience.

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1.7 May

1.7.1 BHUBANESWAR: HIGHER-INTENSITY QUAKE NOT UN-LIKELY (2015-05-22 00:45)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/bhubaneswar-higher-intensity-quake-not-unlikely.html

BHUBANESWAR: HIGHER-INTENSITYQUAKE NOT UNLIKELY

Bhubaneswar has been facing mild earth-quakes from time to time. People feel the


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1.7. MAY BlogBook

shock and run out of the buildings. Thenthey forget about it till another shock comes.While constructing or booking houses peoplehardly think about the structural safety of thebuilding against earthquake. People shouldpay attention to earthquake zone maps of thearea and make sure that the building is safeenough for the particular zone. The recentearthquake was indeed a lesson, and a slightincrease in its magnitude would have wreckeddevastation in the city.

Earthquakes are common phenomena, whichoccur most often irrespective of time and place.Earthquake is most feared among all naturaldisasters as it strikes suddenly without anyprior indication and creates devastation to lifeand property. Earthquake is not predictableeven with today’s advanced technologies.

Odisha lies in a stable continental region,which is not seismically active. However, mi-nor to moderate earthquakes have occurrednow and then at the State’s different locali-ties which are not damaging. Rarely a build-ing has collapsed or any human casualty re-ported ever. The maximum magnitudes ofthese earthquakes have been reported around4.5 to 5.3 in the Richter’s scale. These earth-quakes have occurred either due to local tec-tonic causes or due to external tectonic forces,e.g., high intensity earthquakes in the Hi-malayas, Sumatra or Gujarat regions, etc.,which have an impact in Odisha. Despite themoderate quakes so far in Odisha, it cannot beconfidently said that a higher-intensity earth-quake is not unlikely in future.

The possible magnitude of an earthquake thatis likely to occur in an area may be predicted.Earthquake zoning map of a country or regiongives an idea of possible earthquake to occurin an area. Zoning maps are made basingon earthquake history and the geological con-dition of the region. Zones indicate possiblemagnitude, intensity of ground vibration foran earthquake in the region. This will helpin the design of structures. However, a zoneis not permanent always. It could change if amajor quake hits the area in future.

Indian subcontinent was classified into fiveseismic zones as per IS 1893-1984. After theLatur earthquake of 1993, this map was fur-ther revised. In India, the seismic zoning mapprepared by the Bureau of Indian Standards

(BIS) based on the data provided by the Geo-logical Survey of India (GSI), India Meteorologi-cal Department (IMD) and several other organ-isations forms the basis for macro level plan-ning. The increased seismic activity duringthe last two decades required the reclassifica-tion into four seismic zones as per IS 1893(Part I): 2002. Zone II being the region of low-est activity and Zone V is seismically most ac-tive, where earthquakes of magnitude 8.0 ormore could occur.

The Himalayan region where the Eurasian tec-tonic plate is constantly being pushed by theIndian plate, coastal States like Odisha maysuffer from large-scale earthquakes. Besides,in Odisha the Mahanadi basin can be vul-nerable and can cause earthquakes. As perSeismotectonic Atlas of India, several deep-seated faults are situated beneath the Ma-hanadi delta. A fault line is a fracture alongwhich the crust has moved. Since faults donot usually consist of a single, clean fracture,geologists use the term fault zone when refer-ring to the zone of complex deformation asso-ciated with the fault plane.

Odisha can be divided into two seismic zones:Zone II (Low Damage Risk Zone) and Zone III(Moderate Damage Risk Zone). Regions lyingin the valleys of rivers Mahanadi and Brah-mani lie in Zone III, which stretch from Jhar-suguda along the border with Chhattisgarh ina south-easterly direction towards the urbancentres of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack on theMahanadi delta.

As per the recent seismic Zoning Map of India(IS: 1893, 2002), Bhubaneswar city is locatedin Zone-III. Damage starts with Zone-III withintensity VII in the MSK scale. The city maybe prone to quakes that can reach 6.5 on theRichter scale. However, none of the past earth-quakes represented intensity of the order ofVII. All quakes in Odisha recorded a maximumintensity of VI. However as a factor of safety,intensity VII is desired to be taken for designof structures in Odisha, located in Zone-III.

Nobody can assure earthquake safety unlesseverybody gets prepared. A massive aware-ness programme for making prepared individ-uals from all communities and stakeholdersis required. The Bureau of Indian Standards(BIS) has laid down codes to start about theearthquake resistance of buildings. If these


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codes are followed, it gives sufficient resis-tance to building against earthquake. Thereshould be a proper mechanism to ensure im-plementation of the codes for structural safetyof the buildings during earthquake.

Existing buildings that are highly unsafe mustbe declared unfit for occupation, demolishedor retrofitted appropriately. Safe building con-struction practices can certainly reduce theextent of damages. It is mandatory for everycitizen to have elementary knowledge aboutearthquake, forces acting on structures, reme-dial measures to be taken for structural safety.Seismic-resistant structures are designed insuch a way that they might face partial dam-age but will not totally collapse.

The primary objective of earthquake-resistantdesign is to prevent building collapse, thusminimising the risk of death or injury to peoplein or around those buildings. Reinforced con-crete buildings have become common. A typ-ical RCC building is made of horizontal mem-bers (beams and slabs) and vertical members(columns and walls) and supported by founda-tions that rest on the ground. The system con-sisting of RC columns and connecting beamsis called a RC frame. When earthquake oc-curs, it transmits seismic waves which in turncause ground motion of the earth’s surface.As structures rests on the earth surface, thisground motion is also passed onto them.

The base of the structure moves with theground, but the roof tends to retain its posi-tion. But the roof is also forced to move as thewalls and columns of the structure are con-nected. So, the structures generally tend tocollapse. This can be prevented if the struc-ture is ductile. Ductility is defined as an abil-ity of a structure to face huge plastic defor-mation without loss in ultimate strength. Theductility of a structure enables to predict theamount of seismic energy that may be dissi-pated through plastic deformations, which isa very important factor for structural designunder seismic loads.

More the ductility, strength and deformationcapacity of a structure better is its seismicresistance whereas lesser the amount of de-flection, lesser will be the vulnerability of thestructure. Besides, greater the mass of build-ing, more lateral force is exerted on buildings,and this alone is the major component be-

hind building damages. Buildings with rigidlayout (box like structure) with strong jointsbetween different components are generallyearthquake-proof because rigid buildings re-act as a single unit to earthquake forces.

The BIS has formulated guidelines whichcover selection of materials and techniques tobe used for repair and seismic strengtheningof damaged buildings during earthquakes andretrofitting for upgrading of seismic

resistance of existing buildings. The BIScodes are not mandatory and are only guide-lines. The construction as such is governedby the municipal and development authority’sbyelaws which is within the jurisdiction ofState Governments.

Structural measures would reduce the im-pact of disasters and non-structural measureswould enhance the management skills and im-prove capacities of the community, local self-governments, urban bodies and the State au-thorities to prepare, prevent and respond ef-fectively to disasters. The city authorities mayuse earthquake risk maps to control land useto minimise earthquake hazards. Besides, lo-cal authorities can implement guidelines forearthquake-resistant structures and set limitson the heights of the buildings. The buildingsshould be specially-designed as per the codeto withstand strong tremors.

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1.8 April

1.8.1 OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TOASBESTOS (2015-04-28 14:11)


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BEWARE OF OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TOASBESTOS

The International Labour Organisation (ILO)celebrates the World Day for Safety and Healthat Work on April 28 to promote prevention ofoccupational accidents and diseases globally.It is an awareness-raising campaign intendedto focus international attention on emergingtrends in the field of occupational safety andhealth and on the magnitude of work-relatedinjuries, diseases and fatalities worldwide.

The theme of the day for 2015 is “Join inbuilding a culture of prevention on Occupa-tional Safety and Health”. A national safetyand health culture is one in which the rightto a safe and healthy working environmentis respected at all levels, where governments,employers and workers actively participate insecuring a safe and healthy working environ-ment.

The fundamental nature of occupationalsafety and health (OSH) is the managementof occupational risks. Its application can beadapted to a range of situations, from the sim-ple needs of a small scale enterprise to themul-tiple needs of hazardous and complex indus-tries such as mining, chemical manufacturingor manufacture of building materials.

The manufacture of some building materi-als for construction industry creates occu-pational hazards and environmental hazards.Asbestos use is considered as an environmen-tal and public health concern. According to anILO estimate, there are about 1,00,000 deathsevery year from lung cancer and mesothe-lioma caused by previous exposures to as-bestos. This is due to lack of education ofworkers, unaware of the hazards of their oc-cupations at their workplaces.

Continuous use of asbestos is a cause of greatconcern today. Despite a reduction in as-bestos production, asbestos use is growing indeveloping countries. Preventive safety andhealth facilities in these countries are largelyunderdeveloped while exposure levels are high.India is emerging as the major user of as-bestos where the developed world phasing outits use. India is the largest importer of as-

bestos, according to the United Nations Com-modity Trade Statistics. Asbestos mining andmilling activity is concentrated in the smallscale sector in India, whereas asbestos prod-ucts are manufactured in small, medium andlarge scale sectors. About 2,500 tonnes ofchrysotile and 35,000 tonnes of tremolite as-bestos are annually mined in India. AndhraPradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar are major as-bestos mining belts with 20,000 tonnes beingmined from these three States yearly.

Asbestos fibers can be moulded or worn intofabrics, nonflammable and a good heat insula-tor. Asbestos is strong and resistant to heatedchemicals. They are used in India as fireproofproducts such as safety clothing for firefight-ers and insulation such as hot water piping.Besides, asbestos is widely used as floor tiles,ceiling tiles and roof materials. Usually as-bestos is mixed with other materials to formthe products. Floor tiles, for example, maycontain only a small percentage of asbestos.Depending on what the product is, the amountof asbestos in asbestos containing materials(ACM) may vary from 1 per cent-100 per cent.

Millions of workers in developing countriescontinue to be unnecessarily exposed to as-bestos despite the fact that it is a carcinogen.Chrysotile asbestos, which accounts for 95 percent of today’s asbestos production and use, isclassified as a carcinogen by the WHO Interna-tional Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

There are significant public health concerns asmembers of workers’ families and people wholive near production sites are at risk. Thereare cases of asbestos-related diseases being di-agnosed among family members who were ex-posed to clothes contaminated with asbestos.In general, workers’ knowledge about healthrisks due to asbestos exposure is low.

Asbestos in general does not pose any healthrisk. When it is broken during processing,it may release the asbestos fibre dust. Forexample, if an asbestos ceiling tile is drilledor broken, it may release fibres into the air.When left intact and undisturbed, asbestos-containing materials do not pose a health risk.Asbestos pipe and boiler insulation does notpresent a hazard unless the protective canvascovering is cut or damaged in such a way thatthe asbestos underneath is actually exposedto the air.


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Therefore, control of asbestos dust should beachieved as near the source as possible. Thisincreases the efficiency of the control process,minimises costs and prevents the spread ofdust into adjacent areas. Manufacturers andvendors should ensure that equipments areprovided with devices to collect asbestos dustwhere it is produced and has settled. Theyshould provide purchasers with instructionsconcerning safety in their use and shoulddraw their attention to the hazards whichmay occur when these instructions are not fol-lowed.

In many parts of India, asbestos is sold with-out statutory warning symbol in the mar-ket, and in a majority cases the workers donot wear the protection gear. In order toaddress the continuing burden of diseasescaused by exposure to asbestos, the ILO hasdeveloped international standards and guide-lines for elimination of asbestos-related dis-eases (ARD) worldwide.

The ILO provides legislative and practicalbases for worker protection against harmfulasbestos exposures by prescribing compre-hensive preventive measures at national andenterprise levels. Among other measures, theILO Convention on Safety in the Use of As-bestos provides for replacement of asbestos orcertain types of asbestos or products contain-ing asbestos by other materials or products.

Workers whose jobs involve exposure to as-bestos dust should be provided with healthsupervision. All asbestos-containing prod-ucts should have an internationally recog-nised warning symbol designating the productas asbestos-containing and warning the userthat inhalation of asbestos dust may cause se-rious damage to health. All workers shouldbe provided with education and training in re-gard to sources of asbestos dust exposure, po-tential health effects, risks associated with as-bestos dust exposure and smoking, and meth-ods of prevention.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/beware-of-occupational-exposure-to-asbestos.html

1.8.2 CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATIONRESPONSES IN URBAN SEAS(2015-04-22 04:44)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/needed-climatechange-mitigation-responses-in-urban-seas.html

NEEDED: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATIONRESPONSES IN URBAN SEAS

The Earth is the source of life. It is a sys-tem that coordinates physical, chemical, bio-logical and ecological elements in a mannerthat makes life possible. Any substantive al-teration of one of its components can affectother areas and the entire system.

To create awareness for protection of theplanet earth, Earth Day is observed on 22ndApril. The first Earth Day was observed in1970. This year is Earth Day’s 45th anniver-sary. The theme for Earth Day 2015 is “It’sOur Turn to Lead”.

Climate change is now one of the greatestenvironmental issues. The global warmingis largely attributed to the increase of green-house gases. The increase in carbon dioxideconcentration, which is gathered in the atmo-sphere due to burning of fossil fuel and indus-trial activities, has been impacting the globalwarming to a big extent.

The human population on the earth is growing,resulting in the expansion of human settle-ments and an increase in a wide range of prob-lems. Urban areas seem to be a threat to theenvironment since they generate more thanthree-quarters of carbon emissions globally.For the first time ever, more people live in theworld’s cities than in rural regions. Presently,31 % of India’s population lives in urban areasas per Census of India report, 2011.

Odisha, with 41 million people, is the eleventh-most populous State in India. Over the lastdecade, Odisha has witnessed a 14.1-per cent


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growth in its population, while the urban pop-ulation increased at a rate of 27.2 %.

Cities are the key to sustainability. As thecity grows in size and population, harmonyamong the spatial, social and environmen-tal aspects of a city and between its inhabi-tants becomes of paramount importance. Thistrend points to the need for urban sustainabil-ity which uses green building practices andcreative city planning to reduce environmentaldamage. Low carbon society scenarios visu-alise social, economic and technological tran-sitions through which societies respond to cli-mate change. Planning of sustainable regionneeds to incorporate the idea of low carbonsociety and low carbon economy in urban ar-eas. As cities spread out, work-related tripdistances and other travel activities increase.This often leads to a higher reliance on per-sonal motorised transport. It is observed thatcompact cities emit less CO2 emissions, on aper capita basis, from passenger transporta-tion than sprawled cities.

India’s cities are the largest and fastest-growing consumers of materials and energy,producers of waste and emitters of greenhousegases. A low carbon approach to the plan-ning and management of cities can contributetowards meeting the Government of India’starget of reducing the carbon intensity. TheEnergy Conservation Act, 2001 empoweredthe Central and State Governments to: Spec-ify energy consumption standards for notifiedequipment and appliances; Establish and pre-scribe energy consumption norms and stan-dards for designated consumers; Prescribe en-ergy conservation building codes for efficientuse of energy and its conservation in new com-mercial buildings having a connected load of500 kW ; Get an energy audit conducted byan accredited energy auditor in the specifiedmanner and interval of time. Under the pro-visions of the Act, the Bureau of Energy Effi-ciency (BEE) was established with effect from1st March, 2002. The BEE in India has en-acted an energy conservation building code(ECBC), which has been mandatory for largecommercial buildings in some areas. The codeenforcement falls in the jurisdictions of Statesand local municipal authorities. ECBC com-pliant buildings save 30 % of energy. Evenpartial compliance can save 18 % to 20 % ofenergy.

The environment of the city of Bhubaneswarhas been degraded due to high populationgrowth and different manmade activities. Theeffects of climate change have been observedsince last few years in the city. The tempera-ture in summer is ranging in most of the daysaround 400 degree C, which is not only affect-ing the health and comfort of the people butalso demands more energy.

In rapidly developing cities, urban planningand its effective implementation requires land-use planning that creates land-use patternswithin cities that can provide services with-out the loss or degradation of natural habi-tats. Local governments can proactively carryout integrated land-use planning to addressadverse impacts from urban sprawl, includingincreased private motorised transport, air pol-lution and urban heat island effect.

Carbon sequestration can reduce the amountof GHG emissions that are produced in thecity. It involves removing GHG emissionsfrom the atmosphere, either through enhanc-ing natural ‘carbon sinks’ by conserving forestareas, the development of new carbon sinks(reforestation or afforestation) or through thecapture and storage of GHG produced withinthe city. Importance should be given to plantmore trees and develop green belts that canreduce a city’s carbon emissions significantly.Many buildings are designed in the city with-out considering climatic conditions of the area.These buildings need air-conditioning to keepthem cool. Using air-conditioning leads tomore energy use, which results in more car-bon dioxide emission. Architects should keepclimatic conditions in mind and design build-ing that will cut down energy consumption.

Climate change will go on forever. To re-duce its impacts on settlements and infras-tructure, it is critical to develop appropriatemitigation and adaptation responses. Climate-responsive buildings have minimal adverse im-pacts on the natural environment. They alsoseek to maximise opportunities for indoor en-vironmental quality and performance, savingmoney, reducing waste, increasing worker pro-ductivity and creating healthier environmentfor people to live and work.

To decrease urban CO2 emission and energyconsumption, a lot of cities over the world haveadopted Low Carbon Economy as a new devel-


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opment philosophy, and to create Low CarbonCity has become a common goal. The samephilosophy can be applied in India.

Developing climate-responsible master planwill protect the environment. Master Plansand Comprehensive Development Plans(CDPs) need to incorporate climate changeconsiderations. Components of land-use planincluding zoning, FAR, setback, etc., shouldbe implemented properly for sustainabledevelopment.

Sustainability is not only about city planningand energy conservation in building design;it is not only about environmental protectionand management systems. Sustainability isabout the way people live and work in the city.Every individual has a key role for protectionof the earth. Everything individuals do in theirlives has an impact on the environment. Toprotect the earth, communities should developsustainable solutions to meet the basic needsin every sphere of their life.

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Jefferson Collen (2015-05-27 09:15:33)I love to contribute in our mother earth by meansof saving Energy. I’m totally agree with thiskind of program to save our environment issueslike global warming. To know more tips on howto save more energy for our mother earth, talkto our [1]Accredited Energy Auditors with thismatter. Thank you!

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1.8.3 TOURISM AND HERITAGE MAN-AGEMENT (2015-04-18 09:28)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/importance-of-t ourism-and-heritage-management.html

IMPORTANCE OF TOURISM AND HERITAGEMANAGEMENT

The World Heritage Day is celebrated on April18 to create awareness among the people toconserve and protect the valuable assets andcultural heritage across the world. Heritageis something which is specific and typical ofa place or region. Buildings of historic andarchitectural significance become part of thecultural heritage of a city and the society. Cul-tural heritage is the creation of human beings,who have created it by virtue of their innova-tive power, creativity and artistic ability.

Odisha is known for its fascinating cultural


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heritage, amazing temples and monuments.These heritages are well-appreciated by bothnational and international tourists. Heritage-related events have tremendous potential.Fairs and festivals all around the year haveattracted tourists to the State. Further, theyalso create employment opportunities andsupport the socioeconomic development of ar-eas.

The monuments and the cultural activities as-sociated with the monuments play a very im-portant role in the lifestyle of the people ofOdisha and give a special identity to them. Itis necessary to improve awareness of culturalheritage due to its historical, social, aestheticand scientific significance. Historical signifi-cance refers to the relationship to era, personor event. Social significance refers to the so-cial, spiritual and other community-orientedvalues attributed to a place.Aesthetic signifi-cance refers to the special sense of importanceof a place with reference to architecture, scaleand designs. Scientific significance refers tothe scope or possibility of scientific findingsfrom a site, monument or place.

Odisha has more than 3,000 monuments andarchaeological sites. They include Hindu tem-ples built in the Kalinga style of temple archi-tecture that flourished from 7th to the 13thcentury AD. The most important monumentsof this period can be seen in and aroundBhubaneswar, Puri and Konark. The SunTemple at Konark, Hindu temples, the Sisupal-garh and Jain caves at Khandagiri and Udaya-giri in Bhubaneswar, Buddhist monasteriesat Ratnagiri-Lalitgiri-Udayagiri, ancient forts,palaces, etc., are the rich heritage of.Odisha,which hosts some vibrant events such asthe Konark Dance Festival, the Car Festival,the Puri Beach Festival and the MukteswaraDance Festival.

The rapid urbanisation has become a greatconcern for heritage conservation.There aremany threats to cultural heritage sites. Dueto development pressures, archaeologicalsites are neglected or surrounded by poorly-planned commercial development. The finearchitectural elements are gradually losingtheir importance. In many areas, there areencroachments and narrow heritage routes.This creates problems for the visiting tourists.Efforts should be made for conservation of

built heritage and delineation of special zonesfor tourism promotion and development. Her-itage management for promotion of tourismmay be emphasised in the CDP (Cultural De-velopment Plan).

There are national and State laws for preserva-tion of archaeological heritage.Seventy-eightmonuments in Odisha have been recognisedby the Archaeological Survey of India as Mon-uments of National Importance. A total of 218monuments are protected by the State. How-ever, there are a large number of monumentswhich are not protected by any agency.

Planning and managing heritage tourism re-quires a number of issues to be dealt with.The management system includes cycles ofplanning, implementation and monitoring. Aheritage management system is a framework,made up of three important elements as a legalframework which defines the reasons for itsexistence, an institution which gives form toits organisational needs and decision-makingand resources which are used to make it op-erative. The State authorities should providea suitable legal framework to support culturalheritage conservation, such as a ban on newconstruction, demolition, renovation and anychanges in the immediate vicinity of a pro-tected site that might affect the appearanceof heritage, restrictions on advertisements andvarious infrastructures.

After the guidelines are framed, buildingswithin heritage precincts or in the vicinity ofheritage sites shall maintain the skyline in theprecinct and follow the architectural style ofthe particular area as may be existing in thesurrounding area so as not to diminish or de-stroy the value and beauty of or the view fromthe heritage sites.

Heritage tourism management is concernedwith the identification, interpretation, mainte-nance and preservation of significant culturalsites and physical heritage assets and touristinflow and providing them adequate facilitiesto understand the heritage. Tourism is vitalfor every State due to the income generated byconsumption of goods and services by touristsand the opportunity for employment and eco-nomic advancement by working in the indus-try.

The Bhubaneswar Development Plan Area(BDPA) offers a rich cultural heritage with


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the Ekamra Kshetra being the heart of thecultural capital over the centuries and of-fers great potential for tourism development.There is a need for augmentation of the ex-isting cultural facilities in distributed urbancentres throughout the planning area. Thereare proposals in the CDP for propagation anddevelopment of culture in a Cultural DiversityPlan. This includes promotion of traditionalfairs and festivals through Government andNGOs to generate awareness among people to-wards cultural heritage. With appropriate pol-icy guidelines and heritage management, thecultural resources of the BDPA can promotetourism and play a meaningful role in project-ing Bhubaneswar’s cultural identity.

Since tourism is nowadays used to stimu-late regional development, cultural heritagetourism is used for both preservation andeconomic development of the regions. Re-cently, the concept of heritage corridor hasgained much popularity in heritage tourism.Heritage corridors are innovative entities de-signed to encourage grassroot efforts to pro-tect and enhance a region’s unique natural,historical, cultural resources while simultane-ously promoting appropriate economic devel-opment and redevelopment. A heritage cor-ridor can be delineated on the historical con-text with the inter-relationships among eventsand sites, the natural set up of the place,and the cultural pattern. The Departments ofTourism and Culture have decided to create aheritage corridor comprising tourism sites be-tween Bhubaneswar and the nearby heritagearea. Apart from visiting the heritage sites,the tour would enable visitors to experiencecommunal harmony, rural lifestyle, and age-old practices of the traditional art and craft ofthe region.

The comprehensive planning proposal fortourism and recreation development aimsto strengthen tourist attraction through im-proved publicity and facility upgradation.More tourists mean more business for localpeople in retail and service sectors. Thus,it will also create a strong economic basethrough various types of outdoor recreation.

Formulation of guidelines for regular augmen-tation and upgradation of tourist infrastruc-ture and services of public and private agen-cies are required on a regular timeframe. Cul-

tural heritages are important drivers of devel-opment. National and local authorities shouldallocate funds for maintaining and conserv-ing cultural heritage as well as for innovativeprojects that promote the development of cul-tural heritage in a sustainable way. Publicparticipation can bring many benefits to a cul-tural heritage site. Due to the close relation-ship between cultural heritage and lifestyle ofthe local communities, it is important to sharethe benefits with local communities. This way,people develop a stronger attachment to theheritage site and take care of the rich heritageof the State.

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1.8.4 KOENIGSBERGER’SBHUBANESWAR WITNESSESMANY TRANSFORMATIONS(2015-04-13 09:29)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/koenigsbergers-bhubaneswar-witnesses-many-transformations.html

KOENIGSBERGER’S BHUBANESWAR WIT-NESSES MANY TRANSFORMATIONS

The Foundation Day of Bhubaneswar is cel-ebrated on 13th April. It was on this dayin 1948 that India’s first Prime Minister Pan-dit Jawaharlal Nehru had laid the foundation-stone for the new city. The city has now un-dergone various transformations and constantchanges of the neighbourhood and the build-ings it contains.

Urban transformation is a habitual process inthe evolution of cities. It is based on the rela-tions between the cities’ physical, social and


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economic processes. Bhubaneswar’s transfor-mation from an ancient temple town to a mod-ern city was executed by German architectDr Otto H Köenigsberger in 1948. The initialplanning was done on neighbourhood plan-ning concept. In each neighbourhood, rows ofGovernment quarters were built. Large Gov-ernment buildings and a marketplace are atthe town centre. The architect’s visualisationwas of a horizontal plan in consideration withbudget and general characteristics of the liv-ing style of the people.

The layout of housing was designed with par-allel rows to admit sunlight and fresh air. Con-temporary neighbourhoods facilitate pleasantand comfortable environment. However, thepresent-day neighbourhoods offer more em-phasis on housing design.

Koenigsberger’s overall design forBhubaneswar was based on the simpledevice of one main traffic artery, to whichthe neighbourhood units were attached. Thetown was divided into six units (residentialneighbourhoods). Initially, emphsis was givento meet housing requirements of Ministersand gazetted officers, ministerial staff andClass IV employees with public utilities likemarket, hospital, etc. Unit-1 is the first ofthe six units which caters to the daily market,first public bank and police station along withdifferent types of quarters for Governmentemployees. Unit V is earmarked for adminis-trative functions. Other units were plannedas residential neighbourhoods. Each unitwas designed to house a population of 5,000to 6,000.

Koenigsberger suggested seven types of roads,footpaths, parkways, cycle paths, minor hous-ing streets, major housing streets, main roadsand main arteries, for seven groups of usersfor seven different functions. The overallwidths of land earmarked for roads and streetswere not determined by traffic alone but by re-quirements for storm water drainage serviceslike overhead electric lines, telephone, waterand the need of adequate light and air to ad-joining houses. An important considerationwas space for avenue trees on roads, and nec-essary provisions were made early in the landallotment scheme and in the estimates.

In Bhubaneswar, neighbourhoods are gener-ally classified under four categories - pre-

Independence inner city (Old Town, post-Independence (New Town - 1950), neighbour-hood designed during 1970s and neighbour-hood designed after 1990s.

The new Bhubaneswar town is experiencingchanging dynamics in residential areas. Com-mercial areas in some patches of roadsideplots in the neighbourhood are characterisedby problems relating to limitation of space,storage, on-street loading/unloading, hetero-geneous traffic and idle parking. A numberof incompatible land-use is found within theneighbourhoods.

Until 1990, most of the neighbourhoods weredesigned with horizontal development with afew G+3 flats for Government employees. Dueto high population growth after 1990, a num-ber of private owners constructed apartment-type of houses. There are unauthorised con-structions and conversion of residential zoneto commercial. The examples are corner gro-cery shops, betel and cigarette shops, veg-etable outlets and other shops. This has ledto deterioration in the architectural characterof the buildings.

At Bhauma Nagar, residential layout was de-signed in 1950. The location of the area is atthe city’s central part. The plot sizes vary from8x12m to 12x18m. The numbers of housesin this neighbourhood have increased due toconstruction of flats for Government employ-ees. The roads designed at that time were wideenough to sustain the then traffic movementand parking facilities. It is served by shoppingfacilities, schools, a hospital and a communitycentre.

The existing Government quarters are of court-yard type of houses and common wall typolo-gies. The houses were designed with rearand front courtyards. The buildings have re-tained their architectural expressions. How-ever, there are modifications in the built struc-ture to accommodate changes in family struc-ture. A number of people constructed addi-tional houses in the back and front yards. Andthe added garages for four-wheelers whichwere not provided during the initial phase ofdesign. New market complex has already beenadded to the existing market.

The blocks of houses have conservancy lanes(gaps between two rows of houses) behind thehouse that serve a dual purpose. The lanes


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are used for sewerage line also to facilitatecleaning and repair work. The lanes are alsoused for movement of domestic animals andservants. The house owner purchased vegeta-bles and other items from venders on theselanes. But nowadays, many such conser-vancy lanes remain unclean and create prob-lems. Conservancy lanes are only found inthe city’s old neighbourhoods planned during1950s. The Madhusudan Nagar area designedduring 1970s, and the area is close to BhaumaNagar. There are Government flats, Govern-ment lease plots and private plots. In thisarea, transformations include demolition ofold structures and construction of new build-ings.

The Nayapalli area was developed after 1970.The neighbourhood layout varies with the pe-riod of development, land ownership statusand land distribution scheme. This is a res-idential neighbourhood for VIPs and hence aposh area. A majority of land is under privateownership. The area also has multistoriedapartments. However, the area’s proximity tothe main road shows predominantly commer-cial land use. A large number of houses con-verted their ground floor for commercial usewith upper floors being residential.

Chandrasekharpur was developed after 1990.It is characterised by an irregular road pattern.The lands are under the GA Department andalso under private ownership.

In a neighbourhood, mixed land use haspositive and negative environmental impacts.Only selective nonresidential activity in res-idential premises should be permitted selec-tively, taking into consideration the commu-nity needs, environmental impact and provi-sion for safe and easy traffic circulation andadequate parking.

The observations of various stages of develop-ment of the neighbourhood can help to drawmany lessons, which can be used in the mod-ification process of the neighbourhood plan-ning. Bhubaneswar is experiencing transfor-mation in residential neighbourhoods. The in-tegration of residential units with schools andmarkets has become difficult in the past fewyears. The lack of connections between newdevelopments is a common problem in recenturban expansions.

The neighbourhoods developed on Govern-

ment land have more open space than the ar-eas developed on private land. In planned res-idential neighbourhoods under Governmentschemes, there is allocation of land for recre-ational use. Sufficient space for recreation isnot available in private ownership land.

The planning for Bhubaneswar’s future re-quires a keen look at the existing ground re-alities. Besides, the present building regula-tions play an important role in determiningthe character of the neighbourhood. There is aneed to understand neighbourhood dynamicsby identifying stages in the process of neigh-bourhood change. Neighbourhood is intendedto fulfil social, community as well as retailfunctions. A proper balance between all thefacilities should be maintained for the conve-nience of residents.

Care needs to be taken for physical, infras-tructure, city transport planning and environ-mental considerations of the whole region toprevent haphazard growth and scattered set-tlements. Open spaces, parks, recreationalareas, green belts and plantation should beproperly organised to provide environmentalfunctions such as control of microclimate andenvironmental pollution.

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1.9 March

1.9.1 INCLUSIVE, CONVENIENT ANDSAFE CITIES FOR WOMEN(2015-03-09 18:31)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/how-to-have-inc lusive-convenient-and-safe-cities-for-women.html


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HOW TO HAVE INCLUSIVE, CONVENIENTAND SAFE CITIES FOR WOMEN

There is no city or country in the world wherewomen and girls live free of the fear of violence.Walt Whitman (1819-1892), American poet,essayist and journalist, said, “Where womenwalk in public processions in the streets thesame as the men, where they enter the pub-lic assembly and take places the same as themen; there the great city stands.”

The International Women’s Day is celebratedonMarch 8 to ensure that policy makers recog-nise the importance of equality to end allforms of violence and discrimination againstwomen through good laws. This year’s theme“Empowering Women - Empowering Human-ity: Picture It!” envisions a world where eachwoman and girl can exercise her choices suchas participating in politics, getting an educa-tion, having an income, and living in societiesfree from violence and discrimination.

The designs of our cities and neighbourhoodsas well as the various urban functions reflectour culture, values, lifestyle and relationships.Long confined to domestic activities, womenhave gradually moved into public arena. Theurban setting must adapt to this cultural andsocial change, and cities must now deal withthe realities of women.

The city is important for both working andnonworking women. So, development of newpolicies and revisions of the policymaking pro-cess are crucial to meet women’s needs andensure their full participation in the process ofdevelopment as a complete citizen. Plannersand architects have developed design guide-lines and rules to build women-friendly com-munities. But, often these guidelines are over-looked or just ignored during the planning pro-cess.

Women-friendly cities are defined as: An In-clusion, convenience and safety place wherewomen can grow, prosper, and participate ef-fectively in developing their city. Therefore,the participation of women in the planningprocess is crucial.

The condition of women in India has alwaysbeen a matter of grave concern. Since thepast several centuries, Indian women werenever given equal status and opportunitiesas compared to men. According to the Na-tional Family Health Survey (NFHS), 34 per

cent of women in Odisha experience physicalviolence.

Women’s fear of violence and crime affectstheir lifestyle and routines and the way theyexperience urban areas and the public realmin particular. They are more likely to be pedes-trians and require access to public transport.So, the design of neighbourhoods for safety inand around the home and from the home totransit stops and facilities is paramount.

When a designers design a house, neighbour-hood or a town, they must make many deci-sions about how to solve problems of women.Women safety in public spaces is a major is-sue in today’s world as most women do notfind public places safe. Women’s experienceof safety in urban areas is different to that ofmen. Urban settings and the way they aredesigned affect levels of fear which are higheramong women.

Communities can take up responsibilities andplay a role in improving the situation of womenby designing safe public spaces for women.Besides, Municipal governments have a roleto play in helping women enter the decision-making process. Equal representation is cer-tainly one way to ensure that the needs ofmen and women will be addressed in munic-ipal planning and management.

All cities should be inclusive, convenient andsafe cities for women. Inclusive by helpingwomen fully access and participate in the so-cial, cultural, economic and political life of thecity. Convenient by adapting the urban infras-tructures and services to women’s needs in afashion that embraces their nature, social roleand schedule. Safe by creating a safe urbanenvironment for women to allow them regaintheir right to the city.

There are specific planning and design require-ments for land uses and settings to reducewomen’s higher levels of fear. Such require-ments include residential areas, public openspace, public toilets and telephones, hospitalsand other large institutions. The particularrequirement for residential uses is to ensuresafety of women who are more likely to livealone and occupy the house during the daywhen others are not around by designing formaximum surveillance of the street, providingadequate privacy and discouraging access byintruder.


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Women’s Safety Audits (WSAs) can help buildsafer communities. A women’s safety auditis a simple and effective way to find out fromwomen about aspects and places in the com-munity that pose obstacles to safety and ac-cess.

The WSAs are a participatory method of as-sessing the safety and accessibility of a cityand its public spaces for women. It is a sim-ple process of walking through a space andassessing factors that lead to unsafety/safety.The safety walks are conducted before and af-ter dark to see how public spaces are trans-formed at night. Essentially participatory incharacter, they identify spaces that are unsafeand the factors causing lack of safety or exclu-sion. The WSAs build upon the notion thatthe users of a space are the experts and, thus,have the knowledge to find solutions to theproblems they face.

The right to the city refers to a rights-basedapproach to building inclusive cities. The in-clusive city has four dimensions – economic,social, political and cultural. The fundamen-tal principle of the right to the city is that hu-man rights are interdependent and indivisible.Women have a right to the city. Women’s ac-tive participation will make an inclusive, con-venient and safe city for them.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/how-to-have-inclusive-convenient-and-safe-cities-for-women.html

1.9.2 SMART CITIES (2015-03-02 08:05)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/smart-cities-in volving-cit-izens-in-decision-making-needed.html

SMART CITIES: INVOLVING CITIZENS INDECISION-MAKING NEEDED

The National Science Day was celebrated withgreat enthusiasm on February 28 to commem-orate the invention of the Raman Effect in In-dia by Indian physicist Sir ChandrasekharaVenkata Raman the same day in 1928. Theday offers an opportunity to bring issues ofscience for humanity. The theme for the day2015 was “Science for Nation Building”.

Science and technology is a key driver for sus-tainable and economic growth of a city. SmartCities in the developed world are formulatingtechnology master plans and then using theseplans to develop a citywide command and con-trol network that monitors and optimises de-livery of services like power, water, traffic andhealthcare. The concept of a Smart City is arelatively new one.

People migrate to cities primarily in searchof employment and economic activities be-side better quality of life. Therefore, a SmartCity for its sustainability needs to offer eco-nomic activities and employment opportuni-ties to residents, regardless of their level ofeducation, skills or income levels. Besides,it would have to provide affordable housing,cost-efficient physical infrastructure such as24-hour water and electric supply, proper san-itation facility, clean air, quality education,healthcare, security, entertainment, fast andefficient urban mobility, etc.

In fact, 90 per cent of the world’s urban pop-ulation growth will take place in developingcountries. India is currently experiencing ahigh pace of urbanisation and movement ofits citizens from smaller towns and villages tocities.

To create a more livable and healthy environ-ment, Smart Cities have been planned. TheSmart City concept emerged during the lastdecade as a fusion of ideas about how informa-tion and communications technologies (ICTs)might improve the functioning of cities, en-hancing their efficiency, improving their com-petitiveness and providing new ways in whichproblems of poverty, social deprivation and en-vironment might be addressed.

For a smart city the key elements are institu-tional (including governance), physical, socialand economic infrastructures. Institutionalinfrastructure refers to the activities that re-late to the planning and management systems,the participatory systems of governance and


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e-governance. Physical infrastructure refersto cost-efficient and intelligent physical infras-tructure like the urban mobility system, thehousing stock, the energy system, the wa-ter supply system and sewerage system, solidwaste management, drainage, etc. Social in-frastructure relates to the components thatwork towards developing human and socialcapitals such as educational, healthcare, en-tertainment, open spaces and parks.

The Prime Minister has a vision of developingone hundred Smart Cities as satellite townsof larger cities and by modernising the exist-ing midsized cities to meet the demands of thecountry’s rapidly growing urban population.To achieve this, Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)would need to make effective use of informa-tion and communications technology in publicadministration to coordinate between variousdepartments. Specifically, Smart Cities wouldhave municipal offices fully automated to de-liver services in time through IT-based facili-ties.

Public participation in governance should bemade possible through the social media andby making all information available in the pub-lic domain. One hundred Smart Cities may bechosen by considering various criteria as onesatellite city of each of the cities with a popu-lation of 4 million people or more (nine cities).Most of the cities in the population range of1-4 million people (about 35 out of 44 cities).Cities of tourist, religious and economic impor-tance not included in above cities. Cities in the0.2 to 1.0 million population range (25 cities).

Developing 100 Smart Cities would need alarge number of professional manpower andseveral decision support systems. Thus, thereis a need for a large capacity building pro-gramme that encompasses training, educa-tion, research, knowledge exchange and a richdatabase.

The benchmarks for Smart Cities includesmart transportation with maximum traveltime of 30 minutes in small and medium-size cities and 45 minutes in metropolitan ar-eas; unobstructed footpath of minimum two-m width on either side of all streets; and dedi-cated and physically-segregated bicycle trackswith a width of two m or more. At least 20 percent of all residential units have to be occupiedby economically weaker sections. All house-

holds should be connected to the waste wa-ter network. India can make Smart Cities likeSeoul, Singapore, Yokohama and Barcelona,which have a sound transport system and effi-cient management of services for all citizens.

There is also proposal in Odisha to includesix cities in the Smart City project. The citiesare Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Brahmapur, Puri,Sambalpur and Rourkela. To fulfil the goal,there is a requirement of involvement of citi-zens in decision-making processes. New waysof reengineering cities to make them smart,responsive, competitive and equitable wouldrequire new forms of governance. Public-private partnerships and citizen participationis highly needed for application of smart tech-nology in city planning.

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2. 2014

2.1 December

2.1.1 Inclusive Access for Disabled(2014-12-03 00:07)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/needed-inclusiv e-access-and-facilities-for-disabled.html

NEEDED: INCLUSIVE ACCESS AND FACILI-TIES FOR DISABLED

The World Health Organisation (WHO) esti-mates that 15 per cent of the world’s popula-tion is living with disabilities. In India, 2.21per cent people are disabled and Odisha hasa 2.96-per cent disabled population as per theCensus 2011. Around the world, persons withdisabilities not only face physical barriers butalso social, economic and attitudinal barriers.Besides, many people with disabilities do nothave equal access to healthcare, educationand employment opportunities and do not re-ceive the disability-related services that theyrequire, and experience exclusion from every-day life activities.

The International Day of Persons with Dis-abilities is celebrated on December 3 to raiseawareness and mobilise support for the dig-nity and well being of persons with disabili-ties. This year’s theme is “Sustainable Devel-opment: The Promise of Technology”. Tech-nology has changed the world, bringing knowl-edge within reach and expanding a range of op-portunities. Persons with disabilities can ben-efit enormously from such advances. Throughadaptive, assistive and inclusive technology,they can make the most of their potentials intheir communities and workplaces.

Therefore, technological advancement for abarrier-free environment is an important con-sideration. The goal of barrier-free design is toprovide an environment that supports an in-dependent functioning of individuals so thatthey can get to and participate without assis-tance in everyday activities such as procure-ment of goods and services, community liv-ing, employment and leisure. Barrier-free de-sign standards should satisfy anyone who ishampered in his mobility of functioning (ascompared with a non-disabled person) as aresult of obstacles put in his way by the de-sign of a building and the arrangement of out-side space. Although barrier-free recommen-dations are concerned exclusively with the re-quirements of disabled people but the facili-ties will invariable make buildings more conve-nient for elderly persons and persons sufferingfrom any kind of physical ailments.

To make a barrier-free environment for the dis-abled, the Government of India has enactedthe Disabilities Act, 1955. Sections 44, 45and 46 of the Act stipulate that the appropri-ate Governments and local authorities are toensure provisions of barrier-free facilities inall new Government buildings and public util-ities, roads and transport. Also, in 1996 theGovernment of India enacted the Persons withDisabilities (Equal Opportunity, Protection ofRights and Full Participation) Act. The mainpurpose of this law is to integrate disabled andelderly persons fully into the society.

The fundamental principles, which have beenfollowed in developing standards/norms forvarious facilities to buildings, healthcare in-stitutions, meet disabled people’s standardsfor safety, convenience and usability. Beforebuilding any residential building for the dis-abled people, it is advisable to note street con-ditions, access to transportation, proximity toshopping areas and whether there are majorobstacles between the building and the shop-ping locations. Pathways should be smooth,hard level surface suitable for walking andwheeling. Every building should have at leastone entrance accessible to the handicappedand should be indicated by proper signage.This entrance should be approached through



a ramp together with a stepped entry. Theramp should be finished with nonslip mate-rial and minimum width or the ramp shouldbe 1,800 mm with a maximum gradient 1:12.

Creation of barrier-free environment in townsand cities is the responsible of the State Gov-ernments. Urban local bodies, DevelopmentAuthorities and other Dtate departments areresponsible for creating barrier-free built envi-ronment in towns and cities. Amendment ofbuilding byelaws is the most important steptowards creation of barrier-free built environ-ment, and the guidelines for barrier-free en-vironment may be referred from the Bureauof Indian Standards, Ministry of Urban Devel-opment guidelines, etc. The barrier-free de-sign guidelines will help considerably towardsgreater independence of not only wheelchairusers but also, hopefully, the elderly, the visu-ally or hearing-impaired, children and, indeed,a broad spectrum of the community. Thisstandard is intended to make all buildings andfacilities used by the public accessible to andfunctional for the physically-handicapped.

Besides, there are model building byelaws pre-pared by different Development Authorities toprovide facilities for handicapped persons. Asper Section 42 of the Bhubaneswar Develop-ment Authority (Planning and Building Stan-dards) regulations, adequate provision for fa-cilitating easy access of physically-challengedpersons shall be made in all public buildingsin accordance with the provisions of the Na-tional Building Code of India including theminimum facility to reach the staircase/liftwithout any barrier.

Rights of disabled persons include protectionfrom inhuman treatment and equal protectionand safety. The Rights of Persons with Disabil-ities Bill, 2014 was introduced in the RajyaSabha on February 7, 2013 by the Ministerof Social Justice and Empowerment. The Billstates that persons with disabilities shall havethe right to equality and shall not be discrimi-nated against on grounds of their disabilities.

Barriers make an environment unsafe andcause a high level of difficulty to the user.Therefore, barrier-free features are now be-coming fundamental to all design concepts. Itis important that not only public buildingsbut also the housings are designed to enablethem to move freely. While designing the

built environment, adequate space should beallocated for persons using mobility devices,e.g., wheelchairs, crutches and walkers aswell as those walking with others’ assistance.Attention should be given to dimensions ofwheelchairs used locally. This decides thewidth of entrances and exits,

There are several obstacles to implementationof the guidelines and legislative measures onbarrier-free design. Even where guidelinesand legislative measures exist, poor implemen-tation and enforcement remain serious issues.Promotion of barrier-free built environmentis a new area of work. There is a need towork together with people, technical personneland governmental organisations to promotebarrier-free development that would make thecity safe and comfortable for everyone to workand enjoy.

The importance of new information and com-munication technologies (ICTs) such as mobilephones or the internet expand access to keypublic services. However, for the people withdisabilities, the benefits of many establishedand emerging technologies remain intangible.Therefore, public information/service coun-ters should be provided to various categoriesof buildings. The approach to the countershould be direct, clear and unobstructed.Signs associated with counters should be lo-cated and visible to wheelchair users. Besides,warning signals may help the disabled personsperform their activities. Audible warning sig-nals should be accompanied by simultaneousvisual signals for the benefit of those with hear-ing disabilities. Visual signals should be ac-companied by simultaneous audible signalsfor the benefit of the blind.

Use of new technologies can help disabled peo-ple use public buildings and facilities. This re-quires close cooperation of technical person-nel such as architects, engineers and townplanners to include the design features in builtenvironment for disabled persons. Besides,proper implementation of the guidelines andlegislative measures on barrier-free design cancreate an inclusive access and sustainable de-velopment for the disabled people.

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2.2 November

2.2.1 Safe Neighbourhood Design toprevent Crimes (2014-11-25 06:11)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/design-safe-neighbourhood-to-prevent-crime.html

DESIGN SAFE NEIGHBOURHOOD TO PRE-VENT CRIME

Every day, newspapers and televisions re-mind us of the problems of uncontrolled streetcrimes where no individual is safe and wherewomen are more vulnerable. Women and ado-lescent girls face harassment and violence asthey go about their daily routines, whether oncity streets, in buses and trains or in theirown neighbourhoods. As many as 35 per centof women and girls globally experience someform of physical and or sexual violence in theirlifetime with up to seven in ten women facingthis abuse in some countries.

To raise awareness and trigger action to endthis scourge, the UN observes InternationalDay for the Elimination of Violence againstWomen on November 25. This year, the UnitedNations’ Campaign UNITE to End Violenceagainst Women invites everybody to “Orangetheir Neighbourhood”, take the UNITE cam-paign to local streets, shops and businesses,and organise “Orange Events” in their neigh-bourhoods. The initiative is aimed to createthe symbolic image of a world free from vio-lence against women. The colour orange aimsat uniting the theme which runs through allevents as one of the official colours of theUNITE campaign, and as a bright and opti-mistic colour, representative of a world freefrom violence against women and girls.

Built-environment has a critical role in crimecontrol. Special design features in city plan-ning, neighbourhoods and individual build-

ings can reduce criminal activity. Crime pre-vention through physical design is an urbanplanning and design consideration which inte-grates crime prevention with neighbourhooddesign and urban development. Essentially,it is a comprehensive design approach thatcombines different techniques of crime preven-tion with existing and newly developed theo-ries and techniques. This will not only preventthe crime but also reduce the fear of crime.

A neighbourhood is a geographically localisedcommunity. The neighbourhood is the scale atwhich communal standards of behaviour arefirst formed. In general, it is the natural exten-sion of individual and family territoriality thatbegins at home. If crime cannot be controlledat the neighbourhood, it will spread to theentire city. Every city has its intimate innerpatterns: the streets, squares and importantlandmarks. Besides, urban transformation isa habitual process in the evolution of cities.The changes in social and economic processesalways involve an almost urban need to up-date or modernise or simply transform cities.

Perry’s name is most commonly associatedwith the notion of the neighbourhood de-sign. He described the Neighbourhood unitas that populated area which would requireand support an elementary school with an en-rolment of between 1,000 and 1,200 pupils.This would mean a population of between5,000 and 6,000. Developed as a low den-sity dwelling unit with a population of 10 fam-ilies per acre, the Neighbourhood unit wouldoccupy around 160 acres and have a shapewhich would render it necessary for any childto walk a distance of not more than one-quarter mile to school. Those sections orneighbourhoods have some particular physi-cal or social characteristics that distinguishthem from the rest of the settlement. The clus-tering of these neighbourhoods has formedtowns, villages and cities. The Neighbourhoodunit has formed the basis of planning of mostof the first planned new towns in India likeChandigarh, Bhubaneswar and Gandhinagar.

In many areas, multi-family housing con-sumes the remaining open space and thereare increasing competition for neighbourhoodspaces and public services as the popula-tion increases. These changes drew peoplefrom larger geographic areas and led to un-



controlled use of and movement through theirneighbourhood. Where the neighbourhoodwas once primarily residential in character,other land uses competed for limited servicessuch as streets, parks, shops, etc. This, inturn, contributed to an eventual breakdownof the semi-private nature of the neighbour-hood. The new uses provided the reasonand encouragement for potential offenders tocome and commit crimes. Individual competi-tion, together with land use competition andthe unlimited flow of strangers, contributed tothe breakdown of the residents’ ability to dis-tinguish between neighbour and nonresident.This provided a setting for increased crimes.In response to these increasing crimes and in-dividual environmental competition, the resi-dent began to feel isolated and afraid.

The need of safety is an important aspect ofcity planning. However, crime and fear ofcrime can affect the way a city works as wellthe attractiveness and functioning of someurban areas. When people feel threatened,they alter their lifestyle and, consequently, theways they use the city on a daily basis. Manydo not go out in the evening, do not use publictransport, do not use public spaces and shutthemselves in gated communities.

A complex range of factors contribute to inse-curity in the city. It also depends on the way inwhich cities are planned, designed and built;the way in which people identify themselveswith the environment which they live in, andthe way in which urban spaces are looked af-ter and managed. The layout and organisa-tion of urban spaces influence their level of se-curity: they can contribute to making themsafer, but they can also contribute to makingthem more dangerous. A good or bad layoutcan contribute to making a city more or lesssafe.

The layout of a new development should allowit to be walked through safely day and nightby creating clear routes provided with naturalsurveillance. The layout should have a clearorganisation and provide easy orientation forall users.

Using zoning laws to shape the type of devel-opment and activity that occur in a neighbour-hood may be one way to reduce crime. Thereis a need to execute more research on the rela-tionship between land-use law, the built envi-

ronment and crime, particularly in high-crimeareas. Architects and urban designers shoulddo environmental mapping of space for usersto know how the users will accept the newspaces they design. The basic principles ofgood governance must find a direct applica-tion in any urban safety strategy, aimed at re-ducing and preventing common problems ofcrime and insecurity. Besides, a proper man-agement of city streets and public spaces canensure a safe neighbourhood for women.

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2.2.2 Bio-Toilet for Eco-friendly sani-tation (2014-11-19 09:30)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/bio-toilets-nee ded-to-ensu-re-eco-friendly-sanitation.html

BIO-TOILETS NEEDED TO ENSURE ECO-FRIENDLY SANITATION

An international body, particularly the WorldToilet Organisation, has promoted World Toi-let Day for years.

In 2013, the UN officially recognised Novem-ber 19 as the World Toilet Day in a bid to makesanitation for all. The 2014 World Toilet Daycampaign will draw attention to dignity andequality issues, especially inspiring action toend open defecation.

According to the Unicef and WHO estimates,one-seventh of the world population stillopenly defecate due to lack of proper toilet fa-cilities. Of these, 60 per cent live in India.

On a global scale, it is estimated that yearly 10million children die under the age of five dueto improper sanitation.


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Of these, 2.4 million children belong to India.The provision of proper toilets could save thelives of more than two lakh children in theworld, according to the UN.

The countries where open defecation is mostwidely practised are the same with the highestnumbers of under-five child deaths, poverty,and large wealth disparities.

Mahatma Gandhi emphasised the importanceof toilets in the pre-Independent India andsaid it to be more important than attaining In-dependence. But after 66 years of Indepen-dence, nearly half of India’s populations haveno toilet at home, coupled with very low use ofexisting toilets in urban and rural areas.

According to the 2011 Census, 53.1 % (63.6% in 2001) of Indian households do not havea toilet, with the percentage being as high as69.3 % (78.1 % in 2001) in rural areas and18.6 % (26.3 % in 2001) in urban areas.

In India, Jharkhand tops the list of the Stateswith as high as 77 % of homes having no toi-let while the figures are 76.6 % for Odisha and75.8 % in Bihar. A detailed exercise is also be-ing conducted to identify the shortcomings ofthe existing sanitation and drinking water ef-forts and incorporate them into the 12th Five-Year Plan.

However, open defecation continues to be a bigconcern for people. Cultural and traditionalreasons and lack of education are the primereasons for this unhygienic practice.

According to the “Status of Elementary andSecondary Education in Odisha-2012”, a re-port recently prepared by the Odisha PrimaryEducation Programme Authority (OPEPA), ofthe total 53,193 elementary schools (up toClass-VIII), 12,588 have no toilets. How-ever, to improve the sanitary conditions inschools, The Gas Authority of India Limited(GAIL) had contracted 1,021 bio-toilets acrossthe country including 375 in Odisha underthe Swachchh Bharat Swachchh Vidyalayascheme.

Maintaining toilets in a hygienic condition hasemerged as a major problem in schools acrossOdisha. The non-availability of piped watersupply in schools is a great cause of concernto maintain cleanness of the toilet.

Almost none of the rural schools are suppliedwith running water. Some in urban pockets do

have regular water supply. Water for flushingtoilets still has to be carried by hand. So, onan average, every time a toilet is used, waterhas to be lugged in buckets and mugs fromhand pumps located at a distances of 50 to100 metres away.

Access to water supply and drainage facilitiesis also another problem. The situation is evenworse in the areas which are drought-proneor face perennial water shortage such as Ra-jasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha.

Under these circumstances, it is not possibleto maintain water-flush toilets in those areas.In many areas toilets have been constructedand not being used due to lack of water supply.India has been constructing 1.5 million toiletsa year under its Total Sanitation Campaign.However, 50 % of them remain unused. Be-sides, manual scavenging is still widespreadin India.

As per the 2011 Census, there were 7.94 lakhlatrines in the country from which night soilwas removed by humans. A number of house-holds in both the urban and rural areas con-tinue to rely even today on this practice.

In the slums of Bhubaneswar, almost 40 % to50 % of households use either public toilets orcommunal toilets, which serve a fixed residen-tial population.

However, the conditions of these facilities arevery poor. More than 50 % of these toilets areeither “dirty” or “very dirty” and are completelynonfunctional. Households who are dissatis-fied with the cleanliness of their community’stoilets were more likely to practise open defe-cation.

In the case of water scaricy in some regions,bio-toilets can be used. In the case of im-proved bio-toilet setup, existing traditional toi-let can be improved so that it may not re-quire continuous water supply. Proper designof the bio-toilet implies that the system ful-fils criteria such as safety, functionality, econ-omy, and social and environmental affordabil-ity. So, the bio-toilet must be designed to ac-celerate decomposition of human excreta, op-timise efficiency and minimise any potentialenvironmental or nuisance problems (odour).

In bio-toilet, there are some innovative tech-nologies for disposal of human waste in an eco-



friendly manner. This bio-toilet, called bio-digester, is affordable and nature-friendly.

In areas where water is scarce and plumbingdoesn’t exist, bio-toilets may be used. Bio-toilet uses a dry toilet technology, which re-duces the demand for water. The bio-toilet in-cludes a natural exhausting process so thatthe digester system never fills up to overflow.The waste collected in the digester is pro-cessed using anaerobic digestion to make or-ganic manure.

As the waste biodegrades, the digester cap-tures methane gas, which is used for lightingand cooking. It can be connected to the toiletor a series of toilets. Toilet can be a super-structure fixed on the bio-digester or a sepa-rate unit. Bio-digester has an inlet, an outletand a gas pipe. It is the device in form of acontainer made of mild steel/ concrete/ plas-tic, etc.

The main advantages are the toilets do notsmell when properly maintained.The toilets donot pollute the environment or groundwater.They are cheaper to build compared to septicsystems. Once a toilet is separated from thewater use system, recycling household waterbecomes a much simpler process.

A significant usefulness of the technology isvery low water requirement. It is only to theextent to clean the toilet and personal washing.With the persistent water scarcity in variouslocations, less use of water is always desirable.

The cleaning of toilet is also possible with com-paratively lesser quantity of water as

P-trap is avoidable since water seal has beenprovided in the main tank. This technology re-duces residential water use, thus cutting wa-ter bills and lowering the energy needed topump and purify water.

Bio-toilets can be used in railway coaches,highways, rural areas, households, airports,industrial areas, educational institutions, pil-grimage sites and slums.

Bio-toilet is a complete solid waste man-agement solution and certified by the De-fence Research and Development Organisa-tion (DRDO). It is 100 % sludge-free disposalof human waste. The toilet decomposes solidwaste to water and biogas. It is 100 %maintenance-free.

A number of factors have been found to playan important role in determining toilet use.Sticking to toilet-using habit depends on con-struction aspects like a well-maintained, user-friendly structure that protects privacy, wateravailability and awareness about the benefitsof good sanitation. Experiences on the use ofpublic toilets in urban areas have also identi-fied that a number of factors lead to poor useof toilets. These include lack of water supplyand adequate systematically designed sewagesystems.

The Prime Minister has already declared aSwachchh Bharat Abhiyaan, and by 2019 In-dia should become Swachchh Bharat. Toachieve this, it is imperative to provide toiletto each household.

In many areas, there are existing toilets, butpeople are not using it because of waterscarcity and maintenance. In the areas wherewater is not sufficiently available, bio-toilet isa suitable solution.

Sanitation in India is a State subject. State-level steering committees and urban depart-ments play the role of guidance and support toUrban Local Bodies (ULBs) which are respon-sible for final implementation of sanitation atthe local level.

The ULBs are mandated to undertake plan-ning, design, implementation, operation andmaintenance of water supply and sanitationservices in towns. Besides, public participa-tion and an inclusive approach to sanitationare essential to ensure better ecofriendly san-itation for all.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/bio-toilets-needed-to-ensure-eco-friendly-sanitation.html


http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/bio-toilets-needed-to-ensure-eco-friendly-sanitation.html




2.2.3 Climate change: Challenge toUrban Planning (2014-11-08 04:53)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/climate-change- challenge-to-urban-planning-governance.html

CLIMATE CHANGE: CHALLENGE TO URBANPLANNING, GOVERNANCE

The World Town Planning Day (WTPD) is anevent held on November 8 in 30 countries in-cluding India to recognise and promote therole of planning in creating livable communi-ties.

An international organisation for the WTPDwas founded in 1949 by the late Professor Car-los Maria della Paolera of the University ofBuenos Aires. The main motivations to plana WTPD event are to educate all of membersof the community about town planning’s posi-tive impacts on community livability.

The city has a long history and has been themajor source of human culture, innovationand democratic rights. The key is to buildon its essential characteristics andmake themrelevant for today. The possibility of a contin-uation of present trends of unsustainable eco-nomic growth, increased social fragmentationand environmental degradation is neither anacceptable nor sustainable option.

Cities should be places where the interactionand participation of citizens help them meettheir needs and aspirations, and those of thewider community, as well as allowing futuregenerations to meet their needs.

As a result of population growth, urbanisationand mass migration of rural people to cities,urban sprawl occurs and cities are fast becom-ing overcrowded. The cities that man builds

profoundly affect climate in the short run andalmost certainly will produce significant long-term climatic effects as well. The result is thatthese climatic changes can make life unpleas-ant and make at least some cities at some timenearly uninhabitable.

Human emissions of carbon dioxide and othergreenhouse gases lead the earth’s atmosphereto capture and retain more heat from the Sun.The global temperature record shows an aver-age warming of about 1.10F over the past cen-tury. Global warming is now one of the mostimportant environmental issues. Predictionsby the International Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) suggest that unless action is taken tocontrol greenhouse gas emissions, rapid cli-mate change process could occur posing un-precedented challenges to global ecosystemsand human societies.

India is both a major green house gas emit-ter and one of the most vulnerable countriesto projected climate change. The country isalready experiencing changes in climate in-cluding water stress, heat waves and drought,severe storms and flooding and associatednegative consequences on health and liveli-hoods. Odisha is also most vulnerable to cli-mate change. It has a 480-km coastline whichis subject to cyclone and storm surge.

Building resilience and adapting to climatechange is increasingly a high priority for cities.It will be critical to develop appropriate mitiga-tion and adaptation responses to reduce theimpacts of climate change. There is a need tointegrate town and regional planning, climatechange mitigation and adaptation and emer-gencymanagement for sustainable human set-tlement planning.

Development of new towns or development ofexisting urban places requires a careful studyof climatic condition of the region. Use ofgreen areas is a major planning technique bywhich town planners can prevent or reduce ad-verse effects of climate. Green areas help pre-vent flooding by reducing the rate of runoff.

It is highly needed to implement buildingcodes to take into account of changing cli-matic conditions and introduce more consis-tent town and regional planning measures forhuman settlement and individual building de-sign.



The Government of India has prepared a Na-tional Action Plan for Climate Change. Themitigation measures would primarily includeenergy efficiency in buildings, improved urbanland use planning and shift to public trans-port and management of water, waste waterand solid wastes. Besides, the action planwould also facilitate adaptation to vulnerabili-ties arising out of climate change.

Odisha is a leader in formulating a State Cli-mate Change Action Plan identifying urbanplanning and water resources, coastal zonesand disasters, etc.

Transforming our major cities for climatechange is a challenge that will take five to10 years or more to implement. A range ofmeasures have already been identified, includ-ing revising, renewing and enforcing buildingcodes to take account of changing climate, in-troducing more consistent planning measuresfor town and regional planning, building de-signs and managing urban growth in climate-sensitive areas through zoning and regulation.

Besides, cities are dynamic systems thatface unique climate impacts, their adaptationmust be location specific. Zoning is a regula-tory tool widely used by development authoti-ties to control land use. It is a key tool forimplementing the goals and objectives in a de-velopment authority’s official plan.

Zoning bylaws divide the entire communityinto zones. For each zone, only certain landuses are permitted (for example, commercial,residential, industrial, etc). In addition to re-strictions on the use of the property, the zon-ing bylaws may impose requirements on build-ings, including maximum height, lot coverageand density as well as building type and set-backs. Zoning codes can be used to limit newdevelopment in hazard-prone areas or to pre-scribe building standards that reduce vulner-ability to environmental stress.

It is important to keep in mind that land useplanning is used to pursue many local pol-icy objectives, including providing affordablehousing, stimulating job growth, preservingthe character and heritage of a community,reducing greenhouse gas emissions and en-abling efficient transportation.

The design of a community’s physical compo-nents, such as parking lots, parks and road-ways, drainage ditches or a neighbourhood as

a whole can reduce or magnify the impacts ofclimate change at the local scale. It is impera-tive to emphasise specific fields of town plan-ning which hold enormous potentials to suc-cessfully promote new planning strategies andconcepts facing mitigation and adaptation ofclimate change in urban areas.

These include urban renewal and new meansof climate protection and sustaining urbanecosystem services as contributions to climateprotection.

Risk management processes can be used by acommunity to evaluate risks associated withclimate change and suggest adaptation mea-sures. Risk management methodologies canprovide a way to explore public attitudes andperceptions of risk, and this information canfeed back into the assessment.

The evaluation process may be formal or in-formal and may be quantitative or qualitative,depending on what works best for the devel-opment authority. Several climate change-specific risk assessment tools have been de-veloped to assist planners. Besides, good ur-ban governance is vital to implement townplanning policy for sustainable urban develop-ment.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/climate-change-challenge-to-urban-planning-governance.html

2.3 October

2.3.1 Family Farming to pre-vent Hunger and Poverty(2014-10-16 06:56)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/family-farming- needed-to-prevent-hunger-and-poverty.html


http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/climate-change-challenge-to-urban-planning-governance.html




FAMILY FARMING NEEDED TO PREVENTHUNGER AND POVERTY

The 2014 World Food Day theme “FamilyFarming: Feeding the World, Caring for theEarth” has been chosen to raise the profileof family farming and smallholder farmers.It focuses world attention on the significantrole of family farming in eradicating hungerand poverty, providing food security and nu-trition, improving livelihoods, managing natu-ral resources, protecting the environment andachieving sustainable development. The UNGeneral Assembly has also designated 2014as the International Year of Family Farming.So, the international community recognisesthe important contribution of family farmersto food security.

Rapid urbanisation in developing nations isaccompanied by a rapid increase in povertyand food insecurity. This scenario is furtheraggravated by the fact that high food inflation,which by now is a global phenomenon, is ex-pected to continue. The world’s population islikely to reach 9.1 billion by 2050. The Foodand Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimatesthat by 2050, global food demand will increaseby 70 per cent to feed this population. This isgoing to put a tremendous pressure on the al-ready scarce land and water resources imply-ing an urgent need for an alternative way tocombat food shortages.

A household is considered food-secure whenits occupants do not live in hunger or fear ofstarvation. Ensuring food security ought tobe an issue of great importance for a countrylike India, where more than one-third of thepopulation is absolutely poor.

The report ‘Global Hunger Index’ (GHI) by theInternational Food Policy Research Institute(IFPRI) is based on three equally weighted in-dicators, namely, undernourishment (propor-tion of undernourished people as percentageof population), child underweight and childmortality. The GHI measures progress andfailures in the fight against hunger. It rankscountries on a 100-point scale with 0 beingthe best score (no hunger) and 100 being theworst, though neither of these extremes isachieved in practice. The higher is the score,the worse the food situation of a country. Val-ues less than 4.9 reflect “low hunger”; valuesbetween 5 and 9.9 reflect “moderate hunger”,

values between 10 and 19.9 indicate a “seri-ous”; values between 20 and 29.9 are “alarm-ing”; and values exceeding 30 are “extremelyalarming” hunger problem. In India, the GHIis 17.8 and is coming under “serious” category.In Odisha, it is 23.8 and coming under alarm-ing category.

Despite progress made, the level of hungerin the world is still “serious,” with 805 mil-lion people continuing to go hungry, accord-ing to estimates by the FAO. One-third of theworld’s hungry people live in India. BecauseIndia is experiencing a shift over time froma largely rural and agrarian population to ur-ban, non-agriculture centres. India has a pop-ulation of 1.2 billion as per the 2011 Censusand is the second most populous country af-ter China. However, it is projected that Indiawill be the world’s most populous country by2025. By 2050, it will have over 1.6 billionpeople. Hence, with limited natural resourcesof water and land area and a vast majority ofpoor, the cities will be unsustainable. Goodpractice of urban agriculture is one of the so-lutions for food security in India.

Family farming is defined as a means of organ-ising agricultural, forestry, fisheries, pastoraland aquaculture production which is man-aged and operated by a family and predomi-nantly reliant on nonwage family labour, bothmen and women. It is one of the most pre-dominant forms of agriculture both in devel-oping and in developed countries. The sec-tor comprises a wide spectrum of farm sizesand types, ranging from very large land hold-ings in high-income economies that are easilycultivated by one or two family members withthe use of labour-saving machinery and hiredlabour to the small holdings of a few hectaresor less in low-income economies.

City planners have a unique opportunity tosupport, facilitate and lead food security initia-tives at a local and community level throughthe decisions about the use of land. For in-stance, much productive agricultural land hasbeen converted to other uses. During the plan-ning stage, planners could be involved in col-lection of data on community food system andassessment on the impact of current planningon the local food system. Integration of agri-culture with urban greening programmes canprovide food to urban residents, reduce ur-



ban pollution and temperatures as well as of-fer recreation opportunities to improve qual-ity of urban life. It demonstrates how urbanagriculture livelihood can be integrated in spa-tial land use planning and improves urbanland governance. Location and peri-urban ty-pology help understand the policy and practi-cal premises that constrain urban agriculturelivelihood integration in urban land use plan-ning processes and land management princi-ples.

Among global agricultural institutions, theUN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)has a longstanding role in the fight againsthunger, malnutrition and poverty. With thesupport of its member-states and in collab-oration with other intergovernmental organi-sations, the FAO has developed its extensivetechnical and policy resources primarily to ad-dress the rural side of agricultural productionwith a focus on farmers, including small farm-ers, in the developing world.

The National Food Security Act, 2013 (alsoRight to Food Act) is an Act of the Parliamentof India which aims to provide subsidised foodgrains to approximately two-thirds of the 1.2-billion people. It was signed into law onSeptember 12, 2013. In India, the livelihoodsecurity of more than 50 per cent of the popu-lation depends on crop and animal husbandry,inland and marine fisheries, forestry and agro-forestry. Under such conditions, agricultureshould be given top priority. The Good Prac-tice of Urban Agriculture has to be linked withfood system planning and land use planningof a city and its surroundings. There is aneed for identification of land for urban de-velopment with agriculture. Agricultural landwithin urban area is to be protected under theTown and Country Planning Act. New town-ships should incorporate urban agriculturelike city farming, horticulture, family farming,etc.; from the very beginning in the planningstage. This will provide food security and ur-ban resilience in a sustainable way. Smallfamily farms are the key to reduce povertyand improve global food security. Much ofthe world’s experience in sustainable farm-ing systems has been gained by family-runfarms. From generation to generation, fam-ily farmers have transmitted knowledge andskills, preserving and improving many prac-tices and technologies that can support agri-

cultural sustainability.

Throughout the country, farmers are using in-novative techniques to produce and distributefood. Family farming is now being done onrooftops, in community gardens and anywherethere is space. Rooftop gardens are used incities to reduce the city’s temperature, partic-ularly the heat island effect, greenhouse gasemissions and can be used for family farming.Backyard gardens and private open space canbe used for food production.

To achieve food security to all, potentialitiesof urban agriculture should be seriously ex-plored. There is a need for greater awarenessabout urban agriculture. Socially-oriented en-terprises can play a significant role to spreadknowledge-intensive techniques in this area.The Government at the same time shouldfacilitate urban agriculture through variousschemes for food security in the city. Eco-nomic policies should be reoriented to provideadequate support for India’s agriculture andits vast rural population. Besides, agriculturecan provide the largest source of employmentto the rural poor. This not only increases theirincomes and food security but also facilitatesreduction of poverty for a sustainable liveli-hood.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/family-farming-needed-to-prevent-hunger-and-poverty.html

2.3.2 Rights of Slum Populations inthe City (2014-10-06 06:02)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/slum-population s-have-a-right-to-be-in-the-city.html

SLUM POPULATIONS HAVE A RIGHT TO BEIN THE CITY


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The United Nations has designated the firstMonday in October as the World Habitat Dayto reflect on the state of human settlementsand the basic right to adequate shelter for all.

This year the day is celebrated on October 6.The day is also intended to remind the worldof its collective responsibility for the future ofhuman habitat. This year’s theme is ‘Voicesfrom Slums’, giving voice to people who havelived or live in slums or other vulnerable urbancontexts. A slum can be defined as a compactsettlement with a collection of poorly built ten-ements, mostly of temporary nature, crowdedtogether usually with inadequate sanitary anddrinking water facilities in unhygienic condi-tions.

The rapid urbanisation in conjunction with in-dustrialisation and lack of infrastructural andemployment opportunities in rural areas haveled to mass rural-urban migration, and thishas resulted in the growth of slums. The pro-liferation of slums occurs due to many fac-tors such as the shortage of developed landfor housing and the high prices of land thatare beyond the reach of urban poor.

About 32 per cent of the world’s urban popu-lation lives in slums and a majority of themin the developing world. According to the2011 Census, 17.4 per cent of urban India’spopulation lives in slums. In the five Statesof Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, MadhyaPradesh, Odisha and West Bengal, more than1 in 5 urban households live in a slum. InOdisha, the percentage of slum population is23.1. Bhubaneswar has a 3.50-lakh popula-tion living in 377 slums. Most of the slumdwellers occupied Government land. The en-croachment of Government land by the slumpeople creates unhygienic conditions, trafficjams, etc. Slum dwellers have not willinglychosen their shanty structures and unhy-gienic environment but have been driven tothis option due to compelling circumstancesas they are unable to enter into the formalhousing sector.

All slums and squatters are made of bamboo,straw, low-quality wood, tin and plastic sheets.The population density in slums and squattersis high. A minimum of four and maximum often people share a room, which is highly con-gested and unhealthy. This poor housing andlifestyle cause a number of problems for the

city environment. They lack safe drinking wa-ter and proper sewerage services. There areno toilets and people defecate in the open. Asa result, both household wastes and humangenerated wastes go directly or indirectly intothe low-lying lands, open spaces or water bod-ies of the city and cause a number of problems.Besides, heaps of garbage are found here andthere.

The city authorities are of the view is thatmost people are illegally living in slums. Be-cause of this, cities do not plan for or manageslums, and the people living in them are over-looked and excluded. They receive none of thebenefits of more affluent citizens, such as ac-cess to municipal water, roads, sanitation andsewage. This attitude to slum dwellers and ap-proaches that disregard them perpetuate thelevels and scale of poverty, which impacts onthe cities as a whole.

The great slums of India are predominantlycreated when large numbers of individuals orfamilies move to the urban centres, usuallyin search of better economic prospects. Thisis because cultivable land in villages is lim-ited and not enough to support the landlesslabourers in the village. Instead of starving invillages, they along with their family move onto cities in search of employment. No wonder,the slums in the capital and metro cities aregetting larger and larger.

The Indian Government has started recognis-ing informal settlements, regularising unau-thorised constructions and changing planningstandards to meet the needs of the poor better.However, the slum problems cannot be solvedby focusing on the cities alone. A comprehen-sive solution is necessary for development ofrural areas with improved infrastructures, ed-ucation and employment opportunities.

Urban human settlements require a more in-clusive approach to planning and land man-agement if they are to sustain all the peoplewho live in them. A basic need for all peopleliving in cities is shelter. The first step then increating sustainable urban settlements is forcities to recognise that people living in slumshave a right to be in the city. This recogni-tion would begin to make slum dwellers le-gitimate citizens, which would start legalisingtheir tenure.

Government makes land available for human



settlements through various land manage-ment tools. Since cities do not formally planthese slums, they have no maps or layoutsshowing streets and sites; so, people living inslums have no officially-recognised street ad-dresses. Therefore, a number of stakeholdersshould be involved in city-wide planning to en-sure a sustainable supply of land for the poorthat can be serviced and developed. Thesestakeholders include different sections of Gov-ernment, the private sector and civil society.The Government sector includes both nationaland local governments as well as city authori-ties.

The UN-Habitat assists citywide slum upgrad-ing programmes and helps strengthen institu-tional building as well as skills development oftechnical cadre from Governments and otherstakeholders involved in developing informalsettlements. In this process, a number of par-ticipatory planning tools have been developed.These include tools for enumeration and map-ping, programme management guidelines andgeneral guides to support implementation ofcomplex slum upgrading programmes.

Besides, there is a strong correlation betweenimproved housing and poverty reduction. InIndia, this has been introduced through theJawaharlal Nehru National Urban RenewalMission (JNNURM) reforms, which states that20-25 % lands would be reserved for low in-come and economically weaker section hous-ing (EWS) in the new developments. Under theJNNURM, 65 Indian cities had an opportunityto bridge this infrastructure gap and also toresolve some of the housing problems for theurban poor through the BSUP (Basic Servicesfor the Urban Poor) component of the Cen-tral Government-funded mission. The Govern-ment also created another scheme, Rajiv AwasYojana (RAY). Under the RAY guidelines, allthe urban local bodies are expected to mapand take a census of all the slums and cre-ate strategies to improve existing condition ofslums. Besides, the National Urban Housingand Habitat Policy, 2007 has been enacted,which states that the endeavour would be tocarry out in-situ upgradation of dwelling unitsfor 95 per cent of the slum households.

Cities without slums should be the objectiveof all urban planning for social and economicdevelopment. There is a need to reserve lands

in every urban development project to be setapart for undertaking EWS and LIG housing.This would enable continuous supply of ser-viced land for housing of the slum dwellers.Cities should draw up long-term local strate-gies for improving the living condition of slumdwellers. These should include access to af-fordable land, employment opportunities andbasic infrastructures and social services. Lo-cal governments should develop strategies toprevent formation of new slums.

The best way to deal with the problem of slumswould be to stop migration of landless labour-ers from rural to urban areas by providing em-ployment avenues in villages. Different labour-intensive industries can be promoted in vil-lages. Small-scale industries with loan fa-cilities can be established for educated ruralyouth. This would reduce migration and therewould be no reason for slums to come up. Be-sides, a detailed survey of slum populationshould be carried out. The outcome of the sur-vey should be integrated with the present landuse plan especially in housing category. Thiswould help provide authorised dwelling unitsto all slum population to make the city slum-free.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/slum-populations-have-a-right-to-be-in-the-city.html

2.3.3 Gandhian concept of Rural-Urban Interdependence(2014-10-03 09:55)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/gandhian-concept-of-rural-urban-interdependence-yet-to-materialize.html

GANDHIAN CONCEPT OF RURAL-URBAN IN-TERDEPENDENCE YET TO MATERIALIZE


http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/slum-populations-have-a-right-to-be-in-the-city.html




Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated on October 2 toobserve the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, theFather of the Nation. The United Nations Gen-eral Assembly also declared the day as the In-ternational Day of Nonviolence.

Gandhi had a very clear perception of Indianvillages. He started from analysing the causesof poverty owing to the British Rule. In hiswords, “India lives in her seven and a halflakhs of villages”. He believed India wouldhave to live in villages, not in towns; in hutsnot in palaces. He observed, “If village per-ishes, India will perish too.” He was of the viewthat the country’s progress lies in developmentof its villages and growth of rural economy, in-dustry and rural skills.

Gandhi aimed at attainment of Village Swaraj.In 1942, he said, “My idea of Village Swarajis that it is a complete republic, independentof its neighbours for its own vital wants andget interdependent for many others in whichdependence is a necessity. Every village’s firstconcern will be to grow its own food crop andcotton for its cloth. My ideal village will con-tain intelligent human beings. They will notlive in dirt and darkness as animals.”

The decentralised economic units would thusfacilitate the best possible use of local rawmaterials, talents and manpower; promoteoccupational equilibrium, ecological balanceand cooperative living. In the field of agri-culture, Gandhiji recommended cooperativefarming which would save labour, capital,tools and provide employment to all adult vil-lagers. Gandhian economics places impor-tance to means of achieving the aim of devel-opment and this means must be nonviolent,ethical and truthful in all economic spheres.So, he dvocated trusteeship, decentralisationof economic activities, labour-intensive tech-nology and priority to weaker sections.

However, in today’s context, the process oftransformation in Indian villages has led to mi-gration. Villages get integrated into urban ar-eas. There are several reasons why villageshave been changing. Of the 121 crore Indians,83.3 crore live in rural areas while 37.7 crorestay in urban areas, as per the 2011 Census.The absolute increase in population is morein urban areas than in rural areas. The levelof urbanisation increased from 27.81 per centin the 2001 Census to 31.16 per cent in the

2011 Census, while the rural population de-clined from 72.19 per cent to 68.84 per cent.Of the total population of Odisha, 83.32 percent live in rural areas and 16.68 per cent inurban areas.

Rural development has assumed global atten-tion. It has great significance for a country likeIndia where 69 per cent of the people live inrural areas. In India, agriculture contributesnearly one-fifth of the gross domestic prod-uct. Agriculture, handicrafts, fisheries, poul-try and dairy are the primary contributors tothe rural economy.

There exists an economic, social and environ-mental interdependence between urban andrural areas. Rural-urban linkage generallyrefers to the growing flow of public and pri-vate capital, people (migration and commut-ing) and goods (trade) between the urban andrural areas. Adequate infrastructure such astransportation, communication, energy andbasic services is the backbone of the rural-urban development linkage approach.

A majority of the Indian villages still faceconstraints such as access to education,healthcare, drinking water, power, roads, etc.Against this background, adoption of espe-cially villages in backward regions throughpreparation of Village Development Plans(VDPs) would go a long way in ensuring holis-tic and integrated development of the villagesconcerned. The objective of VDPs is to developthe selected village in an integrated manner.This would include economic development andother aspects of human development.

The 73rd and 74th amendments to the Consti-tution initiated the processes for introducinginstitutional arrangements for integrated de-velopment of settlements, areas and regions.So, these amendments provide for two types ofcommittees, District Planning Committee andMetropolitan Planning Committee. These com-mittees would ensure that the plans preparedby local bodies at the village and town levelsare integrated and accommodated within theframework of 20 to 25-year perspective plansand 5-year economic development plans pre-pared at the national and State levels.

The Institute of Town Planners, India in theyear 1995 conducted a study to detail urbandevelopment plans formulation and implemen-tation (UDPFI) guidelines. The purpose was


BlogBook 2.4. SEPTEMBER

to arrive at a methodology of plan preparationthat would not only help prepare better masterplans but also help achieve integrated develop-ment of rural and urban areas. Urban and Re-gional Planners being spatially trained to lookinto the multi-sector dimensions of develop-ment in an area would be preparing a spatialplan and would be achieving the objective ofrural-urban integration.

Rural communities are responsible for thestewardship of ecosystem services essential tohuman survival, such as clean air and water,flood and drought mitigation, pollution miti-gation, biodiversity, and climate stabilisation.Metropolitan congestion is given some relief bysmaller towns and cities that offer affordabil-ity, space and safety. Metropolitan areas pro-vide the concentrated markets for rural goodsand services. They are also the location of awide variety of specialised services like health-care, cultural activities and legal and financialservices.

One noticeable issue today is the rate at whichpeople migrate from rural to urban areas. Thishas negative consequences. It leads to over-population of urban areas and encouragingcrimes and slows down the rate of rural de-velopment. So, each State the Governmentshould strive to provide social amenities andjobs for rural citizens. Agro-allied industriesmust be set up in rural areas to provide jobs.Agricultural inputs and technologies shouldbe introduced to rural people to improve theproduction level.

Gandhiji’s vision to make Indian villages pros-perous is possible through rural-urban inter-dependence. Gandhiji had an elaborate planfor labour-intensive production which wouldgenerate more employment opportunities andsuit to the rural community. Regional devel-opment planning creates a better urban-ruralbalance and reduces migration pressure on ur-ban areas. It is important for planners and pol-icymakers to develop strategies based on therealities of people’s lives in both urban and ru-ral areas. This would reflect Gandhiji’s visionof an ideal region that would be eco-friendlyand sustainable for future generation.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/gandhian-concept-of-rural-urban-interdependence-yet-to-materialize.html

2.4 September

2.4.1 Odisha Nature Tourism(2014-09-29 16:22)

[1]https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID-=7459242837272653609#editor/target=post;postID=12146033870279-03060

LOCAL COMMUNITIES YET TO BENEFITMUCH FROM ODISHA NATURE TOURISM

The World Tourism Day (WTD), celebrated onSeptember 27, highlights tourism’s social, cul-tural, political and economic value. WTD 2014has the theme ‘Tourism and Community De-velopment’ focusing on the ability of tourism toempower people and provide them with skillsto achieve changes in their local communities.

Tourism is the largest industry in the world ac-cording to figures on employment and expendi-tures. Over 800 million people travel interna-tionally each year, and many more travellingwithin their countries.

Travel and Tourism in India is an integralpart of Indian tradition and culture. India isranked 68th among the world’s 139 most at-tractive destinations and scores very high on


http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/gandhian-concept-of-rural-urban-interdependence-yet-to-materialize.html



2.4. SEPTEMBER BlogBook

natural resources (ranked 8th) and cultural re-sources (24th); with 30 world heritage sites.

Tourism that features ‘nature’ is gener-ally termed environmental or ‘nature-basedtourism’, a broad term that includes a rangeof tourism experiences including adventuretourism, ecotourism and aspects of culturaland rural tourism. Nature-based tourism isdistinguished from other tourism forms by itsnatural area setting. More and more peo-ple are living an urban life and the amenitiesand conveniences that come with globalisationincreasingly lead to a near complete discon-nect from nature. For many people, gettingback in touch with nature tourism provides adifferent experience to enjoy natural heritage.Natural heritages include all natural featureslike mountains, valleys, forests, deserts, waterbodies, landscapes, flora and fauna.

Odisha is an ideal place for nature tourism asnature has given it everything like beautifulbeaches, rivers, water streams, falls and widevarieties of flora and fauna. The widespreadsea beaches at Puri, Gopalpur and Chan-drabhaga and the charming Chilika lake havea special attraction. Odisha is rich withsacred rivers like the Mahanadi, Brahmani,Baitarani, Subarnarekha and Rushikulya.Mountains like Deomali and Gandhamardanare well-known. There are a number of beau-tiful waterfalls, Bada-Ghagara, Sana-Ghagaraand Khandadhar in Keonjhar district, Koi-lighugar in Jharsuguda, Barehipani in theSimilipal National Park. The natural hotsprings are Atri (Khordha), Taptapani (Gan-jam) and Deuljhari (Angul). To maintain theeco-balance and protect the flora and fauna,national parks are earmarked at Similipal andBhitarakanika of Odisha. Besides, the Statehas a number of wildlife sanctuaries.

Tourism in Odisha has developed considerablyin recent years due to various attractions rang-ing from natural scenery, wildlife reserves andbeaches to temples and monuments and thearts and festivals. Nature tourism providesa high scope for rural tourism and a degreeof alternate employment to the local commu-nity and generates environmental awarenessamong local residents as well as visitors. Na-ture tourism is responsible travel to naturalareas which conserves the environment andimproves the welfare of local people. Exam-

ples include bird-watching, photography, vis-iting natural areas, etc.

Social, economic and cultural sustainabilitydepend on the impacts of nature tourism on lo-cal residents and communities and also the ex-periences of visitors. Nature tourism has thepotential to improve both economic and spiri-tual wellbeing.

The United Nations World Tourism Organi-sation (UNWTO) report on the implementa-tion of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourismnotes that tourism policies should be appliedin such a way as to raise the standard ofliving of the populations of the regions vis-ited which is particularly important for the de-prived or remote communities in their fightagainst poverty. The UNWTO has vast experi-ence in providing technical assistance to coun-tries and destinations in their efforts to de-velop tourism as an engine to foster socioe-conomic development, especially for disadvan-taged groups. The UNWTO launched the ST-EP Programme (Sustainable Tourism for theElimination of Poverty) at the JohannesburgWorld Summit on Sustainable Developmentin 2002. Its aim is to reduce poverty lev-els through promoting sustainable forms oftourism.

Community involvement in decision-makingand residents’ receipt of benefits from tourismis expected to play a vital role in sustainabletourism as well as preservation and conserva-tion of biodiversity. The development of infras-tructure in areas having potential for naturetourism is highly needed. The intention is tobenefit the local community economically andsocially.

However, the local communities are not ben-efited much from nature tourism projects inOdisha. The level of participation of com-munity residents in nature tourism is verylow. In many cases, the residents are ne-glected while preparing action plan and eval-uation and monitoring process of projects.Community-based nature tourism can providea more sustainable nature tourism develop-ment. There is a need to study how com-munities can benefit from nature tourism ina sustainable way. It can be done by ex-tending need-based tourism education andshort and long-term tourism manpower devel-opment strategies.



The Odisha Tourism Policy has been formu-lated as a promoter and catalyst to create anenvironment for planned and sustained de-velopment of tourism. It also welcomes andencourages non-government sectors to par-ticipate in development of tourism. Besidesgovernment effort, private-sector participa-tion, administrative improvement, travel andtourism research, adoption of integrated andcoordinated tourism development plan can bedeveloped for sustainable nature tourism inOdisha.

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2.4.2 Ozone Layer Protection(2014-09-16 09:44)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/ozone-layer-pro tection-must-for-sustaining-mother-earth.html

OZONE LAYER PROTECTIONMUST FOR SUS-TAINING MOTHER EARTH

The ozone layer in the upper atmosphere pro-tects humans and other organisms against ul-traviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. About90 per cent of all ozone molecules are foundin the stratosphere, a region that begins about10-16 km above the Earth’s surface and ex-tends up to about 50 km. Most of this ozoneis found in the lower stratosphere, commonlyknown as the “ozone layer.” The remaining 10per cent of ozone is in the troposphere, the low-est region of the atmosphere.

In the 1970s scientists discovered that certainman-made chemicals deplete the ozone layer,leading to an increased level of UV radiationreaching the Earth. Excessive heat from thesun due to this ozone hole is a major contrib-utor to the high temperature regimes, and theresult is global warning.

The United Nations’ (UN) International Dayfor the Preservation of the Ozone Layer is cel-ebrated on September 16. The event com-memorates the date of the signing of the Mon-treal Protocol on Substances that Deplete theOzone Layer in 1987. The 2014 theme of theday is Ozone Layer Protection: The MissionGoes on.

Molecules of ozone formed a thin layer inthe Earth’s outer atmosphere hundreds ofmillions of years ago. Ozone depletion sub-stances are chemical compounds that degradethe ozone layer. Since the ozone layer filtersthe most harmful ultraviolet radiation fromthe sun before it reaches the land, it is essen-tial to avoid the use of ozone depletion sub-stances in building projects. In the past, theseozone depleting substances like CFCs, HCFCswere used in air-conditioning system as refrig-erant. Ozone depletion also occurred due tocertain industrially produced chemicals con-taining chlorine or bromine and damaging theEarth’s protective ozone layer.

Ozone is also produced in the lower atmo-sphere (troposphere) by the chemical reac-tions between pollutants like nitrogen oxidesand hydrocarbons and UV radiation. Thisground-level ozone is a significant componentof photochemical smog found in many pol-luted areas and has adverse effects on hu-man health and environment. For example,increased UV radiation reduces the levels ofplankton in the oceans and subsequently di-minishes fish stocks. It can also have adverseeffects on plant growth, reducing agriculturalproductivity. Besides, heating, ventilationand air conditioning (HVAC) systems can re-lease compounds into the atmosphere result-ing in depletion of the protective ozone layer.With its successful implementation, the Mon-treal Protocol has been gradually strength-ened to cover the phase-out of nearly 100ozone-depleting substances.

In India, almost 70 per cent of the workforce isdependent on agriculture. The climate changerepresents an additional stress on ecologicaland socioeconomic systems that are alreadyfacing tremendous pressures due to rapid ur-banisation and industrialisation.

A variety of policies and measures have beenimplemented in reducing the use or emissionsof ODSs. India, a party to the Vienna Conven-


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tion for the Protection of the Ozone Layer andthe Montreal Protocol on Substances that De-plete the Ozone Layer, is one of the countriesthat have felt the benefit of this work. India’sCentral Pollution Control Board (CPCB) hasbeen executing a nation-wide initiative, theNational Air Quality Monitoring Programme(NAMP). The annual average concentrations ofsulfur oxide levels today are within the pre-scribed National Ambient Air Quality Stan-dards (NAAQS) in almost all domestic territo-ries.

Most global and regional environmental prob-lems originate in cities, which import increas-ing amounts of natural resources and exportvast quantities of emissions and waste. Themain human sources of GHGs contributing toglobal warming are the dramatic rise in energyuse, land-use changes and emissions from in-dustrial activities. There is a need to studythe nature of these changes and their ramifi-cations for sustainable human settlement.

Reducing the contribution of cities to climatechange, or mitigation, requires an adequateunderstanding of the drivers of urban GHGemissions, while effective adaptation must bebased on a good understanding of what makescities vulnerable or resilient to climate changeimpacts. If properly designed, constructedand operated, a sustainable city and sustain-able building will require less money and fewerresources to operate and will be healthier forits occupants. Buildings are “sustainable”when they are designed, built and operatedwith low environmental, social, and economicimpacts. Planning looks at the needs of peopleand the environment while respecting limits todevelopment. Urban planning must recogniseregional limits to development to maintain nat-ural habitats and biodiversity.

Use of green areas is a major planning tech-nique by which town planners can preventor reduce adverse effects of climate. There-fore, many cities in the developed world areplanning to transform themselves into greenmetropolises. The Government of India hasprepared a National Action Plan for ClimateChange. To address issues relating to miti-gation and adaptation in human settlements,a National Mission on Sustainable Habitathas been initiated. It aims to make citiessustainable through improvements in energy

efficiency in buildings, management of solidwaste and shift to public transport. The Na-tional Mission on Sustainable Habitat wouldbroadly cover the following aspects: Exten-sion of the energy conservation building codewhich addresses the design of new and largecommercial buildings to optimise their energydemand; Better urban planning and modalshift to public transport - make long-termtransport plans to facilitate growth of mediumand small cities in such a way that ensuresefficient and convenient public transport; Re-cycling of material and urban waste manage-ment - a special area of focus would be de-velopment of technology for producing powerform wastes. The mission would also facili-tate adaptation to vulnerabilities arising out ofclimate change like adverse impacts on waterresources, increased frequencies of extremeweather like droughts, floods, cyclones, stormwater surge, rise in sea levels and heat waves.

Besides, there is a number of practical mea-sures which can be taken at individual levelto protect nature Earth. To protect the ozonelayer, we must prevent the release of ozone-depleting substances to the atmosphere andselect materials with zero ozone depletion po-tential (ZODP). Whenever possible, we mustalso replace them with safer alternatives. Thissignificant progress is a useful indicator to pro-tect ozone depletion and boost sustainable de-velopment, which would be beneficial for fu-ture of planet Earth and mankind.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/ozone-layer-protection-must-for-sustaining-mother-earth.html

2.4.3 Urban Flooding in capital cityBhubaneswar (2014-09-06 06:23)


http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/ozone-layer-protection-must-for-sustaining-mother-earth.html




[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/drain-encroachm ent-main-cause-of-flooding-in-capital-city.html

DRAIN ENCROACHMENT MAIN CAUSE OFFLOODING IN CAPITAL CITY

Drainage master plan brooks no delay

A number of major cities and towns in Indiareported a series of devastating urban floodsin the recent decade. Major cities like Delhi,Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai suffered flood-ing. Urban floods happen when a large volumeof rain falls within a short time. Uneven distri-bution of rainfall, encroachment or blockage ofnatural drainage channels and lakes for con-verting them to high-value urban land are themain causes of flooding.

Urban flooding is significantly different fromflooding in rural areas as urbanisation resultsin impermeable catchments causing floodpeaks by up to three to four times. Many waterbodies in urban areas have disappeared due tohuman-induced succession filled with wastesand development or slum encroachments. Un-planned urbanisation is the key cause of flood-ing. Urbanisation leads to paving of surfaceswhich decreases ground absorption and in-creases the speed and amount of surface flow.

The water rushes down suddenly into thestreams from their catchment areas leading tofloods. Various kinds of depression and low-lying areas near or around cities which actas cushions and flood absorbers are graduallyfilled up. This results in inadequate channelcapacity. During heavy rains, the silted drainscan’t carry full discharge.

A number of drainage systems in many urbanareas of Odisha have collapsed resulting inflooding. This can be seen during rainy sea-sons in major cities like Puri, Bhubaneswarand Cuttack. In Bhubaneswar, dwellings inand around Ekamara Kanan, Jayadev Vihar,Gajapati Nagar, Sainik School, Vani Vihar,west of Mancheshwar, Acharya Vihar, IskconTemple, Aiginia, Jagamara and Pokhariputare the areas through which the naturaldrains pass.

But due to upcoming structures in these ar-eas, the floodwater cannot drain properly andcreates waterlogging. The general topographyof the Bhubaneswar municipal area has a gen-tle slope from west to east. The level differ-

ence is about 80 metres between the west end(Kalinga Nagar near Chandaka Road) and theeast end (near Jharpada and Badagada).

Thus, the overall topography slopes from west-ern highlands to eastern plains, rendering anatural advantage of drainage. There are 10major natural drains running west to east.Some of these finally join the Gangua Nallah.Bhubaneswar’s storm water flows into these10 drain channels. But the entire city has notbeen covered with storm water drains.

This apart, encroachment of natural drains byconstruction and dumping of waste materialsmake the storm water drains inefficient, re-sulting in blockage and chocking. The city’sdrain No1 opens to river Kuakhai and theother nine drain channels (No2 toNo10) flowinto the Gangua Nallah.

The starting point and outfall of thedrains are as follows: Drain No1 (Patia-Chandrasekharpur to Daya West CanalCrossing to river Kuakhai); Drain No2 SainikSchool Road Culvert to Railway Bridges(confluence with Drain No3) to Gangua Nal-lah; Drain No3 (OAP area)- field near SainikSchool to Railway Bridges (confluence withDrain No2) to Gangua Nallah; Drain No4(Vani Vihar)-Reserve Forest, Bharatpur toDaya West Canal Crossing to Gangua Nal-lah; Drain No5 (Laxmisagar)-Janpath Roadto Gangua Nallah; Drain No6 (Baragada)-Railway Bridges to Gangua Nallah; Drain No7(Kedargauri)-Airport Road to Gangua Nallah;Drain No8 (Airport)-Joklandi Road to conflu-ence with Drain No8 to Gangua Nallah; DrainNo9 (Ghatikia)-Culvert on NH-5 to PokhariputRailway Bridge to Gangua Nallah; and DrainNo10 (Nicco Park)-Lake near CRP Colony toGangua Nallah.

The BMC maintains the ‘minor drains’,which comprise secondary and tertiary drains.These drains essentially convey storm waterrunoff from the road surface, household roofdrains and form the catchment area in un-developed or partially developed portions ofthe city to the major drains. Although 10natural drains are flowing through the city,it is fou nd that because of encroachmentmany drains are not getting adequate spaceto discharge storm water. The drains are alsochoked owing to siltation. Buildings are oftenconstructed without flood inundation in mind.


2.5. AUGUST BlogBook

A large number of multistoried apartmentshave been constructed without consideringthe drainage pattern of the area. Also, in manyareas, the widths the nullahs have been re-duced. Another reason is that the entire cityhas not been covered with surface water drain.With the rising population, new residential ar-eas are bound to come up, but first priorityshould be given to water discharge system. Anintegrated approach needs to combine water-shed and land-use management with develop-ment planning, engineering measures and pre-paredness for flooding.

Apart from this, preventive measures like im-provement of drainage efficiency and adoptingrainwater harvesting system are some of thepreventive measures to curb flooding. Naturalstreams and watercourses have formed overthousands of years due to the forces of flow-ing water in the respective watersheds.

Ideally, the natural drains should have beenwidened (similar to road widening for in-creased traffic) to accommodate the higherflows of storm water. But on the contrary,there have been large-scale encroachments onthe natural drains. Management of urbanflooding is an emerging subject, and as such,it has to be treated holistically in a multidis-ciplinary manner. In many cities, rainwatercauses flooding on the road despite the exis-tence of the underground drainage system.

It is seen that the inlets to drain water fromthe roads into the roadside drains are eithernot properly aligned or nonexistent leading tosevere waterlogging on roads. Provision of asimple connecting element, namely, drainageinlet through which the water can flow fromroadside drain into the underground drain cansignificantly reduce waterlogging on the roads.

Rainwater harvesting is a form of source con-trol in which water can be converted into aresource. Due to urbanisation, groundwaterrecharge has decreased and the peak runoffsfrom rainfall and consequent flooding have in-creased. So, rainwater harvesting should becarried out extensively. This would serve thetwin purposes of lowering the peak runoff andraising the groundwater table.

Urban water bodies also play a very importantrole in the management of urban flooding byreducing the storm water run-off by capturingit. In the past there have been many water

bodies in Bhubaneswar, but over the yearstheir number has been dwindling. All waterbodies in the city should be protected.

Besides, a master plan for drainage is highlyneeded for Bhubaneswar. The natural widthsof all major drainage channels in the cityshould be protected, and there should not beany encroachment at least 4 to 5 metre oneither side of the channel. The exact bedwidth, land width and the land requirementfor drainage channel can be calculated afterpreparation of a drainage master plan of thevarious zones of the city. This would lead toa sustainable urban drainage system and re-duce flooding in the city.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/drain-encroachment-main-cause-of-flooding-in-capital-city.html

2.5 August

2.5.1 Architectural Photography ofMonuments (2014-08-19 09:41)

[1]HTTP://WWW.DAILYPIONEER.COM/STATE-EDITIONS/BHUBANESWAR/ARCHITECTURAL-P HOTOGRAPHY-OF-PAST-MONUMENTS-OF-VITAL-IMPORTANCE.HTML

ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHY OF PASTMONUMENTS OF VITAL IMPORTANCE

The World Photography Day is all about cele-brating photography. It marks the 175th an-niversary of the first permanent photographicprocess patented and freely released to theworld on August 19, 1839. The day is cel-ebrated on August 19 because that was theday the French Government allowed the da-guerreotype process to be known to the world.


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The process had been invented by JosephNicephore Niepce and Louis Daguerre whichwas verified and approved by the FrenchAcademy of Sciences, which dubbed the abil-ity to capture an image using a camera ontoa light sensitive silver iodide plate as the Da-guerreotype Process.

The day is dedicated to honour the artists whoare in pursuit of immortalising those preciousmoments that seem to pass us by in a minute.This year, the day is encouraging businesses,organisations and social groups to influencethe power of photography by engaging theircommunities as part of a global photographycelebration.

Photography itself can have a powerful effecton architecture, not only as a means of recordbut through its communicative power that canbe an aesthetic force for change or influence.From the very earliest days of its invention, thephotographic medium has a particular reso-nance with architectural subject matters. Therelationship was to some extent born of neces-sity, buildings being one of the few subjectsthat would withstand long exposures, but theaffinity goes much deeper. Photography isalso fundamental in shaping our understand-ing of the contemporary architectural designpractices.

The meaning of architecture is to be found inthe expressive detailing of a structure, and iscommunicated to the viewer. Photographs ex-tend the range of human vision and commu-nicate aesthetic and symbolic qualities in ar-chitecture. Architecture is one of the mostappreciated art forms that date back to thetime before the pyramids were erected. Ittook many forms; even the simplest geometri-cal lines were considered architecture. As theyears went on, more complex creations wereintroduced to the world. Today, each work ofarchitecture depicts more than just a design;each work carries an identity, distinct charac-teristics and meaning.

Architectural photography is commonly de-scribed as the form of photography that usesbuildings and other structures as subjects. Ithas many classifications, but the two mostcommon and simplest types are Interior andExterior Architectural Photography. Differenttypes of photographs are captured in such amanner that define space and allow commu-

nication through aesthetic ideals that take onsocial, philosophical or religious meaning.

Architecture and photography concretise mo-ments of beauty and provide visual expres-sions for existing and new ideas. An exte-rior architectural photographer prefers sceneswith good landscaping around a building. Themain aim of an exterior architectural photogra-pher is to invite interest and curiosity amongviewers. In this architectural photography,the most important element is space. This iswhy those taking interior and exterior shotsof buildings and monuments use wide-anglelens. They’ll be better able to capture thecomplete picture, including the aesthetic ele-ments. This greatly helps in establishing thefocus and highlighting the character of a spaceor structure. An architectural photographer’stechniques also help produce photos that addmore dimension, life and meaning into an ar-chitectural creation. For instance, while manypeople can recall what the Taj Mahal, LotusTemple, Kutab Minar, Gol Gumbaz, etc., lookalike, most have never been to these places.A series of photographic depictions of sucharchitecture construct a physical and spatialmental image of space.

Photography provides a powerful way for archi-tecture to be appreciated from a distance. Be-sides, architectural photographs enliven thememories of contemporary past. Many of thephotographs from Odisha are available withthe Archaeological Survey of India. Thesewere captured by different tourists in the past.However, the structures are destroyed withthe passage of time.

In the 1850s, Edouard-Denis Baldus, Hip-polyte Bayard, Henri Le Secq, and Gustave LeGray were commissioned by the French Gov-ernment to photograph historic buildings be-fore they were destroyed during Haussmann’srenovations of Paris. There have been count-less others who have contributed to this docu-mentation of our environment, both built andnatural.

Odisha is quite rich in its heritage andhouses many remarkable monuments of an-cient times. Some exist in ruins and manyare totally destroyed. The photograph of thisarticle is the representation of a massive two-storied gateway in Bhubaneswar. This isfrom the Archaeological Survey of India Col-



lections taken by William Henry Cornish in1892. Bhubaneswar has many Hindu tem-ples built between the Seventh and the Thir-teenth Centuries in the Odishan variant of theNagara or Northern Indian style of architec-ture. These temples normally comprise a sanc-tuary covered by a tall curvilinear tower di-vided into horizontal bands and capped by anAmalaka and a pot finial. The square Mandapor hall has a pyramidal roof. Most temples ofBhubaneswar are grouped around the BinduSagar, the tank in the middle of the ancienttown. This view shows a ruined unidentifiedgateway. This photograph is also available inthe British Library. Such photographs havebeen shared by all. However when photogra-phy didn’t exist, those precious monumentscouldn’t be captured.

This clearly indicates that historical researchand analysis is supported by photographicrecords. Analytical studies are necessary toascertain all the features of the edifice, includ-ing those which were not executed and thoseleft unfinished and those were destroyed. Geo-metric diagrams indicating modules or propor-tional systems and indications of design tech-niques are also of the greatest interest. Olddrawings and photographs may give a lot ofinformation about the past art forms.

Irregularities of shape and outline and dam-aged parts can be seen more clearly on pho-tographs than by any other means, hence vi-tal for the purpose of documentation. Pho-tographs also have many uses for publicitypurposes in raising funds for preservation ofcultural property. Many historic monumentshave been destroyed in warfare or by earth-quake or other disasters. As an insuranceagainst such events, full photographic recordsare advisable.

Photographs can revive the contemporary artand architecture of different monuments andstructures which do not exist now. Their docu-mentation will help study and research moreon the contemporary art and architecture ofour State.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/architectural-photography-of-past-monuments-of-vital-importance.html

2.5.2 Vernacular Architectureand Indigenous Technology(2014-08-11 09:55)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/revive-vernacul ar-architec-ture-and-indigenous-technology.html

REVIVE VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE ANDINDIGENOUS TECHNOLOGY

The International Day of the World’s Indige-nous People is celebrated on August 9 and peo-ple from different nations are encouraged toobserve it to spread the United Nations’ mes-sage on indigenous peoples. The UN 2007 Dec-laration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoplerecognised that “respect for indigenous knowl-edge, cultures and traditional practices trib-utes to sustainable and equitable developmentand proper management of the environment.”

The phrase indigenous knowledge has differ-ent connotations such as traditional knowl-edge, local knowledge, rural people’s knowl-edge. Indigenous knowledge is the traditionalknowledge of the local community existingwithin and developed around the specific con-ditions of women and men indigenous to aparticular geographical area. Indigenous peo-ple are the holders of unique languages, tradi-tional knowledge systems and vernacular con-struction technologies for sustainable man-agement of natural resources.

However, in the modern world, vernaculararchitecture and indigenous technology arefast disappearing or are subject to accelerat-ing social change. Indigenous buildings, re-


http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/architectural-photography-of-past-monuments-of-vital-importance.html




peated over generations, become time-testedresponses to local climatic conditions.

From igloos to bamboo houses, from thatchedroofs to terraced roof, people create shelterand comfort in unique structures in responseto their locations on the globe. A lack of un-derstanding of materials and their usage hasled to a slow decay of vernacular architecture.

India has a long history and enriched cul-ture. There is abundant reservoir of indige-nous knowledge in every part of the country.The vernacular building technologies in Indiaare being passed down from generations togenerations and they take into account the lo-cal climate, available materials and the strongcultural ethos.

This was the result of repeated cycles of trialand error and the experience of generationsof builders, which satisfies the occupants’ de-mands for thermal comfort and durability. Dif-ferent regions of India have different types ofindigenous building technology.

Odisha is the land of enriched cultural her-itage and traditions. It has a vast reser-voir of vernacular architecture and indigenousknowledge existing in rural society. Vernacu-lar architecture can be defined as architectureborn out of local building materials and tech-nologies, which are climate-responsive and areflection of the customs and lifestyles of aparticular community. Contemporary archi-tecture can also be vernacular if it is gener-ated from an understanding of local materialsand indigenous methods of building construc-tions.

The vernacular forms for building are thosethat have existed in the region in their prim-itive forms, as a sloping roof surface to bearrainfall, a circular house form to combat cy-clonic winds, a mud roof that keeps out theheat of the sun, or an internal courtyard thatmakes the shaded open space.

In Odisha, vernacular architecture still existsand people are still using vernacular architec-ture with some indigenous technologies.

The main factor influencing development ofvernacular architecture is related to the avail-ability of local building materials. The typ-ical Odia house in a village has stone walland gable roof on a wood or bamboo framethatched with straw. In the simple village

houses, there are some very sophisticated de-sign systems like sloped thatch roof with Attu(mud ceiling with bamboo/timber rafter), KadiBaraga roof, etc.

The Kadi (timber beam) and Baraga (timberrafter) applied for flat roof construction. Dueto porosity of the Attu built on bamboo orwooden frames; hot air goes out, keeping thebuilding cool in summer and also acts as fireprotection. Mud, on account of its easy avail-ability, good insulation and good binding prop-erties has been extensively used.

This Attu, whose peculiar form is characteris-tic to this particular area, proves to be a dis-tinct identity of the area. In Kadi Baraga roof,the structural arrangement includes Kadi andBaraga without any reinforcement applied forflat roof construction. Such buildings pre-vented loss of life during the Super Cyclonethat hit the Odisha coast in October 1999.

The designing space has been improved overtime as per the need from single unit to doubleunit and multiple units separated by enclosedcourtyard. The orientations of the buildingsweremostly chosen on the basis of topography,solar movement and wind direction. Designfeatures have been mostly influenced by thelocal skill and craftsmanship.

A typical vernacular house consists of a com-mon verandah, a small room for cattle, en-trance room and other rooms arranged aroundthe courtyard. In most of the day and nighttime, people use this courtyard for differentworks, mostly for social interaction.

It does not include toilet which is located atthe back side of the house. In the row hous-ing, there is a long verandah connecting allthe dwellings which permits social gatheringas well as the storage of paddy. There are vastopen spaces in the front and backside of thebuilding.

The front side is used as gardens and the backside as both gardens and drying yard. The ex-ternal garden is used as a comfortable outdoorspace. The trees provide shade and the lowershrubs channel cool breeze for natural venti-lation.

Globalisation causes people to change the ver-nacular pattern of living. The vernacular pat-tern of living has been changed. Similarly,


2.6. JULY BlogBook

the housing patterns in rural areas of Odishacause people to change their living patterns.

New buildings are constructed and olderbuildings are replaced or modified. Thelessons of vernacular architecture regardingclimate control have also been generally ig-nored. Dwellings constructed as a large en-closed glazed space with no provision for ven-tilation and protection from the sun. Forthat, people are increasingly dependent uponair-conditioning to maintain comfort levels insummer. This is the main cause of climatechange gases and global warming.

However, vernacular buildings retain some in-digenous construction techniques for thermalcomfort. With the passage of time such build-ings are vanishing due to change in func-tional requirements. New building materialsand new construction techniques have beenadopted.

Changes have been made by introduction ofalternative building materials. Many new con-structions do not integrate to the local envi-ronment and social context which otherwisecause serious damage to the environment.The cost of maintenance and acute shortage ofskilled craftsmen are also responsible for lossof rich architectural heritage of the region.

The vernacular buildings are climate-responsive and a better option for ruralpeople of Odisha. Similarly tribal houses inOdisha are built in a row leaving a street inbetween with locally available materials. Thewalls are made of wooden poles stuck close toone another and plastered with earth.

The changes of architecture in urban areas arehappening faster than in rural areas of Odisha.These changes of architecture in the urbancontext fail to fulfil some of the sustainabilitycriteria such as economic, social and environ-mental aspects while the vernacular architec-ture showed its sustainability.

To find out a solution for overcoming this ad-verse situation for the built environment, aproper study of vernacular architecture andindigenous technology is needed.

There is considerable recent interest in re-search and development related to indigenousconstruction technologies found in differentparts of the country.

Most research activities are, however, limitedto documentation. Only very limited researcheffort focuses on developing quantitative un-derstanding of behaviour of these structuresso that the technologies can be further im-proved and analytical methods for their usedeveloped.

Many vernacular technologies are energy-efficient although some of them are currentlyno longer properly functioning because ofchanged cultural and traditional practices.

In this regard, the key challenge is to learn fun-damental lessons and principles of vernaculararchitecture and find ways of integrating thoseprinciples into development programmes toplan new settlements or to upgrade the exist-ing ones.

Studying indigenous technologies to under-stand the sustainable strategies used in ver-nacular architecture may contribute to thefield of sustainable development.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/revive-vernacular-architecture-and-indigenous-technology.html

2.6 July

2.6.1 Growing Population and Sustain-able Housing (2014-07-11 09:44)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/rising-populati on-needs-sustainable-housing.html

RISING POPULATION NEEDS SUSTAINABLEHOUSING

The World Population Day is an annual eventobserved on July 11 every year seeking to raise


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awareness of global population issues. Theevent was established by the Governing Coun-cil of the United Nations Development Pro-gramme in 1989.

The date of observance was inspired by thatof Five Billion Day when the world’s popula-tion reached five billion on July 11, 1987. Theday is celebrated since 1989, the year of itsannouncement.

The world’s ever-growing population hasreached 7,160,183,896 as in June 2014. Thepopulation explosion is one of the major globalconcerns and this issue of uncontrolled pop-ulation growth is giving birth to other majorproblems. The major consequences of the pop-ulation growth include poverty, shortage ofhousing, unemployment, pollution and defor-estation. Many cities are failing to cope withthe challenges of generating employment, pro-viding adequate housing and meeting the ba-sic needs of their citizens. By the year 2025,the world population will increase by at least50 per cent and these people will need hous-ing, shopping complexes and places to work.

Urbanisation and the demographic transitionhave accelerated the demand for new housing.In an urbanising world, provision of adequateand affordable housing remains a key prior-ity as housing plays a crucial role in achievingsustainable development. However, the con-cept of housing requires a new understand-ing to effectively address the economic andhuman development, slum prevention and cli-mate change. Housing is also part of the re-lationships between society and environment.On the one hand, housing construction andoperation consume large amounts of naturalresources (land, energy, water and buildingmaterials) while producing wastes ad air andwater pollution. On the other hand, housingitself is exposed to a variety of environmen-tal impacts and hazards, including those as-sociated with natural disasters and climatechange. These aspects are also significant con-siderations for sustainable development.

Sustainable housing offers a great spectrumof opportunities to promote economic develop-ment, quality of life and social equality whilemitigating the problems related to populationgrowth, urbanisation, slums, poverty and cli-mate change. The annual percentage of pop-ulation growth in India was 1.21 per cent in

2011. As per recent estimates, India’s popu-lation in 2014 is 1.27 billion. The rate of pop-ulation growth in India has slowed consider-ably in recent years although it is still growingmore quickly than China. A recent UN reportsuggests that India’s population will surpassChina’s by 2028 when both India and Chinawill have populations of 1.45 billion.

As per the 2011 Census, Odisha, with 41million people, is the eleventh-most populousIndian State. Over the last decade, Odishahas witnessed a 14.1-per cent population risewhile the urban population increased at arate of 27.2 per cent. There are shortages of4,10,000 dwelling units for EWS/LIG housingin Odisha. Besides lack of affordable housingleads to slums in many parts of the State.

The land everywhere is under pressure due tothe population growth and economic develop-ment. In areas where land is in greatest de-mand for residential, agricultural, industrialor business use, it attracts increasing com-mercial value. To achieve secure and sustain-able access to land for all those needing it,and especially for the poor, has become a crit-ical issue. A number of housing clusters havemushroomed in and around variousmetropoli-tan centres in haphazard manners withoutproper layouts and devoid of service linesand other essential facilities. These unau-thorised developments are encroachments onland parcels belonging to Government bodies,public-private-institutions or areas meant tobe green belts.

Therefore, urban human settlements require amore inclusive approach to planning and landmanagement to sustain all the people who livein the settlement. A basic need in cities is shel-ter. The first step in creating sustainable ur-ban settlements is to recognise that slum peo-ple have a right to live in proper shelters.

There is a strong correlation between improvedhousing and poverty reduction. In India, thishas been introduced through the Jawahar-lal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission(JNNURM) reforms, which states that 20-25% lands would be reserved for economicallyweaker section (EWS) housing in the new de-velopments. Under the JNNURM, 65 Indiancities had an opportunity to bridge this infras-tructure gap and also to resolve some of thehousing problems for the urban poor through


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the BSUP (Basic Services for the Urban Poor)component of the Central Government-fundedmission. There is also another scheme, the Ra-jiv Awas Yojana (RAY). Under the RAY guide-lines, all urban local bodies are to map andtake a census of all the slums and createstrategies to improve existing conditions ofslums. Besides, the National Urban Housingand Habitat Policy, 2007 has been enacted, anendeavour to carry out in-situ upgradation ofdwelling units for 95 per cent of slum house-holds.

There is a need for sustainable site planningand construction techniques that reduce pol-lution and create a balance between built andnatural systems. New sustainable urban de-velopment or redevelopment should providea variety of commercial, institutional, educa-tional uses as well as housing for sustainableurban development.

The housing requirements in Bhubaneswarare changing due to high population growth.To accommodate more housing for this pop-ulation, there is a need to assess the exist-ing housing scenario and future housing de-mand. As per the CDP, the quantitative hous-ing in the Bhubaneswar Development PlanArea (BDPA) for 2030 needs 3,66,295 units.The existing 13,70,000 BDPA populace willgrow to 30,00,000 by 2030. The addition of16,30,000 people requires 3,60,000 dwellingunits. The existing backlog is already around15,220 dwelling units. Qualitative shortageand obsolescence raise the total BDPA hous-ing requirement in 2030 to 4,31, 915 units.

The housing requirements will be satisfiedby increasing the housing density and re-densification. The existing land use of 12.4per cent for housing in the BDPA will increaseto 33.7 per cent. The total additional area re-quirement for housing in the BDPA is com-puted to be 9,286 acres, giving a net hous-ing density of 46 units per acre. There is aneed to design the semi-open spaces in the res-idential zone. This will facilitate green areasand gardening, which will improve the envi-ronment for social activities. Specific housingplans can be evolved for Bhubaneswar withreference to the determination of area require-ment and identification of the areas for urban-isation/housing development. In order to in-crease the efficiency of space, there is a need

to analyse the physical density in terms of floorarea ratio (FAR) and percentage of ground cov-erage by buildings.

There is a close relationship between densityand sustainability. Density is often the mostcommonly-accepted indicator providing a ref-erence for the amount of land needed for sup-porting facilities with regard to a given popula-tion. Whatever methodology is adopted to de-termine the optimum density, an understand-ing of how the socio-cultural needs of urbancommunities transform into identifiable phys-ical patterns is influential to a sustainable citydevelopment. To achieve sustainable urbandevelopment, the Development Plans/MasterPlans as well as Zonal Plans and Local AreaPlans should be made and updated regularly.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/rising-population-needs-sustainable-housing.html

2.6.2 Effective Drug RehabilitationCentre (2014-07-03 15:38)


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BlogBook 2.7. JUNE

2.6.3 Role of Family against ElderAbuse (2014-07-03 15:27)

2.7 June

2.7.1 Poverty Elleviation and ChildLabour (2014-06-13 23:05)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/education-pover ty-alleviat-ion-only-can-eradicate-child-labour.html

EDUCATION, POVERTY ALLEVIATION ONLYCAN ERADICATE CHILD LABOUR

Today, throughout the world, around 215 mil-lion children work, many full-time. They donot go to school and have little or no time toplay. Many do not receive proper nutrition orcare. More than half of them are exposed tothe worst forms of child labour such as workin hazardous environments, slavery or otherforms of forced labour.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO)launched the World Day against Child Labourin 2002 to focus attention on the global ex-tent of child labour and the action and effortsneeded to eliminate it. Each year on June 12,the World Day against Child Labour brings to-gether governments, employers and workers’organisations, civil society as well as millionsof people around the world to highlight theplight of child labourers and what can be doneto help them.

To some children, the main obstacles to educa-tion are not school availability, cost or quality

but rather poverty, economic insecurity anddiscrimination. Dropout from school is one ofthe major causes of child labour. The schooldropout scenario in India is extremely high asover 80million children are not completing thefull cycle of elementary education while eightmillion are out of school over a period of years,according to a UNICEF report.

In Odisha, the dropout rate at the primary ed-ucation level is 32 per cent and it is 52 percent among Scheduled Tribe children. Thedropout rate increases cumulatively as it pro-ceeds towards higher levels. At the upperprimary level, the dropout rate is 49.1 percent and among Scheduled Caste children itis 55 per cent and among ST children 69.5 percent. It is found that the overwhelming rate ofdropouts has been due to pressure on childrento work.

Education is a human right and a key factor toreduce poverty and child labour. Around theworld, large numbers of children are engagedin paid or unpaid domestic work in the homeof a third party or employer. These childrencan be particularly vulnerable to exploitation.Their work is often hidden from the public eye;they may be isolated and may be working faraway from their homes. Stories of the abuse ofchildren in domestic work are all too common.

All non-school going children are child work-ers in one form or the other. Child labour pro-scribed under international law falls into threecategories: (1) The unconditional worst formsof child labour, which are internationally de-fined as slavery, trafficking and other forms offorced labour; (2) Labour performed by a childwho is under the minimum age specified forthat kind of work, and that is thus likely toimpede the child’s education and full develop-ment; (3) Labour that jeopardises the physi-cal, mental or moral wellbeing of a child, ei-ther because of its nature or because of theconditions in which it is carried out, knownas “hazardous work”.

Legislative and policy reforms are required toensure elimination of child labour. A num-ber of policy initiatives and programmes havebeen undertaken in India over the last decadewith the basic objective of dealing with theproblem of the rapidly increasing number ofchild workers. The formulation of a new Na-tional Child Labour Policy, the enactment of


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the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation)Act 1986, the setting up of a Task Force onchild labour, the adoption of the Conventionon the Rights of the Child and the like have allformed parts of this process. Correspondinginitiatives were taken in the related area of ed-ucation where a new education policy was for-mulated which incorporated a separate com-ponent for working children.

Children have the right to be protected fromall forms of abuse, neglect, exploitation andviolence. There is a need to adopt and enforcelaws and improve the implementation of poli-cies and programmes to protect children fromall forms of violence and exploitation, whetherat home, in school or other institutions, work-place or in the community.

The Constitution of India, through various ar-ticles enshrined in the Fundamental Rightsand the Directive Principles of State Policy as:No child below the age of 14 years shall beemployed to work in any factory or mine orengaged in any other hazardous employment(Article 24); The State shall provide free andcompulsory education to all children of the agesix to 14 years (Article 21A); The State shall di-rect its policy towards securing that the healthand strength of workers, men and women andthe tender age of children are not abused andthat they are not forced by economic necessityto enter vocations unsuited to their age andstrength (Article 39E).

As per the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regu-lation) Act, 1986, any person who employs anychild in contravention of the provision of Sec-tion 3 of the Act is liable for a jail term whichshall not be less than three months but whichmay extend to two years or with fine whichshall not be less than Rs 20,000 but whichmay extend to Rs 50,000 or with both.

In order to stop child labour, the Govern-ment of Odisha has passed some rules. Oneof the important rules is the Orissa ChildLabour (Prohibition and Regulation) Rules,1994. Children’s development and the overalleradication of child labour problem depend onactive public-private partnership, proper gov-ernment policies and programmes for eliminat-ing poverty and unemployment and free basicfacilities and education to poor people in thesociety.

There are many solutions to stop child labour.

Income of the families should be increased andeducation for all children irrespective of theireconomic and social backgrounds should beensured. That helps children learn skills andearn a livelihood.

At the international level, different organisa-tions are alsoworking to eradicate child labour,but still there are lots of efforts needed to cre-ate an environment which will be free fromchild labour. There is a need to take steps inthis direction so that all children get free edu-cation and live a healthy life. This will be ben-eficial to the individual family as well as wholesociety. The family is the basic unit of the so-ciety and as such should be strengthened. Itis entitled to receive comprehensive protectionand support. The primary responsibility forthe protection, upbringing and development ofchildren rests with the family. However, manyparents, on account of poverty, send their chil-dren to work in order to supplement their in-come.

All social institutions should respect chil-dren’s rights and render appropriate assis-tance to parents, families, legal guardians andother caregivers so that children can grow ina safe and stable environment and in an at-mosphere of happiness, love and understand-ing. Besides, considerable numbers of chil-dren live without parental support, such as or-phans, children living on the street, childrenaffected by trafficking and economic exploita-tion. Special measures should be taken to ed-ucate such children.

Eradication of poverty and reduction of dispar-ities must, therefore, be a key objective of de-velopment efforts. Ultimately, a child-friendlylearning environment is required, in whichthey feel safe, are protected from abuse andencouraged to learn. Some of the child labourproblems will be solved by offering better edu-cational facility for such children.

In 2010, the international community adopteda roadmap for achieving elimination of theworst forms of child labour by 2016, whichstressed that child labour is an impediment tochildren’s rights and a barrier to development.In August 2012, the Government of Jhark-hand approved a State Action Plan. Thispolicy framework envisages a Child Labour-Free State by 2016 and details the vision ofthe State and its plan towards achieving the


BlogBook 2.7. JUNE

elimination of child labour and ensuring theright to education to every child. Similar pol-icy framework in other States can eradicatechild labour in our country.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/education-poverty-alleviation-only-can-eradicate-child-labour.html

2.7.2 Odisha’s coastal ecosys-tems under increasing threat(2014-06-08 05:57)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/ocean-acidifica tion-pollut-ion-on-the-rise.html

OCEAN ACIDIFICATION, POLLUTION ON THERISE

Odisha’s coastal ecosystems under increasingthreat

Over three billion people in the world dependon marine and coastal biodiversity for theirlivelihoods. Oceans contain nearly 2 lakhidentified species, but actual numbers maylie in the millions. Oceans absorb about 30per cent of carbon dioxide produced by hu-mans, buffering the impacts of global warm-ing. However approximately 40 per cent of theoceans are heavily affected by human activi-ties, including acidification, pollution and lossof coastal habitats.

The United Nations has proclaimed June 8as the World Oceans Day to raise awarenessof the plight of the oceans and the marineecosystems they contain. This year’s themeis “Together we have the power to protect theocean”.

The oceans — their temperature, chemistry,and life — drive global systems that make the

Earth habitable for humankind. Our rainwa-ter, drinking water, weather, climate, coast-lines, much of our food, and even the oxygenin the air we breathe, are all ultimately pro-vided and regulated by the sea. Oceans andseas have been vital conduits for trade andtransportation.

However, oceans and coastal regions arecoming under rising environmental pressures.The oceans have become 26 per cent moreacidic since the start of the Industrial Revo-lution and continue to acidify at an unprece-dented rate, threatening marine ecosystems,aquaculture and the societies that rely onthem. As ocean acidity increases, its capacityto absorb carbo dioxide from the atmospheredecreases. This decreases the ocean’s role inmoderating climate change.

Our continued burning of fossil fuels is in-creasing the levels of carbon dioxide in the at-mosphere. Most of the carbon dioxide releasedinto the atmosphere ultimately ends up inoceans. The increasing amount of carbon diox-ide in oceans is causing ocean acidification.For millions of years, oceans have maintaineda relatively stable acidity level. It’s within thissteady environment that the rich and variedweb of life in seas has arisen and flourished.But research shows that this ancient balanceis being undone by a rapid drop in surfacepH that could have devastating global conse-quences.

Ocean acidification may adversely impactsome plankton species, and their loss wouldripple through food webs to impact larger ani-mals like fish. Corals are also very susceptibleto the impacts of ocean acidification. Oceanacidification will affect ocean ecosystems andtherefore food supplies, lead to the death ofcoral reefs and thus expose coasts to greaterstorm surge and wave action. Ocean acidifi-cation has the potential to cause widespreadchanges in marine ecosystems which mayeventually disrupt the ocean goods and ser-vices we depend on.

Biologists are now coming to realise that therising acid levels in the ocean can affect manyother forms of sea life as well. If nothingis done to help curb ocean acidification, itsnegative impacts may be felt on global econ-omy. Besides, many ocean pollutants are re-leased into the environment from coastlines.


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2.7. JUNE BlogBook

Nitrogen-rich fertilisers applied by farmers in-land, for example, end up in local streams,rivers and oceans.

Researchers are just beginning to study the ef-fects of ocean acidification on marine ecosys-tems. But all signs indicate that unless hu-mans are able to control and eventually elim-inate fossil fuel emissions, ocean organismswill find themselves under increasing pressureto adapt to their habitats’ changing chemistryor perish.

The Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS)monitoring initiatives has improved the ca-pability to assess oceanographic conditions,making it possible to detect changes on hightemporal and spatial resolution and assessthe effectiveness of policies adopted. To co-ordinate international efforts to document thestatus and progress of ocean acidification inopen-ocean and coastal environments and tounderstand its drivers and impacts on ma-rine ecosystems, it will be necessary to developa coordinated multidisciplinary multinationalapproach for observations.

India has a coastline of 7,500 km and 2,000km wide exclusive economic zone. The coast-line supports almost 30 per cent of its hu-man population. The Bay of Bengal and theArabian Sea are rich fishing grounds. Vari-ous types of pollution cause degradation of thenatural quality of the coastal environments.The causes of coastal pollution are popula-tion growth, urbanisation and industrialisa-tion. The polluting sources mainly are domes-tic waste, industrial effluents and agriculturalrunoff.

Successful management of the seacoast de-pends on scientific exploration and exploita-tion of the living and nonliving resources incoastal waters. To conserve resources by con-trolling their depletion and regulate develop-ment activities, the Government of India hasenacted the Environmental (Protection) Act1986. The Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ)Notification 1991 was issued under Sections-3(i) and 3(ii) (v) of the Environment (Protec-tion) Act. Under this notification, the coastalstretches fromHigh Tide Line to 500m towardsland and from High Tide Line to Low Tide Linetowards sea are identified as Coastal Regula-tion Zone.

The Union Ministry of Environment and

Forests has issued a draft notification, theCoastal Zone Management (CZM) Notification2007, under the Environmental (Protection)Act 1986. The objective of the notificationis protection and sustainable developmentof the coastal stretches and marine environ-ment through sustainable coastal zone man-agement practices based on sound, scientificprinciples taking into account the vulnerabil-ity of the coast to natural hazards, sustainablelivelihood for local communities and conserva-tion of the ecologically and culturally signifi-cant coastal resources.

Odisha has a coastline of 480 km. Uses of thecoastline are generally considered under fourcategories: resource exploitation (includingfisheries, forestry); infrastructure (includingtransportation, ports, harbours); tourism andrecreation; and conservation and protectionof biodiversity. The coastal ecosystems arenow highly disturbed and very much threat-ened, encountering problems like pollution,siltation, erosion, flooding, storm surges, un-controlled coastal developments and other ac-tivities due to ever-expanding human settle-ments.

The major issues are coastal pollution, en-croachment of coastal lands and over exploita-tion of coastal resources. Coastal pollutionis gradually emerging as an important issuein the State. Domestic wastes and industrialwastes, fertilisers and pesticide residues reachcoastal and marine waters through rivers,creeks, bays, etc.

There is a need for assessment and periodicmonitoring of coastal and marine environmentincluding changes in land use (coastal zone),ambient air quality and water quality (coastaland marine waters). The Government of In-dia has constituted the National Coastal ZoneManagement Authority, which has the respon-sibility for taking measures for protecting andimproving the quality of the coastal environ-ment and preventing, abating and controllingenvironmental pollution in coastal areas. Atthe State level, an Odisha Coastal Zone Man-agement Authority has been constituted, theprimary responsibility of which is to take ade-quate measures for protecting and improvingthe quality of the coastal environment. TheOdisha State Pollution Control Board acts asthe regulating authority for implementation of


BlogBook 2.7. JUNE

the Coastal Zone Notification.

Despite the huge challenges facing the world’socean, we can achieve a healthy ocean by ourcollective effort. Awareness is highly neededto protect the marine ecosystem.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/ocean-acidification-pollution-on-the-rise.html

2.7.3 BHUBANESWAR ENVIRONMENTDEGRADED BY HUMAN ACTIVI-TIES (2014-06-05 15:33)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/bhubaneswar-environment-degraded-by-human-activities.html

BHUBANESWAR ENVIRONMENT DE-GRADED BY HUMAN ACTIVITIES

Urban control, bioaesthetic planning needed

Urban development challenges in many coun-tries are multifaceted and appear to be over-whelming at times. They include insufficientprovision of infrastructure, rapidly growingslums, urban sprawl and the associated degra-dation of urban and peri-urban ecosystems.Many of these challenges are aggravated byglobal phenomena like climate change. Tem-peratures are rising, rainfall patterns shift-ing, glaciers and snow melting, and the globalmean sea level is rising. We expect thatthese changes will continue, and that extremeweather events resulting in hazards such asfloods and droughts will become more fre-quent and intense.

The World Environment Day (WED) is cele-brated on June 5 to raise awareness aboutunique development challenges and successesregarding a range of environmental problems,

including climate change, waste management,unsustainable consumption, degradation ofnatural resources and extreme natural disas-ters.

Urbanisation changes the climate of a place.This initiates a feedback loop that affects in-habitants’ way of life and use of energy re-sources. For example, the heat island thatfollows high density urban development ac-celerates the use of air-conditioning equip-ment which demands more electricity and con-tributes to further warming-up of the city en-vironment.

Currently, cities suffer from severe environ-mental problems ranging from pollution, con-gestion, excessive waste, etc. Paying atten-tion to the environmental impacts of growth iscritical for provision of adequate housing, en-ergy, water, sanitation and mobility needs ina manner that does not cause major depletionof natural resources or endanger future gener-ations.

It is very likely that most of the warming sincethe mid -20th century is due to the observedincrease in greenhouse gas (GHG) concentra-tions as a result of emissions from humanactivities. The United Nations FrameworkConvention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) hasrecognised the goal to limit the global meantemperature increase. Even if policies and ef-forts to reduce emissions prove effective, someclimate change is inevitable; therefore, strate-gies and actions to adapt to its impacts arehighly needed.

The environment of the city of Bhubaneswarhas been degraded due to different humanactivities. The effects of climate changehave been observed since last few years inBhubaneswar. It has been found to be ex-cessive heat in summer both during day andnight .The temperature in summer is rangingin most of the days around 40 degree Celsius,which not only affects the health and comfortof the people but also demands more energy.The number of rainy days has decreased, andthe city receives average 1,550 mm of rainfallper year. Most of the rainfall is due to cyclonethan monsoon. The groundwater level has de-creased by one meter in major areas of the city.In rainy season, if high intensity rainfall oc-curs for some time, urban flooding is seen indifferent parts of the city like Acharya Bihar,


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2.7. JUNE BlogBook

Shastri Nagar, Old Town, etc. The stagnantwater gets polluted and creates environmentalhazards.

There are 10 major natural drains runningwest to east of Bhubaneswar. Some of thesefinally join the Ganguanallah. The entirecity has not been covered with storm waterdrains. Encroachment of natural drains byconstruction, dumping of waste material bypeople making the storm water drains ineffi-cient result in blocking and chocking of drains.These are the reasons of urban flooding inBhubaneswar.

The different sources of air pollution inBhubaneswar are small-scale industries, mo-tor vehicles, etc. The Odisha State Pollu-tion Control Board identified 88 industries inBhubaneswar, out of which 16 are air pol-luting and 34 are both air and water pollut-ing. Bhubaneswar also suffers air pollutionfrom the domestic front. Though LPG is themost-used fuel in the city, in the slum areaspeople use firewood, cow dung, kerosene andcoal contributing to air pollution. It can beexpected that the air quality of the area willmove from bad to worse if sufficient precau-tions are not taken. Besides, the city gener-ates a huge quantity of solid wastes. After col-lection of the wastes from different wards, theyare transported to open dumping yards situ-ated at different places in and around the city.No processing of solid wastes is done beforetheir disposal; hence it degrades the environ-ment.

A detailed air quality analysis of Bhubaneswaris to be done to identify the most polluting andhazardous industrial units. Industries in andaround the area are to be advised to instaland operate electrostatic precipitator to con-trol particulate pollutants. Industries shouldbe directed to strictly observe pollution con-trol norms. The city should be equipped witha sufficient number of auto emission testingcentres where the petrol and diesel-driven ve-hicles could be tested and certified. As far aspossible, the coal supply for domestic use is tobe replaced with LPG. Green belt developmentand afforestation should be encouraged whichmay act as sink for air pollutants.

Urban control in Bhubaneswar has to be oper-ated at three levels, the periphery, the Mas-ter Plan and architectural control. Bioaes-

thetic planning is closely connected with townplanning. In Bhubaneswar, there are urbanforests with different tress, green belt in theperiphery, natural drains, rivers and lakes.Due to disorderly cinstructions, many of thedrainage channels and water bodies have beenblocked. This has to be avoided staggering thesitting of houses in such a manner that thenatural drainage channels and water bodiesremain intact.

Trees should be carefully chosen with due re-gard to colours of their flowers, beauty of fo-liage and shape of crown. In addition to util-itarian and aesthetic aspects, trees in city ar-eas constitute an effective buffer against dustand noise and also act as windbreaks. Thetrees will not only modify the climate but alsoenhance their architectural appeal by present-ing a foil of texture, colour and form by way ofcontrasts. Footpaths, which are provided atthe sides for pedestrians, have to be shadedby rows of trees. For pedestrians, a multiplerow of trees with very heavy deciduous foliageis required. In summer, the trees would pro-vide shade and in winter the deciduous treeswill permit the sun’s rays to pass.

The areas vulnerable to annual floodingshould be earmarked as the catchment’s de-tention areas. During the off-flooding period,the stagnant water is to be drained off to thenearby water channels with preliminary treat-ment.

Bhubaneswar’s public transportation systemis very weak. Peoples use their own vehiclesand depend on auto rickshaws to travel to dif-ferent parts of the city. A mass transporta-tion system should be introduced which willreduce the fuel consumption and traffic con-gestion. Dependencies on fossil fuels shouldbe reduced. People should be encouraged touse bicycles, and bicycle tracks should be con-structed.

There should not be any dumping yard insidethe city for solid waste disposal. The wastesshould be disposed in sanitary landfill. Thestorm water drains should be cleaned regu-larly. Encroachment of natural drains shouldalso be cleared. Wetlands and water bodieslike lakes, ponds should not be encroached,and they should be protected properly. Rain-water harvesting should be encouraged to in-crease the level of groundwater.


BlogBook 2.8. MAY

Developing a climate-responsible master planwill prevent the environmental hazards. Mas-ter Plans and Comprehensive DevelopmentPlans (CDPs) need to incorporate climatechange considerations. The plans should con-tain proper green space for plantation. Com-ponents of land-use plan including zoning,FAR, setback, etc., should be implemented ef-fectively for sustainable development.

Sustainability is not only about town plan-ning architectural strategies and buildingsolutions; it is not only about environmen-tal processes and management systems.Sustainability is about the way people live.Everything individuals do in their lives hasan impact on the environment. The choicesof food, housing, entertainment, work andmobility, all directly or indirectly affect theenvironment.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/bhubaneswar-environment-degraded-by-human-activities.html

2.8 May

2.8.1 TOBACCO-FREE COLLEGE CAM-PUSES (2014-05-31 16:12)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/tobacco-free-co llege-campuses-are-a-must.html

TOBACCO-FREE COLLEGE CAMPUSES AREA MUST

Smoking is a worldwide hazard. It is a single-most important cause of preventable prema-ture deaths. As per the World Health Orga-niation’s (WHO) figures, there are about 1.3billion smokers in the world. Tobacco kills

nearly six million people each year, of whichmore than six lakh are non-smokers dyingfrom breathing secondhand smoke (SHS). Un-less action is taken, the epidemic will kill morethan 8 million people every year by 2030. Over80 per cent of those deaths will be in low- andmiddle-income countries. India is home to 12per cent of the world’s smokers.

Approximately, 9 lakh Indians die every yearin due to smoking. Smoking is declining in theUS andmany other western countries, but it ison the rise in developing countries like India.

The WHO has earmarked May 31 as the WorldNo Tobacco Day to highlight the health risksassociated with tobacco use and advocate foreffective policies to reduce tobacco consump-tion. The specific goals of the 2014 campaignare: Government increase taxes on tobacco tolevels that reduce tobacco consumption; Indi-viduals and civil society organisations encour-age their Governments to increase taxes. Re-search shows that higher taxes are especiallyeffective in reducing tobacco use among lower-income groups and in preventing young peoplefrom starting smoking.

Despite the overall success in recent decadesof bringing down the smoking rate, the preva-lence of smoking among young adults aged 20-24 remains higher than any other age. Youngadults try their first cigarette after the age of18, and the majorities who smoke become ad-dicted smokers after that age. The collegeyears have been identified as a time of in-creased risk for smoking initiation and tran-sition into regular tobacco use.

As many college students are addicted to to-bacco; a number of colleges has developedsmoking policies. Many college authoritiesare declaring tobacco-free campuses. A col-lege has legal responsibilities to provide safeenvironments for students and staff from sec-ondhand smoke (SHS). Because SHS con-tains more than 43 cancer-causing agentsand many others toxins, SHS exposure causesheart disease and lung cancer and can trig-ger immediate health effects for students withasthma, allergies or other medical conditions.A large number of college students surveyedsay they experience immediate health effectsfrom SHS on campuses.

Certain social, economic and environmentalfactors can be associated with the prediction


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of youth and an increased use in tobacco. Thisincludes incompletion of higher levels of ed-ucation, high-level exposure to tobacco prod-ucts and violent behaviour. However, stu-dents are less likely to smoke if they attenda college that prohibits smoking as part of acomprehensive tobacco policy. But a num-ber of colleges have designated smoking ar-eas instead of going completely smoke-free.The smoking areas have many disadvantages.It is found that in outdoor designated areaswith multiple smokers, levels of toxic air con-taminants from secondhand smoke may behigher than indoors, therefore, creating a haz-ardous environment to individuals standingin or around these areas. Additionally, SHSis proven to travel outside of designated ar-eas; distance depends on wind strength anddirection. Designated areas have also beenfound to encourage tobacco use by creatinga social environment for daily and nondailytobacco users. Unless regularly cleaned andmaintained, these areas are unhealthy for thestudents, staff and visitors.

Smoking is also a fire hazard due to care-less smokers. Besides, cigarette waste is ex-tremely toxic to environment. The filter of acigarette is designed to trap the toxic chemi-cals in the tobacco smoke and prevent themfrom entering into the smoker’s body. Thefilter, when wet, releases thousands of toxicchemicals back into the environment. Thesefilters and chemicals are washed into water-ways by storm water runoff. The purpose ofthe smoke-free campus policy would be to pro-vide a safe and healthy environment, free ofsecondhand smoke and toxic tobacco-relatedlitter.

In India, The National Tobacco Control Billwas passed in 2003. The Cigarettes and OtherTobacco Products Act (COTPA) of 2004 and,more recently, the Prohibition of Smoking inPublic Places Rules of 2008 set out how thesmoke-free provisions in the law are appliedin practice. Many cities have full authority topass comprehensive smoke-free laws to elim-inate exposure to tobacco smoke in indoorworkplaces and public places.

Cities like Bhubaneswar, Jaipur, Chandigarhand Shimla have been declared as smoke-freecities in the country. The Government of In-dia through its comprehensive tobacco con-

trol legislations has prohibited the smokingin public places. As per Section 4 of the To-bacco Control Act, a public place means anyplace to which the public have access, whichincludes auditorium, hospital buildings, rail-way waiting room, amusement centers, restau-rants, public offices, educational institutions,libraries and the like. The sale of tobacco prod-ucts within 100 yards of educational institu-tions is also prohibited. However, this partic-ular rule is seldom enforced.

A majority of students prefer tobacco-free cam-puses. Information on the smoke-free cam-pus policy should be disseminated to all fac-ulty, staff, students and new members of thecollege. The colleges which have not imple-mented tobacco-free policy should adopt it.Smoke-free campus policies should cover alltypes of tobacco products like cigarettes, bidis,and smokeless tobacco.

It’s easiest to prohibit tobacco use from thebeginning. Tobacco-free campus policy worksbest when compliance is viewed as the sharedresponsibility and the right of all in the cam-pus community — smokers and non-smokersalike. Besides, tobacco taxes are the mostcost-effective way to reduce tobacco use, es-pecially among students.

A well-planned communication campaign willresult in smooth implementation with greatercompliance. Pictorial warnings significantlyincrease students’ awareness of the harms oftobacco use. Also, implementing a tobacco-free policy is a great opportunity for highereducation institutions to demonstrate theirrole as leaders in public health.

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2.8.2 EARTHQUAKE RESISTANTMEASURES IN BHUBANESWAR(2014-05-28 10:17)

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ADHERE TO EARTHQUAKE-RESISTANTMEASURES IN BHUBANESWAR

During an earthquake an individual could bethrown out of bed at night, be unable to standupright and be forced to kneel on the ground.This happened during the earthquake on May21, when the tremor measuring 5.8 on therichter scale hit Odisha at 9:52 pm.

The epicentre of the quake was 266 km off theParadip coast in the south-east Bay of Bengal.In Bhubaneswar, over 100 people were injuredand cracks developed in some high-rise build-ings. People ran out of homes and the earth-quake continued for 5 to 20 seconds.

An earthquake is a natural phenomenon thatresults from an underground movement alonga fault plane. Sometimes, it is so mild thatit passes unnoticed. Sometimes, it is quitestrong and creates vast openings in the earth’ssurface, and in its impact, buildings fall downand many lives are lost.

With careful study, geologists are slowly learn-ing about such questions: Can earthquake bepredicted? Can we stop earthquake before itoccurs? Can we design buildings and a cityto withstand an earthquake? Studies and re-search are going on. To know about earth-quake, many clues are generally referred tosuch as strange animal behaviour, increasein the rate of smaller earthquakes, gap in theregular frequency of the earthquake, etc. Butnone has correctly predicted it.

Recently, earthquakes and the subsequentdisastrous effects have established an urgentneed of evolving a coordinated design systemto provide earthquake-resistant structures inOdisha. Buildings can be made earthquake-resistant by incorporating methods and tech-niques of earthquake-resistant design andconstruction depending upon seismic zones.

About 54 per cent of India’s lands are vulner-able to earthquakes. The increase in demo-graphic pressure, unplanned and ill-planneddevelopment practices and poor quality ofconstruction techniques have contributed im-mensely to the proliferation of seismic risk.There are ways of making structures saferthan the current ones. Researchers and en-gineers have mobilised their efforts to achievethat goal, working on removing shortcomingsin the design of structures that have not per-formed well in seismic events and coming upwith improved versions capable of standing upto a certain level of earthquakes.

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is astatutory organisation under the Bureau ofIndian Standards Act. One of its activitiesis formulation of Indian standards on differ-ent subjects of engineering through variouscouncils. Seismic codes are unique to a par-ticular region or country. They take into ac-count the local seismology, accepted level ofseismic risk, building typologies and materi-als and methods used in construction. Thefirst formal seismic code in India, namely IS1893, was published in 1962. Today, the BIShas a number of seismic codes. IS 1893 (PartI): 2002, Indian Standard Criteria for Earth-quake Resistant Design of Structures (5thRevision), IS 4326: 1993, Indian StandardCode of Practice for Earthquake-Resistant De-sign and Construction of Buildings (2nd Revi-sion); IS 13827: 1993, Indian Standard Guide-lines for Improving Earthquake Resistanceof Earthen Buildings; IS 13828: 1993, In-dian Standard Guidelines for Improving Earth-quake Resistance of Low Strength MasonryBuildings; IS 13920: 1993, Indian StandardCode of Practice for Ductile Detailing of Rein-forced Concrete Structures Subjected to Seis-mic Forces; IS 13935: 1993, Indian StandardGuidelines for Repair and Seismic Strengthen-ing of Buildings. The codes cover all aspectsof design including analysis, detailing and con-struction and strengthening of existing struc-


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tures. These codes define the provisions re-quired according to risk zone in which a struc-ture is located.

Location is a major determinant of the typeand frequency of natural hazards. Before be-ginning construction of any building, it is verymuch important to have the complete knowl-edge about the soil. Soil tests should beconducted to know its type, bearing capac-ity, strata, composition, etc. There are mainlythree soil types; Firm: Those soils which havean allowable bearing capacity of more than10 t/m2, Soft: Those having allowable bear-ing capacity less than or equal to 10 t /m2andWeak: Those liable to large differential set-tlement or liquefaction during an earthquake.Buildings can be constructed on firm and softsoils, but it will be dangerous to build themon weak soils. Hence, appropriate soil investi-gations should be carried out to establish theallowable bearing capacity and nature of thesoil. Weak soils must be avoided or compactedto improve them so as to qualify as firm or soft.

The layout of buildings should be as simple aspossible. Depending upon the seismic zones,heights of the buildings and thickness of wallsare decided. The building as a whole or its var-ious blocks should be kept symmetrical aboutboth the axes. Asymmetry leads to torsionduring earthquakes and is dangerous. In gen-eral, openings in walls of a building tend toweaken the walls, and the fewer the openingsless the damage it will suffer during an earth-quake. If it is necessary to have large openingsthrough a building, special provisions shouldbe made to ensure structural integrity.

The earthquake zones have been categorisedconsidering its region, its risk factors, inten-sity and rate of damage as Zone V (Very highdamage risk zone ), Zone IV (High DamageRisk Zone), Zone III (Moderate Damage RiskZone), and Zone II (Low Damage Risk Zone).

Odisha is coming under Zone II and Zone III.In Odiahs, minor to moderate earthquakeshave occurred now and then at different local-ities. Rarely a building has collapsed or anyhuman casualty reported ever. The maximummagnitude of these earthquakes has been re-ported around 4.5 to 5.3 in the Richter scale.Considering the recent earthquake of 5.8, itcannot be confidently said that a higher in-tensity earthquake is not unlikely in future.

Besides, in the 2004 tsunami, India was thethird country severely battered after Indone-sia and Sri Lanka. The States severely af-fected by tsunami are Tamil Nadu, AndhraPradesh, Kerala and Andaman and Nicobar Is-land. Odisha with over 480 km of coastlinemay be prone to tsunami. There is a need forreassessment of the seismic status of Odishaand to devise and incorporate technologies inall structures.

Land Use Zoning aims at determining the lo-cations and the extent of areas likely to be af-fected by the hazards of different intensitiesand frequencies, and to develop such areas ina manner that the loss to the development isreduced to the minimum. Areas under seis-mic zones III, IV and V are based on intensi-ties VII, VIII, IX or more. Therefore, all areasin these three zones will be considered proneto earthquake hazards. In these zones, the ar-eas which have soil conditions including thelevel of water table favourable to liquefactionor settlements under earthquake vibrationswill have greater risk to buildings which will beof special consideration under Land Use Zon-ing.

The Bhubaneswar Development Plan Area(BDPA) falls under Zone III (Moderate DamageRisk Zone). Since the soil in the BDPA is lat-erite (bearing capacity:18-20 t/m2), buildingsstarting from single to multistoried may beallowed, provided earthquake-resistant mea-sures suggested in the Indian Standards areproperly adhered to.

Seismic retrofitting can be applied to the exist-ing building constructed without following theearthquake-resistant standards. The seismicretrofitting consists in upgrading the strengthof an existing structure with the aim to in-crease its capacity to withstand earthquakes.

The consequences of damage have to be keptin view in the design philosophy. For example,important buildings like hospitals and fire sta-tions must remain functional immediately af-ter the earthquake. These structures shouldbe designed for a higher level of earthquakeprotection.

Seismic risk reduction demands a systematicevaluation of the hazards, vulnerability andrisk mapping of the entire region. Town andCountry Planning Acts, Master Plan, Devel-opment Control Rules and Building Regula-


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tions of some of the metros in India have men-tioned adequately on the importance of safetyrequirements against natural hazards. Ser-vices of architects and structural engineerswith experience in earthquake-resistant con-struction are highly needed for design of build-ings. It should be made mandatory for all own-ers and developers to get their buildings certi-fied from structural engineers for safety rea-sons.

It is the joint responsibility of the architec-tural, engineering and construction commu-nity to incorporate the code in architecturaland structural design to make the buildingearthquake-resistant. Structural plans anddetails of the building submitted for approvalshould satisfy the structural safety require-ments. However, further research will add tothe design with appropriate building materi-als and technology most suited to earthquakezones.

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2.8.3 WORLD’S FINEST CULTURALHERITAGES (2014-05-21 10:05)

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ODISHA IS REPOSITORY OF ONE OFWORLD’S FINEST CULTURAL HERITAGES

The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dia-logue and Development, celebrated on May 21,

aims to encourage people to ’live together bet-ter’. It was established by the United Nationsin November 2001 following the adoption of aUniversal Declaration on Cultural Diversity bythe United Nations Educational, Scientific andCultural Organisation (UNESCO).

The day’s theme for 2014 is “Do One Thingfor Diversity and Inclusion”, aimed at engag-ing people around the world to Do One Thingto support Cultural Diversity and Inclusion.On this day, the UNESCO emphasises theneed to fight against imbalances that existbetween global exchanges of cultural goods,and stresses the importance of preservingthe world’s most vulnerable cultures, togetherwith the need for cultural policies and struc-tural measures in developing countries. Theday also provides an opportunity for mobilisa-tion on the parts of governments, policymak-ers, civil society organisations, communities,cultural professionals to promote culture inits diversity and in all its forms: tangible andintangible heritage, creative industries, goodsand services.

Culture takes diverse forms across time andspace. This diversity is embodied in theuniqueness and plurality of the identitiesof the groups and societies making up hu-mankind. As a source of exchange, innovationand creativity, cultural diversity is as neces-sary for humankind as biodiversity is for na-ture. In this sense, it is the common heritageof humanity and should be recognised and af-firmed for the benefit of present and futuregenerations.

India is a country with diversified cultures,arts and traditions. The cultural diversitymeans a range of different societies of peopleswith different origins, religious and traditionsall living and interacting together. India hasbenefited from diversity throughout its longhistory and is currently one of the most cul-turally diverse countries.

The culture of India refers to the way of lifeof the people of India. India’s languages, re-ligions, dance, music, art, food and customsdiffer from place to place within the country.The Indian culture, often labelled as an amal-gamation of several cultures, spans across theIndian subcontinent and has been influencedby a history that is several millennia old.

Odisha has been a repository of one of the


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world’s finest cultural heritages. The Statehas a rich artistic heritage and has producedsome of the finest examples of Indian art andarchitecture. Among the most notable tradi-tions in the arts are mural painting, stone-carving, woodcarving, Patta Chitra, and paint-ing on palm leaves. The State is also widelyrecognised for its exquisite silver filigree orna-mentation, pottery and decorative work. Theclassical dance of Odisha has survived formore than 700 years. Originally, it was a tem-ple dance performed for the gods. The move-ments, gestures, and poses of the dance aredepicted on the walls of the great temples.

Besides, tribal culture forms an importantpart of the colourful spectrum of Odisha. TheState is the homeland of the largest varietyof tribal communities, including 13 primitivetribal groups, which are now at various stagesof socioeconomic development. They expresstheir cultural identity and distinctiveness intheir social organisation, language, rituals,festivals including their dresses, ornaments,arts and crafts. Every facet of their life is in-timately connected with religious beliefs andritual practices. The tribes of Odisha have re-tained the rich and varied heritage of colour-ful dance and music forming an integral partof their festivals and rituals. The artistic skillof tribal people is not only confined to danceand music but also manifested through theirdresses, ornaments, handicrafts, wall paint-ings, woodcarvings and decorations, etc.

Despite belonging to different linguistic divi-sions, the tribes of Odisha have many socio-cultural similarities, and together they charac-terise the notion of tribalism. Tribal societiesshare certain common characteristics and bythese they are distinguished from advancedsocieties. In India, tribal societies have re-mained outside the main historical current ofthe civilisation for centuries. Therefore, theymanifest cultural features signifying a primi-tive level of socio-cultural existence and eachtype has a distinct style of life.

Odisha has the distinction of having thelargest number of Particularly VulnerableTribal Groups (PVTGs) among all the Statesand Union Territories of India. Odisha ishome to 62 types of tribes, of which 13 aredesignated as PVTGs for their distinct cul-ture, lifestyle and socioeconomic conditions.

Bonda is the first tribe which was designatedas a PVTG in Odisha during the 5th Five-YearPlan, and in subsequent years other 12 tribes,Juang, Lanjia Saora, Kutia Kondh, DongariaKondh, Saora, Paudi Bhuyan, Birhor, Didayi,Hill Kharia, Mankirdia, Lodha and ChuktiaBhunjia, were included in the list of PVTGs.

Besides, Odisha is rich in folkdances. Thedifferent folkdances are Ranappa, Gotipua,Ektara, tribal dance, Paika Akhada, Chhau,puppetry show, Danda Nacha, Dalkhai, Pala,Daskathia Chaiti Ghoda Nacha and muchmore. Artists perform different dances duringtheir festivals.

Bhubaneswar offers a rich cultural heritagewith Ekamra Kshetra being the heart of thecultural capital over the centuries. There is aneed for augmentation of the existing culturalfacilities in distributed urban centres through-out the planning area. There are proposalsfor propagation and development of culturein a Cultural Diversity Plan (CDP). This in-cludes promotion of traditional fairs and fes-tivals through Government and NGOs to gen-erate awareness among the new generation to-wards cultural heritage and inviting culturaltourism. Another proposal includes settingup of an Utkal Sanskriti Prangan, a represen-tational centre of traditional art and culture,craft, cuisine and living style, fair and festi-vals of Odisha in Bhubaneswar. In addition tothis, suitable locations may be identified forobservation and celebration of cultural activi-ties such as Ekamra Utsav, Kalinga Mahotsav,etc.

Traditional art and craft villages can be devel-oped in the peri-urban areas of Bhubaneswar.The art villages with tribal arts and hand-icrafts centers will attract tribal folk andtourists to the area. This will give enoughinformation about their unique lifestyles andculture. When visited, tourists would get afair idea on various dimensions of traditionalOdishan culture on a single platform. Odishidance styles, music, Yatra, Pala, Patta Chi-tra, traditional folk arts and crafts, deliciouscuisines and textiles, all may be documentedand displayed for both national and interna-tional tourists. Tribal people will also comein contact with the urban folk, publicise theirown creations and will also able to improvetheir quality of life.


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Cultural diversity is based on the idea that cul-tural identities should not be discarded or ig-nored but rather maintained and valued. Thefoundation of this belief is that every cultureand race has made a substantial contributionto the society. Culture and society are the twosides of a coin; one cannot exist without theother. Culture needs society and its inhabi-tants to sustain its existence and initiate itschange, and society needs culture to hold ittogether and survive. It is equally impossibleto have a culture without a society or a societywithout culture.

Modernisation has entered the field of cultureand tradition. However, forgetting our tra-dition and culture is like losing our identity.Both should go hand in hand. We shouldpreserve it and develop with modern achieve-ment, but the elements provided should betraditional and based on culture and society.

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2.8.4 LIVING INSTITUTIONS THATBOND VISITORS WITH CUL-TURES (2014-05-19 09:27)

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LIVING INSTITUTIONS THAT BONDVISITORSWITH CULTURES

Museums are living institutions that help cre-ate bonds between visitors, generations andcultures around the world. In its very essence,a museum is a link between the generationsas it allows present and future generations to

better comprehend their origins and history.Museums are constantly facing changes thatbring them to reconsider their traditional mis-sion and find new strategies to attract visitorstowards more accessible collections. Thus,many museums restore the traditional meth-ods of presentation of their collections to in-volve the community.

Since 1977, the International Museum Day isheld worldwide on May 18, coordinated by theInternational Council of Museums (ICOM). For2014, the theme of the day is ‘Museum collec-tions make connections’. It emphasises thecollaborations between museums and theirimportance for cultural exchanges and theknowledge of the world’s cultures. The bestthing about museums is how they link differ-ent cultures together - by showcasing artifactsfrom past times and different countries andby making museums available for travellingtourists to learn about other places and peo-ple.

The day provides an opportunity for museumprofessionals to meet the public and alertthem to the challenges that museums face.Following the definition of museums providedby the ICOM, a museum is a nonprofit, perma-nent institution in the service of society and itsdevelopment, which acquires, conserves, re-searches, communicates and exhibits the tan-gible and intangible heritage of humanity andits environment for the purposes of education,study and enjoyment.

The concept of museums in India may betraced back to the historic times, in which ref-erences to the Chitrasala (picture gallery) dooccur. However in India, the earliest necessityto house objects of antiquarian remains datesback to late 1796 AD when the Asiatic Societyof Bengal felt the need to house the enormouscollection of archaeological, ethnological, geo-logical and zoological pursuits. The nucleus ofthe Asiatic Society Museum later provided tothe Indian Museum, Calcutta in 1814. Sincethen, it has so magnificently developed andculminated into the fruitful existence of morethan 400 museums in the country.

India is famous for its museums that prove thecountry’s rich culture. Indian museums arebest to explore the people, culture, beliefs, andhistory of ancient India. Some of the uniqueIndian museums are the Indian Museum, the


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Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangraha-laya, and the National Museum and the Ar-chaeological Survey of India (ASI) museums.The Indian Museum is the largest and oldestin India and has rare collections of antiques,armour and ornaments, fossils, skeletons andpaintings. This is an autonomous institutionunder the Union Ministry of Culture.

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu San-grahalaya, formerly Prince of Wales MuseumofWestern India, is themainmuseum inMum-bai. It was founded in the early years of the20th century by prominent citizens of Bombayto commemorate the visit of the then Princeof Wales. The museum was renamed in theearly 2000s after Shivaji, the founder of theMaratha Empire. It houses about 50,000 ex-hibits, categorised primarily into three sec-tions: Art, Archaeology and Natural History.

The National Museum, New Delhi is one of thelargest Indian museums established in 1949.It holds articles ranging from the prehistoricera to modern works of art. It also functionsunder the Union Ministry of Culture. The SunGod Surya is one of the finest from the SunTtemple, Konark in Odisha. The sculpturewas once the sanctum image of the Konarktemple installed for worship in the temple’sGarbhagriha and was later shifted to the Na-tional Museum for better upkeep. The imageis normal two-armed rendered pursuing stan-dards of human anatomy. Sadly, the sculp-ture’s forearms holding lotus have been com-pletely destroyed.

It has been the policy of the Government of In-dia to keep the small and movable antiquities,recovered from the ancient sites, in close asso-ciation with the remains to which they belongso that they may be studied amid their natu-ral surroundings and not lose focus by beingtransported. Therefore, a separate MuseumsBranch in the ASI was created in 1946. Af-ter the Independence, there was a spurt in thegrowth of the ASI’s site museums at differentplaces. Presently, there are 44 site museumsunder the ASI’s control.

There are a very few museums in Odisha,the most famous being the State Museum,Bhubaneswar. The genesis of this museumgoes back to the year 1932 when two notablehistorians Prof NC Banerjee and Prof Ghan-shyam Dash of Ravenshaw College started col-

lection of archaeological treasures. The smallmuseum was then housed in the premisesof the college. In 1938, the Governmentof Odisha transformed this nucleus into theProvincial Museum of Odisha. One of themost significant aspects of this museum is itsmanuscript gallery. Some of the rare palmleaf manuscripts, about 50,000, are housedin this gallery. Covering diverse subjects likereligion, philosophy, astronomy, astrology, po-etry, science, medicine, mathematics, warfareand crafts, these manuscripts are a repositoryof artistic expressions of that time.

These manuscripts were made by the incisionof Odia script on a dried palm leaf with a sty-lus. The manuscripts depict highly symbolicscenery with costumes, jewellery, hairstyleand facial expressions similar to stone sculp-tures of Odisha. The museum also houses anillustrated manuscript of Gita Govinda writtenby the 12th-century poet Jayadeva.

The Tribal Research Institute Museum inBhubaneswar has life-sized authentic tribaldwellings created by tribal craftsmen offer-ing a view of the State’s tribal heritage. Ithas sections which showcase tribal artifactsand objects focusing on well researched, doc-umented cultural life of Odisha tribals. Be-sides, the Regional Museum of Natural His-tory, Bhubaneswar is an eastern regional cen-tre of the National Museum of Natural Historyunder the Union Ministry of Environment andForests. Its goal is to impart environmentaleducation to the public in general and the stu-dent community in particular in order to in-culcate an awareness about the importance offlora ad fauna and subsequent conservation ofour natural resources.

Museums have recognised that we cannot relyon traditional exhibition techniques to reachout and impact upon broad audience. Weneed to rethink our methods completely. Weneed to find new connections, new languages,new techniques and, most of all, new attitudesfor development of the museums.

Museums are repositories of a nation’s valu-able treasures. They play a positive and im-portant role in modelling people’s tastes andmaking them aware of the history and cre-ative talent. Technology today allows muse-ums to explore their goals of ‘education, studyand enjoyment’. These latest trends in seeking


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greater dissemination and sharing of informa-tion could lead to museum audience workingtogether to form new online (and even off-line)communities and social networks. Websitesare extremely popular with museums todaybecause they can present much more infor-mation than ever possible. Museum websiteshave incorporated search engines for their on-line collections databases, where by typing ina few words, users can access thousands ofimages and descriptive information.

Museums are an important means of cul-tural exchange, enrichment of cultures anddevelopment of mutual understanding andpeace among peoples. New social paradigmssuch as the widespread adoption of social net-working, together with ever-changing visitorexpectations and the opportunities presentedby digital media, will attract visitors to learnmore about the artifacts of the museums.This will help make connections with differentpeople from different regions.

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2.8.5 ECOTOURISM IN CHILIKA(2014-05-12 09:38)

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BIRD-WATCHING CAN FURTHER BOOSTECOTOURISM IN CHILIKA

Migratory birds and people have been closelylinked throughout history and migratory birdscontinue to play a very significant cultural,

aesthetic and economic role in the lives of peo-ple around the world. Migratory birds under-take some of the most daring journeys, oftencovering thousands of kilometers to migrate.

There is also a growing trend among bird touroperators to practise sustainable and sociallyresponsible ecotourism, while relying on localgoods and services or supporting local con-servation projects. Hundreds of thousands ofbirdwatchers travel to various places in theworld to watch birds, hoping to glimpse rarespecies.

To conserve migratory birds and their habi-tats, World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) is cel-ebrated on May 11-12 every year since 2006.For 2014, the theme of the day is “DestinationFlyways: Migratory Birds and Tourism”. Thisyear’s theme is linked to the topic of tourismand migratory birds, focusing on the globalbird and sustainable tourism. Each year, mil-lions of migratory birds set out to travel theworld, flying along the same routes, known asflyways. The flyways represent one of the mostspectacular and valuable assets of the world’snatural heritage. The WMBD works as a net-work to increase public knowledge about mi-gratory birds and their importance.

During their travels, migratory birds dependupon a chain of vital sites for breeding and win-tering. Due to their natural values, these sitesare often managed under different conserva-tion schemes and also endowed with greattourism potential. Bird-watching tourism typ-ically involves travelling away from home toa bird-watching destination. This destinationmay be a particular location such as a well-known, bird-rich site. Bird-watching tourismhas attracted attention in recent years as anapparently environment-friendly way of pro-ducing income for operators, local communi-ties and whole countries.

Odisha’s Chilika lagoon, the largest brackishwater lake in Asia covering an area of over1,100 sqkm, is a great attraction for touristsfor bird-watching. Chilika, which is also ahotspot for biodiversity, has been named ‘Des-tination Flyways’ by the United Nations WorldTourism Organisation (UNWTO). The lagoonwas so named for its sustainable and resilientdestination for migratory birds. The UN’s bodyarm, under the project “Destination Flyways”,will help the Chilika Development Authority


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(CDA) to develop strategies for protection ofmigratory birds through creation of innova-tive tourism and livelihood products with fund-ing support from Federal Ministry for the En-vironment, Nature Conservation and NuclearSafety of Germany. The UN body’s arm ontourism and biodiversity would assist in devel-opment and implementation of strategies andprojects linking sustainable tourism and liveli-hood resources.

Chilika is the only site to be selected from Asiaby the UNWTO and was recommended by in-ternational agencies such as Secretariat of theConvention of Biological Diversity, Conventionof Migratory Species, Ramsar Convention Sec-retariat, World Heritage and Man and the Bio-sphere Programmes of UNESCO.

By providing an adequate framework for sus-tainable tourism management and diversify-ing the tourism offer along the flyways, Des-tination Flyways will generate revenue forimproved management of biodiversity andspread the benefits of tourism to local commu-nities, while creating attractive experiences fortourists. This can be done by developing andimplementing site management plans bring-ing together environmental and tourism objec-tives.

Recognised as a Ramsar Wetland of Interna-tional Importance for its biodiversity, Chilikaattracts an impressive array of bird life, withover a million migratory waterfowls and shore-birds during winter. The lake is also thelargest wintering ground for migratory birdsin the Indian sub-continent. In the peak sea-son, as many as 160 species of birds can befound here. Birds seeking wintering groundcome from as far as the Caspian Sea, remoteparts of Russia, Central and South-East Asia,the Himalayas, etc. They are sea eagles, greylag geese, purple moorhen, jacana, herons,flamingos, etc. The lake is one of the bestplaces for bird-watching. Besides, the touristscan enjoy dolphin watching, boating, fishing,wetland viewing and camping. There are num-bers of ecotourism points like the Nalabanabird sanctuary and island, Satpada wetlandand dolphin viewpoint, Mangalajodi conserva-tion centre, Parikuda Island, Kalijai and Chi-lika Ecopark.

Bird-watching plays a significant part in thetourism industry and creates direct and indi-

rect economic benefits for many countries andcommunities. Bird-watching is a highly popu-lar recreational activity. Ecotourism involveslocal community for conservation of the areas’ecology and biodiversity and, in return, pro-vides economic incentives to the community.Ecotourism can help conserve important habi-tats of migratory birds and biodiversity on amuch great scale. This results in economicbenefit by disbursing funds for travelling, ac-commodation and entrance fees. A key aspectis raising awareness among local communitiesand involving them in safeguarding the endan-gered species. They provide tour guides, ac-commodation, transportation and necessaryinfrastructure. Besides, local people might en-gage in long-term monitoring which is crucialfor designing an efficient conservation strat-egy.

The open air and scenic natural flora andfauna of the Chilika lake are an attractionfor ecotourism. This is expected to providea degree of alternate employment to the lo-cal community and generate environmentalawareness among local residents as well as vis-itors about conservation and wise use of thelake’s natural resources.

In general, anthropogenic pressures have amajor impact on the general wildlife and avi-fauna in Odisha. However, natural processesalso cause several types of degradation. Forexample, Odisha is located in the cyclone-prone zone having frequent storms and heavywinds resulting in erosion and large-scale de-structions. Pollution is also another factor.The alarming decline in the bird population in-dicates that air pollution levels in many citiesare rising dangerously. Since many birds aremainly grain eaters, it could mean that thegrains contain higher amount of pesticidesthan before. Besides, land-use change andoverall increase of human settlements maythreaten the bird population.

Unfortunately, there has been a decline inthe number of migratory birds arriving in Chi-lika due to habitat loss and wetland pollu-tion. This season, around 7.19 lakh migratorybirds have been sighted in this 1,100-sqkm la-goon, which is 1.58 lakh less than the previ-ous year. Around 8.77 lakh birds visited thelake in 2013. This may be due to the pressureon land, conversion of lake area to agriculture


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and deforestation in the catchment area. Ifthis trend continues then the number of mi-gratory birds will reduce in the coming years.This may result in a substantial decrease ininternational tourists.

However, the number of tourists coming toChilika is increasing each year. An estimated1.7 million tourists visit Chilika every year andthe duration of their stay is increasing. Itis also expected that Chilika with all its eco-tourism assets can attract a much larger num-ber of tourists in future.

Creation of tourism awareness is of primeimportance in promoting tourism in anydestination. It involves educating the localpeople about the benefits incurred fromtourism industry and the necessity of devel-oping tourism. In Chilika, conservation ofmigratory birds requires continuous adap-tation based on a review of the changes invarious components of ecological characterof the wetland. There is a need for ecosys-tem conservation and sustainable resourcedevelopment and livelihood improvementsupported by institutional development, com-munication, education and public awareness.The ecosystem conservation would comprisecatchment conservation, water managementand biodiversity conservation. Siltation is themajor problem of the lake. There is a needto reduce this load by suitable plantationand watershed development programme inthe catchment areas. Besides, research andcollaborative efforts are needed to better un-derstand relationships between bird-watchingand ecotourism and ensure meaningful bene-fits for conservation of the lake ecosystem.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/bird-watching-can-further-boost-ecotourism-in-chilika.html

2.9 April

2.9.1 Bio- Medical Waste Managementin Bhubaneswar (2014-04-28 10:01)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/biomedical-waste-management-in-bhubaneswar-poses-risks.htmlBIO-MEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT INBHUBANESWAR POSES RISKS

Improper procedures of medical waste man-agement have been reported frommany places.At the global level, up to 64 per cent ofhealthcare institutions are reported to haveunsatisfactory biomedical waste management(BMWM) facilities. Expansion of healthcare fa-cilities and the recent trend of using dispos-ables have led to an unprecedented burdenof healthcare-related wastes. Since the lastdecade, unregulated handling of biomedicalwastes is emerging as a serious threat to hu-man health and safety.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO)observes the World Day for Safety and Healthat Work on April 28 to promote preventionof occupational accidents and diseases. April28 is also the day on which the world’s tradeunion movement holds its international Com-memoration Day for Dead and Injured Work-ers in memory of the victims of occupationalaccidents and diseases.

Biomedical wastes are generated in the diag-nosis and treatment of human and animaldiseases. Hospitals, clinics and laboratoriesproduce huge quantities of biomedical wastes,which pose occupational health risks to thosewho generate or come in contact with them.According to the WHO, almost 80 per cent ofmedical wastes are benign and comparable todomestic wastes. The remaining 20 per centis considered hazardous.

In many cities, collection, segregation, trans-portation, and disposal of solid wastes has


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been done in a very unscientific way. Segre-gation of wastes has not been done before dis-posal. Solid wastes contain biomedical wasteand sometimes other toxic and hazardouswastes.

The wastes from hospitals, nursing homes,clinics, etc., are apparently infectious unlesstreated carefully. These wastes include blood-soaked bandages, culture dishes and otherglassware, discarded surgical gloves, dis-carded surgical instruments, discarded nee-dles, etc. All activities in medical waste man-agement from collection to disposal involverisk either to the worker directly involved orto nearby residents.

Occupational health and safety now has an im-pact on every worker in every workplace. Em-ployers have a duty to prevent occupationaldiseases by taking preventive and protectivemeasures through assessment and control ofrisks at work. Poor management of health-care wastes potentially exposes health work-ers, waste handlers, patients and the commu-nity at large to infection, toxic effects and in-juries. Prospective workers should be edu-cated about the biohazards to which they maybe occupationally exposed, the types of expo-sures that place their health at risk, the na-ture and significance of such risks as well asthe appropriate first aid and follow-up for po-tential exposures.

The Constitution of India has detailed provi-sions for the rights of citizens and also laysdown the Directive Principles of State Policywhich set an aim to which the activities of thestate are to be guided. On the basis of these Di-rective Principles, the Government is commit-ted to regulate all economic activities for man-agement of safety and health risks at work-places and to provide measures to ensure safeand healthy working conditions for every work-ing man and woman. The Biomedical Waste(Management and Handling) Rule 1998, pre-scribed by the Union Ministry of Environmentand Forests, came into force on July 20, 1998.

Hospital wastes can be categorised and segre-gated on the basis constituents. Such as in-fectious materials containing dangerous con-centrations of waste, if exposed, can causediseases are included in this category. It in-cludes wastes from surgery on patients withinfectious diseases; sharp disposable needles,

syringes, blades, broken glasses or any otheritems that can cause injury; pharmaceuticalslike drugs and chemicals that are returnedfrom wards, spilled, expired, contaminated orexposed for longer period are included in thiscategory. There are also radioactive like solids,liquids and gaseous wastes contaminated withradioactive substances used in diagnosis andtreatment of diseases.

Whether the method of disposal is on-site oroff-site, biomedical wastes must be segregatedfrom the general waste stream. If biomedicalwastes are mixed with general refuse, the to-tal waste stream would require special treat-ment and handling. Waste segregation relieson the waste being segregated at its point ofgeneration and placed into appropriate wastecontainers. Segregation permits facilities toeffectively divert those materials that are re-cyclable, require special handling or disposal.Used syringes need to be disposed of in an en-vironmentally safe manner. Syringes and nee-dles must be damaged before they are put incontainers.

There is a need of proper management ofbiomedical wastes. In this regard, publicawareness will play an important role in ad-dressing the issue at local level. Various typesof awareness programmes are being organisedto spread awareness for management of thisproblem. Policies and procedures should bemade available and include methods of segre-gating, packaging, labeling, moving, storing,treating and transporting the various wastetypes and a list of all regulations and legisla-tions concerning biomedical wastes and pro-vision for regular, ongoing staff instructionabout proper handling and potential hazardsof biomedical waste.

Workers and their organisations have a rightto be involved at all levels in formulating, su-pervising and implementing prevention poli-cies and programmes for occupational safetyand health and prevention of occupational dis-eases.

It has been felt that the solid waste manage-ment in Bhubaneswar is not in tune with therapid development of the city. The indiscrim-inate disposal of biomedical wastes poses agreat risk to human health and environmentin the city. The hazardous and infectiouswastes from hospital and nursing homes are


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at present disposed of in a manner whichis not environmentally sound. Within theBhubaneswar Municipal Corporation areasthere are five Government hospitals, two pri-vate hospitals, 17 Government Dispensaries,about 20 nursing homes which generate a to-tal of one tonne of biomedical wastes every day.The wastes are currently dumped along withmunicipal solid wastes. This poses high risksto the city.

There are no demarcated dump yards forbiomedical waste disposal in Bhubaneswar.Many open areas in the city have been con-verted into dumping yards. Medical wastesare simply dumped with other solid wastes indifferent locations. These sites are visuallyunpleasant without any visual barriers. Be-sides, open dumping often leads to a numberof problems like air, water and ground pollu-tion, spread of diseases, etc. People involvedin the disposal process can suffer from nee-dle stick injuries. This can happen during thedisposal of the used syringe or even after dis-posal to those involved in recovering them. Ofall the potential sources of infection transmis-sion from biomedical wastes, needle sticks areof prime concern to the health staff and thecommunity at large.

The management of solid wastes includingbiomedical waste should, therefore, be a pri-ority for the city of Bhubaneswar. Protectionagainst personal injury is essential for allworkers who are at risk. The individualsresponsible for management of healthcarewastes should ensure that all risks are identi-fied and suitable protection from those risksis provided. It is essential that all medicalwaste materials are segregated at the pointof generation, appropriately treated and dis-posed of safely.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/biomedical-waste-management-in-bhubaneswar-poses-risks.html

Sharps Container Disposal (2015-04-2412:19:03)To avoid injury and spreading of infections thatcan cause serious health conditions where inmost common infections are Hepatitis B (HBV),Hepatitis C (HCV) and Human ImmunodeficiencyVirus (HIV), we must dispose our sharp objects

properly. Impact Hygiene provides a convenientsharps waste disposal solution handled by profes-sionally trained technicians. The containers youneed to safely and securely dispose of scalpels,needles, syringes and other medical waste willbe provided, and serviced to provide you withconvenience and peace of mind.Impact Hygiene - Sharpshttp://impacthygiene.com.au/sharps-disposal/

2.9.2 Odisha tops Malaria states in In-dia (2014-04-25 09:20)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/odisha-accounts -for-most-malaria-cases-in-india.html

ODISHA ACCOUNTS FOR MOST MALARIACASES IN INDIA

Malaria is one of the leading causes of deathin the world. The World Health Organisa-tion (WHO) estimates 300-500 million cases ofmalaria with over one million deaths each yearworldwide. Most malaria cases and deathsoccur in sub-Saharan Africa. However, Asia,Latin America, and to a lesser extent the Mid-dle East and parts of Europe are also affected.In India, the maximum people affected bymalaria are from Odisha State.

The World Malaria Day, instituted by the WHOin 2007, is celebrated on April 25. The say’scampaign theme for 2014 is Invest in the fu-ture. Defeat malaria. The day is an occasionto highlight the need for continued investmentand sustained political commitment to controland eliminate this deadly disease.

Malaria is transmitted exclusively through thebites of anopheles mosquitoes, which mainlybreed in stagnant waters. Some mosquitoesbreed in small water pockets partially or com-pletely exposed to the sun while others breed


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in shaded stagnant water. Malaria trans-mission is more intense in places where themosquito lifespan is longer (so that the para-site has time to complete its development in-side the mosquito). In many places, transmis-sion is seasonal with the peak during and justafter the rainy season. Lack of maintenanceof the road drainage ditches, drainage watertreatment and disposal facilities create prob-lems of silting, slow water flow or stagnant wa-ter.

If there are severe storms and excessive rain-fall amounts for several days, the groundmight not be able to absorb all the water. Thisleads to development of stagnant water bod-ies. Another common cause of stagnant wateris if the septic systems are filled with too muchwater, causing the sewage to flow on ground.These types of water are filled with bacte-ria, creating possible diseases. Areas with ashallow water table are more susceptible togroundwater stagnation due to the lower avail-ability of natural soil drainage. Excessive wa-tering may cause ground or surface water stag-nation. People should clean their surroundingenvironment to clear off stagnant water. Dur-ing the off flooding period the stagnant water isto be drained off to the nearby water channels.Proper surface and subsurface drainage to re-move excess water in a timely manner playsan important role in controlling water-relateddiseases.

Management of drainage system is presentlya challenge for urban authorities in many de-veloping cities because of rapid growth of pop-ulation and unplanned development activities.Therefore, a close coordination among urbanauthorities and collaboration between publicand private sectors is needed for effective man-agement and sustainable operation of urbandrainage system. High-intensity rains cancause urban flooding since urban areas havea lot of concrete structures and there isn’tmuch open soil available for water to percolate,causing a huge burden on the drainage sys-tems. Several days of flooding allowsmosquitolarvae breeding and leads to an increase inmalaria transmission. Emphasis on drainagedevelopment works will have to be undertakenin the severely waterlogged areas to reduce thespreading of diseases.

Floods and waterlogging in the low-lying ar-

eas have become common due to unplannedgrowth. Bhubaneswar’s rapid expansion in alldirections makes the city prone to urban flood-ing. The high rate of urbanisation has led towaterlogging in several areas of the city. It isvery crucial to take decisiond while changingland use from agriculture category to residen-tial area. However, as real estate developersand new settlers have started converting agri-cultural land into residential colonies, the nat-ural channels for water discharge have beenblocked.

In Bhubaneswar, the land use change fromvegetation to other category was 63.3 per centand land use change from agriculture to othercategory was 32.4 per cent in 2000-2005 forresidential area which was the highest com-pared to other category of land uses. Thistrend is also continuing now. In many cases,people are constructing houses without con-sidering the drainage pattern and they sufferthe problem after construction of the build-ings. It is very difficult to incorporate drainageplan after construction. In many low-lyingareas of Bhubaneswar like Acharya Vihar,Jayadev Vihar, Bhimatangi, Old Town, Jag-amohan Nagar, Laxmisagar and Kapilprasad,people are suffering from water stagnation.In many cases, construction over the naturaldrainage channel blocks the water flow.

Common drainage problems can be avoided ifdue consideration is given to these issues dur-ing planning stage. The time and costs spenttrying to address problems before and duringthe construction stage will normally be lessthan the costs of mitigating efforts after theworks have been completed.

Water collected through a road drainage sys-tem needs to be carefully discharged from theroad, avoiding any damages to the adjacentlow-lying land. Equally, the drainage sys-tem of a road needs to be carefully adjustedso it does not conflict with the drainage sys-tems on adjacent neighbourhood land. Be-sides the proper design of side drains can re-duce the drainage problem in the city. Thefunction of the side drains (or ditches) is tocollect water from the carriageway and sur-rounding areas and lead it to an exit pointwhere it can be safely discharged. The ab-sence of side drain also aggravates the prob-lem. The exact dimensions of the side drains


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are dependent on the expected amount of rain-water and the distance to the next exit pointwhere the water can be diverted from the road.The drainage facilities demandmanagement ofdrains, which involve the prevention of flood-ing and illegal encroachments, periodic main-tenance and provisions of adequate land forfuture reconstruction and augmentation activ-ities.

Inadequate provision for drainage can in-crease the risk of malaria. Almost one-tenthof the global disease burden could be pre-vented by improving water supply, sanita-tion, hygiene and management of water re-sources. Such improvements reduce childmortality and improve health in a sustainableway. Malaria can create a huge economic bur-den for a country. This is due to the num-ber of hospital admissions and the cost of na-tional malaria control programmes. In thiscontext, innovative financing would play animportant role. Investments in malaria pre-vention have been among the best investmentsin global health facility, resulting in a dramaticdecrease in malarial deaths and illness.

Finally, urban planning which is done keepingcommunity needs in mind would go a long wayin checking the spread of malaria by participa-tory planning for better preparedness for po-tential urban water supply, proper waste dis-posal and elimination of stagnant water bod-ies. There is a need to improve waste watertreatment, management and modifications tothe drainage system in every city. Besides,public awareness and community participa-tion play an important role in the planning pro-cess. A variety of diseases can be preventedby improving the provision of water and sani-tation and implementing proper drainage andcontrol of disease vectors.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/odisha-accounts-for-most-malaria-cases-in-india.html

2.9.3 Green Vision for City Planning(2014-04-23 09:29)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/its-important-t o-have-green-vision-for-city-planning.html

IT’S IMPORTANT TO HAVE GREEN VISIONFOR CITY PLANNING

The annual International Mother Earth Daywas observed on April 22 to demonstrate andsupport for environmental protection.

Urban areas are now home to 50 per cent ofthe world’s population, but they account for60-80 per cent of energy consumption and 75per cent of carbon emissions. Rapid urbani-sation is exerting pressure on fresh water sup-plies, sewage, the living environment and pub-lic health. In many cases, urbanisation ischaracterised by urban sprawl and haphazarddevelopment of periphery of the town which isnot only socially divisive but increases energydemand, carbon emissions and puts pressureon ecosystems.

The Earth Day 2014 focussed on the globaltheme Green Cities. This would encouragepeople to create a sustainable, healthy envi-ronment by greening communities worldwide.As the urban population grows and the effectsof climate change worsen, our city planninghas to change.

Green vision for city planning includes threekey elements: buildings, energy and trans-portation. A green city derives its energy fromrenewable sources like solar and wind and dis-tributes it through efficient micro grids. Agreen city is made up of buildings that areenergy-efficient, conserve water and reducewaste. Compact, relatively densely populatedcities with mixed-use urban form are moreresource-efficient than any other settlementpattern with similar levels of economic out-put. Urban infrastructure including streets,


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water and sewage systems come at consider-ably lower costs per unit as urban densityrises.

Besides, a city that preserves and maximisesits open spaces, natural landscapes and recre-ational opportunities is more healthy and re-silient. Many cities have been designed withgreen space-oriented community developmentstrategy at both national and local levels.Greenways may be designed as a planningstrategy. These are networks of land contain-ing linear element that are planned, designedand managed for multi purposes includingecological, recreational, cultural or other pur-poses compatible with the concept of sustain-able land use.

Bhubaneswar was a city with pleasant cli-matic condition throughout the year. Sincelast decade, this city is experiencing highpopulation growth, urbanisation and distinctweather condition. Earlier, it had a sound cov-erage of greenery, but now it has decreasedsubstantially, leading to uncomfortable condi-tions. Modification of the land surface by ur-ban development and reduction of open spaceis another reason for the unusual mercurialrise in Bhubaneswar in summer. Small wa-ter bodies and wetlands are increasingly beingfilled up by multistoried buildings.

The level of pollution has also increased due tothe increasing traffic and decrease in foliage.The expansion of the city and lots of concretestructures are also the reason for its microcli-matic change over the years. Bhubaneswarcontained a 54-per cent forest area in 1930,which is now a mere 3 per cent, mostly shrubsonly. As per the CDP-2008, the BhubaneswarDevelopment Plan Area (BDPA) contains only19.07 per cent of forest area.

To develop green vision, green corridors can bedesigned properly in Bhubaneswar. The en-tire BDPA is gifted with tremendous naturalresources in the form of rivers like Kuakhai,Bhargavi and Daya as well as areas with densevegetation/forest such as Bharatpur forestarea and Nandankanan Wildlife Sanctuary. Inthe CDP, the entire river belt zone has beenproposed for recreational land use with greenbuffers running all along the river embank-ment, thereby forming a continuous ‘GreenCorridor’ on the eastern side of the BDPA. Sec-ondly, entire Bharatpur is a green zone with its

forest area and the Nandankanan sanctuaryplaced sequentially along the main access. Itis also forming the Green Corridor on the west-ern side of the BDPA. These open areas mustbe developed as organised green and suitablylandscaped. It is also advisable to have green-ing of the entire townships.

It is better to think of the open spaces of a cityas a multifaceted matrix, performing a varietyof functions and having a variety of uses. Bythis, cities can maintain green space withinand throughout their urban and suburbancentres, including trees and green space forrecreation, cooling, stormwater managementand simple aesthetic enhancement and livabil-ity. A number of cities are developing this ideaof Green Corridor as a tool both for the protec-tion of biodiversity and to provide a sense ofcontinuity between town and the region.

Avenues of trees in the streets, public urbanparks and conservation of green areas withinprivate plots can all contribute to improvingconditions in the urban area. Scattered greenspace within the compactly built up area mayact as a continuous patch of green, widen-ing at the edge of the city into the green beltand then into a rural landscape, establishinga coherent relationship between urban and ru-ral areas. Such designs encourage healthylifestyles with the ability to serve many dailyneeds by walking or cycling. This developmentpatterns can also help keep a community eco-nomically vibrant.

People who live close to green space are moreresistant to stress, have lower incidence of be-havioural disorders, anxiety and depressionand have a higher measure of confidence.Green space also stimulates social interac-tions between people.

As the concept of a green city is still new, theirdevelopment faces many challenges. The largemajority of green cities are still at the planningstage. Although there are many new ideas andagenda for green city planning, a few of themhave been implemented to generate broad con-clusions.

Many buildings are designed in the city with-out considering climatic conditions of thearea. These buildings need air-conditioning tokeep them cool. As an alternative, architectsshould keep climatic conditions in mind and


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design building that would cut down on en-ergy consumption. More emphasis should begiven on factors like ensuring maximum natu-ral light and ventilation.

Green buildings have minimal adverse im-pacts on the natural environment and aredesigned to minimise the environmental im-pact of materials, construction and opera-tion. They also seek to maximise opportu-nities for indoor environmental quality andperformance, saving money, reducing waste,increasing worker productivity and creatinghealthier environment for people to live andwork.

It has become paramount that an assemblyof green buildings alone will not be the onlydeciding factor in green city developments.Many green innovations can be comprehen-sively integrated into statutory urban plan-ning and development control systems, includ-ing planning standards and building regula-tions. Green building standards have beenused in some cities as part of a move towardscarbon neutrality. The bylaws and codes needto be revised to integrate aspects of greencity and energy conservation building code.These regulations should include a combina-tion of mandatory rules and voluntary guide-lines such that minimum energy performancestandards should be compulsory for all newbuildings with flexibility in the ways to achievethe same.

With the rapid urbanisation and fast depletionof the earth’s resources, we need to rethinkabout planning our future cities. Planning,development and maintenance of urban greenspace is among the key elements of sustain-able urban development. City planners musthave a major role in designing green citieswhich would be more livable, sustainable andenvironment-friendly.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/its-important-to-have-green-vision-for-city-planning.html

2.9.4 Konark temple conservationdemands urgent attention(2014-04-20 10:32)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/konark-temple-conservation-demands-urgent-attention.html

Konark temple conservation demands urgentattention

The World Heritage Day is celebrated onApril 18 to educate people about protection,preservation and propagation of world her-itage. World heritage refers to those mon-uments and sites which have shaped, in-fluenced, or represent the most impressiveachievements of human societies. World her-itage sites are those which illustrate the bestof human achievements such as the pyramidsof ancient Egypt, The Great Wall of China,Konark temple in Odisha, etc. World heritageis the shared wealth of humankind. Protectingand preserving this valuable asset demandscollective efforts of the international commu-nity.

The theme of the day for 2014 is Heritage ofCommemoration. It provides an opportunityto present those constructions that have beenintentionally created with the purpose of com-memorating an event, a person, an idea, etc.

The Sun Temple at Konark is a pinnacle of In-dian temple architecture and the most magnif-icent architectural achievement undertakenin India till date. The temple was a tech-nological wonder. The builders had a com-prehensive knowledge of astronomy and ar-chitecture. The temple was built in by KingNarasimhadeva I (AD 1236-1264) of the Gangadynasty and dedicated to the Hindu Sun GodSurya. Due to its architectural excellence, ithas been inscribed as a World

Heritage Monument since November 2, 1984.


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The temple was designed as a chariot with12 huge carved stone wheels and seven stonehorses around its base. The horses were con-ceived in such a way that it gives the impres-sion that the Sun God himself drives this char-iot. The temple complex was located in awalled enclosure of about 260m x 160m.Thecomplex consists of Vaishnav Temple (super-structure collapsed), Maya Devi Temple, SunTemple (superstructure collapsed), Jagamo-hana (Intact), Aruna Pillar (now in front of Ja-gannath Temple, Puri), Natamandapa (super-structure collapsed), kitchen (only basementexisting).

Towards the end of the 16th century or earlyin the 17th, Muslims apparently attacked anddamaged the temple complex causing violationof the sanctity of the temple and, thus, it wasabandoned as a place of worship. Over thenext centuries, the temple was no longer usedand maintained and it suffered from struc-tural deterioration, sand drift and robbery andthemain temple collapsed. Due to human neg-ligence, the masterpiece of art and sculpturefell into ruins.

That the decay and collapse was gradual issubstantiated by A Stirling, who visited thesite in 1825 AD. He mentions that the templestill stood, even in 1848; a corner of the RekhaSikhara remained to a considerable height.The standing corner of the tower was furtherrecorded by James Fergusson in 1837 AD whoestimates its height as nearly 45 m and Kit-toe in 1838 AD who estimates the height be-tween 24m and 30m. This solitary remnant ofthe main temple also fell in October 1848 dueto a strong gale. However, in course of timethe main temple collapsed. Rajendra Lal Mitawhile visiting the temple in 1868 and Hunterin 1870 have recorded eyewitness accounts ofthe ruins. The former mentions it as only an“enormous mass of stones studded with a fewtrees here and there”.

The main temple has been estimated to havebeen 67m height at the beginning. The Jag-amohana is the total height of 37m. It is theaudience hall where the people assembled forworship. Only the Jagamohana or Mukhasalastands today.

The temple is indeed the only one of its kind.The huge granite blocks were extremely pol-ished and plain. The blocks were separated

by iron plates. The entire structure was heldtogether by several magnets. It is believed thatthe idol of Sun God was kept suspended in theair by the force of the magnets. The idol hada diamond which reflected sunrays. The mag-net at the temple’s top was the main force hold-ing most of the structure. This was so power-ful that it used to disrupt the magnetic com-pass of the ships going through that route asKonark was a major port at that time.

During the British rule, steps were taken toconserve the remaining part of the temple. To-wards the end of the 19th century, propos-als were made for undertaking certain repairs,but significant work did not get underway un-til 1903. In 1903, the Jagamohana was sealedafter filling the interior with sand, after ob-serving certain structural deficiency in it, toavoid possible collapse. However neither aclear record of the condition of the inside ofthe monument prior to 1903 nor the actualreason for filling the interior of Jagamohanawith sand is available.

In 1950, the Government of India appointedan expert committee on conservation, engi-neering, art, architecture, geology and chem-istry to suggest measures for conservation.The southern and eastern gateways were thor-oughly conserved by restoring the missingstones and replacing the damaged courses bynew ones. Extensive chemical cleaning andpreservation of the facade of the temple wasalso undertaken.

There are many speculations about the causeof the fall of the temple. Legends describe aloadstone on the temple top. The loadstonedisturbed ship compass so that they did notfunction correctly. To save their shipping, thePortuguese voyagers took away the loadstone,which was acting as the central stone andkeeping all the stones and the iron columnsand walls of the temple in balance. Due toits displacement, the temple walls lost theirbalance and, eventually, fell. But there isno record of this occurrence in any historicalrecords, nor is there any record of the exis-tence of such a powerful loadstone at the tem-ple. The exact date and reason for the fall ofthe monument are still in mystery.

Though in a dilapidated condition, the tem-ple’s charm still attracts visitors from farand wide throughout the year. The remain-


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ing structure and the ruins around still pro-foundly testify the boundless creativity of theOdishan artists and their contributions tothe treasury of Indian art and building tech-niques.

The Sun Temple is protected under the Na-tional Framework of India by the Ancient Mon-uments and Archaeological Sites and Remains(AMASR) Act, 1958. Other relevant legisla-tions include the Forest Act, Konark Develop-ment Act and Notified Council Area Act. Un-der the AMASR Act, a zone of 100 metres out-side the property and a further zone of 200metres outside it constitute, respectively, pro-hibited and regulated zones for developmentor other similar activity that may have adverseeffects on the Outstanding Universal Value ofthe property. All conservation programmesare undertaken by the Archaeological Surveyof India.

There are five management-related plans:safety, environment, master planning, envi-ronmental development and tourism. WorldHeritage funding was received to carry out anassessment of structural stability.

The Jagamohana, which was sealed, is at riskdue to lateral thrusts on the structural walls.The conservation of the remaining part of thetemple will be a challenge after removal ofsand. Research works are on in respect of re-moval of sand from the Jagamohana.

Over the years, it has been observed that thesand level has gone down by nearly 15 feet.This indicates that the top portion has be-come vacant. Therefore, many questions arisefor the conservation of the World Heritage,Konark. If sand removal is possible, peoplecan see the Jagamohana’s interior condition.However, there is a need to study its possibleimpact on the structure. The Konark temple’sworld cultural heritage status certainly de-mands that the structure be given immediateattention.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/konark-temple-conservation-demands-urgent-attention.html

2.9.5 Bhubaneswar to become WorldHeritage City (2014-04-15 11:49)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/a-proposal-to-m ake-bhubaneswar-a-world-heritage-city.html

A PROPOSAL TO MAKE BHUBANESWAR AWORLD HERITAGE CITY

The 66th Foundation day of Bhubaneswarwill be celebrated on April 13 (Sunday). Itwas on this day in 1948 that the first PrimeMinister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehruhad laid the State capital city’s foundation-stone. Since then, Bhubaneswar remains acelebrated model of modern architecture andcity planning with the prehistoric past as aTemple City. Punjab capital Chandigarh wasalso designed in the same era of the post-Independent India.

While laying the foundation-stone, Nehru hadobserved that Bhubaneswar “Would not be acity of big buildings for officers and rich menwithout relation to common masses. It wouldaccord with an idea of reducing differences be-tween the rich and poor. The New Capitalwould embody the beautiful art of Odisha, andit would be a place for beauty…..so that lifemight become an adjunct to beauty”.

Chandigarh was planned by French architectLe Corbusier and Bhubaneswar by Germanarchitect Dr Otto Koenigsberger. Le Corbus-ier’s architectural work in Chandigarh is in theprocess to qualify for inclusion in the WorldHeritage List by the UNESCO. In 2006-07,Chandigarh came up on the tentative list, butin 2010 the decision on it was deferred. How-ever, there is every possibility that Chandigarhis going to be declared as a World Heritage Cityin near future.

But no proposal has been submitted to theUNESCO to enlist Bhubaneswar in this listthough it has more potential than Chandigarh


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2.9. APRIL BlogBook

to qualify for the recognition. Bhubaneswarhas its identity as a temple town with a seriesof ancient sandstone temples varying in sizefrom the towering eleventh century LingarajaTemple, 55-metre high. A large number of

Grade-I temples of national importance at OldBhubaneswar have been protected by the Ar-chaeological Survey of India (ASI), examplesbeing Ananta Basudeva, Mukteswara, Per-surameswara and Rajarani Temples. Withthis backdrop of ancient temples of OldBhubaneswar, a new capital has taken shape.

The city has a prehistoric past. Physically,the plan of Old Bhubaneswar is based on the‘Asta Ayatana’ concept, which stands for eightsacred complexes as described in the sacredchronicles like Ekamra Purana and comprises54 monuments. Even today, there is a rit-ual connection of Lingaraja with the templesin Asta Ayatana. This forms the genesis ofthe order and coherence of physical and socio-religious development of Old Bhubaneswar.The area has been declared as a Special Her-itage Zone as Ekamra Kshetra.

The Dhauli Hill is a Buddhist tourist destina-tion with ancient sculptures and the extraordi-nary art forms. The area has been declared asa Special Heritage Zone as Sanskritik Kshetra.Sisupalagarh was the ancient citadel of capi-tal of Kalinga till 4th century AD. The city wassystematically planned with well built housesof laterite or brick laid out in orderly streets ina grid pattern. The area has been declared asa Special Heritage Zone as Aitihasik Kshetra.

The Udayagiri and Khandagiri Hills representone of the earliest groups of Jain rock-cut ar-chitecture built around 2nd century BC. Ar-chaeologically significant of the Pali recordsengraved in the Hathi Gumpha, displays the13 year megalithic record of king Kharavela ofthe Chedi dynasty.

The unique combination of built, naturaland cultural heritage resources with OttoKoenigsberger’s Master Plan with neighbour-hood units and climate responsive buildingsby Architect Julius Vaz demand the city to belisted in the World Heritage List. According toKoenigsberger’s guidelines, most governmentbuildings have been designed with impressivecorridors, which were also intended to protectthe walls of office rooms from direct sunrays.

Neighbourhood units were designed byKoenigsberger with the best amenities ofurban life, with units placed at short dis-tances to give people easy access to school,hospital and other facilities. The buildingsdesigned by Julius Vaz and the Master Planby Koenigsberger are outstanding examplesof architectural design and town planning.

Besides, the State Museum in Bhubaneswarholds a huge collection of artifacts and crafts,including the world’s largest collection of palm-leaf manuscripts. The city’s Tribal Museum isa testament to the lifestyles, arts and crafts ofOdisha’s tribal heritage encompassing over 60different tribes.

To be included in the World Heritage List, sitesmust be of outstanding universal value andmeet at least one of the ten selection criteria.There are more than 100 cities in the world de-clared as World Heritage Cities. In Asia, thereare four in Japan, three in China but nonein India. The UNESCO confers the heritagestatus when the heritage sites/cities are nom-inated by nations along with data, maps andphotographs.

Bhubaneswar fulfils four criteria: to representa masterpiece of human creative genius; toexhibit an important interchange of humanvalues over a span of time or within a cul-tural area of the world on developments inarchitecture or technology, monumental arts,town-planning or landscape design; to bear aunique or at least exceptional testimony to acultural tradition or to a civilisation which isliving or which has disappeared; and to be di-rectly or tangibly associated with events or liv-ing traditions with ideas or with beliefs, withartistic and literary works of outstanding uni-versal significance.

If declared a world heritage, Bhubaneswarcan maintain its identity for future gener-ations. Top UNESCO official during theirvisit to Odisha assured that they would con-sider the State’s recommendation to includeBhubaneswar in the World Heritage List. IfBhubaneswar qualifies for it, it would becomethe second Indian city to be included in thetentative list after Chandigarh. The prepa-ration of the list is not random selection ofplaces, but it is a tedious exercise involvingdetailed study of history, architecture and her-itage of places for its uniqueness/values be-


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fore deciding on its selection.

If Bhubaneswar is declared as a World Her-itage city, it will have more benefits. TheWorld Heritage Status, first of all, is the high-est honour and the most prestigious title givento heritage monuments, sites, cities, etc., inrecognition of their historic/architectural sig-nificance, not just at the local/national levelsbut at an international level for having her-itage of outstanding universal value. The titlegives a tremendous impetus to internationaltourism and also opens up avenues of fund-ing for comprehensive development of the city.The status makes preservation and mainte-nance of heritage mandatory, thus facilitatingto uphold the city’s cultural identity.

Submitting a proposal does not guaranteethe world heritage status. Lots of worksneed to be done by the State Governmentand conservation NGOs to get the status forBhubaneswar. Besides, public awarenessand community participation are also vital tomake the proposal successful.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/a-proposal-to-make-bhubaneswar-a-world-heritage-city.html

2.9.6 Vector-borne diseases in Slums(2014-04-07 10:10)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/how-to-prevent- vector-borne-diseases-in-slums.html

HOW TO PREVENT VECTOR-BORNE DIS-EASES IN SLUMS

The World Health Day is celebrated on April7 to mark the anniversary of the foundingof the World Health Organisation (WHO) in1948. The day’s theme for 2014 is ‘Prevention

and Control of Vector-Borne Disease in Infor-mal Settlements’. So, the day this year high-lights some of the most commonly known vec-tors responsible for transmitting a wide rangeof parasites and pathogens that attack hu-mans or animals. Mosquitoes, for example,not only transmit malaria and dengue but alsolymphatic filariasis, chikungunya and yellowfever.

Vectors are organisms that transmitpathogens and parasites from one infectedperson to another. They are most commonlyfound in tropical areas and places whereaccess to safe drinking water and sanitationsystems is problematic.

Over 60 per cent of water and vector-borne dis-eases in urban areas are reported from slumclusters due to lack of basic amenities. Thesesettlements are the areas where groups ofhousing units have been constructed on landthat the occupants have no legal claim to, oroccupy illegally. These are the areas wherehousing is not in compliance with planningand building regulations. The reasons for in-formal settlements vary from place to place,but the most critical factors are lack of af-fordable legal options, poverty and intense de-mand for housing.

Slums and homeless people’s number aregrowing day by day in all urban centres. In-dia has a very high percentage of urban house-holds living in informal settlements. In Cen-sus 2011, slum blocks have been delineated inall towns irrespective of population size. Outof the 4,041 Statutory Towns in Census 2011,slums were reported from 2,543 (63 %). Thetotal slum enumeration blocks (SEBs) is about1.08 lakh in the country. The top five States re-porting slum households are Andhra Pradesh,Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha andWest Bengal. The proportion of slum house-holds (HHs) to urban HHs is 35.7 % in AndhraPradesh and 23.1 % in Odisha. Most slumhouseholds have no access to any waste collec-tion and suffer from insufficient drinking wa-ter.

Bhubaneswar, one of the fast-growing Indiacities, has lost its earlier planned status dueto massive growth of slum population and theincreased informal sector activities in the re-cent years. This sector of Bhubaneswar isdominated by migrant workers. The build-


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2.9. APRIL BlogBook

ing activity over a long period needed the ser-vice of thousands of unskilled, semiskilledand skilled workers, who came from all overOdisha and other States during the entire con-struction period. These workers, along withthose working in the service sector, rickshaw-pullers and small vendors built their tempo-rary houses in vacant private and Govern-ment lands. In the process, slums appearedat many places. The migrant labourers ofBhubaneswar usually settle in various slumsto earn their livelihoods in different activities.

The Bhubaneswar Development Authority(BDA) has classified the slum settlements intoslum colonies belonging to industrial workers,common slums, population squatting on theland belonging to the Railways and other Gov-ernment agencies. The distribution of slumand squatters inside the city is very much spe-cific location-bound. However in the presentcontext, shifting of slum population is contin-uously taking place. But this is not a perma-nent solution for the slum dwellers.

Generally, as population grows, there is an in-crease in the demand for land by Government,private individuals and corporate bodies. Un-fortunately, since the overall physical supplyof land within a geographical area is fixed, thedemand always outstrips supply by a widemargin. In the market, the corporate bodiesand rich individuals with higher bargainingpower dominate the transaction while slumdwellers are left with little choice. This groupof individuals occupies the less desirable ar-eas like marshy sites, areas adjacent to refusedumps and encroaches on Government lands.This settlement is characterised by infrastruc-ture deficiencies, shanty structures, poor san-itation, urban violence and crime.

The lack of access to adequate water and san-itation remains the major concerns in slums.Over 60 per cent of them have inadequate ac-cess to sanitation. They lack either an individ-ual toilet or a shared toilet. They are forced todepend on badly maintained and overcrowdedtoilet blocks. Open spaces are thus the onlyoption.

In Bhubaneswar, there is a need to checkmosquito breeding. The vector-borne dis-eases can be prevented if mosquito breedinggrounds are eliminated. This needs coordi-nated policies and actions related to slum-

upgrading. First, the growth of slums needsto be slowed down and eventually stoppedthrough legal and land market reform plan-ning, zoning regulations and building codes tomake housing more affordable. Second, thereis s need to adopt preventive strategies.

The National Vector Borne Disease ControlProgramme (NVBDCP) is the programme forprevention and control of the vector-bornediseases as an integral part of the NationalRural Health Mission (NRHM). The NVBDCPenvisages a self-sustained and well-informed,healthy India free from vector-borne diseaseswith equitable access to quality healthcare.

The Government of India initiated the NationalSlum Development Programme. To enable theslim people to gain access to basic serviceslike potable water, sanitation, health and edu-cational facilities, a number of schemes havebeen launched from time to time. This devel-opment programme can prevent vector-bornediseases in many slum settlements.

Many organisations and volunteers spendhuge amounts of time and money for remedialmeasures, but still we see more people comingto the slum. Therefore, a Strategic Construc-tion Plan and Grid must be implemented toensure that the project is completed on a time-line for slum dwellers’ benefit. There is a needto reserve lands in every urban developmentproject for undertaking EWS and LIG hous-ing as also re-housing sites for slum dwellers.This would enable continuous supply of landfor housing of slum dwellers.

The slum dwellers, an integral part of the city,have a share in the growth, status and pros-perity of the city. They have not willingly cho-sen their shanty structures and unhygienicenvironment but have been driven to this op-tion as they were thrown out of the formalhousing sector. Slum is a social problem. Itmay cause deterrent to future planning andgrowth of the city. It is imperative to enhancethe standard of living of slum dwellers with au-thorised dwelling units.

A slum-free city plan should be prepared forall areas and strategies need to be developedfor prevention of future slums, includingreservation of land and housing for the urbanpoor. This will improve slum dwellers’ livingconditions and prevent vector-borne diseases


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in cities.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/how-to-prevent-vector-borne-diseases-in-slums.html

2.9.7 Friendly houses for Autistics(2014-04-03 12:40)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/design-right-ho uses-friendly-to-people-with-autism.html

DESIGN RIGHT HOUSES FRIENDLY TO PEO-PLE WITH AUTISM

One in every 150 people in the world is autis-tic. This number is a very rough estimateas Autism is a disease with a wide spectrumof symptoms and disorders, ranging from afully functional adult with slight autistic ten-dencies or minor learning disorders to individ-uals who have the most severe form of syn-drome. Autism is a complicated disorder thataffects communication and the senses. Forautistic people, the effects of complexity aremuch greater; they are unable to discern sep-arate noises, shapes, etc, easily; this can leadto tension.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autismare both general terms for a group of complexdisorders of brain development. These dis-orders are characterised, in varying degrees,by difficulties in social interaction, verbal andnon-verbal communication and repetitive pat-terns of behaviour.

Many autistic people have exceptional abilitiesin visual skills, music and academic skills. Toimprove the lives of those who suffer from theASD, the United Nation’s World Autism Aware-ness Day is observed on April 2. In 2008, theConvention on the Rights of Persons with Dis-abilities entered into force, reaffirming the fun-damental principle of universal human rightsfor all. This covers many issues, including em-ployment, recreation, religion, education andaccessibility to public services.

Of all needs, housing is the most importantfor autistic people. In this context, architectshave a great role in designing autism-friendlyhousing. Architects employ their imaginationto build functional and usable built space.Le Corbusier (October 6, 1887 — August 27,1965), an architect, designer, writer and pio-neer of modern architecture wrote, “You em-ploy stone, wood, and concrete, and with thesematerials you build houses and palaces: thatis construction. Ingenuity is at work. But sud-denly, you touch my heart, you do me good. Iam happy and I say: This is beautiful. That isarchitecture.” The meaning attributed to a cer-tain physical environment depends to a largeextent on the personal interpretation peopleattach to this environment, influenced by theirpersonal interests.

Both the characteristic behaviour and the par-ticular way of sense-making of people withautism influence their spatial experience andinteraction with the physical environment.The homes and neighborhoods where adultswith ASDs live may significantly impact thequality of their lives. Yet many housingproviders, developers and architects are un-familiar with how residential design factorsand neighbourhood amenities affect these res-idents’ wellbeing. Issues to consider includeaccess to amenities and transportation andthe potential for residents to be integrated intoexisting community.

Architecture design for autism seeks to de-velop environments that accommodate theneeds of autistic individuals. Despite preva-lence of autism, there are currently no stan-dards for an architectural design specific tothe autistic people’s needs. When peoplethink of treatments for autistic disorders,they may think about behavioural interven-tions, biomedical treatments and play ther-


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2.10. MARCH BlogBook

apies. Rarely do they think about buildingstructures that accommodate the needs ofthese people. Architecture design for autismaddresses sensory needs as it develops an en-vironment that is sensitive to the symptoms.

Developing standard guidelines for creatingautistic-friendly environments rely greatly onresearch. The dynamic between an autisticperson’s behaviour and the physical environ-ment is a primary concern. If a building isplanned in a simple manner, the user will re-quire little effort to use and enjoy the building.A clear layout and organisation of spaces canhelp a person use the building without con-fusion as to the location of rooms. The basicdesign considerations should focus on safetyand security.

A major characteristic of autism is difficultywith transitions. For those leaving homes theyhave lived in for many years, moving into anew residence and neighbourhood can be avery disorienting experience. Autistic adultscan become confused and frightened withchanges in place and organisation. Creatingcontinuity and connection with the past facili-tates the transition. The design of homes andsupport services should all work to maximisethe orientation of these adults to their physi-cal and social environment, assisting them in“knowing where they are”. If improvementsare needed in an occupied building, measuresneed to be taken to make it autism-friendly.

Autism affects girls and boys of geographic re-gions. The prevalence is currently rising inmany countries. Caring for and educatingchildren and young people with this conditionplaces challenges on autism-friendly housing,healthcare and education.

Providing a right environment for autisticpeople is not only desirable but surely theirright. Environments designed and createdespecially for people with the ASD have abeneficial impact not only on the children butalso on those who care for them.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/design-right-houses-friendly-to-people-with-autism.html

2.10 March

2.10.1 Role of Youth to fight climatechange (2014-03-23 11:19)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/engage-youth-to -meet-climate-change-challenges.html

ENGAGE YOUTH TO MEET CLIMATECHANGE CHALLENGES

Our planet’s climate is changing and thischange is already having, and will continue tohave, a lasting impact on our environment andour lives.

Human activities such as the use of fossilfuels, deforestation and unsustainable agri-culture have been substantially increasingthe atmospheric concentrations of greenhousegases. All this will result in additional warm-ing of the Earth’s surface and atmosphere

and may adversely affect natural ecosystemsand humankind. Climate change also de-creases the availability of nutritious food andclean water.

This leads to malnutrition and migration,rendering youth particularly vulnerable.Throughout the year, meteorologists acrossthe world work together to collect, analyseand share information including reliable andtimely weather forecasts.

The United Nations World Meteorological Dayis observed on March 23 to improve our un-derstanding of weather patterns and to betterforecast the Earth’s weather and climate.

The day commemorates the entry into force,on that date in 1950, of the convention cre-ating the World Meteorological Organisation


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BlogBook 2.10. MARCH

(WMO). The main motive behind this day is toexamine the state and behaviour of the Earth’satmosphere and its interaction with climate,ocean and water resources.

This year’s theme “Weather and Climate: En-gaging Youth” focuses on how today’s youthwill benefit from the dramatic advances beingmade in science to improve our understandingof weather patterns and to better forecast theEarth’s weather and climate.

Most youths will live into the second half ofthis

century and experience the increasing im-pacts of climate change. About 2.2 billion peo-ple in the world are under the age of 18, rep-resenting

nearly one-third of the population.

It is estimated that 87 per cent of theworld’s adolescents live in countries affectedby poverty, hunger, disease and violence.Young women are often especially vulnerableto the negative impacts of climate change.

In many societies in times of drought, youngwomen may have to walk much further andmore frequently to collect safe water, leavingthem vulnerable to disease and violent attackalong their route, and with little time to go toschool, generate income or take care of theirfamilies. Many youths are already experienc-ing the impacts of the changing global environ-ment.

The WMO encourages youths to learn moreabout climate system and contribute to actionon climate change. As they live and play intheir communities, they often gain unique in-sights into the local environment, its strengthsand weaknesses. Young people are also of-ten creative and open-minded in their problemsolving: they have initiative to take action toreduce the impact of climate change and pre-pare to face emergencies. They often play akey role in the survival of their families andcommunities in the event of disasters.

Despite all of this, children and young peoplehave, to date, been relatively absent in the cli-mate change policies and plans being devel-oped by many countries. These policies andframeworks aim to support countries to re-duce the risk posed by climate change. Youth-based organisations must be encouraged towork with local authorities and national

governments to establish

protective environments

for children and young

people.

A successful plan is one that is developed, im-plemented and owned by young people in part-nership with other adults in the community. Itis believed that by recognising the rights andcapacities of youths, the challenges of climatechange can be turned into opportunities forsustainable development.

Climate change is a global problem and needglobal solution.

The role of youth is not only to work for sus-tainable development locally or nationally butalso to work for developing such a networkthat will make the movement of sustainabledevelopment global.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/engage-youth-to-meet-climate-change-challenges.html

2.10.2 City urban forests and Climatechange (2014-03-21 09:15)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/urban-forests-m ake-cities-more-climate-change-resilient.html

URBAN FORESTS MAKE CITIES MORECLIMATE-CHANGE-RESILIENT


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Forests are a very essential part of life onEarth. They always fulfil the demands of hu-man beings by providing shadow, shelter, re-freshment including clean air and water. Inthe present world of growing global populationthe demand of forest products is on the in-crease; so the forests are at big risks of degra-dation.

To raise awareness of the importance of alltypes of forests, United Nations InternationalDay of Forests is celebrated on March 21. Thetheme of the day this year is “Ecosystem Man-agement”.

Cities across the world, due to the rapidgrowth of their populations and large-scaledevelopmental investments, are vulnerable tothe impacts of climate change. A major chal-lenge for the cities is to maintain environmen-tal sustainability. Sustainable forest manage-ment significantly contributes to mitigation ofthe harmful effects on the environment. Ingeneral, the term mitigation refers to all activi-ties aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emis-sions and removal of CO2 from the atmo-sphere. Actions needed in the forest sectorinclude expanding forests through afforesta-tion, reducing deforestation and reversing theloss of forest cover, providing an enabling en-vironment for investments and market accessto sustainable forest-based products.

Forests cover 30 per cent of the Earth’s landsurface providing a critical ecosystem. Forestshelp alleviate land degradation and desertifi-cation. Deforestation and desertification ad-versely affect agricultural productivity, healthof humans and livestock and economic ac-tivities such as ecotourism. According to aUNEP report, 13million hectares of the world’sforests are converted into other land uses ev-ery year. India has lost 367 sqkm of forestcover in the past two years as per the ForestSurvey of India (FSI).

Forests have been a source of food, water, fi-bre and livelihoods. They are also central tocombating climate change. Climate changeis the greatest global threat as it can causegreat damage to water and land resources,ecosystem, food security and health. Forestloss enhances the loss of the inhabitant ani-mal species. Deforestation leads to the globalwarming. Desertification and the associatedloss of vegetation cause biodiversity loss and

contributes to climate change.

What is needed is an environmentally appro-priate, socially beneficial, and economically vi-able management of forests for present andfuture generations. This contributes to foodsecurity, poverty alleviation, economic devel-opment and sustainable land use in the widercontext of sustainable development. Forestsand climate change are inherently linked. Asgreenhouse gases build up in the atmosphere,they trap heat. The increased heat leads tochanges in climate patterns. Managing foreststo help them retain and increase their carbonstorage potential can maximise their ability tomitigate climate change.

A sustainable urban forest management is im-portant to sustain the numerous values as-sociated with urban trees. These values arethreatened by the advent of climate change.The urban forest can be defined as the trees ofthe city. Urban forests differ from hinterlandforests in several ways. Firstly, urban forestshave a diverse structure. Urban trees can befound in stands, in a park, arranged in linesalong streets or as single trees and be closeto infrastructure or people. They can be rem-nants of native forests or be deliberately grown.The interactions between climate change andurban forests include three main elements –urban forest contributions, urban forest vul-nerability and the impacts of climate changeon urban forests.

Urban trees help regulate the urban micro-climate, augmenting or minimising climaticchange. This occurs either by reducing albedoand providing shade and cover or by regulat-ing the hydrological regime of cities that af-fects the urban microclimate. Heat from theearth is trapped in the atmosphere due tohigh levels of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases that prohibit it from releas-ing the heat into space. This creates a phe-nomenon known as the “greenhouse effect.”Therefore, trees help remove CO2 from the at-mosphere during photosynthesis and returnoxygen back into the atmosphere as a by-product. Trees act as carbon sinks, alleviat-ing the greenhouse effect. Trees also reducethe greenhouse effect by shading houses andoffice buildings. This reduces the need for air-conditioning by up to 30 per cent which inturn reduces the amount of fossil fuels burnt



to produce electricity.

In the warmer months of the year, urban areasrealise lower air temperatures when trees arestrategically planted along streets and nearbuildings. Trees also help with energy costs inthe winter by blocking cold winds thereby re-ducing the strain on heating units. These en-ergy savings can reduce the demand for powerproduction by utility plants, which also reducethe amount of air pollutants produced by thepower plants.

City “climate action plans” often incorpo-rate urban forestry into climate change mit-igation and adaption strategies, recognisingthat healthy trees and forests can strengthena community’s ability to withstand climate-related threats. An active urban forest man-agement for climate change strengthens com-munity resilience to climate change impacts.

Urban forests should be included in the cityplanning process and incorporated success-fully into modern, high-density towns andcities.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/urban-forests-make-cities-more-climate-change-resilient.html

2.10.3 Community safety for Women(2014-03-10 13:49)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/how-to-ensure-community-safety-for-women.html

HOW TO ENSURE COMMUNITY SAFETY FORWOMEN

Women are the indispensible part of the so-ciety. Many women have lived with the fear

of being unsafe at certain times of the dayand in certain places. For many women andgirls around the world, just passing througha public space, a market, a crowded streetor riding the bus, is cause for great anxiety.Women express greater fears for their safety inurban environments. This has a huge impacton women’s ability to engage in employment,adult education, civic and community partici-pation, social and leisure activities.

To encourage advocacy for women’s advance-ment, the International Women’s Day is cel-ebrated on March 8. For the year 2014,the theme of the day is “Inspiring Change.”As per the United Nations Development Pro-gramme’s Human Development Report 2013,India ranks 132 out of 187 countries on theGender Inequality Index GII, which is a newindex for measurement of gender disparitythat was introduced in the 2010 Human De-velopment Report. This is a composite mea-sure which captures the loss of achievement,within a country, due to gender inequality,and uses three dimensions to do so — repro-ductive health, empowerment and labour mar-ket participation.

Since the past several centuries, Indianwomen were never given equal status andopportunities compared to their male coun-terparts. According to the National FamilyHealth Survey (NFHS), 34 per cent of women inOdisha experience physical violence. The im-pact of fear, whatever the cause, on women’suse of urban places has implications for therole that planning and design of the publicrealm can play in increasing the use of spacesby women and reducing levels of fear. In termsof housing and residential neighbourhoods,women are over-represented in public hous-ing. They are more likely to be pedestrians andrequire access to public transport. Therefore,the design of neighbourhoods for safety in andaround the home and from the home to transitstops and facilities is paramount.

Women’s experience of safety in urban areasis different to that of men. Urban settingsand the way they are designed affect levelsof fear which are higher among women andwhich vary by location, time of day, mode oftransport and the level and nature of otheruses. Women in particular, construct detailedmental maps of parts of the urban area which


http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/urban-forests-make-cities-more-climate-change-resilient.html



2.11. FEBRUARY BlogBook

feel safe, and those that don’t and should beavoided. They should, therefore, be involvedin the design and planning process. Planningand designing for women and girls means cre-ating public spaces with features that enhancewomen’s safety and feelings of safety and de-tract from features that cause women’s inse-curity and feelings of insecurity.

Thus, planning and designing safe publicspaces for women and girls also meansanalysing the various uses of public spaces,who uses them, when, and for how long. Thisis because when certain groups, like women orgirls, do not use a space, it is usually an indica-tion that the space feels insecure to membersof that group.

Planning and designing safe public spaces forwomen and girls is the process whereby ur-ban planners, designers, architects, women,grassroots and other community actors collab-orate to make the physical features of pub-lic spaces safe and welcoming for women. Ifpublic spaces are dark, abandoned, unclean,overgrown, or lacking certain elements likebenches or emergency phones, they are poten-tially unsafe for everybody, but for women inparticular. Therefore, there is an increasedchance that women will not use spaces wherethey feel and experience violence. For design-ing safe public safe public spaces for women,architects and planners place special focuson lighting, landscaping, visibility, motorisedtraffic, pedestrian traffic, urban furniture, sig-nage, security personnel, proximity to otherpublic spaces, proximity to emergency service,and access to public transportation.

The best way to ensure that spaces are wel-coming to women is to consult them. However,women may find it difficult to participate inpublic planning and design discussions for avariety of reasons. In order to be successful,planners and designers must pay attention tohow people express themselves in, and inter-act with, public space.

Previously many women may not have ques-tioned the social factors that have contributedto their fears. But now, women form organ-isations to work to change the relations be-tween the genders and the social frameworks.There is a need to create cities that are inclu-sive and respect the right of all people, espe-cially women, to live and work without fear.

Each person feels tied into society, and proudof it. UN-HABITAT and Safer Cities purportan approach to urban safety that links womeninitiatives and local government initiativesas a way of influencing public policy and ad-dressing the causes of violence against women.Women’s safety is increasingly recognised asa key health, development and human rightsissue. To make meaningful progress in ef-forts to promote women’s safety, effectiveprogrammatic and policy approaches must beidentified. Urban administrative division canhave a major impact on the safety of womenby developing careful strategic approaches.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/how-to-ensure-community-safety-for-women.html

2.11 February

2.11.1 Astronomical Architecture(2014-02-28 09:40)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/astronomical-ar chitecture-has-a-key-role-in-popularising-science.html

ASTRONOMICAL ARCHITECTURE HAS A KEYROLE IN POPULARISING SCIENCE

National Science Day is celebrated in India onFebruary 28 to commemorate the inventionof the Raman Effect by Indian physicist SirChandrasekhara Venkata Raman on this dayin 1928, for which he was awarded the NobelPrize in Physics in 1930.

The theme of National Science Day, 2014 is“Fostering Scientific Temper”. Scientific tem-per is a way of life, an individual and social pro-cess of thinking and acting, which uses a sci-entific method. First Prime Minister Jawahar-lal Nehru strongly believed in two wonderful


http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/how-to-ensure-community-safety-for-women.html

http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/how-to-ensure-community-safety-for-women.html

BlogBook 2.11. FEBRUARY

concepts, freedom of speech and a concept hehad coined, a nation with a “scientific temper”.By a “scientific temper”, he wanted to speakof the people of a nation who would be able tothink independently, understand and practisethe scientific method in their daily lives.

Art and science are closely bound together,both historically and in education practice.Every art has its foundation in science, andevery science finds its expression in art. Theartists and craftsmen always apply the prin-ciples and laws formulated and systematisedby science. Astronomy has a key role for pop-ularising science. Astronomy develops scien-tific temper, humanism and spirit of inquiryand reform among students, working profes-sionals and general masses.

Astronomy has been applied in buildingsand temple architecture in India. The 10th-Century Mukteswar Temple and 13th-CenturyKonark temple in Odisha were built on as-tronomical observations. Due to its architec-tural excellence Konark has been inscribed asa World Heritage Monument since November2, 1984. The special feature of this temple isthat it is wholly erected in the form of a hugechariot, which is placed on twelve pairs ofsplendidly-carved wheels and drawn by sevendynamic horses. The chariot’s wheels havean interesting fact. Each wheel has a set ofeight spokes and these spokes serve as sundi-als. Sundials are simple timekeeping devicesand work with the help of the Sun. Each wheelcomprises eight spokes indicating eight ‘Pra-haras’ of the day, one Prahara being equalto three hours. The hub of the wheel castsshadow on the spokes indicating time. In theMukteswar Temple, there is also a huge oldsundial made of stone. This belongs to thehorizontal category and is still in working con-dition.

The Jantar Mantar Observatory is another ex-ample of astronomical architecture having akey role in popularising science. In the 18thCentury, Maharajah Jai Singh II, a regionalking under the Mogul empire, constructed fiveastronomical observatories in Delhi, Jaipur,Mathura, Ujjain and Varanasi. The Jaipur ob-servatory is the largest. This was built as afocal point of his new capital, Jaipur, the firstand earliest geometrically planned Indian city.He wanted to facilitate naked eye observation

and make science of astronomy accessible topeople.

One of Jai Singh’s foremost objectives was tocreate astronomical instruments that wouldbe more accurate and permanent than thebrass instruments. The calculating instru-ments of the Jantar Mantar were constructedof local stone faced with white marble andbronze. Various thin rings and facings werecrafted from the ductile alloy of copper and tin– though it may tarnish, it will not rust andthus not stain and crack the stonework.

This simple yet remarkable decision broughtforth a collection of large structures for mea-surement of celestial object positions on theEarth’s surface. The observatories, or Jan-tar Mantars, as they are commonly known, in-corporate multiple buildings of unique form,each with a specialised function for astronom-ical measurement. These structures, withtheir striking combinations of geometric forms,have captivated the attention of architects,artists, and art historians worldwide.

The Jaipur Jantar Mantar has 19 main astro-nomical instruments built for naked-eye ob-servations of the celestial bodies and preci-sion was achieved through their monumen-tal dimensions. The sizes of instruments areamong the largest in the world. This observa-tory was included in the World Heritage Listin July 2010. A unique aspect of this cul-tural heritage site is that it embodies bothart and science in one comprehensive form.The most significant instruments (Yantras)include Brihat Samrat, probably the largestgnomon-sundial ever built. It measures localtime to an accuracy of two seconds.

Great Ram is a rare, and perhaps unique,double-cylinder instrument to record the az-imuth of celestial bodies. The Kapala Yantrarecords the coordinates of celestial bodies inboth the azimuth-altitude and equatorial sys-tems and permits a direct visual transforma-tion of the coordinates of any point in the skybetween the two systems and the RasivalayaYantra is a group of 12 gnomon-dials to mea-sure the ecliptic coordinates of celestial ob-jects. The observatory was very active duringJai Singh’s life, with around 20 permanent as-tronomers. After his death in 1743, this land-mark in Jaipur remained in use almost con-tinuously until around 1800. In the 19th Cen-



tury, the observatory ceased to function per-manently, being reopened from time to time.Some important restorations occurred at theend of the century under the British rule. Thisstarted a new life for the observatory. The in-terweaving of science, cosmology-religion andsocial control has a great importance in theRajasthan culture since the 18th century.

The scientific temper is an attitude, a way ofliving, which should be applicable to all as-pects of our life. “To develop scientific temper”is one of the fundamental duties of Indiancitizens, according to Article 51A (h), the Con-stitution. The fundamental duty is observableby all citizens, be they scholarly or illiterate,for the nation’s benefit. The Mukteswar andKonark sundials and the Jantar Mantars areexamples of astronomical architecture havinga key role in popularising science. The mainthreats to the sites apparently come from theirincreasing tourist use, rainwater penetrationin the foundations and urban pollution.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/astronomical-architecture-has-a-key-role-in-popularising-science.html


http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/astronomical-architecture-has-a-key-role-in-popularising-science.html



3. 2013

3.1 December

3.1.1 Safe Public Space Design forWomen (2013-12-23 10:08)

3.1.2 Regional Planning to re-duce Rural-Urban migration(2013-12-18 10:19)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/needed-regional-growth-planning-to-reduce-rural-urban-migration.html

NEEDED: REGIONAL GROWTH PLANNINGTO REDUCE RURAL-URBAN MIGRATION

The United Nations’ International MigrantsDay is observed on December 18 to recog-nise the efforts, contributions and rights of mi-grants worldwide. In 2013, the number of in-ternational migrants in the world reached 232million, up from 175 million in 2000 and 154million in 1990. Migration is now more widelydistributed across the countries and one of ev-ery ten migrants is under the age of 15.

Rapid urbanisation, concentration of popula-tion in large cities, sprawl of cities into wider

geographical areas and rapid growth of megac-ities are among the most significant transfor-mations of human settlements. In the comingyears, urban and rural population will be in-creasingly interdependent for their economic,environmental and social wellbeing. Amongthe economic and social factors influencingthis process are population growth and vol-untary and involuntary migration, real andperceived employment opportunities, culturalexpectations, changing consumption and pro-duction patterns and serious imbalances anddisparities among regions.

Migration in India is not new. Historical ac-counts show people have moved in search ofwork, in response to environmental shocksand stresses. Improved communications,transport networks, conflicts over natural re-sources and new economic opportunities havecreated unprecedented levels of mobility.

All three sectors of the Indian economy, agri-culture, industry and services employ verylarge numbers of migrant workers. The ma-jor subsectors using migrant labour are tex-tiles, construction, stone quarries and mines,brick kilns, small-scale industry (diamondcutting, leather accessories, etc), crop trans-planting and harvesting, plantations, rick-shaw pulling, food processing including fishand prawn processing, domestic work, secu-rity services, small hotels and roadside restau-rants and teashops and street vending.

Some of the sectors are strongly associatedwith specific migration streams as migrationfrom western Odisha for brick kiln work inAndhra Pradesh and migration from Bihar foragricultural work in Punjab. Western Odishahas long been amajor source area for migrantsbecause of its highly unequal land distribu-tion, high levels of poverty among landless andmarginal farmers and low levels of human cap-ital, industrialisation, urbanisation and diver-sification into nonfarm occupations. The re-gion suffers frommultiple social and economicdisadvantages leaving the poor with few localoptions for making a living.

High-productivity agricultural areas continueto be important destinations, but rural-urban



migration is the fastest growing type of migra-tion as more migrants choose to work in thebetter paying nonfarm occupations in urbanareas. Delhi, Gujarat and Maharashtra aretop destinations for migrant labour.

One key factor of this migration is the lack ofemployment in rural areas, increasing expo-nentially the ever-growing challenges relatedto providing adequate basic infrastructure toa growing number of unplanned low-incomeurban settlements. The lack of reliable infras-tructure assets in rural areas leading to lackof access to basic social services, markets andjob opportunities, often force the rural popu-lation to migrate. Rural and urban develop-ment strategies can be explicitly made morepro-poor by optimising the employment im-pact of physical upgrading strategies in infras-tructure and service delivery, providing socialsafety nets and other alternatives in the formof unemployment insurance, micro financingor job training.

Our Constitution (Article 19) gives the right toall citizens “to move freely throughout the terri-tory of India; to reside and settle in any part ofthe territory of India”. India’s total population,as per the Census 2011, is 1.21 billion. Inter-nal migrants in India constitute a large popu-lation as 309 million internal migrants or 30per cent of the population (Census 2001), andby more recent estimates 326 million or 28.5per cent of the population (NSSO 2007–2008).This far exceeds the estimates of Indian emi-grants (11.4 million) (The World Bank 2011).

Migration in India is primarily of two types, aslong-term migration resulting in relocation ofan individual or household and seasonal mi-gration involving back and forth movement be-tween a source and destination. Most short-term migrants belong to socioeconomically de-prived groups like Scheduled Castes or Sched-uled Tribes having negligible educational at-tainment, limited assets.

Migrants face denial of basic entitlements in-cluding access to subsidised food, housing,drinking water, sanitation and public healthfacilities, education and banking services andlegal protection.

One noticeable issue in the society today is therate at which people migrate from rural to ur-ban areas. Like a paradox, while the urban ar-eas are increasing in population, the rural ar-

eas are decreasing. The rural-urbanmigrationhas negative consequences. It leads to over-population of urban areas encouraging crimesand slows down the rate of development of ru-ral areas. So, the Government of each countryshould strive to provide social amenities andjobs for rural citizens. Agro-allied industriesmust be set up in rural areas to provide jobs.Agricultural inputs and technologies shouldbe introduced to rural people to improve theproduction level.

The global plan of action outlined in the Habi-tat Agenda emphasises the interdependencebetween urban and rural areas and the needto promote their balanced development. So,rural and urban areas should be connectedby infrastructure, principally transport, elec-tricity and telecommunication networks. Pub-lic policies and urban and regional plans canhelp support economic growth while protect-ing natural and agricultural land uses.

Sustainability of global environment and hu-man life will not be achieved unless both ur-ban and rural human settlements are madeeconomically buoyant, socially vibrant and en-vironmentally sound.

All these concerns and demands require a re-gional and cross-sectoral approach to humansettlements planning, which places emphasison rural/urban linkages and treats villagesand cities as two ends of a human settlementscontinuum in a common ecosystem. Regionaldevelopment planning creates a better urban-rural balance and reduces migration pressureon urban areas. It is important for plannersand policymakers to develop strategies basedon the realities of people’s lives in both ruraland urban areas.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/needed-regional-growth-planning-to-reduce-rural-urban-migration.html


http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/needed-regional-growth-planning-to-reduce-rural-urban-migration.html



3.1. DECEMBER BlogBook

3.1.3 Barrier free Design(2013-12-03 14:30)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/barrier-free-design-making-environment-accessible-to-the-disabled.html

BARRIER-FREE DESIGN: MAKING ENVIRON-MENT ACCESSIBLE TO THE DISABLED

The UN’s International Day of Persons withDisabilities is being observed on December 3to promote accessibility, remove all types ofbarriers and to realise full and equal partici-pation of persons with disabilities. This year’stheme is “Break Barriers, Open Doors for anInclusive Society and Development for All”.

Around one billion people in the world live withsome form of disability. Persons with disabili-ties face physical, social, economic and attitu-dinal barriers that exclude them from partici-pating fully and effectively in the society.

They lack equal access to basic resources likeeducation, employment, healthcare and so-cial and legal support systems and have ahigher rate of mortality. Despite this, disabil-ity has remained largely invisible in the main-stream development agenda in many coun-tries. Barrier-free environment is one whichenables people with disabilities to move aboutsafely and freely and use all facilities withinthe built environment, roads, parks, gardensand other places. The goal of barrier-free de-sign is to provide an environment that sup-ports independent functioning of individualsso that they can participate in all activitieswithout assistance.

There is a popular belief that a ramp andan elevator/lift is all that is needed to makea built space barrier-free. But barrier-freehas many other aspects ranging from doorand passage widths to flooring surface, fromcounter heights to door handles and railings

and from signage to auditory signal. Barrier-free design should be incorporated to accessdisabled persons.

A small child, an elderly person, a pregnantwoman, the temporarily disabled, all are vul-nerable to barriers. A list of design ele-ments needs to be considered when creat-ing a barrier-free environment are, ramps,handrails and grab-bars, lifts, signage, infor-mation and service counters, etc.

India has more than 21 million people suffer-ing from one or the other kind of disability.The Persons with Disabilities Equal Opportu-nities, Protection of Rights and Full Participa-tion Act of 1995 heralded a new dawn in thelives of disabled people. For the first time in in-dependent India, a separate law has been for-mulated which talks about the multiple needsof disabled people. The Act stipulates that theGovernments, local authorities ensure provi-sions of barrier-free facilities in all new Gov-ernment buildings and public utilities, roadsand transport.

It enjoins upon the authorities to ensurewithin their economic capacity provision for in-stallation of auditory signals in public roadsfor the benefit of persons with visual handi-caps, kerbs and slopes to be made in pave-ments for the easy access of wheelchair users,devising appropriate symbols of disability atappropriate places.

Regarding non-discrimination in the built en-vironment, provisions have been made in theAct for ramps in public buildings, adaptationof toilets for wheelchair users, Braille symbolsand auditory signals in elevators. Curb cutsand slopes to be made in pavements for easyaccess of wheelchair users; engraving on thesurface of the zebra crossing for the blind orpersons with low vision.

Amendment of building bylaws is the most im-portant step towards creation of a barrier-freebuilt environment in different cities and theguidelines for barrier-free environment may bereferred from Bureau of Indian Standards andthe Urban Development Ministry guidelines.

In order to create a barrier-free environmentin consonance with the provisions of the Act,the Union Ministry of Urban Affairs & Employ-ment is currently engaged in the process ofamending the existing building bylaws which



would be applicable to all buildings and facili-ties used by the public.

A provision of barrier-free design has also beenincorporated in the Bhubaneswar Develop-ment Authority Building Regulation, 2008.Be-sides, access audit for various public build-ings and urban spaces frequently visited bypublic is required to promote barrier-free builtenvironment. Access audit will include identi-fying the barriers in terms of external and in-ternal built environment of the buildings suchas approach, main gates, parking, buildingentrance, public dealing areas, corridors andgeneral circulation areas.

Today accessibility for all is recognised as abasic necessity, and there are attempts allover the world to ensure this. Barrier-free fea-tures are now becoming fundamental to alldesign concepts. The awareness level aboutthe necessity of barrier-free access needs to beraised. The existing code must be effectivelyimplemented to break barriers, open doorsfor an inclusive society. This new design ap-proach will provide a barrier-free environmentfor all.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/barrier-free-design-making-environment-accessible-to-the-disabled.html

3.2 November

3.2.1 Urban transport governance re-form in India (2013-11-21 13:25)

Urban transport governance reform in India

Dr. Mayarani Praharaj, College of Engineeringand Technology, Bhubaneswar, India

Urban transportation is the single most im-portant component in shaping urban devel-opment and urban living. Since transport isone of the prime determinants of quality oflife, it is for governments to articulate the needfor mobility and facilitate it through appropri-ate mechanisms. In fact, efficiency of cities

greatly depends on the development of trans-port systems, as urban transport is a catalystfor overall development.

[1] About 377 million Indians , comprisingof about 31 per cent of the country’s popula-tion, live in urban areas according to the 2011Census . Projections are that by 2031, about600 million Indians will reside in urban areas,an increase of over 200million in just 20 years.According to the World Health Organization(WHO), less than 50 per cent of two-wheelerdrivers in India wear helmets, while only 27per cent of drivers wear seatbelts. The reportsays that while 88 countries have reduced thenumber of road fatalities between 2008 and2011, Indian roads, on the contrary, have be-come more deadly. Not only that, but Indiaalso tops the list of total number of deathsrecorded on the road in 2011 at 143,000. Thereport says that only 28 countries, have ad-equate laws that address all five risk factors— speed, driving under the influence, helmets,seatbelts and child restraints, and India haspoor record on all five risk factors.

Most of the cities in India have been facing ur-ban transport problems for many years, affect-ing the mobility of people and the economicgrowth of urban areas. These problems aredue to a prevailing imbalance in modal split,inadequate transport infrastructure and nointegration between land use and transportplanning. Congestion is another serious prob-lem in Indian cities. Besides roads congestion,traffic accidents, public health incidence andair pollution, sharp increases in road trans-port also have a huge impact on fuel consump-tion and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Yet India is already starting to make strides to-ward sustainable transport. The Governmentof India approved the National Urban Trans-port Policy (NUTP) in 2006. The Policy primar-ily focuses on the mobility of people, not themobility of vehicles. This will require the pub-lic transportation system being more attrac-tive to use.

Cities in India vary considerably in termsof their population, area, urban form, to-pography, economic activities, income levels,growth constraints, etc. Accordingly, the de-sign of transport systems will have to takeinto account these city specific features. Fur-ther, transport planning is intrinsically linked


http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/barrier-free-design-making-environment-accessible-to-the-disabled.html




to land use planning and both need to be de-veloped together in a manner that serves theentire population but also minimises the needto travel. In developing such plans, attentionshould also be paid to channelling the futuregrowth of a city around a pre-planned trans-port network rather than develop a transportsystem after an uncontrolled sprawl has takenplace. This calls for a renewed thrust towardsimprovement in governance structures, espe-cially at the level of urban local bodies, anda major improvement in delivery of urban ser-vices in cities.

Government policies are difficult to implement.For that there needs to be proper governancestructures to monitor policies. Good gover-nance can help to improve the resiliency andadaptive capacity of cities in the case of ur-ban mobility. Participation of citizens in ur-ban governance should be part of every com-prehensive traffic planning and managementauthority in cities.

About the author

Dr. Mayarani Praharaj works at the Depart-ment of Architecture at the College of Engi-neering and Technology, Bhubaneswar, India

[2]http://www.stakeholderforum.org/sf/-outreach/index.php/previous-editions/cop- 19/198-cop-19-day-9-cities-urban-governance-and-transport/11629-urban-trans port-governance-reform-in-india

1. http://www.stakeholderforum.org/sf/outreach/index.php/previous-editions/cop-19/198-cop-19-day-9-cities-urban-governance-and-transport/11629-urban-transport-governance-reform-in-india2. http://www.stakeholderforum.org/sf/outreach/index.php/previous-editions/cop-19/198-cop-19-day-9-cities-urban-governance-and-transport/11629-urban-transport-governance-reform-in-india

3.2.2 Traffic Demand ManagementStrategy (2013-11-19 10:50)

HOW TO PLAN TRAFFIC DEMAND MANAGE-MENT STRATEGY?

Sunday, 17 November 2013 | PNS | in[1]Bhubaneswarthe pioneer

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar

3.2.3 ODISHA TOWN PLANNING DAYTO REMEMBER KOENIGS-BERGER (2013-11-08 07:02)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/lets-observe-odisha-town-planning-day-to-remember-koenigsberger.html

LET’S OBSERVE ODISHA TOWN PLANNINGDAY TO REMEMBER KOENIGSBERGER

The World Town Planning Day (WTPD) is anevent held every year on November 8 in 30countries, including India, to recognise andpromote the role of planning in creating livablecommunities. An international organisationfor the WTPD was founded in 1949 by late ProfCarlos Maria della Paolera of the University ofBuenos Aires.

The main motivations to plan the WTPD eventare to educate all members of the commu-nity about town planning’s positive impactson community livability. Major cities havebeen coming up with hundreds of thousandsof new residents each year and transformingin form, design, economies, social relations,governance and ways of living. Approachesto planning for cities are changing as well.


http://www.stakeholderforum.org/sf/outreach/index.php/previous-editions/cop-19/198-cop-19-day-9-cities-urban-governance-and-transport/11629-urban-transport-governance-reform-in-india








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Ideas that were leading planning just a fewdecades ago are being replaced by innovativeapproaches that focus on the livability of citiesin an age of global interdependence and partic-ipatory governance.

On the WTPD, planners share lessons, experi-ences and opportunities for innovations in en-gaging people and their communities in mak-ing cities resilient and livable in a global age.Land use planning, zoning and the laws thatdictate development of cities need to be revisedto reflect the changing socioeconomic need ofthe people. The infrastructure and service de-velopment plans need to be made with broadframework and achievable goals.

Bhubaneswar is Odisha’s capital establishedas a modernised city by German architect andtown planner Otto Koenigsberger. It was vi-sualised as a planned city along the lines ofNew Delhi (by Edwin Lutyens) and Chandi-garh (by Le Corbusier). Koenigsberger (Octo-ber 13, 1908-January 3, 1999) prepared thenew Bhubaneswar Master Plan in 1948. TheWTPD presents an excellent opportunity tolook at planning from a global perspective andencourages architects and planners in Odishato consider city planning challenges and solu-tions in today’s context.

Koenigsberger enjoyed a long, remarkable ca-reer that began with work as a Governmentarchitect in Berlin in the 1930s. It took himeventually to most continents as a teacher, ad-viser and consultant on many aspects of phys-ical planning, architecture, design and tech-nology. In 1939, he had two choices: teach-ing at the University of Michigan and becom-ing the Chief Architect of the Mysore State inIndia. He chose India and arrived in Mysoreas an émigré architect at the invitation ofSir Mirza Ismail, Dewan (Prime Minister) ofMysore, which was under indirect British rulethat meant that the Maharajah of Mysore paida subsidy to the British for military protection.He carried out hospital and housing projectsas well as the design of Victory Hall, Bangaloreand Jayachamarenda Institute of Technology.

Koenigsberger served the Public Works De-partment (PWD) in Mysore from 1939 to 1948.He also served as a planner to corporatehouses like the Tatas and to the Governmentof India. In 1945, he prepared the third-phaseplans for the industrial town of Jamshedpur.

In Mysore, the most important change thatoccurred in his buildings was the adaptationof climate-responsive design through outdoorliving spaces, indigenous construction tech-nologies, passive conditioning and renewablesources of energy. Mysore and Bangalore en-joy mild climates, and, therefore, one mightargue that designing climate-responsive build-ings would be easy in these two cities.

In 1948, Koenigsberger moved to Delhi and be-came the Federal Director of Housing (1948-51) for the Ministry of Health in Nehru’s Gov-ernment. His first active involvement with de-velopment work began to solve the massivehousing demand problem posed by Partitionrefugees by proposing a prefabricated hous-ing module for resettling the refugees. Hiswork involved both planning and architectureprojects to resettle partition refugees. Duringthis period, he also served as planning advi-sor for the new towns of Faridabad, Rajpura,Gandhidham and Sindri, which were devel-oped to resettle refugees.

He was the member of Greater Delhi Develop-ment Committee and Technical Committee forrevision of byelaws for Delhi in 1951.

In 1953, he moved to London and becamehead of the Department of Development andTropical Studies at the Architectural Associ-ation, which later became the DevelopmentPlanning Unit of the University College, Lon-don, where he worked as a professor until hisretirement in 1978. He received many hon-ours during his lifetime, including an emeri-tus professorship from the University College,London. However, it was the award of thefirst “Habitat Scroll of Honour” in 1989 fromthe United Nations (Centre for Human Settle-ments, UNCHS) that brought him the greatestsatisfaction.

Koenigsberger did not use the term “renewableenergy” but made the use of renewable as nat-ural sources of energy like the use of windin cooling buildings and sunlight for indoorlighting. These techniques are widely used inpassive design in Green Architecture. He the-orised and quantified these design variablescorrelated with climatic data in the form ofknowledge easily accessible and usable by ar-chitects and planners.

In 1939, he travelled to several parts of Indiato study the pre-colonial and colonial archi-



tectures. He began documenting these build-ings for their technological competency, use ofmaterials and spatial configuration in the con-text of local materials, climate responsiveness,and overall efficiency. He noticed how Mughalmonuments used features such as the Jalis(stone screens) to control light and tempera-ture.

Even 65 years after he planned the city ofBhubaneswar, with no memory of his inpublic space, Dr Koenigsberger remains un-known for the residents of Bhubaneswar. TheBhubaneswar designed by him is a special ur-ban heritage site with outstanding planningfeatures and has a public value. To retainits planned character, the area should be de-clared as urban heritage having groups ofbuildings, neighbourhoods and public spacesincluding landscapes and natural featureswhich provide character and distinctive iden-tity to the city. The listed urban heritageshould be emphasised in the CDP (Compre-hensive Development Plan) and, if understoodand managed properly, it could effectively con-tribute to the overall quality of urban areasand serve as a vital asset and example for fu-ture urban development. This would identifythe visual, spatial and cultural character ofthe city.

Observance of an Odisha Town Planning Dayon the memory of Koenigsberger at the State-level may give insight to the new generationabout the visionary works of the great plan-ner. We can celebrate the day on his birth an-niversary as the memory of the first plannerof new Bhubaneswar, which is one of India’sfirst planned towns.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/lets-observe-odisha-town-planning-day-to-remember-koenigsberger.html

3.3 October

3.3.1 NEEDED:Use of Disaster riskinfo on Land use Planning(2013-10-29 13:47)

3.3.2 RURAL-URBAN GROWTHLINKAGES IMPORTANT FORPOVERTY ALLEVIATION(2013-10-17 08:34)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/rural-urban-growth-linkages-important-for-poverty-alleviation.html

The United Nations International Day for theEradication of Poverty is being observed on Oc-tober 17.

The day presents an opportunity to acknowl-edge the efforts and struggle of people livingin poverty to make their concerns heard. Theday also reflects the willingness of people liv-ing in poverty to use their expertise to con-tribute to eradication of poverty. The themefor this year’s commemoration is “Working to-gether towards a world without discrimination:Building on the experience and knowledge ofpeople in extreme poverty.”

Cities have always been at the centre of eco-nomic growth, technological advances and cul-tural production. But their rapid growth has


http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/lets-observe-odisha-town-planning-day-to-remember-koenigsberger.html




also brought negative impacts like urban vio-lence and poverty, homelessness, overcrowd-ing and health problems, pollution and waste.People move to the city for various reasons,mostly economic. The promise of jobs andcomfort “pulls” people to cities. There are also“push” factors as natural disasters can causeextreme rural poverty and that “pushes” peo-ple to urban area in search of job.

Sustainable economic growth is fundamentalin the fight against poverty. Economic growthcan reduce poverty through employment andincreased incomes. Policies and programmesthat support economic growth are powerfulpro-poor measures as they not only have di-rect employment and income benefits but canalso increase the resources available for otherpro-poor initiatives.

Key policy initiatives to promote sustained eco-nomic growth include those that seek to cre-ate conducive environment for private sectorinvestment, promote local enterprise and self-employment, support infrastructure and so-cial services development. Pressures of popu-lation and poverty often compound the threatof deforestation and the exploitation of re-sources. Effective poverty reduction strate-gies, therefore, need to be accompanied bymeasures that enhance productivity and qual-ity of environment and natural resources. Be-sides, economic growth can effectively reducepoverty only when coupled with a comprehen-sive programme of social development.

According to the Planning Commission, “Forrural areas, the national poverty line is esti-mated at 816 rupees per capita per monthand 1,000 rupees per capita per month in ur-ban areas.” This implies that a person whoseconsumption is below Rs 33.33 in urban ar-eas and below Rs 27.20 in rural areas is tobe considered below the poverty line. But thepoverty line would be Rs 66.10 for urban ar-eas and Rs 35.10 for rural regions, based onthe 66th round of the National Sample Sur-vey for 2009-10, which provides a more realis-tic marker for estimating both the poverty lineand the population below it than the PlanningCommission’s calculation.

The number of people living below the povertyline is estimated 217million in rural areas and52 million in urban areas in 2011-12 against326 million and 81 million in 2004-05. Thus,

the poverty rate has declined by nearly 17 percent in rural areas and 12 per cent in urban ar-eas. While these figures present a favourablepicture on a macro level, the distribution ofthe success differs from State to State.

The Government has made efforts to reducepoverty, mainly through self-employment ini-tiatives, rural public works, food subsidiesand nutrition programs and increased spend-ing for basic education and primary health-care. Despite some progress, poverty remainswidespread throughout India. Geographically,the poor are mainly concentrated in the east-ern and central parts of the country, with thehighest incidence in Odisha, Bihar and Mad-hya Pradesh.

The 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Con-stitution support an increase in the responsi-bility from the States to the rural and urbanlocal authorities as well as the mainstreamingof the poor and disadvantaged into the devel-opment process. However, in doing so, recog-nition is also given to the need for institutionalstrengthening and capacity building at the lo-cal level. Building a fair and equitable gover-nance system and development process hasthus become a crucial issue of poverty reduc-tion.

Rural development has assumed global atten-tion especially among the developing nations.It has great significance for a country like In-dia where 65 per cent of the people live in ru-ral areas. Rural development in India is oneof the most important factors for economicgrowth. Agriculture contributes nearly one-fifth of the gross domestic product. To in-crease the growth of agriculture, the Govern-ment has planned several programmes. Agri-culture, handicrafts, fisheries, poultry anddairy are the primary contributors to the ru-ral economy.

The Union Ministry of Rural Development isthe apex body for formulating policies. The in-troduction of Bharat Nirman in collaborationwith the State Governments and the Panchay-ati Raj Institutions is a major step towards im-provement of the rural sector. The NationalRural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 wasintroduced by this Ministry to improve the liv-ing conditions in the rural sector. Over theyears, the Central Government has launcheda number of poverty alleviation programmes



like the Nehru Rozgar Yojana, Urban BasicServices for the Poor and Prime Minister’s Inte-grated Urban Poverty Eradication Programme.

Poor urban planning and management canhave crucial results for the urban economy.Poorly-managed urban settlements cannotkeep pace with urban expansion, and slumswill grow, bringing with them poverty and so-cial unrest. It is important that the govern-ments at the national and local (municipal)levels of cities and towns and rural areas,recognise the potentials of rural-urban devel-opment linkages and the positive role they canplay in poverty alleviation.

It is now widely recognised that there existsan economic, social and environmental inter-dependence between urban and rural areasand a need for balanced and mutually sup-portive approach to development of the two ar-eas. Rural-urban linkage generally refers tothe growing flow of public and private capital,people (migration and commuting) and goods(trade) between the urban and rural areas. Ad-equate infrastructure such as transportation,communication, energy and basic services isthe backbone of the urban-rural developmentlinkage approach. Adequate investments ininfrastructure, particularly transportation in-frastructure, also improve rural productivity.

Besides, good governance is vital to povertyreduction as it directly supports participatorypro-poor policies, facilitates sound macroeco-nomic and public expenditure management,ensures accountability, encourages growth ofthe private sector, promotes effective deliveryof public services and helps establish a rule oflaw.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/rural-urban-growth-linkages-important-for-poverty-alleviation.html

3.3.3 BETTER FUTURE FOR ALL DE-PENDS ON WOMEN’S EDUCA-TION (2013-10-11 14:24)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/better-future-f or-all-depe-nds-on-womens-education.html

The United Nations General Assembly de-clared October 11 as the International Day ofthe Girl Child to recognise girls’ rights and theunique challenges girls face around the world.This year’s theme is “Innovating for Girls’ Ed-ucation”.

Education is a fundamental right of every hu-man being. It lays the foundation for the de-velopment of society. Women are an indispen-sible part of a society. The future generation’sdevelopment mainly depends on the educationof women. So, education of women is realisedto be the most essential part for the society’sdevelopment. It can help every woman edu-cate her children to be good managers of thefamily as well as active members of the society.

Females constitute about 50 per cent of In-dia’s human resource, but lack of educa-tion snatches their chance to be part of thecounty’s’ progress. Due to this, there is a con-siderable gap between male and female liter-acy rates in the country.

India’s literacy rate grew to 74.04 per cent in2011 from 12 per cent at the end of British rulein 1947. Although this was greater than a six-fold improvement, the level is well below theworld average rate of 84 per cent. There is awide gender disparity in the literacy rate in In-dia and the effective literacy rates (age 7 andabove) in 2011 were 82.14 per cent for menand 65.46 per cent for women. Kerala hasthe highest female literacy rate (92 % as perthe 2011 census) whereas Rajasthan (52.7 %).Odisha has a female literacy rate of 64.4 percent and male literacy rate of 82.4 per cent.

Poverty is the root cause of many problemsin India and also of low female literacy rate.


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More than one-third of Indian population isliving below the poverty line. More than 50per cent of girls in India fail to enrol in schooland those who do are likely to drop out by theage of 12. Another contributing factor is therapid population growth. Most Indian house-holds have a number of children whose needsare much higher than their earning capacity.This leads to the neglect of girl education andputs more emphasis on the education of theboy child. This becomes as an impediment inthe education of the Indian woman.

Though Government is putting efforts to makeprimary education free, parents are still notready to send their girls to school. This isconnected with the accessibility to schools. Inmost of the rural areas, lack of easy accessibil-ity to school is another reason for low femaleliteracy. Parents do not prefer to send girls toschools if these are located at a far distancefrom their homes.

Even if schools are there then lack of adequateschool facilities becomes a hurdle. Someschools are really in pathetic infrastructuralconditions and do not have even basic facili-ties.

Empowering adult women, building their con-fidence and education levels can have a pow-erful impact on enrolling more girls in schools.International leadership on girls’ education iscurrently dispersed across a number of organ-isations which need to improve the way theywork together.

The Unicef is tasked with the lead role forgirls’ education. It is also leading the UNGirls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI), which is aglobal partnership established to raise the pro-file of girls’ education. The CARE’s Girls’ Ed-ucation Programme (GEP) in India has beenin operation for over 10 years. Significantly,the successful implementation of residentialcamps and other innovative education strate-gies for marginalised girls have enabled theCARE India to shape national educational pol-icy, contributing to adoption of residentialbridge courses as part of a national scheme toget more girls into school. The CARE has col-laborated in the design and rollout of the Gov-ernment’s Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya(KGBV) schools, a residential school schemeat the upper primary level for girls from mi-nority and educationally-disadvantaged com-

munities. The GEP seeks to improve oppor-tunities for girls and women through their in-creased participation in formal and alternativeeducation systems.

The National Programme for Educationof Girls for Elementary Level (NPEGEL),launched in September 2003, is an integralbut distinct component of the Sarva ShikshaAbhiyan.

It provides additional provisions for en-hancing the education of underprivi-leged/disadvantaged girls at the elementarylevel through more intense community mo-bilisation, the development of model schoolsin clusters, early child care and educationfacilities and provision of need-based incen-tives like escorts, stationeries, work booksand uniforms for girls. All EducationallyBackward Blocks have been included underthe NPEGEL.

The Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya(KGBV) scheme was launched in 2004 forsetting up residential schools at the upper pri-mary level for girls belonging predominantlyto the SC, ST, OBC and minority communities.It is implemented in educationally-backwardblocks where the female rural literacy is belowthe national average and the gender gap inliteracy is above the national average.

But despite all reasons, women must realisethat education is highly needed for them sothat they can live a life with pride. In caseof any misfortune in life, it is education thatwould help them and not anything else.

Literacy is one of the key socioeconomic indi-cators which helps plan a country’s develop-ment path. In India, the low literacy level is aresult of the prevailing socioeconomic factors.The literacy rate is also lower in rural areasthan urban areas, with the rural areas report-ing a rate of 68.9 per cent and urban areas85.0 per cent. The pronounced difference inthe rural-urban distribution proves that signif-icant efforts need to be undertaken to improvethe literacy status in the rural areas. The Gov-ernment should really work towards the num-ber, distance and quality of schools in rural aswell as urban India.

The country’s future will largely be shaped bytoday’s girls and tomorrow’s women. An ed-ucated Indian woman will yield a positive im-pact in the society by contributing positively to



the economy of both the country and the soci-ety. The low level of literacy not only has a neg-ative impact on women’s lives but also on theirfamilies’ and on the country’s economic devel-opment. India has consolidated its earlier edu-cational reforms with increased resources andstronger policy commitments for achieving el-ementary education for all children, particu-larly girls. Besides, community attitudes canalso play a critical role in shaping the param-eters of girls’ access to education.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/better-future-for-all-depends-on-womens-education.html

3.3.4 NEEDED: MORE PUBLIC TRANS-PORT THAN PERSONAL VEHI-CLES (2013-10-07 06:17)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/needed-more-public-transport-than-personal-vehicles.html

The United Nations has designated the firstMonday of October every year as World Habi-tat Day since 1986. The purpose is to reflecton the state of our towns and cities and thebasic right of all to adequate shelter. It is alsointended to remind the world that we all haveresponsibility to shape the future of our citiesand towns.

This year, the UN has chosen the day’s theme‘Urban Mobility’ because mobility and accessto goods and services is essential to an effi-cient functioning of cities and towns as theyexpand.

Urban mobility and transport is vital for thecities’ functioning. On the other hand, itcauses many problems, notably in densely-inhabited areas. As cities grow rapidly, mo-tor vehicle use increases and traffic flow varies

just as quickly, creating or worsening severeproblems. Road traffic crashes account for1.2 million deaths per year, and this figure islikely to double by 2030 to become the fifthleading cause of death worldwide, accordingto the World Health Organisation. Many citiesface urban mobility issues like increased roadcongestion, wasted time due to traffic delaysand increased energy consumption resultingin more carbon emissions.

Roads also contribute to effective mobility,which is crucial for a city’s prosperity. Con-gested roads and poor facilities for pedestri-ans are the most pervasive transport problemsin developing countries. To reduce traffic bymaintaining or increasing the level of mobilityfor citizens and goods, one challenge is how touse the current infrastructure more efficiently.The purpose of transportation is to gain ac-cess to destinations, activities, services andgoods. Urban planning and design should fo-cus on how to bring people and places togetherby creating cities that focus on accessibility,rather than simply increasing the length ofurban transport infrastructure or increasingthe movement of people or goods (rather thanmovement of vehicles).

There is a need to create a highly-efficient,flexible, responsive, safe and affordable urbanmobility system with the least the amount oftraffic and travel while ensuring environmen-tal sustainability. Accessible cities encour-age a shift towards more sustainable modes oftransportation and draw more and more trav-ellers out of cars and onto trains, buses andsidewalks. This means giving priority to pub-lic transport, goods vehicles, pedestrians andnon-motorised vehicles. It depends on provid-ing efficient public transport services and re-ducing the demand for motorised travel.

India is experiencing a steady increase in thenumbers of cars and roads. This has led toa constant rise in road deaths. Transport de-mand in most Indian cities has increased sub-stantially due to increases in population as aresult of both natural increase and migrationfrom rural areas and smaller towns. Avail-ability of motorised transport and increase inhousehold income and commercial activitieshave further added to transport demand. Inmany cases, demand has outstripped road ca-pacity. A high level of pollution is another un-


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desirable feature of overloaded streets. Statis-tics indicate that traffic accidents are a pri-mary cause of accidental deaths in Indiancities. The main reasons for this are the pre-vailing imbalance in modal split, inadequatetransport infrastructure, and its suboptimaluse. Public transport systems have not beenable to keep pace with the rapid increasesin demand over the past few decades. Busservices in particular have deteriorated andtheir relative output has been further reducedas passengers have turned to personalisedmodes and intermediate public transport.

The pace of urbanisation in India creates anurgent opportunity to provide safe streets. Theobjective of the National Urban Transport Pol-icy (NUTP) for India is to ensure safe, afford-able, quick, comfortable, reliable and sustain-able access for the growing number of city res-idents to jobs, education and recreation. Thepolicy’s salient features include incorporatingurban transportation as an important param-eter at the urban planning stage, rather thanbeing a consequential requirement. Apartfrom this, the NUTP will encourage integratedland use and transport planning in cities sothat travel distances are minimised and ac-cess to livelihood, education and other socialneeds is improved.

Over the past decade, there has been a shift inmany countries from overcoming congestionto improving mobility. Improving mobility isless about engineering and more about chang-ing behaviour. Improving mobility startswith public participation, consultation, focusgroup discussions, consensus building and co-operation among different stakeholders.

Instead, Indian cities can follow the exampleof developing cities in countries like Brazil,Mexico and Philippines which have sustain-able transport policies, encouraging high-density, mixed-use development near high-quality mass transit, to improve the quality oflife for their residents.

For improving the traffic flow of passengerand freight vehicles, there are currently someprojects on the implementation of coopera-tive intelligent transport systems and services(ITS), which enables exchanging data betweenvehicles and roadside units. Innovative so-lutions enabling smart new services basedon information and communications technol-

ogy (ICT) can help cities address these issuesby providing alternatives in combination withother solutions.

Shifting to more efficient and safer modes likewalking, cycling and mass transit can cre-ate sustainable urban mobility and fuel ef-ficiency. Some cities have taken innovativesteps to enhance mobility. A bus rapid tran-sit (BRT) system delivers fast, comfortable andcost-effective urban mobility.

There must be a general recognition that with-out public transport cities would be even lessviable.

There is a need to encourage public transportinstead of personal vehicles. This requiresboth an increase in quantity and quality ofpublic transport and effective use of demandas well as supply-side management measures.People should also be encouraged to use non-motorised transport and investments may bemade to make it safer.

Cities are the major contributors to economicgrowth, and movements in and between citiesare crucial for improved quality of life. Road in-frastructure improvement measures, like newroad alignments, hierarchy of roads, provi-sion of service roads (bypasses, ring roads,bus bays, wide medians, intersection improve-ments, construction and repair of footpathsand roads, removal of encroachments andgood surface drainage) should also be intro-duced. Besides short- and medium-term mea-sures, there is a need to have long-term onesas well, involving technology upgrades and in-troduction of high-speed, high-capacity pub-lic transport systems particularly along high-density traffic corridors.

Finally, there is a need to empower the urbanlocal bodies to raise finances and coordinatethe activities of various agencies involved inthe provision of transport infrastructure. Mo-bility is not just about developing transportinfrastructure and services; it is about over-coming social, economic, political and physi-cal barriers to movement such as class, genderrelations, poverty, physical disabilities and af-fordability.

Urban transport policies cannot succeed with-out the fullest cooperation of all the city resi-dents. Such cooperation can be best securedif the objective of any initiative is made clearly



known to them. It is, therefore, necessary tolaunch intensive awareness campaigns thateducate people on the ill effects of the growingtransport problems, especially on their healthand wellbeing. There is need for a great vari-ety of bus transport services in Indian cities.The BRT and mass transit systems are an ex-ample of shifting people out of their cars intomass transit to improve road conditions, mo-bility and public health. Even the rich, poorand people with physical disabilities will travelin BRT which will be an important change forsustainable urban mobility.

An urban transport strategy should also en-courage the need for developing “green” modessuch as bicycles, cycle rickshaws and pedes-trians. First of all, the safety concerns of cy-clists and pedestrians have to be addressedadequately. For this, there has to be a seg-regated right-of-way for bicycles and pedestri-ans.

Apart from improving safety, this will help im-prove traffic flow, increase the average speedof traffic, and reduce emissions resulting fromlow speeds and create an image for sustain-able urban mobility and transport for all.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/needed-more-public-transport-than-personal-vehicles.html

3.4 September

3.4.1 TIME FOR ECO TOURISM PLAN-NING,ANSUPA (2013-09-27 08:36)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/time-for-ecotou rism-planning-community-growth-of-ansupa.html

The World Tourism Day is celebrated annu-ally on September 27. Its purpose is to fos-ter awareness among the international com-munity of the importance of tourism and itssocial, cultural, political and economic value.

The event seeks to address the global chal-lenges outlined in the UN Millennium Develop-ment Goals (MDGs) and highlight the tourismsector’s contribution in reaching these goals.In support of United Nations InternationalYear of Water Cooperation, the World TourismDay (WTD) 2013 is being held under thetheme Tourism and Water: Protecting ourCommon Future. This year’s theme focuseson tourism’s significant role and contributionto worldwide water conservation efforts andprovides an opportunity to further highlightthe shared responsibility of the tourism sec-tor to the wider sustainability objectives whilecreating benefits for local populations aroundthe water tourism sector.

India by virtue of its extensive geographicalextent, varied terrain and climatic conditionssupport and sustain diverse and unique wet-land habitats. According to a Space Applica-tion Centre (SAC) report, 7.58 million hectarewetlands are in India which includes 3.56 mil-lion ha of freshwater wetlands. Odisha has16277.5 ha of inland wetland and 185431.75ha of coastal wetland. The rapidly growing hu-man populations, large-scale changes in landuse/land cover and the improper use of wa-tersheds have caused a substantial decline inwetland resources of the country.

The geographical diversity of India makes ithome to a wealth of ecosystems which arewell-protected and preserved. These ecosys-tems have become the major resources for eco-tourism. Ecotourism is sustainable tourism,which is based on the ecological principle andsustainable development theory. Ecotourisminvolves local community for conservation ofthe areas’ ecology; and biodiversity, in its re-turn, provides economic incentives to the com-munity.

TheWorld Travel and TourismCouncil (WTTC )has recently notified India as one of the fastest-growing tourism economies in the world. In


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May 2002, the Department of Tourism, Gov-ernment of India, formulated a new NationalTourism Policy emphasising on developmentand promotion of Indian tourism to harnessits economic benefits to a large segment of itspopulation.

Odisha with its bounties of nature and scenicnatural beauty has immense potential to oc-cupy a place of pride in the ecotourism mapof the country. Ecotourism offers an oppor-tunity to showcase the State’s unique naturalheritage to visitors while enhancing the liveli-hood options for the local people. The State isrich with important water resources. The veryfamous natural heritage site Ansupa lake inCuttack district holds a prominent position inthe tourist map of Odisha for its picturesquelandscape. The lake is the largest and veryold freshwater lake. The water spread area isaround 2.12 sqkm. The length of the lake isaround 3 km and its average width is around1.3 km. The lake is directly linked with riverMahanadi by a channel, Kabula Nala, throughwhich floodwater of the Mahanadi enters thelake. The main attraction of the lake is itsnatural beauty. Besides, more than 30,000people living in the peripheral villages dependvery much on the lake resources, mainly fish-ery, for their livelihoods.

Ansupa is of national importance due to itsunique biodiversity character having variedaquatic fauna and flora and is a famous nat-ural heritage. It is bounded by the Sarandahills on the western side and the Bishnupurhills on its northern side. The lake has as-sumed international importance as it is hometo several species of migratory birds from far-off Siberia, Europe, etc, in winter as well asdomiciled birds.

The very old Saranda Fort, built during the Ke-shari dynasty, is situated near the lake. Now,the Saranda hill has turned bald due to treefelling. The lake is fast buried with soil ero-sion form the hill. For income-generating ac-tivities, i.e., cultivation and fishery, the peopledepend upon the lake resources. Due to en-vironmental degradations like siltation, bothfisherman and cultivators are facing a lot ofproblems. There is also no proper irrigationsystem like canals, for which the people finddifficulty in cultivation. The lake is degradingvery fast threatening the ecosystem, as a re-

sult of which the fishery and tourism poten-tials are adversely affected.

The Ansupa lake is declared a Community Re-serve according to an amendment made in theWildlife Protection Act (1972) in 2003. Realis-ing the importance of tourism potential andconservation of the lake, the State Govern-ment has been working towards an integratedeconomic, social, and conservation develop-ment plan for the lake over the past decade.

The Government has initiated an integratedSustainable Environmental Management Pro-gramme like catchment area treatment, in-cluding soil conservation measures with plan-tations to arrest siltation and eutrophication,weed management activities and constant en-vironmental monitoring to assess the progressof the work.

As per the Draft Guidelines published by theUnion Ministry of Environment and Forestsin 2011, the State Governments are to de-velop a State-level ecotourism strategy. TheOdisha Ecotourism Development Board is pro-posed to be the apex body in the State en-gaged in promotion of ecotourism and devel-opment of requisite systems and standards forthe same. The tourism industry, besides gen-erating more employment opportunities pro-vides incentives to foster the quality of envi-ronment. The travel and tourism sector con-tributes to the national integration, preservesnatural and cultural environments as well asenriches social and cultural lives of people.

The Odisha Government in its tourism policyhas prioritised development of ecotourism toattract Indian and foreign tourists. In 2009-10, a new scheme was introduced for eco-tourism development in the Ansupa lake. TheDepartments of Tourism in the States are re-sponsible for implementation of the tourismprojects funded by the Union Ministry ofTourism and the projects identified by themunder their respective State tourism policies.

Ansupa should be conserved in an integratedmanner which should be implemented withcommunity mobilisation and participation forsustainability so that the lake would notonly attract both national and internationaltourists but be conserved well for the poster-ity. For this, harmony between development oftourism destination and environment improve-ment in cities is extremely essential.



There is a need to prepare a Tourism Perspec-tive Plan for development of basic infrastruc-ture and creation of tourism circuits. Theplan should focus on sustainable tourism de-velopment which is environment-friendly andtourist-friendly. An environment planning ap-proach is essential for sustainable develop-ment of tourism. This implies that all the as-pects of environment should be carefully stud-ied and analysed while proposing developmentat sensitive tourist destinations. Thus, it callsfor a separate cell whereby all monitoring ac-tivities related to the environment can be car-ried out.

For ecotourism planning and sustainable com-munity development, there is a need to in-crease ecotourism awareness, capacity build-ing for ecotourism for the local community andcommunity participation for development ofecotourism in our State. Besides, a properimplementation of a Tourism Perspective Planis necessary for development of ecotourism ofAnsupa. This is possible only when people ac-tively participate in the actual implementationof the plan.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/time-for-ecotourism-planning-community-growth-of-ansupa.html

3.4.2 INDIAN PERSPECTIVE FOR PRO-TECTION OF OZONE LAYER(2013-09-21 22:21)

[1] http://www.stakeholderforum.org/sf/outre-ach/index.php/component/content/article/177-68-ga/1423-indian-perspective-for-protection-of-ozone-layer-lessons- learned-from-the-csd

INDIAN PERSPECTIVE FOR PROTECTION OFOZONE LAYER: LESSONS LEARNED FROMTHE CSD

Dr. Mayarani Praharaj, College of Engineeringand Technology, Bhubaneswar, India

The United Nations Commission on Sustain-able Development (CSD) was established inDecember 1992, tasked with ensuring effec-tive follow-up to the 1992 Rio Earth Summit.Since 1993, the CSD has convened annualmultilateral discussions on a vast array of is-sues that intersect the three interdependent

“pillars” of sustainable development – the so-cial, economic and environmental.

With renewed interest generated by the 2012UN Conference on Sustainable Development(Rio+20) and the 2015 deadline looming forthe Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),the international community is gearing up toagreeing a new global agenda which better ad-dresses all three dimensions of sustainable de-velopment.

Nevertheless, there are still over two yearsto go before the existing framework expires,therefore governments and stakeholders alikemust remain focused on achieving the MDGs.In this regard, under MDG 7 (ensure environ-mental sustainability), there is a target to ‘In-tegrate the principles of sustainable develop-ment into country policies and programmesand reverse the loss of environmental re-sources.’ One area that should be includedunder this is the protection of the ozone layer.

From the early 1970s, scientists were awareof the possibility that human actions coulddeplete the ozone layer, leading to damag-ing impacts on humans and the biosphere.The CFCs used as refrigerants, insulators andcleaning agents were identified as some of themost destructive agents, and the internationalcommunity reacted promptly to this scientificevidence, leading to the 1987 adoption of theMontreal Protocol on Substances that Depletethe Ozone Layer. The Montreal Protocol hasa clear and detailed compliance regime un-der which each party is required to report tothe Ozone Secretariat its annual productionand consumption of ODS. This data is usedto measure ODS reductions against baselinedata and therefore assess whether countriesare meeting their phase-out obligations, andalso contribute to the determination of “devel-oping country” status.

The CSD has to date played an important rolein the implementation of sustainable develop-ment at the national level, including regard-ing measures to protect the ozone layer. TheUN Secretary-General’s report on Protection ofthe Atmosphere for CSD4 in 1996, for exam-ple, noted that the substantive prescriptionsof the 1987 Montreal Protocol make it a land-mark for international cooperation which em-bodies many of the core principles of Agenda


http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/time-for-ecotourism-planning-community-growth-of-ansupa.html




21. The report identified the Protocol as agood example of the precautionary principle inaction, noted the marked decrease in overallproduction and consumption of ozone deplet-ing substances (ODSs), but also drew atten-tion to the issue of illegal trade in chlorofluo-rocarbons (CFCs) and the continued increasein CFC consumption in some countries.

The CSD also played a key role in the devel-opment of evidence-based indicators to trackprogress and support decision-making on theissue. An Intergovernmental Working Groupon the Advancement of Environmental Statis-tics prepared a paper on Environmental Indi-cators for CSD in 1995. At the same CSD ses-sion, the creation of a menu of Agenda 21 indi-cators was proposed, also including the “con-sumption of ODS”, along with the developmentof methodology sheets which could then beused voluntarily by Member States.

India – Party to the Vienna Convention for theProtection of the Ozone Layer and the Mon-treal Protocol on Substances that Deplete theOzone Layer – is one of the countries that hasfelt the benefit of this work. India’s Ozone De-pleting Substances (Regulation and Control)Rules, brought in in 2000, provide a compre-hensive set of regulations to control and moni-tor production and use of ODS in the country.India’s Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)has over the years been executing a nation-wide initiative known as National Air QualityMonitoring Programme (NAMP). Annual aver-age concentrations of sulfur oxide (SOx) levelstoday are within the prescribed National Ambi-ent Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) in almostall domestic territories. This reduction fromearlier levels is due to various measures taken,including for example, the use of compressednatural gas (CNG) in public transport in Delhi,the reduction of sulphur in diesel and use ofliquid petroleum gas (LPG) instead of coal as adomestic fuel.

This significant progress is a useful indica-tor to protect ozone depletion and boost sus-tainable development in future, and provideslessons that we can learn from.

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3.4.3 PROTECT OZONE LAYER(2013-09-16 20:08)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/lets-all-begin- doing-somet-hing-to-protect-ozone-layer.html


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One of the most important environmental con-cerns the world faces today is of depletion ofthe ozone layer in the stratosphere. The con-cern is because of the fact that the ozone layerplays a protective role, screening the earthfrom harmful ultraviolet radiations.

The depletion of the ozone layer has been acause of concern for global community as itaffects human health and natural ecosystems.This realisation has prompted development ofcontrol measures to save the ozone layer.

The United Nations General Assembly in De-cember 1994 adopted a resolution proclaimingSeptember 16 as the International Day for thePreservation of the Ozone Layer. The themefor the day this year is ‘A healthy atmosphere,the future we want’.

As the world’s urban population increases,urban areas encounter new phenomena andproblems. Uncontrolled uses of resources,greenhouse effect, ozone depletion, etc., havebeen caused by urbanisation and industri-alisation. Urban centres have concentratedindustries, construction, transportation andhouseholds. Land-use changes induced by ur-ban growth may lead to deforestation and re-ductions in the uptake of CO2 by vegetation.Landfill sites taking up urban wastes also gen-erate methane. Cement, as a construction ma-terial of primary importance to development ofurban infrastructure as well as of commercialand residential buildings, also has a large car-bon footprint due to an energy-intensive man-ufacturing process and high energy cost fortransporting this dense material.

Lastly, many activities like agriculture, live-stock production, mining and timber collec-tion increase GHG emissions as direct emit-ters or reduce the uptake of these gases byvegetation.

Most global and regional environmental prob-lems originate in cities. Cities concentrate in-creasing numbers of people and human activ-ities; thus, they import increasing amountsof natural resources and export vast quan-tities of emissions and waste. Chlorofluoro-carbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons(HCFCs) are GHGs that are produced solelyby human activities. CFCs were widely usedas refrigerants before it was discovered thattheir presence in the atmosphere caused thedepletion of the ozone layer. The main human

sources of GHGs contributing to global warm-ing are the dramatic rise in energy use, land-use changes and emissions from industrial ac-tivities.

Reducing the contribution of cities to climatechange, or mitigation, requires an adequateunderstanding of the drivers of urban GHGemissions, while effective adaptation mustbe based on a good understanding of whatmakes cities and their constituent socioeco-nomic groups either vulnerable or resilient toclimate change impacts. Reducing GHG emis-sions is, therefore, one of the key policy chal-lenges that cities face. The size and densityof population are key determinants of cities’GHG emissions. So, it is important to havea framework for understanding the levels anddrivers of emissions by different demographicand economic sectors, buildings and infras-tructures within, or serving urban areas.

Motor vehicles are the primary cause of pol-lution in cities. Producing the energy re-quired to run modern urban systems ofteninvolves burning fossil fuels, which releasessuch greenhouse gases as carbon monoxide,carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides. The in-creasing demand for energy to run air condi-tioning and electrical appliances is also con-tributing to pollution. These emissions lead toglobal warming, which can cause destructionof the ozone layer and climate change.

Transport policy, planning and land use pol-icy are fundamentally linked. The pattern anddensity of urban development has a major in-fluence on travel patterns. Sustainable cityplanning should aim at achieving social andenvironmental equity while improving the livesof the people. For that to happen, we need tohave a sustainable city form as well as provi-sion and proper management of the services.Thus, in order for a city or urban area to besustainable it needs to produce and managebasic services like water, waste, energy andtransportation in a way that it conforms tothe principles of sustainable development. Inother words, the city should be able to produceand distribute the services in an economic,environment-friendly and equitable way.

While planning for sustainable development ofthe towns, we should also take into accountthe factor of climate change. Planning looksat the needs of people and the environment



whilst respecting limits to development. Ur-ban planning must recognise regional limitsto development in order to maintain naturalhabitats and biodiversity, which is so impor-tant to our continued existence. Broad land-scape conservation is necessary to maintainecosystem function and biodiversity, but thereis also a great opportunity for sensitive rede-velopment of many previously-developed ar-eas. Urban design facilitates individual build-ing lots to maximise winter sun penetration,minimise excessive summer heat gain and thedesign and construction of dwellings that aredesigned with passive solar design principles.

The rapid demographic growth in and aroundIndian cities is changing the physical dimen-sions of its cities, that is, the size, shape, den-sity, land uses, spatial structure and build-ing types. Increased urban development putsintense pressure on existing urban infras-tructure to support a good quality of life.Rapid urban growth often manifests itselfas overcrowded and very high-density urbanforms, claimed to contribute to crime, physi-cal and mental illness and poor living condi-tions. Such urban forms are, therefore, gener-ally considered to be socially, environmentallyand economically unsustainable.

Sustainable urban development is an integralcomponent of the universal aim of “Sustain-able Development”. If properly designed, con-structed and operated, a sustainable city andsustainable building will require less moneyand fewer resources to operate, and will behealthier for its occupants. Buildings are “sus-tainable” when they are designed, built andoperated with low environmental, social, andeconomic impacts while enhancing the health,welfare and quality of life of the people.

For sustainable urban development, a numberof urban programmes have been initiated byGovernment of India. Recent urban initiativesof the Government of India include JawaharlalNehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JN-NURM), e-Governance in Municipalities, Na-tional Urban Sanitation Policy, Citywide SlumUpgradation Programme, setting up of Cen-tres of Excellence in Urban Development, Sus-tainable Habitat Mission - Green Building,public transportation and solid waste manage-ment.

Recognising the importance of urbanisation

and its vulnerability from climate change, theNational Action Plan on Climate Change hadproposed setting up of a National SustainableHabitat Mission. The mission looks at devel-oping standardised eco-building norms to pro-mote energy efficiency, improved urban plan-ning by integrating land use and transporta-tion plans and focus on shift towards publictransport to facilitate growth of cities, promot-ing sustainable waste management focusingon reduce-recycle-reuse and waste-to-energyoptions.

India became a party to the Vienna Conven-tion for the Protection of the Ozone Layer andthe Montreal Protocol on Substances that De-plete the Ozone Layer and has ratified all theamendments to the Montreal Protocol. OzoneDepleting Substances (Regulation and Con-trol) Rules, 2000, provide a comprehensive setof regulations to control and monitor produc-tion and use of ozone depleting substances(ODS) in India.

Besides, there are a number of practical mea-sures which can be taken at individual levelto protect the nature earth. Everyone shouldbe responsible for the use and abuse of cer-tain products that have a negative effect onnature. There are many simple ways in whichwe can save our ozone layer. We should use al-ternative means of transport: buses, bicycles,or simply walk.

To protect the ozone layer, we must preventthe release of ozone-depleting substances tothe atmosphere. Whenever possible, we mustalso replace them with safer alternatives. Be-fore demanding implementation of policies,let’s begin ourselves doing something to pro-tect the ozone layer and save our environment.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/lets-all-begin-doing-something-to-protect-ozone-layer.html


http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/lets-all-begin-doing-something-to-protect-ozone-layer.html




3.5 August

3.5.1 TRIBALS’ ROLE IN CONSERV-ING MEDICINAL PLANTS NEEDSGREATER RECOGNITION(2013-08-10 06:18)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/tribals-role-in -conserving--medicinal-plants-needs-greater-recogniti-on.html

The International Day of the World’s Indige-nous People is celebrated on August 9 as thiswas the date of the first meeting in 1982 of theUnited Nations Working Group of IndigenousPopulation.

It is observed to protect and promote therights of the world’s indigenous inhabitants.It also recognises the contributions of indige-nous people to improve issues like environ-mental protection.

The day was first proclaimed by the UN Gen-eral Assembly in December 1994. The UnitedNations 2007 Declaration on the Rights ofIndigenous Peoples recognised that “respectfor indigenous knowledge, cultures and tradi-tional practices tributes to sustainable and eq-uitable development and proper managementof the environment.” However, indigenouspeoples still experience racism, poor healthand disproportionate poverty.

The UN estimates that there are 370 mil-lion indigenous people in some 70 countries,84,326,240 indigenous people (tribals) in In-dia and 8,145,081 in Odisha. Traditionalknowledge has played a vital role in the dailylives of the vast majority of people. It is es-sential to the food security and health of mil-lions of people in a developing country likeIndia and State like Odisha. In many coun-tries, traditional medicines provide the only af-fordable treatment to indigenous community.As per the World Health Organisation (WHO)Fact Sheet: 2002, in developing countries, up

to 80 per cent of the population depends ontraditional medicines. In India, out of over7,500 species of medicinal plants Ayurvedauses about 1,769 species whereas the useof approximately 289 medicinal plant specieswere documented in Vedic literature. Thereare 2,727 plant species identified in Odisha,out of which about 1,200 are in use for medic-inal purposes

Indigenous peoples are custodians to rich lin-guistic and cultural diversity, carrying uniqueknowledge of sustainable living and respectfor biodiversity. They have unique cultures.Historically, these cultures are closely tied totheir lands. They have been living in forest en-vironment and developed their knowledge onflora and fauna of the forest that are knownas folk or indigenous knowledge. They havealso developed their own folk beliefs basedon their traditional practices which help themcure various diseases. The common beliefs,customs, practices related to health and dis-ease in turn influence their health seeking be-haviour. Tribal groups have developed strongreligious healthcare systems.

The biggest threat to indigenous people nowis encroachment of their land. Various com-panies using their land threaten the ecosys-tem through mineral extraction, environmen-tal contamination, cash crop production andgenetically modified seeds.

According to the WHO, about 65-80 per centof the population in developing countries de-pends essentially on plants for their primaryhealthcare due to poverty and lack of accessto modern medicines. Traditional knowledgeof medicinal plants and their use by indige-nous healers and drug development are notonly useful for conservation of cultural tradi-tion and biodiversity but also for communityhealthcare and drug development in the localcommunity.

Odisha’s climate and topography is highly con-genial to growth of a large number of medicinalplants. In Koraput, Kandhamal and Mayurb-hanj, a large number of medicinal plants oc-cur naturally. The Similipal Biosphere Re-serve in Mayurbhanj is rich in medicinal plantresources. The forest area is dominated bya number of tribes like Kol, Santal, Bhumij,Mankidias and Khadias who depend on forestfor their food and medicines. Gandhamardan


BlogBook 3.6. JULY

in Keonjhar is also famous for its rich medic-inal plants. Out of the total 450 species ofplants found there, about 250 have been iden-tified as medicinal. Besides, medicinal plantsare also available on hills and mountains likeMegasan in Mayurbhanj, Malayagiri in Sun-dargarh, Nimragir in Koraput and Mahendra-giri in Ganjam.

The important medicinal products collectedfrom different parts of Odisha are Amla, Ba-hada, Banahaladi, Bana Tulsi, Chakunda,Chireita, Gaba, Harida, Kaincha, Kochila,honey, Nageswar flower, Palash, Sikakai, etc.These precious resources are immensely usedby tribals as they have no alternative source.The medicinal products are used for curingcommon diseases like fever, cold, gastroin-testinal disorders and skin diseases, asthma,jaundice, rheumatoid arthritis, etc., and forsetting fractured bones. Most tribal villageshave their own traditional healthcare practi-tioners. This indigenous knowledge is beingeroded by a gradual depletion of forest cover.In Odisha, the medicinal plants are still notexplored well. It is necessary to documentthe plants and take effective steps to conservethem. Traditional medicine is the sum totalof the knowledge, skills, and practices basedon the experiences indigenous to different cul-tures.

A huge amount of lands have been alienatedfrom the tribals for developmental projectsdepriving them of their source of livelihoods.Land is not only a livelihood source for trib-als, it is also connected with their sense ofhistory and is a symbol of social status. Thetribals of Odisha have been in the practice ofpreserving a rich heritage of information onmedicinal plants and their usage. Such tradi-tional knowledge system is important for mod-ern societies and should be protected in itsown right for the sake of sustainable use offorests, ecosystem services and management.

Indigenous peoples are carriers of ancestralknowledge and wisdom about local biodiver-sity. The Governmental and nongovernmentalorganisations must come forward to sustainsuch traditional knowledge and the medicinalplant species for further generation. Thereis a need to assess and document traditionalknowledge and use of medicinal plants usedby traditional healers.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/tribals-role-in-conserving-medicinal-plants-needs-greater-recognition.html

3.6 July

3.6.1 Sustainable Human SettlementPlanning (2013-07-11 22:59)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/needed-sustainable-human-settlement-planning.html

Today, population explosion is one of themajor concerns of the world. The ever-growing population of the world has reached7,160,183,896 as in June 2013.

The World Population Day is an annual eventobserved on July 11, which seeks to raiseawareness of global population issues. Theevent was established by the Governing Coun-cil of the United Nations Development Pro-gramme in 1989. It was inspired by the publicinterest in Five Billion Day on July 11, 1987,approximately the date on which the world’spopulation reached five billion people. Theyear 2013 will mark the 24th anniversary ofthe World Population Day.

Almost one-sixth of the world’s populationlives in squalid, unhealthy areas, mostly with-out water, sanitation, public services or legalsecurity. The report from the UN human set-tlements programme, UN-Habitat, found thaturban slums are growing faster than expectedand that the balance of global poverty wasshifting rapidly from the countryside to cities.Africa now has 20 per cent of the world’s slum-dwellers and Latin America 14 per cent, butthe worst urban conditions are in Asia, where


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3.6. JULY BlogBook

more than 550 million people live in unaccept-able conditions.

Although the report emphasised that not allslum-dwellers are poor, the UN warned thatunplanned, unsanitary settlements threatenpolitical stability and are creating the environ-ment for an explosion of social problems. Indeveloping countries, more than half of the ur-ban population lives in unplanned settlementswhere their quality of life is substandard andeven inhuman. Urban infrastructure provi-sions are identified as a key area for planningintervention in order to integrate these set-tlements into sustainable residential develop-ments. Besides such provisions, economic in-terventions are also necessary for slum house-holds.

The total population divided over various lev-els of geographical areas is very important forthe socioeconomic development of the entirecountry and the study of various components.When data regarding population is taken intoaccount, better planning is possible for differ-ent facilities such as housing, education andhealthcare facility.

Besides, a country’s population and how itis geographically distributed can influenceaccess to basic services and infrastructureand employment opportunities, rural and ur-ban environment and wealth of natural re-sources. The impact of human needs on avail-able resources, in the context of the emergingeconomies, poses a strain on available publicinfrastructure, limited land and natural envi-ronment and biological resources, includingdirect habitat destruction and contribution togreenhouse gases.

Rapid urbanisation, the concentration of theurban population in large cities, the sprawlof cities into wider geographical areas andthe rapid growth of mega-cities are amongthe most significant transformations of hu-man settlements. This issue of uncontrolledpopulation growth is giving birth to other ma-jor problems in the world. A few of the majorconsequences of the rapid growth of popula-tion in the current time are shortage of hous-ing, social and physical infrastructure and ser-vices in different settlements.

The quality of life and the activities ofall human beings within human settle-ments are closely interrelated with popula-

tion change, demographic patterns, includinggrowth, structure and distribution of popula-tion. The sustainability of the global environ-ment and human life will not be achieved un-less, among other things, human settlementsin both urban and rural areas are made eco-nomically buoyant, socially vibrant and envi-ronmentally sound with full respect for cul-tural, religious and natural heritages and di-versities.

Urban settlements hold a promise for humandevelopment and for protection of the world’snatural resources through their ability to sup-port large numbers of people while limitingtheir impact on the natural environment. Yetmany cities are witnessing harmful patternsof growth, production and consumption, landuse, mobility and degradation of their physi-cal structure. Such problems are often syn-onymous with soil, air and water pollution,waste of resources and destruction of naturalresources. Some human settlements are alsosubject to limited water supply, sanitation anddrainage and depend upon nonrenewable en-ergy sources which resulted irreversible lossof biodiversity.

Demographic factors combined with povertyand lack of access to resources and unsus-tainable patterns of production and consump-tion, particularly in industrialised countriescan cause or exacerbate problems of environ-mental degradation and resource depletionand, thus, inhibit sustainable development.Therefore, a largely-urbanised world impliesthat sustainable development will depend verylargely on the capacity of urban and metropoli-tan areas to manage the production and con-sumption patterns and the transport and thatwaste disposal systems need to preserve theenvironment.

The living and working conditions in all hu-man settlements, including regional urbancentres, rural service centres, rural hamlets,rural communities, market towns and villagesmust be improved with particular emphasison shelter, social and physical infrastructureand services. The maintenance and develop-ment of rural settlements require sustainableagriculture and forestry activities, improvedagricultural technologies, economic diversifi-cation and expanded employment opportuni-ties created by encouraging appropriate and


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environmentally-sustainable investment in in-dustry, related economic production and ser-vice activities.

To avoid unbalanced, unhealthy and unsus-tainable growth of human settlements, it isnecessary to promote land-use patterns thatminimise transport demands, save energy andprotect open and green spaces. Appropriateurban density and mixed land-use guidelinesare of prime importance for urban develop-ment. National and local policies and devel-opment plans must be carefully reexaminedto ensure optimal land use and geographi-cally better balanced economic development,including the protection of indispensable agri-cultural land, land that sustains biodiversity,including coastal areas and other sensitive ar-eas in need of protection.

Green spaces and vegetation cover in urbanand peri-urban areas are essential for biologi-cal and hydrological balance and economic de-velopment. Vegetation creates natural habi-tats and permits better absorption of rainwa-ter by natural means. Green areas and vegeta-tion also play an important part in reducing airpollution and creating more suitable climaticconditions, thereby improving the living envi-ronment in cities.

To promote human settlements, Governmentsand local authorities should formulate and im-plement human settlement development poli-cies that ensure equal access to basic services,including the provision of food security, educa-tion, employment and livelihood, basic health-care services, safe drinking water and sanita-tion, adequate shelter and access to open andgreen spaces.

All persons have the right and the duty toparticipate individually and collectively in theimplementation of policies and programmesof their human settlements. A human set-tlement policy must seek harmonious integra-tion or coordination of a wide variety of compo-nents including population growth and distri-bution, employment, shelter, land use, infras-tructure and services.

There is a need for proper land managementplan. Many cities use master plans, zoning,sub-division regulations, building codes andother policies to shape development. Urbanland policy needs to be linked with a sus-tainable programme for infrastructure invest-

ment. Such a programme requires a basic spa-tial structure for each city and used to esti-mate the capital costs associated with provid-ing the necessary infrastructure to support de-velopment for a sustainable human settlementplanning.

Sustainable human settlements developmentrequires cooperative and complementary ac-tions amongst interested parties, plannersand scientists. This would accommodate ur-ban population growth and protect natural re-sources.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/needed-sustainable-human-settlement-planning.html

3.7 June

3.7.1 Drug against Sustainable Liveli-hood (2013-06-26 06:20)

[1]

[2]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/keep-away-from- drug-for-sake-of-sustainable-livelihood.html

The problems of drug abuse and illicit traffick-ing are threatening livelihoods and communi-ties in many countries. Globally, it is esti-mated that between 153 million and 300 mil-lion people aged 15-64 use an illicit substanceas per the United Nations Office on Drugs andCrime (UNODC). It is also estimated that thereare between 99,000 and 2,53,000 deaths glob-ally due to illicit drug use every year. In India,there are about 3 million estimated victims ofdifferent kinds of drug usages.

Illicit use of psychoactive drugs is dangerousfor the health of individuals and society. Itinduces changes in behaviour and emotional


http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/needed-sustainable-human-settlement-planning.html



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status and causes severe psychological disor-ders. It also undermines the social fabric ofthe community. Because of their action onthe brain, such drugs induce dependence onthem, leading to loss of interest in many areasof life. Drugs are placed under national andinternational control to prevent the negativehealth and social consequences of substanceabuse. Reasons for drug use are closely linkedto population mobility and livelihoods, impact-ing not only on the individual drug user butalso on the families and communities in a dev-astating way and further aggravating the situ-ation of poverty.

On June 26, the International Day againstDrug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is observed,which serves as a reminder of the need to com-bat the problems to the society posed by illicitdrugs. This important day was initiated by theUnited Nations General Assembly to create asociety free of illegal drugs and drug abuse.The UNODC has long been at the forefront ofcampaigns to raise awareness about the dan-gers of traditional drugs such as cannabis,heroin, cocaine and amphetamine-type sub-stances. This day is supported by individu-als, communities and various organisationsall over the world.

Today, however, there is an alarming newdrug problem; the demand has soared forsubstances not under international control.Therefore, the 2013 UNODC global awarenesscampaign “Make health your ‘new high’ in life,not drugs” aims to inform the public, particu-larly young people, about the harmful effectsof drugs and new psychoactive substances(NPS). Sold openly, including through the in-ternet, these substances, which have not beentested for safety in humans, can be far moredangerous than traditional drugs.

Drug and alcohol abuse are the examples ofdrinking and using drugs (prescription andillicit) that cause harmful effects to a per-son’s health, livelihood, relationships and pro-ductivity. Single dosage of either alcohol ordrugs doesn’t automatically deem the personan addict. However, continuous usage anddrug abuse can lead to chemical dependencyand addiction. Drug abuse has been knownto destroy homes, deteriorate relationships,causing fatal accidents, domestic violence andphysical abuse. Drug trafficking is a global

illicit trade involving the cultivation, manu-facture, distribution and sale of substanceswhich are subject to drug prohibition laws. Il-licit drugs weaken economic and social devel-opment and contribute to crimes, instability,insecurity and the spread of HIV.

Livelihood is an integrated system enablingpeople to have a secure and sustainable liv-ing. The system is based on access to educa-tion, health, hygiene, risk reduction, housing,clothing, skills, means of production and infor-mation. The concept of sustainable livelihoodshas been utilised extensively by the UNODCand the international community as a basisfor their work in the field of alternative devel-opment. To date, the major objective of inter-ventions in this area has been to provide alter-native sustainable livelihoods to farming fami-lies in order to prevent them from being depen-dent on illicit crop cultivation. The principaldesired outcome of this approach is the ces-sation of illicit drug crop cultivation throughcreation of alternative income.

People living in poverty are more likely to en-gage in drug abuse, become criminals and suf-fer from bad health. Teenagers and youngadults are also particularly vulnerable to us-ing illicit drugs. The prevalence of drug useamong young people is more than twice ashigh as that among the general population. Atthis age, peer pressure to experiment with il-licit drugs can be strong and the self-esteem isoften low. Also, those who take drugs tend tobe either misinformed or insufficiently awareof the health risks involved.

The UN General Assembly recognised that de-spite continued and increased efforts by theinternational community, the world drug prob-lem continues to constitute a serious threatto public health, the safety and wellbeing ofhumanity and sovereignty of States, and thatit undermines socioeconomic and political sta-bility and sustainable development. It encour-ages the UNODC to continue its work on in-ternational drug control and urges all Govern-ments to provide the fullest possible financialand political support to enable the UNODCto continue, expand and strengthen its op-erational and technical cooperation activitieswithin its mandates.

There is a need for Government enforcementagencies, nongovernmental philanthropic


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agencies and others to collaborate and sup-plement each other’s efforts for a solutionto the problem of drug addiction througheducation and legal actions.

Steps should be taken to reach out and en-gage drug users in prevention, treatment andcare strategies that protect them, their fami-lies from infectious diseases, health problemsin general and encourage entry into substancedependence treatment and medical care andrehabilitation.

Taking into account the individual right to ahealthy life and the interest of the entire so-ciety, specific interventions have to be pro-moted to reduce the adverse health and so-cial consequences of drug abuse. These strate-gies need to target the sub-groups of the pop-ulation that are not sensitive to preventionprogrammes, drug-dependent individuals whoare not motivated to attend treatment facil-ities, non-responders to treatment who con-tinue to use illicit drugs and those patientswho easily relapse into substance abuse.

In a number of countries, laws prescribe se-vere punishments for all drug-related offences,including drug use and possession of drugs.The Article 47 of the Constitution of India di-rects the State to regard the raising of the levelof nutrition and the standard of living of itspeople and the improvement of public healthas among its primary duties, and, in particu-lar, to endeavour to bring about prohibition ofconsumption, except for medicinal purposes,of intoxicating drinks and drugs which are in-jurious to health.

The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Sub-stances (NDPS) Act, 1985 has been enacted inIndia. Under this Act, it is illegal for a per-son to produce/manufacture/cultivate, pos-sess, sell, purchase, transport, store and con-sume any narcotic drug or psychotropic sub-stance. The Prevention of Illicit Trafficking inNarcotic Drugs and Psychotropic SubstancesAct is a drug control law passed in 1988 by theParliament of India. It was established to en-able full implementation and enforcement ofthe NDPS Act of 1985.

Seeking to check the alarming rise of drugabuse in various parts of the country, the Gov-ernment is planning to introduce a NationalPolicy on Drug Abuse. The State Governmentsalso have their own Health Departments and

Social Welfare Departments, each of whichhas its own set of activities relating to DrugDemand Reduction. The Government’s policyhas thus been to promote their use for medicaland scientific purposes while preventing theirdiversion from licit sources and prohibiting il-licit traffic and abuse.

Governments have a responsibility to counter-act both drug trafficking and drug abuse, butcommunities can also make a major contribu-tion. Families, schools and civil societies cando their part to rid their communities of drugs.The media can also raise awareness about thedangers of drugs. This will foster communitiesfree of drug-related crimes and violence, indi-viduals free of drug dependence who can con-tribute to a common future and a safer worldfor all.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/keep-away-from-drug-for-sake-of-sustainable-livelihood.html2. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/keep-away-from-drug-for-sake-of-sustainable-livelihood.html

3.7.2 Sustainable Land Manage-ment against Desertification(2013-06-17 00:10)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/sustainable-lan d-management-can-fight-desertification.html

SUSTAINABLE LAND MANAGEMENT CANFIGHT DESERTIFICATION

Desertification and land degradation are nowpersistent in all ecosystems resulting in waterscarcity in different parts of the world. Deserti-fication is a concept used to grasp more acuteforms of the degradation of land-based ecosys-tems.


http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/keep-away-from-drug-for-sake-of-sustainable-livelihood.html






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This has a negative impact on the availability,quantity and quality of water resources thatleads to scarcity of water. Further, the directphysical effects of land degradation includethe drying up of freshwater resources and in-crease in the frequency of drought. Desertifi-cation is also associated with biodiversity lossand contributes to global climate change.

The World Day to Combat Desertification is anoccasion to remind everybody that desertifica-tion can be effectively tackled and solutions toit are possible. The day is being observed since1995 to promote public awareness relating tointernational cooperation to combat desertifi-cation and the effects of drought. In 1994,the United Nations General Assembly declaredJune 17 as the World Day to Combat Deserti-fication to promote public awareness of the is-sue and the implementation of the United Na-tions convention resolution to combat deser-tification in those countries experiencing se-rious drought and desertification. Droughtshave a critical impact on agricultural produc-tion and have added to the soaring food pricesand shortages worldwide.

The theme for the 2013 World Day to CombatDesertification is ‘Drought andWater Scarcity’.This year’s slogan “Don’t let our future dry up”calls everyone to take action to promote pre-paredness for and resilience to water scarcity,desertification and drought. The slogan em-bodies the message that we are all responsi-ble for water and land conservation and theirsustainable use and that there are solutionsto these serious natural resource challenges.Land degradation does not have to threatenour future.

Water scarcity is both a natural and a human-made phenomenon. There is enough fresh-water on the planet for seven billion people,but it is distributed unevenly and too muchof it is wasted, polluted and unsustainablymanaged. Water scarcity already affects ev-ery continent. As per the United Nations De-partment of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA), around 1.2 billion people live in areasof physical scarcity, and 500 million more peo-ple are approaching this situation. Another1.6 billion people, or almost one quarter ofthe world’s population, face economic watershortage (where countries lack the necessaryinfrastructure to take water from rivers and

aquifers).

In India, the per capita water availability is re-ducing drastically due to the increase in pop-ulation. The average annual per capita avail-ability of water in the country, taking into con-sideration the population of the country asper the 2001 census, was 1,816 cubic meters(cum) which got reduced to 1,545 cubic metersas per the 2011 census.

In 2001, the average per capita water availabil-ity in Odisha was around 3,359 cum per yearas compared to the national average of 1,816cum. With projected future population, theper capita water availability in the State will re-duce to 2,218 cum in 2051. A per capita wateravailability less than 1,700 cum is termed wa-ter stress condition while if it falls below 1,000cum, it is termed as water scarce condition.

The groundwater potential varies in differentregions of the country. Due to heavy extrac-tion of groundwater and its limited recharge,the groundwater is getting depleted at a fastrate. This depletion is particularly marked inmost of the dry land regions of the States suchas Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan,Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Maharashtra.Also, there are many villages in the country ei-ther with scarce water supply or without anysource of water. In many rural areas, womenstill have to walk a distance of about 2.5 kmto reach the nearest source of water.

In Odisha, the agriculture sector contributesabout 50 per cent of the State domestic prod-uct and provides employment to about 75 percent of the total working force. In the max-imum rain-fed districts like Kalahandi, Kora-put, Nabaragpur and Rayagada, frequent oc-currence of drought result in severe crop fail-ure. The basic problems in these areas in-clude water scarcity which results in low pro-ductivity. Many villages in Odisha are show-ing symptoms of desertification. Poor andunsustainable land management techniquesalso worsen the situation. Over-cultivation,overgrazing and deforestation put great strainon land and water resources.

Sustainable land management is an impor-tant measure for tackling desertification. Itincludes fostering balanced freshwater re-source management for domestic use, includ-ing aquaculture, fishing and irrigation; restor-ing water-table recharge, protecting wetlands


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from negative impacts of agricultural and set-tlement encroachments, restoring soil produc-tivity and reducing soil erosion through sus-tainable land management and adopting sus-tainable cropping techniques such as organicfarming and agro forestry.

To combat drought and water scarcity, activ-ities like percolation tanks, water reservoirsand construction of small, medium-size damsand rivers are useful which can retain moresurface water, while increasing the groundwa-ter recharge development of watersheds is animportant programme to make best use of therainwater for agricultural production while im-proving soil conservation and biodiversity.

Watershed management progammes are im-plemented in drought-prone areas to tacklespecial problems faced by those areas con-stantly affected by severe drought conditions.The main objective of the watershed approachis to minimise the adverse effects of droughton the production of crops, livestock and pro-ductivity of land, to promote overall economicdevelopment and improve the socioeconomiccondition of the people.

An integrated land and water resource man-agement policy would ultimately bring in envi-ronmental and socioeconomic benefits. Ruraland urban populations both benefit from sus-tainable land management practices. Thesealso serve in maintaining significant agricul-tural biodiversity and resilient agro ecosys-tems including forest resources.

Desertification is not just about adoptingphysical remedies, as social remedies areequally important. Both remedies need to betackled in an integrated manner, rather thanseparately, if policies for addressing desertifi-cation are to be effective.

The Intergovernmental Panel on ClimateChange states that the world indeed has be-come more drought-prone during the past 25years, and that climate projections indicatean increased frequency of severe droughts inmany parts of the world. It is imperative to pre-pare guidelines from national to village-levelland use planning for sustainable land man-agement practices. Village community groupsshould be trained for effective use of landuse plans. This would prevent water scarcityand desertification in coming years. Effectiveprevention of desertification requires drought

management strategies and policy approachesthat promote sustainable resource use. Thesestrategies must be science-based and directedat managing the risks and mitigate the effectsof desertification and drought

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/sustainable-land-management-can-fight-desertification.html

3.7.3 Age-friendly cities(2013-06-15 03:53)

[1]http://www.orissapost.com/world-elder-abuse-awareness-day-age-friendly -cities/

1. http://www.orissapost.com/world-elder-abuse-awareness-day-age-friendly-cities/

3.7.4 Help Elders live happily(2013-06-15 03:48)


http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/sustainable-land-management-can-fight-desertification.html



http://www.orissapost.com/world-elder-abuse-awareness-day-age-friendly-cities/

http://www.orissapost.com/world-elder-abuse-awareness-day-age-friendly-cities/

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[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/measures-changed-mindset-needed-to-help-elders-live-happily.html

The world is rapidly ageing. The number ofpeople aged 60 and over as a proportion ofthe global population will double from 11 percent in 2006 to 22 per cent by 2050. By then,there will be more older people than children(aged 0–14 years) in the population for the firsttime in human history. People everywheremust age with dignity and security, enjoy lifethrough full realisation of all human rightsand fundamental freedoms. This is imperativebecause the elderly contribute to the family bydispensing the acquired wisdom, distributingtheir wealth and keeping the members of thefamily in union. Such a system of mutual sup-port is, however, facing hardships in a modernindustrial society.

People in old age suffer from various problemsfor a variety of reasons. Most of them suf-fer from diseases like arthritis, blood sugar,heart ailments and so on and need care fromtheir children. They have spent all their life’searnings in discharging their parental dutiesand are totally dependent on their children fortheir existence in the old age. However fam-ily and community are now recognised as be-ing responsible for abuse and neglect of theelder. In some cases, they lead a hopelessand lonely life with nothing to look forward to.Their very existence is a painful and tragic ex-tension of their life and they surrender every-thing to their cruel fate.

There are so many examples of elder abuseand neglect in our country. ‘Thalaikoothal’ insome parts of Tamil Nadu is one such exam-ple where the family gets rid of the old peopleby killing them. This is a cruelty, where theold man would be given an oil bath and thenfed with tender coconut water twice or thrice.This would lead to high fever and renal fail-ure leading to death within two or three days.There are also many incidences of elder abusein other parts of our country. Many laws havebeen formulated to prevent such cruelties onelder people, but, above all, there should be asociological change which would bring relief ofsuch action.

To create awareness among the younger gener-ation, the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

(WEAAD) was launched on June 15, 2006 bythe International Network for the Preventionof Elder Abuse (INPEA) and the United Na-tion’s World Health Organisation. On March9, 2012, the UN General Assembly establishedJune 15 as a UN International Day. The pur-pose of the WEAAD is to encourage communi-ties to recognise the problem of elderly abuse,and for countries to create policies that fosterrespect for elders and provide them the toolsto continue to be productive citizens.

The UN agency has noted that the world needsa global response to the problem, which fo-cuses on protecting the rights of older persons.The WEAAD involves activities to bring greaterrecognition of mistreatment of older adultswherever they live throughout the world, andto highlight the need for appropriate action.

The world’s older population, defined in thepresent context as those aged 60 years andabove, now stands at around 760million. Asiaaccounts for more than half of the total (414million, including 166 million in China and 92million in India). The older population of India,which was 56.7 million in 1991, 72 million in2001 and 92 million in 2011, is expected togrow to 137 million by 2021.

In India, elder abuse and neglect has only re-cently been a subject of discussion. There areno reliable national level data in India on theprevalence and incidence of elder abuse andneglect. In fact, to a large extent it is hiddenby older people, their families and communi-ties as people do not want to acknowledge ortalk about this sort of behaviour.

It is true that elder abuse and neglect are dif-ficult to quantify as these occur in the privacyof the home, institutions, and reporting sys-tems for elder abuse are almost absent in thecountry.

Evidence of growing incidence and prevalenceis also being estimated by increases of old agehomes and demand for institutional care andcare providers / givers from outside the family.However, old age homes are not the solutionsto the problems faced by elders. Althoughtheir basic wants are taken care of, they misslove, affection and emotional connection withtheir family members.

Given this trend, the elderly face a number ofproblems. The problems range from absence


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of ensured and sufficient income to supportthemselves and their dependents, to ill health,absence of social security, loss of social roleand recognition, to the non-availability of op-portunities for creative use of free time.

However sometimes, they involve in differentfamily activities such as guiding younger gen-eration, taking care of grandchildren, pro-viding support for children when asked for,helping in household chores, developing hob-bies and interests, taking up self-employment,teaching and counselling.

Economic dependence was considered a majorreason for elderly abuse. Physical weaknessdue to age was also another reason why abuseexisted and they could not fight it. Preventingfamily violence, including the abuse and ne-glect of older people, is an important commu-nity and social policy issue in many countries.

This is a problem in the whole of Ondia andneeds to be solved at different levels. Underthe eleventh Five-Year plan, the Governmentof India has taken many steps. Wellbeing ofolder persons has been mandated in the Con-stitution of India. Article 41, a Directive Prin-ciple of State Policy, has it that the State shall,within the limits of its economic capacity anddevelopment, make effective provision for se-curing the right of public assistance in cases ofold age. There are other provisions, too, whichdirect the State to improve the quality of life ofits citizens. Right to equality has been guar-anteed by the Constitution as a FundamentalRight. These provisions apply equally to olderpersons. Social security has been made theconcurrent responsibility of the Central andState Governments.

To bring out solution to the various problemsof aged people, the Indian Government de-clared the National Policy of Older Persons(NPOP) in January 1999, the InternationalYear of Older Persons. The policy highlightsthe rising population of aged people and theurgent need to understand and deal with med-ical, psychological and socioeconomic prob-lems faced by the elderly.

India passed The Maintenance and Welfareof Parents and Senior Citizens Act in 2007.It legally requires children and grandchildren(not minors) to maintain the health and well-ness of an aging family member, where “main-tenance” is defined as the provision for food,

residence and medical attendance and treat-ment; and “senior citizen” as any person agesixty or older. This is the government’s at-tempt to place responsibility on family mem-bers.

Many States have general statutory provisionswhich can be used by older persons under cer-tain conditions.

The policy would make a change in the lives ofsenior citizens only if it is implemented. Thegovernment and different NGOs have some ba-sic responsibilities in the matter and other in-stitutions as well as individuals with need toconsider how they can play their respectiveroles for the wellbeing of older persons. Collab-orative action would go a long way in achievinga more humane society which gives older per-sons their legitimate place.

The elderly in Odisha are more vulnerable,and in this context, the issue of social secu-rity assumes greater significance. To under-stand the nuances, a study of some demo-graphic and socioeconomic indicators of olderpersons in terms of their living arrangement,extent of economic independence, economicservice-providers and health condition is re-quired. More studies are required to assessthe growing insecurities being faced by theaged in Odisha.

Our elders are our asset, and they need to besupported and empowered.

On this day, we should create awarenessabout elders and give them dignity, securityand care. Youths and elders should live to-gether which would strengthen the family en-vironment and the society as a whole.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/measures-changed-mindset-needed-to-help-elders-live-happily.html


http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/measures-changed-mindset-needed-to-help-elders-live-happily.html



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3.7.5 End Child Labour(2013-06-12 07:11)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/raise-poor-fami lies-socio--economic-status-to-end-child-labour.html

Child labour is an age-long and global prob-lem. Child labour and its related socioeco-nomic problems are increasing day by day. To-day, throughout the world, around 215millionchildren work as labourers. They do not go toschool and have little or no time to play.

Child labourers are forced to work in agri-culture, mining, construction, manufacturing,service industries, hotels, bars, restaurants,fast food establishments and domestic service.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) isa United Nations agency dealing with labourissues. The effective abolition of child labouris one of the fundamental principles on whichthe ILO was founded in 1919. The ILOlaunched the World Day against Child Labouron June 12 to focus attention on the global ex-tent of child labour and the action and effortsneeded to eliminate it. On this day, the ILOinvites everyone to celebrate the World Dayagainst Child Labour.

In 2010, the international community adopteda roadmap for achieving elimination of theworst forms of child labour by 2016, whichstressed that child labour is an impediment tochildren’s rights and a barrier to developmentof any nation.

The theme for this year’s World Day againstChild Labour is “No to child labour in domesticwork.”

Large numbers of children are already in-volved as domestic workers before they reach

the legal minimum age for admission to em-ployment. They are engaged in paid or unpaiddomestic work in the home of a third party oremployer and perform tasks such as cleaning,ironing, cooking, minding children and gar-dening. These children can be particularly vul-nerable to exploitation and their work is oftenhidden from the public eyes.

The ILO estimates that 15.5 million childrenworldwide are engaged in paid or unpaid do-mestic work in the home of a third party oremployer. The vast majority of all child do-mestic workers are girls (72 %). As many as52 per cent of the child domestic workers arefound in hazardous domestic works, and 47per cent of all child domestic workers are be-low the age of 14 years, with 3.5 million aged5 to 11 years and 3.8 million between 12 and14 years. Some children are working in do-mestic work as a result of forced labour andtrafficking. Although the specific number ofchildren in forced labour and trafficking situ-ations in domestic work is unknown, it is esti-mated that 5.5 million of them are victims offorced labour and human trafficking aroundthe world.

Child domestic labourers are often ignoredby policymakers and excluded from the cov-erage of legislation. Legislations of a numberof countries exclude domestic work in privatehouseholds. Because of the hidden nature ofmuch domestic work and because labour lawsare commonly not applied in the sector, thereare particular vulnerabilities. Their lives arecontrolled by their employers and they are alsosubjected to verbal and physical abuses. Thisis a socioeconomic problem. Parents for thereason of poverty send their children to supple-ment their family incomes derived from childlabour. There are also other reasons like il-literacy, ignorance of parents about the im-portance of education, ignorance of impact onchildren of labour and lack of concern aboutgovernment policy.

Even though this is a global phenomenon, itis very unfortunate that India has the largestnumber of child labourers. In India, morethan 12.7 million children are engaged in childlabour. And 20 per cent to 40 per cent ofthese child labourers are in domestic work.There are as many as 15 lakh child labour-ers in the 30 districts of Odisha. Children


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of Odisha work in different occupations suchas agriculture and allied works, collection andprocessing of minor forest produces, domesticwork/help, hotels/motels/road side dhabas,etc.

Although child labour in India is legally forbid-den since 1986, the kids are still involved indifferent works as child labourers. There area lot of provisions added in the Constitution ofIndia for child welfare to overcome child labourand to avoid the situations that come as a con-sequence of the child labour.

The Constitution of India, through various Ar-ticles enshrined in the Fundamental Rightsand the Directive Principles of State Policy as:No child below the age of 14 years shall beemployed to work in any factory or mine orengaged in any other hazardous employment(Article 24); The State shall provide free andcompulsory education to all children of the age6 to 14 years(Article 21A); The State shall di-rect its policy towards securing that the healthand strength of workers, men and women andthe tender age of children are not abused andthat they are not forced by economic necessityto enter vocations unsuited to their age andstrength (Article 39E).

The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation)Act came to force in 1986. As per the law, anyperson who employs any child in contraven-tion of the provision of Section 3 of the Act isliable for a jail term which shall not be lessthan three months but which may extend totwo years or with fine which shall not be lessthan ‘20,000 but which may extend to ‘50,000,or with both.

In order to stop child labour, the Governmentof Odisha has passed some rules. One of theimportant rules is the Odisha Child Labour(Prohibition and Regulation) Rules, 1994.

Besides, the Government of India adoptedvarious programmes for eradication of childlabour. The Ministry of Labour and Employ-ment has implemented the national policythrough the establishment of National ChildLabour Projects (NCLPs) for rehabilitation ofchild workers since 1988. Initially, theseprojects were industry-specific and aimed atrehabilitating children working in traditionalchild labour-endemic industries. A renewedcommitment to fulfil the Constitutional man-date resulted in enlarging the ambit of the

NCLPs in 1994 to rehabilitate children work-ing in hazardous occupations.

Children’s development and an overall eradi-cation of child labour problem depend on ac-tive public-private partnership, proper Gov-ernment policies and programmes for eliminat-ing poverty and unemployment and free basicfacilities and education to poor people in thesociety.

The Government of India is stepping up itsfight against child labour. Under new laws,all labour involving children under 14 yearsold is illegal. Children under 18 years are alsoprotected from any type of hazardous work.

In August 2012, the Jharkhand Governmenthas approved a State Action Plan. This policyframework envisages a child labour-free Stateby 2016 and details the vision of the State andits plan towards achieving the elimination ofchild labour and ensuring the right to educa-tion to every child. Similar policy frameworksin other States can eradicate child labour inour country.

Children are the biggest asset of a society.The welfare of the society is closely related tothe welfare of the child. To eliminate childlabour, it is imperative to improve the socio-economic status of their families. Unless thesocio-economic status of the poor families isimproved, their children will be bound to workas labourers. There is an urgent need forstudying the role and perspective of the soci-ety towards child worker as the culture of asociety plays the vital and important role inestablishing the norms and laws.

There are many solutions to the child labourproblem. Income of the families should beincreased and education for all children irre-spective of their economic and social back-ground should be ensured; that helps childrento learn skills and earn a livelihood.

At the international level, different organi-sations are also working to eradicate childlabour, but still there are lots of efforts neededto create an environment free from childlabour.

Let us all take some steps in this direction sothat all children get free education and live ahealthy life with their families. This would bebeneficial to the individual family as well asthe whole society.


3.7. JUNE BlogBook

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/raise-poor-families-socio-economic-status-to-end-child-labour.html

3.7.6 Heritage Conservation: Odisha(2013-06-05 14:17)

3.7.7 Urban Agriculture(2013-06-05 05:03)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/needed-urban-ag riculture-for-food-security.html

The rapid urbanisation in developing nationsis accompanied by a rapid increase in urbanpoverty and urban food insecurity. This sce-nario is further aggravated by the fact thathigh food inflation, which by now is a globalphenomenon, is expected to continue in fu-ture.

The United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP) has invited people world over to cele-brate the annual World Environment Day onJune 5 with the theme for this year as ”Think.Eat, Save”.

The World Environment Day (WED) desig-nated by the United Nations General Assem-bly in 1972 is a people’s event. The first WED

was observed in 1973. This is the most widely-celebrated global day for positive environmen-tal action. It inspires action by governments,industries, community groups and individu-als to improve the environment. It providesa unique opportunity to raise awareness onenvironment and mobilise action by all stake-holders.

The issue of food security refers to the avail-ability of food and one’s access to it. A house-hold is considered food-secure when its occu-pants do not live in hunger or fear of starva-tion. The World Health Organisation (WHO)defines three facets of food security: food avail-ability, food access and food use.Ensuringfood security ought to be an issue of great im-portance for a country like India where morethan one-third of the population is estimatedto be absolutely poor. Food security at thenational level refers mainly to the availabilityin the country of sufficient stocks of food tomeet domestic demand, either through domes-tic supply or through imports.

The world’s population is likely to reach 9.1billion by 2050. The United Nation’s Food andAgriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates thatby 2050, global food demand will increase by70 per cent in order to feed the global pop-ulation of 9.1 billion. This is going to puta tremendous pressure on the already scarceland and water resources, thereby implying anurgent need for an alternative way to combatfood shortages.

Urban Agriculture (UA) has the potential toprovide millions with some secure access tofood.UA is defined as the production of cropand livestock goods within cities and towns.UA can also involve animal husbandry, aqua-culture, agro forestry and horticulture. Thesealso occur in periphery-urban areas as well.Urban Agriculture contributes to food securityand food safety.

India is experiencing a shift over time from alargely rural and agrarian population residingin villages to urban, non-agriculture centres.Presently, India has a population of 1.2 billionas per the Census of India, 2011 and is thesecond most populous country in the world af-terChina. However, it is projected that Indiawill be the world’s most populous country by2025 surpassing China. By 2050, it will haveover 1.6 billion people.


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BlogBook 3.7. JUNE

Hence, with limited natural resources, wa-ter, limited land area and a vast majority ofpoor, uneducated and underutilised humanresources, the cities will be unsustainable.Good practice of UA is one of the solutions forfood security in the country.

Integration of Urban Agriculture with urbangreening programmes can provide food to ur-ban residents, to reduce urban pollution andtemperatures as well as to offer recreation op-portunities to improve quality of life for all ur-ban residents. Urban Agriculture in India isjust witnessing its beginning with a few initia-tives in some of the cities like Kolkata, Chen-nai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi and Mum-bai.

As India progresses towards a rapid phase ofurbanisation and as the concept of sustain-able cities becomes increasingly acceptable,there are opportunities to build environmen-tally and economically sound Urban Agricul-ture systems involving waste and water man-agement that can be incorporated from the be-ginning itself and make it an

integral part of urban planning. Urban Agri-culture is probably the most efficient tool avail-able which can help manage a city’s waste byutilising it for food cultivation and creatingjobs.

It creates a diverse ecology where fruit-bearingtrees,

vegetable plantations and even fishing, etc.,could co-exist and build a wholly ecologicallysustainable scenario.

Land policies in and around cities need to bedesigned in such a way that it accepts agricul-ture as a legitimate usage of land. Urban Agri-culture has to be integrated in the agriculturepolicies and urban planning.

As more of the world’s population lives incities, questions of food security and foodsovereignty increasingly take on an urban di-mension. A greater attention is now being paidto the production and supply of food within ur-ban areas. However, to maximise its contribu-tion and impact, Urban Agriculture must beintegrated into broader food systems and intomore comprehensive programmes of city plan-ning.

There are hundreds of cities both in rich andpoor countries that have set targets to make

their cities green and sustainable with foodsecurity. The cost of greening and cleaningcan be borne by urban food production andUrban Agriculture. Different countries in theworld like China, Australia and many Asian aswell as African countries are doing it and con-stantly improving on this. In India, though theconcept of Urban Agriculture is beginning tobecome popular, the concept of good practiceUrban Agriculture is yet to gain momentum.

However, ’Good Practice Urban Agriculture’efforts have to become much more popularin India for the survival of Indian cities andtheir citizens. It has the potential for provid-ing much higher benefits in nutrition improve-ment, income generation and land as well aswaste management.

China is a very good example of ’Good PracticeUrban Agriculture’ and today China is highlydependent on urban agriculture.

Urban fringes in Indian cities are mostly usedas dumping sites for city wastes. If appropri-ate agricultural practices are adopted in thesesites, it would be beneficial to all.

Urban Agriculture, with good practice, intro-duced to the fringes has several environmentalbenefits, namely reduced pollution, beneficialreuse of wastes, increased tree cover and bet-ter living conditions for the urban poor livingin the urban fringe areas.

’Good Practice Urban Agriculture’ has to belinked with food system planning and land useplanning of a city and surroundings. Hence,’Good Practice Urban Agriculture’, food systemand land use patterns should be closely inter-linked.

There is a need for identification of land forurban development with agriculture. Agricul-tural land within urban area is to be protectedunder the provisions of the Town and CountryPlanning Act.

New townships should incorporate urban agri-culture like city farming, horticulture, etc atthe very beginning in the planning stage. Thiswill provide food security and urbanresiliencein a sustainable way.

There is a need for greater awareness abouturban

agriculture. Socially-oriented enterprises canplay a significant role to spread knowledge-


3.8. MAY BlogBook

intensive techniques in this area. The Gov-ernment at the same time should facilitate UAthrough various schemes for food security inthe city.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/needed-urban-agriculture-for-food-security.html

3.8 May

3.8.1 Tobacco-free cities(2013-05-31 04:32)

[1] http://www.orissapost.com/world-no-tobacco-day-tobacco-free-cities/

1. http://www.orissapost.com/world-no-tobacco-day-tobacco-free-cities/

3.8.2 Smoking between Poverty andMortality (2013-05-31 04:27)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/smoking-a-power ful-mediator-between-poverty-and-mortality.html

The global tobacco epidemic kills nearly sixmillion people each year, of which more than6,00,000 are non-smokers dying from breath-ing second-hand smoke. Unless we act, theepidemic will kill more than eight million peo-ple every year by 2030.

More than 80 per cent of these preventabledeaths will be among people living in low- andmiddle-income countries, where the burden oftobacco-related illness and death is more.

Every year, on May 31, the World HealthOrganisation (WHO) and partners mark theWorld No Tobacco Day highlighting the healthrisks associated with tobacco use and advo-cating for effective policies to reduce tobaccoconsumption. The theme for the World No To-bacco Day 2013 is ‘Ban Tobacco advertising,promotion and sponsorship’. The ultimategoal of the day is to protect the present and fu-ture generations not only from these devastat-ing health consequences but also against thesocial, environmental and economic scourgesof tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke.

Tobacco products are made entirely or partlyof leaf tobacco as raw material, which areintended to be smoked, sucked, chewed orsnuffed. All contain the highly addictive psy-choactive ingredient, nicotine. Despite theoverwhelming evidence of the harmful effectsof smoking, tobacco use has increased in de-


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BlogBook 3.8. MAY

veloping countries and become one of the mostprofound global health challenges.

Tobacco has been used in India for centuries.The early forms of tobacco were limited tochewing tobacco leaves or smoking tobacco.Today, several products made of, or contain-ing tobacco, are available in the market. Nico-tine is a drug found in tobacco which is highlyaddictive. Over time, a person becomes phys-ically and emotionally addicted to, or depen-dent on, nicotine. Tobacco use is one of themain risk factors for a number of chronic dis-eases, including cancer, lung diseases andcardiovascular diseases. Despite the knownhealth problems associated with tobacco use,adolescents continue to initiate and developregular patterns of tobacco use.

Globally, adult tobacco consumption isstrongly associated with poverty, with thosein lower socioeconomic classes using tobaccoat higher rates. Although there are manyfactors contributing to predicted tobacco use,socioeconomic status is the single greatestpredictor.

In India, only 20 per cent of the total tobaccoconsumption is in the form of cigarettes. Bidisaccount for the largest proportion, at about 40per cent of the total. Bidis contain higher con-centrations of nicotine than both filtered andunfiltered cigarettes and have equally deleteri-ous effects on health. Also, due to extensiveuse of chewing tobacco, India has the mostcases of oral cancer in the world, with 83,000incident cases and 46,000 deaths annually.These cancers are steadily increasing and oc-curring more frequently among younger peo-ple. A recent research has demonstrated thatsmoking increases the risk of death amongpatients with tuberculosis (TB) and causes200,000 extra deaths due to TB. An estimated65 per cent of all adult Indian men and 33 percent of adult Indian women use some form oftobacco.

Millions of people in India use chewing to-bacco. With India undergoing a tremen-dous economic and epidemiologic transition,tobacco consumption is increasing rapidlyamong urban youth. Nearly all tobaccouse begins during youth and young adult-hood. These young individuals progress fromsmoking occasionally to smoking every day.Secondhand smoke is the smoke that fills

restaurants, offices or other enclosed spaceswhen people burn tobacco products such ascigarettes and bidis.

The World Health Survey (WHS) conducted bythe WHO has found that 46.7 per cent of poormen smoke in India as against 21.8 per cent ofrichmen. In developing countries, many of thepoorest smokers spend significant amounts oftheir incomes on tobacco instead of basic hu-man needs such as food, shelter, healthcareand education. It is because smoking regu-lates mood, manages stress and copes up withthe strains of material deprivation.

An adult tobacco survey in India done recentlyby the Health Ministry and the WHO foundthat smokers in India spend an average of Rs399 on cigarettes and Rs 93 on bidis monthly.According to the Planning Commission of In-dia, as many as 354 million people or 29 percent of the population currently live below thepoverty line, which is defined by a monthly in-come of anything below 672 rupees for ruralIndia and 859 rupees for urban labourers.

Smoking is, therefore, a powerful mediator ofthe association between poverty and mortality.This is because the poor and less educated areless aware of the health hazards of smokingand, thus, more likely to adopt this harmfulpractice.

There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke. In adults, secondhandsmoke causes serious cardiovascular and res-piratory diseases, including coronary heartdisease and lung cancer. In infants, it causessudden death.

Despite increased efforts in tobacco controlover the last several decades, smoking con-tinues to be the number one cause of pre-ventable diseases and deaths. Furthermore,tobacco is directly related to and contributesto poverty. According to the WHO, tobaccouse contributes to huge economic losses forindividuals, families, communities and entirecountries.

Tobacco also creates economic costs that ex-tend beyond the direct cost of related illnessesand productivity losses, including healthcareexpenditures from active and passive smokers,employee absenteeism, reduced labour pro-ductivity, ?re damage due to careless smokers,increased cleaning costs and widespread envi-ronmental damages.


3.8. MAY BlogBook

Tobacco users have higher medical expensesdue to tobacco-related illnesses and tend todie at younger ages, leaving their families withloss of income, medical bills and other ex-penses related to their illnesses and deaths.

The immediate and long-term benefits ofsmoking cessation extend to men and womenof all income and education levels but aremore pronounced among low socioeconomicstatus (SES) adults. While cessation mayseem near impossible for many low SES indi-viduals, there are several effective tools thatcan control use. Tobacco control policy canhave a significant impact on reducing smok-ing rates and health consequences of smokingamong low SES individuals. There is a need tocontinue raising awareness and remind peopleof the law. Ultimately, governmental leader-ship at state and city levels would be crucialto the ongoing success of the smoke-free law.

Every person should be able to breathe smoke-free air. Smoke-free laws protect the health ofsmokers and nonsmokers. Mass media cam-paigns can also reduce tobacco consumptionby influencing people to protect nonsmokersand convincing youths to stop using tobacco.

It is high time to control smoking for low-income people. Smoking is bad for physicaland mental health. Many poor people withdepression smoke as they find no alternativefor relax and entertainment. When a personsmokes, a dose of nicotine reaches the brainwithin about 10 seconds. At first, nicotineimproves mood and concentration, decreasesanger and stress, relaxes muscles and reducesappetite. But this effect is short-term. Smok-ing puts one at even greater risk of physical illhealth. Any short-term benefits that smokingseems to have are outweighed by the higherrates of smoking-related physical health prob-lems such as lung cancer and heart diseases.Nicotine replacement therapy can help smok-ers stop smoking and they should think of bet-ter opportunity of livelihood.

A number of countries have legislations re-stricting tobacco. The Government of Indiahas launched the new National Tobacco Con-trol Programme (NTCP) to implement the anti-tobacco laws and sensitise all stakeholders,which would reduce the prevalence of smok-ing among the lower socioeconomic groups.Besides, a comprehensive ban of all tobacco

advertising, promotion and sponsorship is re-quired for all people to live a tobacco-freehealthy life.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/smoking-a-powerful-mediator-between-poverty-and-mortality.html

3.8.3 Biodiversity: Bhitarkanika(2013-05-22 01:08)

[1] http://www.orissapost.com/bhitarkanika-awaiting-unesco-nod/

1. http://www.orissapost.com/bhitarkanika-awaiting-unesco-nod/


http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/smoking-a-powerful-mediator-between-poverty-and-mortality.html



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BlogBook 3.8. MAY

3.8.4 Biodiversity: Similipal(2013-05-22 00:22)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/similipal-sees-disturbances-of-various-magnitudes.html

The current decline in biodiversity representsa serious threat to human development. Bi-ological resources constitute a capital assetwith great potential for yielding sustainablebenefits. Protected areas that are created topreserve biodiversity are in critical conditiondue to excessive anthropogenic pressure.

Urgent and decisive action is needed to con-serve and maintain genes, species and ecosys-tems for sustainable management and use ofbiological resources.

The United Nations has proclaimed May 22 asthe International Day for Biological Diversity(IDB) to increase understanding and aware-ness of biodiversity issues. Water is essentialfor life. No living being on planet Earth cansurvive without it.

It is a prerequisite for human health and well-being as well as for preservation of the environ-ment. ‘Water and Biodiversity’ is the theme forInternational Day for Biological Diversity (IDB)in 2013. The theme has been chosen to co-incide with the United Nations designation of2013 as the International Year of Water Coop-eration.

Designation of IDB 2013 on the theme of wa-ter provides parties to the Convention on Bio-logical Diversity (CBD) and to raise awarenessabout this vital issue and to increase positiveaction.

Biodiversity is the degree of variation of lifeforms within a given species and the ecosys-tem. The greater the variety of species, thehealthier becomes the biosphere.

Human activities have altered the world’s ter-restrial, freshwater and marine ecosystemsthroughout history. Over the last 50 years,there has been a substantial and largely irre-versible loss in the diversity of life on Earth.The number of species at risk of extinction is16,306 species of plants and animals listed asthreatened globally. This clearly reflected theloss of biodiversity.

The biodiversity of an area influences every as-pect of the lives of people who inhabit it. Theirliving space and their livelihoods depend onthe type of ecosystem.

The quality of water we drink and use, theair we breathe, the soil on which our foodgrows are all influenced by a wide variety of liv-ing organisms, both plants and animals, andthe ecosystem of which each species is linkedwithin nature.

Biodiversity conservation and managementare a worldwide concern. In India, there is in-creasing interest and concern for biodiversityconservation in biosphere reserves.

These biosphere reserves have been set up byexpanding and merging the isolated, preexist-ing national park and sanctuaries under thecontrol of Forest and Wildlife Departments tomeet the objectives of biodiversity conserva-tion and management.

These biosphere reserves are areas of terres-trial and coastal ecosystems promoting solu-tions to reconcile the conservation of biodi-versity with its sustainable use. The ideaof ‘Biosphere Reserves’ was initiated by theUNESCO in 1973-74 under its Man and Bio-sphere (MAB) Programme. Biosphere reservesconstitute the main goal of the whole pro-gramme.

The Indian National Man and Biosphere Com-mittee identifies and recommends potentialsites for designation as Biosphere Reserves,following the UNESCO’s guidelines and crite-ria. The Biosphere Reserves are different fromwildlife sanctuaries and National Parks as theemphasis is on overall biodiversity and land-scape rather than on specific species.


3.8. MAY BlogBook

In a biosphere, there are three different zones:core area, buffer zones and transition zones.The core areas are the most heavily protectedsites where the ecosystems remain relativelyuntouched. They are the areas designatedmainly for conservation, and the only humanrole in these areas is for observation and non-destructive research. The buffer zones sur-round the core area and are open to peopleto visit. However, people cannot inhabit theseareas.

They are mainly used for recreation and eco-tourism. Transition zones are the areas inthe biosphere where towns would be locatedif there were any. The people living in thesetowns are usually management agencies, sci-entists, cultural groups native to the area andfarms and fisheries (biosphere). The peoplewho live in the towns are usually responsiblefor managing, sustaining, and developing thebiosphere.

The State of Odisha is quite rich in natural re-sources and has several biodiversity hotspotareas. It has varied and widespread forestsharbouring dry deciduous, moist deciduousforests as well as mangroves with severalunique, endemic, rare and endangered floraland faunal species.

Odisha ranks fourth amongst State/UnionTerritories of the country in terms of area un-der forest cover. The total forest area of theState is 58, 135 sqkm, which is 37.34 percent of the State’s geographical area and about7.66 per cent of the country’s forests.

Similipal located in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj dis-trict, with its dense green forests, hilly terrain,broad open valleys, plateaus, grasslands andrich biodiversity, has the unique distinctionof being a Tiger Reserve, a National Park, aWildlife Sanctuary, an Elephant Reserve and aBiosphere Reserve. Semi-evergreen to dry de-ciduous forest types (1,076 species of plantsincluding 94 varieties of orchids) provide suit-able home for a variety of fauna. Impor-tant and rare wildlife include tigers, elephants,leopards, Sambars, spotted deer, peacocks,pythons, cobras, lizards, etc. It is the rich-est watershed in Odisha, giving rise to manyperennial rivers. Gorgeous Barehipani and Jo-randa waterfalls are of great attractions. TheBarehipani waterfall is located at the centreof the National Park. It is one of the tallest

waterfalls in the country, at a height of 399m. The falls are the most beautiful sites at theNational Park. The rich biodiversity, the physi-cal and topographical features of Simlipal con-stitute a unique and delightful destination forscientists, nature-lovers and tourists.

The Biosphere Reserve is an internationaldesignation by the UNESCO for representa-tive parts of natural and cultural landscapesextending over large areas of terrestrial orcoastal ecosystems or a combination thereof.

The Government of India initiated a Centrally-sponsored scheme on Biosphere Reserve in1986. The goals for biosphere reserve man-agement are to facilitate conservation of rep-resentative landscapes and their immense bi-ological diversity and cultural heritage.

These are the most appropriate means of pro-tecting the landscape with its total biodiver-sity. So far, 15 Biosphere Reserves have beenestablished all over the country across differ-ent bio-geographical regions. Similipal wasnotified as the eighth Biosphere Reserve in1994.

This biosphere reserve is unique in terms ofits varied topography, geologic formation andrich biological diversity.

The forest ecosystems of the Similipal Bio-sphere Reserve are experiencing disturbancesof various magnitudes.

People affect biodiversity in both direct andindirect ways. Agriculture and animal hus-bandry alter the biological diversity by destroy-ing or modifying the native biota. Activities ofthese people may generate threats that causemajor obstacles in biodiversity conservation inSimilipal. The specific threats are the loss ofbiodiversity due to collection of timber, fire-wood, fire and hunting of wildlife. Specialattention should be given to different compo-nents of the biosphere reserves like landscape,habitats and species.

The Similipal Biosphere Reserve is also anideal habitat for approximately 600 plantspecies. The illegal and unscientific collec-tion by local people has led to a drastic reduc-tion in the number of medicinal plant species.and many species of such plants are becomingrare and are included in the list of endangeredplants.


BlogBook 3.8. MAY

The best way to protect Similipal’s biodiversityis to protect its habitats. In order to facilitateand coordinate the research programmes andidentify the critical gaps in research efforts onthe Similipal Biosphere Reserve, the State Gov-ernment enacted the Odisha Biological Diver-sity Rules, 2010.

The implementation of the rules and the bio-sphere programme would seek to make a sus-tained impact on the overall scenario of bio-diversity conservation. The conservation andsustainable use of biodiversity also requiresfull and effective participation of local commu-nities.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/similipal-sees-disturbances-of-various-magnitudes.html

3.8.5 Water birds in India(2013-05-11 13:37)

[1]http://www.orissapost.com/water-birds-in-india/

1. http://www.orissapost.com/water-birds-in-india/

3.8.6 Wetland degradation(2013-05-11 13:33)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/wetland-degradation-bird-populations-dwindle-in-chilika.html

WETLAND DEGRADATION: BIRD POPULA-TIONS DWINDLE IN CHILIKA

The World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) wasinitiated in 2006 and is an awareness-raisingcampaign highlighting the need for protectionof migratory birds and their habitats. In thesecond weekend each May, people around theworld take action and organise public eventssuch as bird festivals, education programmesand bird watching excursions to celebrate theWMBD.

This year, the day will be celebrated on May11-12 with the theme ”Networking for migra-tory birds”. The WMBD is expected to con-nect the world and bring together organisa-tions, governments and dedicated people toprotect migratory birds for future generations.The day works as a network to increase publicknowledge about migratory birds and their im-portance and also connects groups of peopleto share, celebrate with and learn from eachother.

This year’s theme also highlights the need tocooperate and network amongst organisationsand people to conserve migratory birds. Sincethe migration routes often cross many nationsand even entire continents and oceans, aneffective management strategy requires jointaction in the form of international coopera-tion. Collective conservation actions by natureconservation organisations, scientists, govern-ments and the general public are needed toensure survival of the migratory birds.


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3.8. MAY BlogBook

The survival of migratory birds depends onthe availability of well-connected habitat net-works along their migration routes. Thisyear’s theme aims to emphasise both ecologi-cal networks and the networks between organ-isations and individuals and their mutual im-portance for long-term conservation of migra-tory birds.

Suitable habitats are vital for migratory birdsas they provide the areas necessary for feed-ing, resting and breeding. These birds travelhuge distances, sometimes comprising thou-sands of kilometers. However, human activi-ties, directly or indirectly, damage these sitesthrough habitat fragmentation and degrada-tion, thereby posing a threat to the birdspecies. Many sites that birds depend on areunder threat from human activities, posing agrave risk to their species. Direct human activ-ities such as land reclamation and deforesta-tion as well as indirect human influences suchas climate change damage these sites throughhabitat fragmentation and degradation. Largenumbers of important sites have already beendamaged, or lost entirely. Consequently, con-servation of the remaining important sites iscrucial for protection of the migratory avianspecies.

Inmany parts of the world, wetlands are underthreat of degradation or disappearance. Vastwater body and biodiversity is a major fac-tor for visit of thousands of birds from differ-ent regions of the world. Along with this, cli-mate change is emerging as the greatest threatto natural communities in most parts of theworld’s ecosystems in coming decades. Birdspecies are great indicators of climate change.It is affecting birds’ behaviour, distributionand population dynamics and is implicated ina complete breeding failure in some popula-tions. The problems faced by bird populationsworldwide, especially by migratory birds thatmay be travelling up to tens of thousands ofmiles, mean that drastic changes in any sin-gle world region could push a wide variety ofthe species out of existence.

Migratory birds visit most part of India and arenot confined to a few areas. With a view to es-caping severe cold in winter and also in searchof food, the birds travel from the remote landslike Siberia, Mongolia, Caspian Lake, BaikalLake, Ladakh and the Himalayas foothills to

visit the wetlands in India. In comparison toother Indian wetlands, maximum numbers ofmigratory birds are seen in the Chilika lagoonin Odisha. The Chilika Lake is the largest la-goon in Asia spread over three coastal districtsof Puri, Khurda and Ganjam. It is connectedto the Bay of Bengal. The water spread area ofthe lagoon varies between 1,165 sqkm in mon-soon and about 906 sqkm in the pre-monsoonperiod.

Ornithologists feel that early snowfall andscarce food might have led the birds to migrateto the Chilika. Experts this time felt that theabundance of food and favourable weather at-tracted birds to the Chilika as the lagoon’s lo-cation on the coast in the tropical zone sparesit from extreme temperatures. The Chilikacatchment enjoys a typically tropical climatewith an average annual maximum tempera-ture of 39.9°C and a minimum temperatureof 14.0°C. It is bounded by hills and hillocks.The Chilika is recognised as one of the mostimportant wetlands in the world because it ishome to a phenomenal variety of birds. It hasalways been potentially able to provide excel-lent hospitality to the birds with favourableweather, food and shelter. There are manyisland sanctuaries in the Chilika with the is-land of Nalabana as a major attraction. Nala-bana is a lowlying marshy island of about 35km2, covered with low vegetation. Designatedas a bird sanctuary, it forms the core of alltourist attractions in the Chilka region due tothe presence of variegated flora and fauna.

The lagoon hosts over 160 species of birds inthe peak migration season, the winter. Thebirds travel possibly up to 12,000 km to reachthe lake. The lagoon is at present facing theproblems of an overall loss of biodiversity.

The ecological character of the lake is in-fluenced by hydrological regimes and is vul-nerable to changes due to anthropogenic aswell as natural factors. The lake has gonethrough tremendous ecological changes sincelast decade. It had been facing problems likesiltation, shrinkage of area and choking of theinlet channel, which led to decrease in thesalinity gradient, proliferation of freshwaterweeds, followed by a decrease in fish produc-tivity and an overall loss of biodiversity.

The growth of chemicals-based industries inthe catchment areas, agriculural intensifica-


BlogBook 3.9. APRIL

tion in the Chilika basin and the spread ofprawn-culture ponds have increased pollutionand eutrophication of the lake. The presenceof toxic-heavy metals including mercury, lead,copper, chromium and nickel in the lake hasbeen reported. In addition to its impact onfishing, the growth of weeds has contributedto drastic reductions in the bird populations,particularly noted near Nalabana. Deforesta-tion in the Chilika basin and hunting are alsocontributing to this decline.

Due to the degradation of wetland habitats,the populations of various bird species aredwindling in the Chilika. In 2010 and 2011,the number of birds visiting the lake were 9,24,578 and 8,83,072, respectively. In 2012,birds numbering 8,77,322 flocked to the lakewhich is less by 5,750 compared to the previ-ous year, as per the latest bird census. Thismay be due to the rise in temperature. An-other reason may be that the depth of the lakehas decreased. If this trend continues, thenumbers of birds will reduce in the comingyears. This decline, in turn, has resulted in asubstantial decrease in international touristsand ecotourism, which used to contributegreatly to the local economy.

In the Chilika, bird conservation requires acontinuous adaptation based on the reviewof changes in various components of ecologi-cal character of the wetland. There is a needfor ecosystem conservation and sustainableresource development and livelihood improve-ment supported by institutional development,communication, education and public aware-ness. Ecosystem conservation would com-prise catchment conservation, water manage-ment and biodiversity conservation. Siltationis the major problem of the lake. There is aneed to reduce this load by suitable plantationand watershed development programme in thecatchment areas.

The State Wildlife Organisation in collabora-tion with the Chilika Development Authority(CDA) has taken several steps for protectionand conservation of the local and migratorybirds. Besides, awareness and cooperationof the local people are highly essential. Pub-lic awareness and concern are crucial compo-nents of migratory bird conservation. Citizenswho are enthusiastic about birds, informedabout threats and empowered to become in-

volved in addressing those threats, can maketremendous contributions for migratory birdconservation of the Chilika Lake.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/wetland-degradation-bird-populations-dwindle-in-chilika.html

3.9 April

3.9.1 Rescue of Child Ragpickers(2013-04-28 05:48)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/its-time-to-com e-to-rescue-of-child-ragpickers.html

IT’S TIME TO COME TO RESCUE OF CHILDRAGPICKERS

Today, throughout the world, around 215 mil-lion children work as per the InternationalLabour Organisation (ILO). They don’t go toschool and have little or no time to play. Manydo not receive proper nutrition or care. Morethan half of them are exposed to the worstforms of child labour. Out of the 2.34 mil-lion occupational fatalities every year, only321,000 are due to accidents. The remain-ing 2.02 million deaths are caused by varioustypes of work-related diseases, which corre-spond to a daily average of over 5,500.

The World Day for Safety and Health at Workis a UN international day observed on April 28.The day’s theme in 2013 is “Prevention of oc-cupational diseases”. Occupational diseasescontinue as the leading cause of work-relateddeaths. They are caused by chemical, phys-ical and biological agents to respiratory andskin diseases, musculoskeletal disorders andoccupational cancer. This also affects childlabourers’ health.

Child Labour exists in both developing anddeveloped countries. Its prevalence is morein the developing countries because the fam-ilies, to which the children belong, are in an


http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/wetland-degradation-bird-populations-dwindle-in-chilika.html



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urgent need of income of children for theirsubsistence. India is sadly the home to thelargest number of child labourers. There are35 million Indian child labourers according toa Unicef report.

Child labour refers to the employment of chil-dren in any work that deprives children oftheir childhood, interferes with their abilityto attend regular school and that is mentally,physically, socially or morally dangerous andharmful. Legislations across the world pro-hibit child labour. However in developingcountries, with high poverty, child labour isstill prevalent.

As street children, between five and 18 yearsof age, they earn their livelihood by polishingshoes, washing cars, ragpicking, selling news-papers, etc. They also work as coolies andhelpers in automobile repair shops, construc-tion sites and hotels. A ragpicker is one whopicks out recyclable elements from dumpedmixed wastes. According to the3 Unicef, rag-picking is one of the worst forms of childlabour. Ragpickers’s life is very hard as theysearch through every dirty garbage heap. Thisactivity requires no skills and they get a max-imum 20 to 50 rupees from scrap dealers fortheir collections. But the children face variousphysical hazards such as cuts on their bodyand are also susceptible to infections and dis-eases. They are victims of poverty and illiter-acy. Some of these children are involved indrugs, alcohol, smoking and gambling. Some-times, they indulge in antisocial activities.

The inadequate prevention of occupational dis-eases has profound negative effects on thechild labourers. Because waste materials mayinclude biological pathogens such as parasitesand bacteria, this can be passed from handsto the mouth. Hospital waste often constitutespart of the wastes. This can be hazardousin terms of biological and chemical contam-ination including exposure to used syringes,dressings, discarded medicines. Industrialwaste may include toxic materials such asheavy metals and their associated health ef-fects. Sharp objects can cause cuts which, inturn, may lead to tetanus or other infections.Waste pickers are in direct competition withdogs for the waste materials; this sometimesleads to dog bites and the associated threat ofrabies. Carrying heavy loads of wastes over

long distances may be associated with muscu-lar/skeletal problems.

Ragpicking is probably one of the most dan-gerous and dehumanising activities in India.Children should be protected from such work.Education is of primary importance for chil-dren for their present and future wellbeing.

The inadequate prevention of occupational dis-eases has profound negative effects on childworkers and their families. It is necessary totake effective economic and social measures toeliminate the roots of child ragpickers. Thereis an urgent need to look into the lives of thesechildren and design some initiatives so thatthey can live a healthy life.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/its-time-to-come-to-rescue-of-child-ragpickers.html

3.9.2 Environmental health risk ofslum-dwellers (2013-04-25 18:40)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/its-basically-an-environmental-health-risk-of-slum-dwellers.html

Various environment-related problems anddiseases are associated with exposure of haz-ardous unsanitary conditions in the slum ar-eas. The most prevalent disease is malariafever, typhoid fever and diarrhea. Malaria par-ticularly is an infectious disease transmittedby mosquitoes that kill more than one millionpeople each year. Globally, 3.3 billion peoplein 106 countries are at risk of malaria. To con-trol malaria, World Malaria Day is commem-orated every year on April 25 and recognisesglobal efforts.

The World Malaria Day was instituted by theWorld Health Organisation (WHO) Member


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States during the 2007 World Health Assem-bly. It is an occasion to highlight the need forcontinued investment and sustained politicalcommitment for malaria prevention and con-trol. It is also an opportunity for new donorsto join the global malaria partnership, and forresearch and academic institutions to show-case their scientific work. The global cam-paign theme for 2013 is Invest in the future.Defeat malaria.

Many countries throughout the world con-tinue to report high prevalence of malaria in-fection. Even though the disease can be pre-vented or treated, it remains a major causeof mortality in many parts of the world. Itis one of the major communicable diseases af-fecting mankind, caused by plasmodium para-site, transmitted by the bite of infective femaleanopheles mosquito. It is most prevalent inslums and squatter settlements of urban ar-eas.

Many areas in the developing world are urban-ising very fast and, along with this, the slumpopulation in these countries is also steadilyincreasing. Slum areas have the highest con-centrations of poor people with inadequateaccess to safe water, inferior sanitation andother infrastructure, poor quality of housing,overcrowding and unprotected residential sta-tus.

More than 1 billion people around the worldlive in slums. By 2030, the world’s slum pop-ulation could rise to 2 billion. For the poor, ur-ban areas have always provided a means of im-proving quality of life as well as being in closeproximity to better jobs and incomes. Slumcreation has been the result of a recent up-surge in rural-urbanmigration, limited supplyof land, and regulatory frameworks that arenot addressing the needs of the urban poor.

Inadequate quantities and quality of drinkingwater, lack of sanitation facilities, and poorhygiene cause millions of the world’s poorestpeople to suffer from various diseases includ-ing malaria. The disease is closely associatedwith the availability of water as the larval stageof mosquitoes develops in different kinds ofstagnant water bodies. In urban slums, waterstorage and poor drainage increase mosquitobreeding, the main cause of malaria.

Therefore, malaria control must be based ondisease epidemiology with emphasis on im-

provement of knowledge and practice of appro-priate preventive measures in slum and squat-ter settlements. So, socioeconomic status,housing, water storage, sanitation, waste dis-posal facilities should be improved. The peo-ple should cooperate with municipal healthworkers. Mosquito nets/repellents may beprovided to the poor free of cost.

Providing adequate shelter in cities of devel-oping countries has been a fundamental prob-lem for national and municipal governments.World leaders, governments and internationalagencies are trying to take direct action to im-prove the living conditions of slum-dwellersand offer adequate solutions for tomorrow. Ad-equate housing is one of the effective meansto alleviate poverty because shelter is usuallythe most expensive item for households. It isalso a prerequisite for better health, providinga great amount of saving when one is not sick.

The urban poor should play a key role in theimprovement of their living conditions. Theirparticipation in all stages of a social develop-ment agenda is a fundamental human right.Urban human settlements require a more in-clusive approach to planning and land man-agement to sustain all the people who live inthem. Slums can be upgraded most effectivelywhen citywide approaches are adopted. Theseapproaches should include consultation witha broad range of stakeholders and use of par-ticipatory planning methods.

Absence of planned development of the slumsettlements is a major reason for absence ofwaste disposal facilities (both liquid and solidwaste). Malaria is a preventable and treatablemosquito-borne disease. Appropriate coun-tries and communities are being encouragedto reduce mosquito breeding sites by filling inand draining water bodies and implementingother environmental management schemes.

Malaria elimination is a worthwhile goal. Inthis context, innovative financing would playan important role. Investments in malaria pre-vention and control have been among the bestinvestments in global health facility, resultingin a dramatic decrease in malaria deaths andillness. The strategic approaches to malariacontrol come within two major domains – pre-vention and case management. The goals ofmalaria control are to protect individual peo-ple against infective malaria mosquito bites


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and to reduce the intensity of local malariatransmission at community level.

Participatory slum upgrading and preventionprogramme strengthens capacity of local, cen-tral and regional institutions and key stake-holders in settlement and slum improvementthrough the use of good governance and man-agement approaches. Generally, the pro-gramme aims to respond to the dynamic de-velopment of cities’ and slum upgrading activ-ities. These require a deep understanding ofthe local context, interaction of urban stake-holders, institutional frameworks and finan-cial mechanisms.

The most powerful and most broadly-appliedinterventions such as long-lasting insecticidalnets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS)can help prevent malaria in slum areas. Theincidence of malaria can also be reduced whenmosquito breeding areas caused by insuffi-cient drainage are eliminated. These interven-tions work by reducing the lifespan of adultfemale anopheles mosquitoes so that they donot survive long enough to transmit the para-site.

Working with families and communities to im-prove their knowledge on prevention, recogni-tion and appropriate treatment of malaria isthe key to success of any malaria control pro-gramme. Besides, high-level political commit-ment, mobilisation of resources is required toapply the effective tools, medicines and controlstrategies already available.

The effects of suboptimal service delivery arefelt in low-income neighbourhoods and slums.Basic services like water supply and sanita-tion are primarily the responsibility of UrbanLocal Bodies. However, in many local authori-ties in developing countries suffer from lack offinancial, technical and human resources andare therefore not capable or willing to deliverand maintain basic urban services. Fundingplays a fundamental role in implementation ofany slum management strategy. Total clear-ance of the slum in an urban area may not befeasible because of the poor land managementand cost elements, but an urban basic service(UBS) may be introduced. This essentially in-cludes provision of immediate facilities in theslum so that residents could appreciate the im-portance of livable environment. These mea-sures would not only reduce the environmen-

tal risks of slum-dwellers but also give birthto a functional and aesthetic environment forslum-dwellers.

There is a need to develop a funding scheme toimprove the socioeconomic condition of slum-dwellers.

It is imperative to educate slum-dwellersabout mosquito-borne diseases and their pre-ventive measures. Finally, the people needproper enlightenment on the importance andbenefits of a healthy environment.

This would prevent many diseases in slumsand squatter settlements and lead to a healthylife for slum-dwellers.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/its-basically-an-environmental-health-risk-of-slum-dwellers.html


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3.9.3 Global action Plan: Malaria(2013-04-25 05:09)

[1]http://www.orissapost.com/world-malaria-day-global-action-plan/

1. http://www.orissapost.com/world-malaria-day-global-action-plan/

3.9.4 Urbanisation adds to grow-ing levels of greenhouse gas(2013-04-24 06:41)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/urbanisation-ad ds-to-growing-levels-of-greenhouse-gas.html

URBANISATION ADDS TO GROWING LEVELSOF GREENHOUSE GAS

Earth Day is observed on April 22 to mitigateclimate change, promote adaptation and im-prove public health.

The first Earth Day was held in 1970 with anaim to promote the thoughts of ecology, rev-erence for existence on earth and highlightinggrowing concern over pollution of the soil, airand water. The April 22 date was also desig-nated as International Mother Earth Day bya resolution adopted by the United Nations in2009.

Mother Earth is a common expression for theplanet Earth in a number of countries andregions, which reflects the interdependenceamong human beings and other living speciesand the planet. This year’s Earth Day themeis chosen as ”The Face of Climate Change” bythe Earth Day Network.

With more than half the world’s populationnow living in urban areas, there are concernsthat urbanisation is a key driver of unsustain-able resource demands. Urbanisation also ap-pears to contribute to the ever-growing lev-els of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions andclimate change. Climate change presentsunique challenges for urban areas and theirgrowing populations. Where urban areas growrapidly without regard to current and futureresource demands and climate change, largenumbers of people and their assets can findthemselves vulnerable to a range of disruptiveand damaging risks.

Urbanism is a way of life and the outcome ofurbanisation. It is the characteristic way ofinteraction of inhabitants of towns and citieswith the built environment or, in other words,the character of urban life, organisation, prob-lems, etc., as well as the study of that charac-ter or of the physical needs of urban societiesor city planning.

Urbanism is a complex system of partial pub-lic and private realms that exist between build-ings. Therefore, large cities are not the only ex-amples of urbanism. It can exist in the small-est town too. First, it is in our homes andneighbourhoods that we generate the demand


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for the world’s resources. Here, we eat most ofour food, do much of our transportation, buy,use and dispose of most of the world’s endproducts. Here, we use much of the world’senergy for heating and cooling, lighting and op-erating appliances. Next to our buildings, in-cluding homes, shops and offices, we consumeroughly half of the resources that contributeto climate change, in the activities like heatingand cooling and running lights and appliancesthat are likely to trigger release of greenhousegases somewhere else.

So, the shape of buildings, their efficiency oflayout, their exposure to heat, their tendencyto gain heat energy and their ability to accom-modate our various habits of consumption, allhave a significant effect on energy use and car-bon emissions. So, clearly, the built environ-ment has a major role in generating the causesof climate change and other unsustainablepractices. Urban form is a critical aspect ofthe challenge of sustainability. ”Sustainabledevelopment is development that meets theneeds of the present without compromisingthe ability of future generations to meet theirown needs,” defined by the Brundtland Com-mission (formally known as the World Com-mission on Environment and Development), apanel convened by the United Nations in 1983.It contains the concept of ’needs’, in particu-lar the essential needs of the world’s poor andthe idea of limitations imposed by the stateof technology and social organisation on theenvironment’s ability to meet present and fu-ture needs. This means that when designingfor sustainability, we must move beyond thescale of the building and design for sustain-able urbanism. This is because urbanisationproduces a warmer city centre compared tothe neighbouring surroundings. The temper-ature in urban area could be 5-10oC warmercompared to rural areas. The effect is knownas the Urban Heat Island (UHI) and is seen al-most at all the big cities.

In an urban area, tall buildings, bridges andflyovers retard the free flow of air; so, sus-pended pollutants are not effectively removed.Lack of open ground leads to less infiltra-tion of rainwater in the ground as the tarroads and cement pavements are impervi-ous to the percolation of rainwater. This in-creased runoff which leads greater risks offloods/waterlogging. The urban development

very often takes place in a manner in whichbuildings and roads occupy the flood plainsof the rivers and streams. This causes highrunoffs/stagnation of water which cannot findits natural exit due to blocking.

Human activities produce ’greenhouse gases’into the atmosphere and they tend to trapheat in the Earth’s atmosphere. Among thegases are carbon dioxide, methane and vari-ous other hydrocarbon compounds. However,there are a number of important things thatcan be done at the building scale, particularlywhen it comes to heating, cooling and light-ing, which account for a large portion of energyconsumed by the built environment. Buildingenergy systems must be as efficient as possi-ble while remaining reliable over time and withchanging conditions. The efficiency of char-acteristic building types is closely connectedto the efficiency of urban pattern. Again,the size, shape and orientation of an individ-ual building are closely related to the size,shape and orientation of the neighbourhooditself. The characteristic buildings that arelikely to be built in a neighbourhood are inturn related to the neighbourhood’s connec-tivity, density, characteristic appeal and otherfactors. The building characteristics include,attached types, which tend to save heat fromcommon walls; building orientation to takemaximum advantage of passive solar expo-sures; buildings that are well-sheltered fromthe negative effects of sun and wind; build-ings that line the street and support an at-tractive streetscape, conducive to pedestrianactivity. Urban macro-effects are effects thatare created by the urban pattern itself. Theyinclude Albedo effect, which is the tendencyof buildings and paved surfaces to convert so-lar energy to heat energy and increases thegreenhouse effect. This adds to the heating ofcities. Heat island effect has the tendency ofair to become trapped between buildings, espe-cially tall ones, and heated above ambient lev-els. Again, this increases the heating of citiesand can exacerbate heat wave effects. Thereare also some negative effects of tall buildings.These include wind effects, shadowing, and”canyon effect”. So, the more we live in a neigh-bourhood with optimally distributed services,the more we are likely to use a more efficientcombination of large and small facilities. Wecan live in a more efficient lifestyle, in a more


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efficient urban pattern over many years.

Therefore, urban form is a critical aspect ofthe challenge of sustainability. This meansthat while designing for sustainability, wemust move beyond the scale of the building,and design for sustainable urbanism. Forurban centres, this requires that they meettheir resident’s needs (being healthy, enjoy-able, resilient places to live and work forall their inhabitants). Communities shouldbe designed for the pedestrian and pub-lic transport. Cities should be shaped byphysically-defined and universally-accessiblepublic spaces and community institutions.Urban developments should be characterisedby homes with front porches, sidewalks, retaildevelopment in close proximity to residentialdevelopment, green public spaces and greencorridors. Green corridors provide a rich habi-tat for a diversity of flora and fauna. A numberof cities are developing this idea of green corri-dor as a tool both for protection of biodiversityand to provide a sense of continuity betweentown and country which can reduce climate-related risks.

Most urban buildings and infrastructure de-signed and built now would have to cope withclimate change in future. As a result, it wouldbe much easier to make provisions now forlikely future climate-related risks in infras-tructure expansion, new buildings and newurban developments than to have to retrofitbuildings and readjust settlement layouts inthe future. Built environment professionalsmust have a major role in making these re-forms. The designers must take into accountthe factors at the scale of the building andfactors at the scale of the neighbourhood andregion for sustainable urbanism which wouldmitigate the climate change risks, promoteadaptation and improve public health in fu-ture.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/urbanisation-adds-to-growing-levels-of-greenhouse-gas.html

3.9.5 GREEN URBANISM(2013-04-24 06:36)

[1]http://www.orissapost.com/international-mother-earth-day-green-urbanis m/

1. http://www.orissapost.com/international-mother-earth-day-green-urbanism/


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3.9.6 Bhubaneswar Vision-2030(2013-04-17 15:37)

[1]http://www.orissapost.com/foundation-day-of-bhubaneswar-vision-2030/

1. http://www.orissapost.com/foundation-day-of-bhubaneswar-vision-2030/

3.9.7 Koenigsberger’s BhubaneswarPlanning (2013-04-17 15:34)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/koenigsbergers-guidelines-not-followed-in-todays-planning.html

Today the State capital city of Bhubaneswarcelebrates its 65th Foundation Day.

It was on April 13, 1948 that first Prime Min-ister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had laid thefoundation-stone of the city. Bhubaneswar,as one of the first planned cities of modernIndia, was designed on a linear plan by Ger-man architect and urban planner Dr Otto HKoenigsberger. More than sixty years since itsmaking, the city remains a celebrated model ofmodern architecture and city planning.

The original plan envisaged horizontal develop-ment rather than vertical growth for a popula-tion of 40,000 with administration as the pri-mary function. Accordingly, six units were de-veloped with Unit-V as location of the admin-istrative complex and the other units plannedon neighbourhood principles. The town centreconsisted of the market building, weekly mar-ket, daily market and bus-station with a cen-tral vista leading up to Raj Bhavan and a com-mercial zone along Janpath and Bapuji Na-gar up to the railway station. Koenigsberger’splanning zone provided the function of micro-climate control and offers salubrious climatethroughout the year. This particular area de-signed by Dr Koenigsberger remains as thebest green cover with open space and a well-organised transportation system in the city.

Architect Julius Lazras Vaz played animportant role in shaping the skyline ofBhubaneswar. He designed most of the gov-ernment buildings. Vaz adopted the Hindustyle of architecture with some modificationsto take advantage of modern methods of


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construction and to meet new social needs ofthe people. However, Koenigsberger specifieda few guiding principles and climatic designfeatures essential for the city building design.According to his guidelines, most governmentbuildings were designed with impressive cor-ridors intended to protect the walls of officerooms from direct sunrays.

Neighbourhood units were designed with thebest amenities of urban life, with units placedat short distances to give people easy accessto school, hospital and other facilities. In aneighbourhood unit, every child had to livewithin one-quarter or one-third of a mile fromschool. Every housewife had to live within halfa mile from the civic centre, where she coulddo her shopping and also visit medical facili-ties. Home and workplace distance that couldbe conveniently covered was by using a bicycleor a cycle-rickshaw.

Koenigsberger suggested seven types of roads– footpaths, parkways, cycle paths, minorhousing streets, major housing streets, mainroads and main arteries – for seven groups ofusers for seven different functions. The overallwidths of land earmarked for roads and streetswere not determined by traffic alone but alsoby requirements for storm water drainage ser-vices like overhead electric lines, telephone,water and the need of adequate light and airto the adjoining houses. The overall width ofland allotted for road purposes was, therefore,dependent on the height of houses on bothsides.

An important consideration was space for av-enue trees, and necessary provisions weremade early in the land allotment scheme andin the estimates. For requirements other thantraffic, the allotment of land even for the small-est housing street had been fixed at a min-imum of 30 feet. Only about nine feet ofthese 30 was traffic, the rest for storm waterdrainage, avenue trees and services and to al-low sufficient gap between two rows of housesfor a fair share of the cooling breeze to everyhouse.

The guidelines suggested by Koenigsbergerhave not been followed in the present-dayplanning. Today, the city faces urbanisationwith a high population growth. The overallwidth of the road in many areas does not haveany relation with the height of the building.

Avenue trees, storm water drainage, servicesand footpaths have not been given importance.Redevelopment in the particular area has notfollowed the Koenigsberger’s design principles.Since the designed area is in the heart of thecity and due to the increasing pressure onland, there are demands for re-densificationof the residential area by increasing the floorarea ratio (FAR).

To meet the changing needs, the city requiresmore land. Konigsberger had also pointed outin his report to supplement the Master Planfor the New Capital by a regional developmentplan. He emphasised a good master plan fora new town must provide for unlimited expan-sion but at the same time organise the townin such a way that it forms an organic andhealthy structure at each stage of its develop-ment.

Bhubaneswar is currently witnessing severalmodern buildings and high-rise apartments toaccommodate its growing population. Today,the city’s growth is so fast that it is spreadingtowards Khurda and Jatani. The developmentactivities in the city have led to large-scaledeforestation, an increasing volume of traffic,pollution and temperature rise. The city’s ex-pansion and lots of concrete structures arealso the reason for microclimatic change overthe years. Bhubaneswar recorded 42°C tem-perature on April 6 this year, which is highestin the State. The same day Titilagarh in Balan-gir district, the place considered the hottest inOdisha, recorded 40.7°C.

To formulate a meaningful physical develop-ment plan, to regulate and guide the urbangrowth in Bhubaneswar by 2030 in a plannedand healthy manner, a Comprehensive Devel-opment Plan (CDP) for Bhubaneswar Devel-opment Planned Area (BDPA) was preparedby IIT, Kharagpur in 2006. To manage andorganise the planning, development and con-trol functions, development strategies for bothnew areas and the existing ones have been in-tegrated. As per the CDP, the maximum den-sity in Bhubaneswar would be 50-60 dwellingunits (DUs) per acre.

The Bhubaneswar New Town Zone designedby Koenigsberger would have intensive de-velopment with administrative function, cap-ital function, institutions, commercial com-plex, housing of all kinds, urban parkway sys-


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tem, sports complex, art and cultural activi-ties, etc. In this zone, the existing densityof 24 DU/acre is assumed to go up to 50DU/acre. Adequate attention should be paidto transportation network and parking facilitywhile increasing the density in the existing de-veloped area.

A need for high-density living in the 21st cen-tury is inevitable. However, planning guid-ance on themethods of calculating and assess-ing the sustainable density is the need of theday. In many high density urban areas, green-ery such as city parks, traditional streetscape,trees and planters have been reduced.

The urban greenery should be developed inhigh-density areas for cleaner air and saferenvironment. The problem worsens when thepopulation continues to grow and the densityof the area increases but new green spaces arenot being created at an equal pace.

There should be a proper development con-trol in all aspects of planning and design.Care needs to be taken for physical, infras-tructure, city transport planning and environ-mental considerations of the whole region toprevent haphazard growth and squatter settle-ments. The open spaces, parks, recreationalareas, greenbelts and plantation should beproperly organised in the region to provide en-vironmental functions such as control of mi-croclimate and pollution and beautification ofthe region. This would help making the citya comfortable, safe and enjoyable place to livein.

Koenigsberger’s planning principles appliedin Bhubaneswar have inspired many archi-tects and planners in India and abroad. To-day, the architects and planners from allover the world learn his design principles ap-plied in Bhubaneswar. The central area ofBhubaneswar designed by Koenigsberger is aspecial urban heritage site of the city with out-standing planning features and has a publicvalue. The buildings designed in this areaby architect Vaz are the important landmarksof the city and attract people from all cor-ners of the city to this area. These buildingswith special architectural interest along withthe site should be listed under considerationof the planning system and protected fromalterations by regulatory techniques. To re-tain its planned character, the area should be

declared as urban heritage having groups ofbuildings, neighbourhoods and public spacesincluding landscapes and natural featureswhich provide character and distinctive iden-tity to a city.

The listed urban heritage should be empha-sised in the CDP and, if understood and man-aged properly, the urban heritage could effec-tively contribute to the overall quality of urbanareas and serve as a vital asset and attrac-tor for future urban development. This wouldidentify the visual, spatial and cultural char-acter of the city.

Besides, the city’s role as an important centreof administration, tourism, commerce and in-dustry calls for planning environment-friendlyand sustainable development which wouldprovide high quality of life and support healthand wellbeing of people who live and work inthe city.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/koenigsbergers-guidelines-not-followed-in-todays-planning.html

3.9.8 Health and Housing(2013-04-17 15:26)


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3.9.9 Fighting High Blood Pressure(2013-04-17 15:21)

[1]http://www.orissapost.com/fighting-hbp/

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3.9.10 Creating right environment(2013-04-04 20:04)

[1]http://www.orissapost.com/world-autism-a wareness-day-creating-right-environment

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3.9.11 Autism friendly environment(2013-04-04 20:02)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio-ns/bhubaneswar/lets-ensure-aut ism-friendl-y-environment.html

LET’S ENSURE AUTISM-FRIENDLY ENVI-RONMENT

The sixth annual World Autism AwarenessDay (WAAD) is on April 2, 2013. Every year,autism organisations around the world cele-brate the day with awareness-raising events.

The World Autism Day was agreed by theUnited Nations in 2007 to focus global atten-tion on autism by encouraging member statesto take measures to raise awareness aboutautism and encourage early diagnosis andearly intervention and the right to life and theright to health for autistic people. It furtherexpresses deep concern over the prevalenceand high rate of autism in children in all re-gions of the world and the consequent devel-opmental challenges. Additionally, the WAADcelebrates the unique talents and skills of per-sons with autism and is a day when individu-als with autism are warmly welcomed and em-braced in community events.

One in every 150 people in the world is autis-tic. This number is a very rough estimate asautism is a disease with a wide spectrum ofsymptoms and disorders, ranging from a fullyfunctional adult with slight autistic tendenciesor minor learning disorders. India is home toabout 10 million people with autism, and thedisability has shown an increase over the lastfew years.

Those with autism can find the world strangeand confusing. Autism is a pervasive develop-

mental disability with a wide range of symp-toms that affect a child’s language, social, cog-nitive, and sensory development. Still, someautistic children are very bright. Althoughthere is no cure for autism, early interventionand structured teaching enable students tomaximise their skills and learning potential.Further, the built environment plays a signif-icant role in an overall success of educationand care for them.

The environment in which a person withautism lives can have a major impact on theirwellbeing. The sensory difficulties faced bypeople with autismmean that there are a num-ber of modifications that should be taken intoaccount to make environment and architec-tural design of buildings autism-friendly. Ar-chitecture can best be described as the ‘art orpractice of designing buildings for human use’.It takes account of form, function, construc-tion, beauty, convenience and freedom.

Le Corbusier (1887 –1965) was an archi-tect, designer, writer known for being a pi-oneer in modernist architecture. His ca-reer spanned five decades with buildings con-structed throughout the world. He preparedthe Master Plan for Chandigarh in 1950 anddesigned some government buildings whichare unusual in India. It is an impressive legacyof urban design, landscape and architecturethat the architect has given us a unique cityand remarkable architectural heritage of hu-manity. Few books in the twentieth centurydrew as much attention as Le Corbusier’s Versune architecture (1923) published in Englishas Towards a New Architecture (1927). Le Cor-busier has written, “You employ stone, woodand concrete, and with these materials youbuild houses and palaces; that is construction.Ingenuity is at work. But suddenly you touchmy heart, you do me good, I am happy and Isay, this is beautiful, that is architecture.”

These concepts can have beneficial effects forpeople with autism. Architecture has been de-fined in many ways throughout history, butits focus, its aim is built environment. In anarchitect’s work, there is an underlying no-tion, which may be evident to a greater orlesser extent, that the built environment is aspace to be lived in, inhabited, for it to be con-sidered architecture. Likewise, architecturehas taken into account the existence of peo-


BlogBook 3.9. APRIL

ple with different types and degrees of disabil-ities, mainly visual, hearing, and the archi-tect has designed, either in accordance withtheir convictions with design guidelines. Thisis a matter of enabling disabled people to ac-cess buildings and spaces. However, thereare other disabilities that are not so “visible”,and that are obviated in making a built envi-ronment “accessible”. Nonetheless, for peoplewith certain cognitive and sensory deficiencies,etc., which are “less visible” including peoplesuffering from autism. Despite its overwhelm-ing incidence, autism is by and large ignoredby architects.

The common characteristics in the autisticchildren are inability to relate to other peo-ple, at least in a normal way, extreme autis-tic solitude which apparently isolates the childfrom the outside world. Besides medicine andpsychology, pedagogy or even philosophy, it isnecessary to know what peculiarities autisticpeople show in order to determine what thecharacteristics are that a built environmenthas to have to make it easier for them to graspand achieve other objectives that go beyond,but to a certain point depend on, the archi-tecture itself, such as encouraging learning,making it easier to socialise, ensuring inde-pendence or even preserving the dignity of theperson with autism.

Despite this high incidence of autism, designguidelines are yet to be developed to caterspecifically to the scope of autistic needs. TheUnited Nations mandate on the Global Pro-gramme on Disability covers many issues, in-cluding employment, recreation, religion, edu-cation and accessibility to public services, buthas not specified design guidelines for autisticpeople.

For people with autism the effects of complex-ity are much greater; they are unable to dis-tinguish separate noises, shapes, etc., easily.If a building or set of buildings are planned ina simple clear manner, the user will requirelittle effort to use and enjoy the building. Aclear layout and organisation of spaces canhelp a person use a building without confu-sion as to the location of rooms. To provide acalm backdrop for people with autism can as-sist in reducing some elements of stress whichis helpful for their wellbeing. Complexity inthe detail of a building can cause visual dis-

tractions. The design of facilities for autisticpeople should emphasise sustainable design– indoor air quality, acoustics, softer interiordesign, lighting, storage space to reduce clut-ter and for security. A design strategy to dealwith these varying challenges may be initiatedwhich would facilitate the generation of broaddesign standards and guidelines and policiesfor autistic people.

To have a better understanding of this disor-der, many definitions and theories have beenset forth in the past regarding the mecha-nisms of autism. Autism-related research isgoing on at some institutions. utilising theknowledge of years of experience in workingwith children with profound autism, Archi-tects have the task of incorporating specificfeatures within the design of the building suchas specific colours, noise reduction fabrics,specific floor coverings, specific bedroom de-sign, circulation space and design of court-yard.

It is proven that the existing scientific litera-ture regarding built environment in relationto autistic people is scarce, despite significantresearch activity relating to autism in recentyears. The design of built space and environ-ment for autistic children requires careful at-tention. The architect must use a differentpalette for the aesthetic design and built envi-ronment for autistic people. There is a need toinclude design guidelines for autistic childrenand people which would help them lead a bet-ter life in autism-friendly built environment infuture.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/lets-ensure-autism-friendly-environment.html


http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/lets-ensure-autism-friendly-environment.html

http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/lets-ensure-autism-friendly-environment.html


3.10 March

3.10.1 Weather Watch(2013-03-26 10:19)

3.10.2 Water Scarcity(2013-03-26 10:18)

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/how-to-meet-severe-scarcity-of-water-in-near-future.html

HOW TO MEET SEVERE SCARCITY OF WA-TER IN NEAR FUTURE

World Water Day is held annually on March22 as a means of focusing attention on the im-portance of freshwater and advocating for sus-tainable management of freshwater resources.An international day to celebrate freshwaterwas recommended at the 1992 United Na-tions Conference on Environment and Devel-opment (UNCED). The UN General Assemblyresponded by designating March 22, 1993 as

the first World Water Day (WWD). Each year,WWD highlights a specific aspect of freshwa-ter. In 2013, in reflection of the InternationalYear of Water Cooperation, the WWD is dedi-cated to the theme ’Water Cooperation’.

The major task, which the international com-munity is facing today in the field of waterresources, is the transfer of committed obli-gations into concrete actions that need to beimplemented on the ground for the benefit ofpeople, ecosystems and the biosphere as awhole. Nurturing the opportunities for cooper-ation in water management among all stake-holders and improving the comprehension ofthe challenges and benefits of water coopera-tion can build mutual respect, understandingand trust among countries and promote peace,security and sustainable economic growth.

As per the UN Water for Life Report, around700 million people in 43 countries suffer fromwater scarcity. By 2025, 1.8 billion peoplewould be living in countries or regions withabsolute water scarcity and two-thirds of theworld population could be living under water-stressed condition. With the existing climatechange scenario, almost half the world popu-lation would be living in areas of high waterstress by 2030. It is clear that the world is suf-fering from water scarcity. The increasing de-mand for water with a rapidly growing rate ofpopulation, inadequate rainfall, uncontrolleduse of water and climate change are some ofthe reasons behind it.

About 70 per cent of the earth surface is cov-ered with water, which amounts to 1,400 mil-lion cubic kilometers (m km3). However, 97.5per cent of this water being

seawater, it is salty. Freshwater availabilityis only 35 m km3 and only 40 per cent of thiscan be used by human beings. Out of the totalfresh water, 68.7 per cent is frozen in ice caps,30 per cent stored underground and the restis available on the surface of the earth. Outof the surface water, 87 per cent is stored inlakes, 11 per cent in swamp and 2 per cent inrivers.

Long before, when the population was less andlifestyle was simple, water was available inplenty and was considered as a free resource.However, with the growing demand for wa-ter and depletion of the available water, as-sured supply of good quality water is becom-



ing a growing concern. Major consumption ofwater is for agriculture, industrial productionand domestic purposes, besides being used forfishery, hydropower

generation and maintaining biodiversity andecological balance. With the urbanisation andindustrial development, water usage is likelyto increase in the coming years.

India is blessed with good rainfall well-distributed over five to six months in a year.It receives most of its water from south-westmonsoon which is the most important featurecontrolling the Indian climate. The rainfall dis-tribution over the country shows large varia-tions in the amount of rainfall received by dif-ferent locations, e.g., the average

rainfall is less than 13 cm over the western Ra-jasthan while at some parts of Meghalaya it isas much as 1141 cm. As per the MetrologicalDepartment, India’s annual rainfall is around1182.8 mm.

The country’s total available sweet water is4,000 billion m3 per annum. Out of this, over1,047 billion m3 water is lost due to evapo-ration, transpiration. Presently, water con-sumed in India is 829 billion m3 which islikely to increase to 1,093 billion m3 in 2025and 1,047 billion m3 in 2050, as officially es-timated. The growing population is a seriousconcern as it will create further burden on theper capita water availability in future and In-dia is bound to face severe scarcity of water inthe near future.

In spite of adequate average rainfall in India,there is a large area under the less water condi-tions/drought prone. There are a lot of placeswhere the quality of groundwater is not good.Some major reasons behind water scarcity arepopulation growth and agriculture, increasingconstruction activities, massive urbanisationand industrialization, climatic change, deplet-ing of natural resources due to changing cli-mate conditions, deforestation and lack of im-plementation of effective water managementsystems.

The foremost result of the increasing popu-lation is the growing demand for more food-grains, especially high-yielding crop varieties.Another area of concern is the water-intensiveindustries and thermal power plants. That iswhy there is an urgent need to address the is-sue of water scarcity in India to make better

policy decisions which would affect its avail-ability in future.

There are many habitations in Odisha that donot meet the norm of 40 liters per capita perday (lpcd). In a number of areas, tube-wellsstop yielding water during summer and some-times even before this. The problem occurswhen the water-table falls below the level towhich the tube-well has been dug.

Because of population growth and economicdevelopment, water resources in many partsof the world are pushed to their natural lim-its. In turn, the ability of cities and countriesto grow, attract investment, meet the funda-mental needs of populations and ensure en-vironmental protection would be increasinglythreatened if water resources are not man-aged.

Water scarcity is both a natural and a human-made phenomenon. There is enough freshwa-ter on the planet, but it is distributed unevenlyand too much of it is wasted, polluted and un-sustainably managed.

Presently, despite good rainfall distribution,the country is unable to make good use of rain-water because of lack of awareness and poorinfrastructure to construct dams, reservoirsand proper water harvesting system.

The water supply in India is going to be a seri-ous challenge due to various reasons. Over-exploitation of groundwater is another con-cern. Activities such as percolation tanks, wa-ter reservoirs and construction of small andmedium-size dams and rivers can retain moresurface water, while increasing the ground wa-ter recharge.

Development of watershed is an important pro-gramme to make best use of rainwater foragricultural production while improving soilconservation and biodiversity. It is, there-fore, necessary to prevent this crisis by mak-ing best use of the available technologies andresources to conserve the existing water re-sources and make efficient use of water foragriculture, industrial production and humanconsumption. Imposing regulatory measuresto prevent the misuse of water would behelpful in conserving water. Finally, aware-ness and orientation of all the water users tochange their lifestyles to conserve water canhelp tide over the water crisis in the future.



The challenge is manageable provided we havefavourable policies and mechanisms to per-suade our people to change their lifestyles.

Water resources management issues must beaddressed at the local, national and inter-national levels. All stakeholders, includingthose in government, international organisa-tions, private sector and civil society, shouldbe engaged, paying special attention to worktowards water cooperation.

Water is a key to sustainable development; ithas value from social, economic and environ-mental perspectives and needs to be managedwithin sound, integrated socioeconomic andenvironmental frameworks. It is impossible tomaintain the integrity of a balanced ecosystemwithout an overall strategy on water resourcesmanagement. We all have a shared responsi-bility for protecting the environment surround-ing rivers and their associated watersheds.

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/how-to-meet-severe-scarcity-of-water-in-near-future.html

3.10.3 Pollution problems(2013-03-26 10:16)

[1]http://www.orissapost.com/world-water-da y-pollution-problems

1. http://www.orissapost.com/world-water-day-pollution-problems


http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/how-to-meet-severe-scarcity-of-water-in-near-future.html



http://www.orissapost.com/world-water-day-pollution-problems

http://www.orissapost.com/world-water-day-pollution-problems


3.10.4 Woman’s Safety(2013-03-11 16:04)

3.10.5 Safety Initiatives(2013-03-11 16:00)

[1]http://www.orissapost.com/international-womens-day-safety-initiatives

1. http://www.orissapost.com/international-womens-day-safety-initiatives

3.10.6 Urban Heat Island Effects(2013-03-11 15:58)

3.10.7 Intelligent Buildings(2013-03-11 15:56)

[1] http://www.orissapost.com/national-science-day-intelligent-buildings

1. http://www.orissapost.com/national-science-day-intelligent-buildings


http://www.orissapost.com/international-womens-day-safety-initiatives

http://www.orissapost.com/international-womens-day-safety-initiatives

http://www.orissapost.com/national-science-day-intelligent-buildings

http://www.orissapost.com/national-science-day-intelligent-buildings


3.11 February

3.11.1 Air pollution cause of Cancer(2013-02-08 13:42)

3.11.2 Indoor Air pollution(2013-02-08 13:41)

[1] http://www.orissapost.com/world-cancer-day-2013-indoor-air-pollution

1. http://www.orissapost.com/world-cancer-day-2013-indoor-air-pollution


http://www.orissapost.com/world-cancer-day-2013-indoor-air-pollution

http://www.orissapost.com/world-cancer-day-2013-indoor-air-pollution

4. 2012

4.1 December

4.1.1 Migration and Climate Change(2012-12-18 14:10)

4.1.2 Migration and Poverty(2012-12-18 14:08)

4.1.3 Sustainable Energy for All(2012-12-11 14:49)



4.1.4 COP18 Doha : Women’sVoices in Climate Change(2012-12-11 14:39)

4.1.5 Remember Persons with Disabil-ities (2012-12-11 13:29)

4.1.6 Barrier free Environment(2012-12-11 13:28)



4.1.7 Traffic Travails (2012-12-11 13:27)

4.1.8 Traffic calming Measures(2012-12-11 13:23)

4.1.9 Green Renewable Energy(2012-12-11 13:19)

4.2 November

4.2.1 Cities must create jobs(2012-11-03 10:21)



4.2.2 Disaster Reduction(2012-11-03 10:17)

4.2.3 Cyclone Management(2012-11-03 10:05)

4.2.4 Urban sprawl Bhubaneswar(2012-11-03 09:55)



4.2.5 Eco-cities (2012-11-03 09:48)

4.2.6 Spatially managed Cities(2012-11-03 09:44)

4.2.7 Save Planet (2012-11-03 09:41)

4.2.8 Quake proof Buildings(2012-11-03 09:29)



4.2.9 Planning & Realities(2012-11-03 09:24)

4.2.10 Indigenous Knowledge(2012-11-03 09:17)

4.2.11 Tribal Architecture(2012-11-03 09:08)

4.2.12 Population & Environment(2012-11-03 08:59)



[1]http://dailypioneer.com/state-editions/b-hubaneswar/79583-rising-popula tion-fast-d-egrading-environment.html

1. http://dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/79583-rising-population-fast-degrading-environment.html

4.2.13 City without Slums(2012-11-03 08:48)

4.2.14 Hottest Titilagarh(2012-11-03 08:35)

4.2.15 Forest & Environment(2012-11-03 08:19)

4.2.16 Green Cities (2012-11-03 08:17)


http://dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/79583-rising-population-fast-degrading-environment.html




4.2.17 Green Buildings(2012-11-03 08:08)

4.2.18 Bhubaneswar cultural identity(2012-11-03 07:58)

4.2.19 World Habitat Day 2005(2012-11-03 07:51)


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