NHPC Blog

Orchid : Dendrobium anceps Sw.

उपरोक्त तस्वीर एनएचपीसी के तीस्ता लो डैम-III एवं IV परियोजनाओं के अंतरगर्त स्थापित ऑर्किडेरियम (Orchidarium) एवं वनस्‍पतिशाला (Arboretum) में पुन : स्थापित किए गए जंगली ऑर्किडस में से एक ऑर्किड नामत: Dendrobium anceps Sw. की है। यह ऑर्किडेरियम/वनस्‍पतिशाला वन्यजीव/जैव विविधता संरक्षण योजना के अंतर्गत ‘रियांग, दार्जलिंग जिला, पश्चिमी बंगाल’ में दार्जिलिंग वन विभाग एवं नॉर्थ बंगाल विश्व विद्यालय के माध्यम से विकसित किया गया है । ऑर्किड की यह प्रजाति 200 से 1400 मीटर की ऊंचाई पर असम, बांग्लादेश, पूर्वी हिमालय, नेपाल, भूटान, सिक्किम, अंडमान द्वीप समूह, म्यांमार, थाईलैंड, लाओस, कंबोडिया, निकोबार द्वीप समूह और वियतनाम में उष्णकटिबंधीय और उपोष्ण घाटियों में पाया जाता है। एक फूल आमतौर पर कुछ हफ़्ते तक रहता है। फूल में एक अलग खुशबू (एप्पल-पाई की तरह ) पाई जाती है । इसके फूल सुबह में सुगंधित होते हैं। Dendrobium anceps Sw.  को उनके सुंदर पर्णसमूह के लिए भी जाना जाता है। इस खूबसूरत आर्किड के अस्तित्व के लिए, संरक्षण कार्य करना आवश्यक है।

रितुमाला गुप्ता, वरिष्ठ प्रबंधक (पर्यावरण)

पर्यावरण ब्लॉग के नवीन अंक में हम सतत विकास की संकल्पना पर बात करते हैं। संज्ञान में लें कि पर्यावरण और विकास की बहस बहुत पुरानी है तथा दोनों को एक-साथ देखने की दृष्टि ही सतत विकास की अवधारणा है। पहले ही महात्मा गाँधी ने भांप कर कहा था कि “प्रकृति प्रत्येक मनुष्य की आवश्यकता पूरी कर सकती है, लेकिन एक भी मनुष्य के लालच को वह पूरा नहीं कर सकती”, इसे समझते हुए  यदि गंभीरतापूर्वक देखें तो वैश्विक स्तर पर सतत विकास की अवधारणा का जन्म पर्यावरण की चिंताओं के दृष्टिग्त नहीं हुआ है। प्रकृति ने स्वयं अवरोध उत्पन्न किये कि विश्व को अपनी हवा, अपने पानी और अपनी मिट्टी की चिंता  करने के लिये मजबूर होना पड़ा। इस बाध्यता का कारण भी बाजार के हित में ही अंतर्निहित था। व्यापारी हो चुके राष्ट्रों को अपने आर्थिक लाभ प्रभावित होने और उत्पादन प्रणालियों के बंद हो जाने का भय सताने लगा था। जिन राष्ट्रों की पूर्ण निर्भरता अपने औद्योगिक उत्पादनों पर थी वे अब ऐसी तकनीक चाहते थे जो विकास का पहिया भी न रुकने दे और उनके कारण पर्यावरण पर पड़ने वाले प्रभावों की कुछ रोकथाम भी सम्भव हो।

उत्पादों के द्वितीयक प्रभावों ने भी उत्पादक राष्ट्रों की चिंता बढा दी थी उदाहरण के लिये डीडीटी जैसे कीटनाशक अगर मच्छर की रोकथाम कर रहे थे तो उसके मानवजीवन पर पड़ने वाले नकारात्मक प्रभाव अब वैज्ञानिकों की चिंता का कारण बनने लगे थे। वर्ष 1962 में वैज्ञानिक रॉकल कारसन की किताब ‘दी साइलेंट स्प्रिंग’ ने डीडीटी के प्रभावों को सामने लाकर सतत विकास के दृष्टिकोण को नई दिशा प्रदान की। यह पुस्तक यह संदेश प्रदान करने में सफल रही कि एक उत्तम निष्कर्ष के लिये भी नकारात्मक प्रभावों की अनदेखी करना घातक हो सकता है। इसी कड़ी में वर्ष 1968 में प्रकाशित पॉल इहरलिच की पुस्तक ‘पॉप्युलेशन बम’ को भी गिना जाना चाहिये जिसके माध्यम से बढ़ती जनसंख्या द्वारा संसाधनों के दोहन पर प्रकाश डालते हुए पर्यावरण संरक्षण पर गहरी चिंता वयक्त की गयी थी। पर्यावरण की इन आरम्भिक चिंताओं पर ठोस प्रहार करते हुए वर्ष 1971 में आर्थिक सहयोग तथा विकास संगठन “पॉल्यूटर्स पे” सिद्धांत के साथ सामने आया जिसका मूल भाव था कि प्रदूषण फैलाने वाले देशों को पर्यावरण की सुरक्षा-संवर्धन का खर्च उठाना चाहिये। यह सिलसिला अपने परिणाम तक वर्ष 1972 में पहुँचा जब स्वीडन की राजधानी स्टॉकहोम में पर्यावरण पर केंद्रित संयुक्त राष्ट्र सम्मेलन आयोजित किया गया था। सारी दुनिया अब एकमत थी कि विकास के साथ-साथ पर्यावरण का भी समुचित रूप से संरक्षण होना चाहिये। संयुक्त राष्ट्र पर्यावरण कार्यक्रम की स्थापना के साथ पर्यावरण संरक्षण की अवधारणा में सतत विकास की दृष्टि समाहित हुई। इसके पश्चात से लम्बा समय सतत विकास के दृष्टिगत विश्व के विज्ञानिकों को कार्य करते हुए हो गया है। हमारा प्रयास ऐसा ही विकास होना चाहिये जिसमें प्रकृति को हुई हानि को न्यूनतम किया जा सके और उत्पादन का लाभ भी हो। एनएचपीसी अपनी सभी परियोजनाओं में सतत विकास के लक्ष्यों को निर्धारित करती है और  इस  दिशा में कार्य करने हेतु उद्यत है।

एन.एस. परमेश्वरन

कार्यपालक निदेशक

Image Source : https://www.petersons.com/blog/environmental-jobs-green-jobs-in-sustainable-development/

Image Source = https://www.eagrovision.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/15632752926.jpg

GREENHOUSE GASES AND GLOBAL WARMING

 Q. What are Greenhouse Gases?

Greenhouse gases are gases in Earth’s atmosphere that trap heat. They let sunlight pass through the atmosphere, but they prevent the heat that the sunlight brings from leaving the atmosphere. The main greenhouse gases are:

1. Water vapor
2. Carbon dioxide
3. Methane
4. Ozone
5. Nitrous oxide
6. Chlorofluorocarbons

Q. What is the Greenhouse Effect?

The greenhouse effect is a process that occurs when gases in Earth’s atmosphere trap the Sun’s heat. This process makes Earth much warmer than it would be without an atmosphere. The greenhouse effect is one of the things that makes Earth a comfortable place to live.

Q. How does the Greenhouse Effect work?

As you might expect from the name, the greenhouse effect works like a greenhouse. A greenhouse is a building with glass walls and a glass roof. Greenhouses are used to grow plants, such as tomatoes and tropical flowers. A greenhouse stays warm inside, even during the winter. In the daytime, sunlight shines into the greenhouse and warms the plants and air inside. At night time, it’s colder outside, but the greenhouse stays pretty warm inside. That’s because the glass walls of the greenhouse trap the Sun’s heat.

The greenhouse effect works much the same way on Earth. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide, trap heat just like the glass roof of a greenhouse. During the day, the Sun shines through the atmosphere. Earth’s surface warms up in the sunlight. At night, Earth’s surface cools, releasing heat back into the air. But some of the heat is trapped by the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. That’s what keeps our Earth warm.

Q. What contributes to Global Warming?

There are scientific evidences that human activities are causing global warming by generating more and more greenhouse gases. The main sources of global warming are:

1. Burning of fossil fuels like coal and oils for electricity generation,
2. Land-use changes (particularly deforestation),
3. Agriculture and
4. Transport.

Q. What are the effects of Global Warming?

Each year, scientists learn more about the consequences of global warming and many agree that environmental, economic and health consequences are occurring which will further intensify if current trends continue. Here’s just a smattering of what we look forward to:

1. Melting glaciers, early snowmelt and severe droughts will cause more dramatic water shortages and increase the risk of wildfires.
2. Rising sea levels will lead to coastal flooding.
3. Forests, farms and cities will face troublesome new pests, heat waves, heavy downpours and increased flooding. All those factors will damage or destroy agriculture and fisheries.
4. Disruption of habitats such as coral reefs and Alpine meadows could drive many plant and animal species to extinction.
5. Allergies, asthma, and infectious disease outbreaks will become more common due to increased growth of pollen-producing ragweed, higher levels of air pollution, and the spread of conditions favorable to pathogens and mosquitoes.

What can we do to prevent Global Warming?

In order to prevent global temperatures from increasing more than 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels, current climate science suggests that atmospheric CO₂ concentrations should not exceed 450ppm. This requires global emissions to decline to roughly 80% below 1990 levels by the year 2050.  Such dramatic emissions reductions require a sharp move away from fossil fuel, significant improvements in energy efficiency and substantial reorganisation of our current economic system.  This transition can only be achieved by far-reaching national and international climate policies.

[Contribution by: Brahmeshwar Kumar, Senior Manager (Environment)]

Refrences : 

www.unfccc.int

www.ipcc.ch

www.carbonaction.co.uk

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 4

image source : https://kalakkalsamayal.blogspot.com/2014/03/bhringaraj-thuvaiyal.html

Nomenclature

Scientific Name: Eclipta prostrata (Eclipta alba – old)

Hindi & Sanskrit: Bhringaraj

English: False daisy

Tamil: Karisalankanni

Ever noticed those little daisies among the weeds? A small herbaceous plant with flowers that look like tiny replicas of the white daisies and asters. With a white and green centre and hairy white little petals closely arranged. If yes, you are looking at the best ever medicine in Ayurved for growing good hair. Commonly called in English as false daisy, Bhringaraj or Eclipta prostrata is considered to be an all in one solution for hairfall, hair growth as well as for a good black colour and texture for hair. Wherever the moms know it, they make special oils for daughters by cooking coconut oil with a paste of bhringaraj leaves, for good hair growth. Bhringaraj is a commonly used ingredient in commercial ayurvedic hair oils as well. But the plant is such a common plant that anybody who has the slightest interest in plants would not miss those tiny little white flowers that grow among weeds in moist places. The plant flourishes at places which are always moist – near paddy fields, drains, and in kitchen backyards at portions which never dry up. Sometimes in well-watered lawns too, like in the little lawn behind Jyoti Sadan, NHPC. The plant belongs to the sunflower family Asteraceae and is a herbaceous perennial.

Medicinal value:

Bhringaraj is classically known for its strengthening and rejuvenating actions upon the scalp and within the hair follicles. Polypeptides present in bhringaraj have demonstrated hypotensive properties, but also strong anti-inflammatory activity throughout the body, including the skin. In the liver, bhringaraj has demonstrated the ability to regulate the production of hepatic enzymes. It is a strong hepato-protective, supporting the correct balance of liver enzymes, ensuring efficient and effective liver metabolism.

-Anitha Joy , Sr. Manager (Environment)

Reference – medicinal value

https://www.herbalreality.com/herbs/bhringaraj/

Image Source : http://www.kopin.org/food-for-thought/#post/0

पूजा सुन्डी, उप प्रबंधक (पर्यावरण)

(स्रोत : इन्टरनेट/गूगल)

पर्यावरण शब्दकोश (6)

The colourful flowers and petals, vibrant themes, swinging chandeliers and happily ever after chants that fill the air with love and laughter brings the onset of wedding season in India.  Amidst sonorous and booming musical tones coming from life sized speakers the concept of an eco-friendly wedding becomes just a meagre whisper. A tonne of waste is produced through decorative items, food, disposable plates, cups, used tissues, etc. Colossal amount of plastic waste, food waste, food leftover is generated during such ceremonies. As we know plastic takes hundreds of years to decompose, generating more of it has lead to man-made mountains of waste and at some places reaching the height of Qutub Minar in Delhi. Inappropriate knowledge on how to organize various associated events in an environment friendly manner ultimately leads to causing harm to the environment and indirectly to us. Unfortunately, the fact regarding indirect harm to the mankind is understood by very few. Various steps can be taken at wedding functions to avoid sending waste to the already piling landfills.

A few measures that can be easily adopted in wedding scenes are as under:

Going back to steel :

This avoids the use of disposables and hence reduces waste. On an average one person generates a minimum of 5 pieces of disposables at a wedding. Nowadays, Indian weddings are extravagant and a costly affair. It is interesting to note that in India before 1990’s weddings used to be very environment friendly keeping minimal use of everything which produced less waste. With seasonal flowers for decorations, food served on banana leaves or reusable earthen pots, steel plates, glasses etc. and the simplicity of pandal beautification using materials that were bio-degradable never went out of fashion. The used banana leaves were then fed to cows who would digest the fibrous material (that would otherwise take months to decompose) and produce manure the other day. The practice of using plastic and other disastrous items in weddings, get together etc. came only after 1990’s and since then we have been loading Mother Earth with tonnes of garbage in the process of such celebrations. As a result, the burden has far exceeded its carrying capacity. In such a scenario, the need and drive to Go Back to Steel becomes imperative. Let’s go back to from where we started.

Presently, multitude of options can be seen when it comes to renting steel utensils for various events including weddings in the form of plate/crockery banks. Besides one can hire them for free provided he/she uses ask-use-wash-return policy. A certain security amount has to be deposited which is given back after returning the borrowed items. The leftover food can be sent to various NGOs operating in the vicinity so that waste can be minimized and famished section of the society can be fed.

Decoration using waste materials – it’s possible !

A lot of waste materials like coconut shells, banana leaves, painted gulmohar pods, origami papers and waste plastic bottles can be employed to give an artistic and imaginative look to the wedding theme. Seasonal/ commonly available flowers and even lush green leaves will surely paint a beautiful picture. One’s creative acumen can be put to best use in such scenario.

Never mix dry waste with wet waste- Segregation at source is the solution :

It is crucial to segregate waste at its source of generation. The plastic waste, if any, may be sent for recycling and food waste composted or sent to bio-gas plants. Separate places should be designated to collect items like glass, spoons, plates, napkins etc. so as to ensure their proper management and cleaning. A simple practice can be wonderfully helpful in managing food waste in an excellent way. It is unfortunate to learn that in India segregation has not been made mandatory. Majority people still mix biodegradable with non-biodegradable waste. Instead stricter laws should be enforced and non-compliance should be penalised.

Making wedding invites interesting and memorable :

Printing less number of invites can be profitable as it offers reduction in cost and paper because at the end the beautifully adorned cards are sent either to raddiwala or thrown away in bins and forgotten. They can only be reserved for old and close family members. Printing on seed paper or adopting the practice of offering planted pots as wedding invites can prove to be much better alternatives. The cost difference is less and can be ignored. Moreover, the efforts towards going the green way will be appreciated and followed by people. Boasting of arranging an eco-friendly wedding definitely comes with popularity as an added advantage. It is all about being conscious and setting the trend.

Using cotton napkins instead of paper tissues is a great idea but beware- it might tempt the guests to steal them !

Paper tissues that will unnecessarily create solid waste can be well replaced by cotton napkins. The printed or personally designed napkins can be reused after giving a wash. Well, the stealing part shouldn’t be worrisome as it will establish the fact that those printed napkins were pretty handsome and well appreciated. The wedding board too can be made of wood, jute, cloth and other decorative items. Such initiatives can be employed and will curb the usual practice of sending trash and unsegregated waste to already swelling landfills.

Innovative ideas :

The family can request guests not to wrap gifts in plastic. Small display boards can be installed in dining rooms to make people aware of the eco-friendly measures taken during the event. Even the guests at the event can discuss ways to organize such commemorations in an eco-friendly manner with the host. Usually people are ignorant about such practices but once they are guided they do take the initiative and measures beforehand in future.

As denizens of the Earth, we must take every opportunity to help maintain its beauty by taking eco-friendly initiatives in whichever phase of life possible and spreading the word. As an example to state- inculcating small habits like bringing our own tea/coffee cups in office will be a small but impactful step in curbing use of single use plastic.

– Shreya , Dy. Manager (Environment)

Source / References :

https://www.thebetterindia.com/86743/green-wedding-shyamala-suresh-eco-friendly/

https://www.theknot.com/content/eco-friendly-wedding-guide

Youtube videos-

• https://www.thebetterindia.com/86743/green-wedding-shyamala-suresh-eco-friendly/

• https://youtu.be/AzqG1U9ekNc