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Visit to Vailankanni on the eve of the festival – 26th Aug 2011
August 30, 2011 by Administrator
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A preparatory phase visit to Vailankanni festival was made by Mr.V.Ganapathy, Liaison Officer – ExNoRa International and K.Mohanasundaram, Programme Officer on August 26th as was decided at the planning meeting held at ExNoRa International Head Quarters, Chennai on 24th August, about ExNoRa’s intervention during the annual festival 2011. The prior knowledge of the senior officials of Mr.V.Ganapathy as the Retd.Special Correspondent...read full article
CSP orientation
August 29, 2011 by Administrator
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On 24.08.2011, Sri.M.Chandrasekaran I.A.S, Director of Town Panchayats has convened a meeting for Asst. Directors of all zones of Tamil Nadu and Senior Officials of Directorate of Town Panchayats.
Sri.V.Ganapathy, Liaison Officer – ExNoRa International and Mr.Vijayanad presented the salient features of National Urban Sanitation Policy of Govt. of India, status of State Sanitation Strategy and the preparation of City Sanitation Plans (CSP)...read full article
Getting active in India
May 5, 2011 by Administrator
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FHR is making new friends in India. The charity is offering four bursaries and working with local NGOs and councils to create work experience opportunities for public health professionals.
Friend of the Human Race is discussing potential hosts’ needs and capacities with a network of NGOs and councils in Tamil Nadu. It is envisaged that through these contacts, public health professionals on the FHR Register will be able to get involved in...read full article
Postcard from Cali
May 5, 2011 by Administrator
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Stewart Petrie reports from Ventura Beach
The 60th Annual education symposium of the California Environmental Health Association took place in Ventura Beach this month. A varied programme saw excellent attendance with over 456 attendees. The requirement for continuing education credits may well have had something to do with this.
Keynote speakers each morning fired delegates up for the day. Dr Chuck Wall inspired with stories of...read full article
A piece of cake
May 5, 2011 by Administrator
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Kulithalai, a growing town of 32,000 people, sits beside the Kaveri river, a green oasis on Tamil Nadu’s dusty plains. Pilgrims travel miles to visit its Ayyarmalai and Kadambaneswar temples, and shoppers arrive to buy fresh jasmine and beetle leaves.
Famous for its lush banana groves, the town is laced with irrigation channels and drains. They serve the farms that stretch southwards from the river and help flush human waste away from...read full article
What’s left behind
May 5, 2011 by Administrator
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India’s drive to increase food exports is being impeded by pesticide residues unacceptable in importing countries. Meanwhile, produce on the domestic market is frequently contaminated with residues exceeding less stringent limits.
In 2010, the European Union rejected three okra consignments from India due to high levels of Monocrotophos, Acephate and Triazaphos. All three of these pesticides can cause headaches, vomiting, nausea,...read full article
The road less travelled
May 5, 2011 by Administrator
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Indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides has resulted in resistance in pests, resurgence of minor pests and high levels of pesticide residues in food.
Availability of organically grown vegetables is very low in India. Much of India’s organically grown crops are destined for export.
In general, farmers hesitate to adopt organic farming due to fear and lack of information about how to control pest and disease attacks.
Pest and disease...read full article
Hygiene in perspective
May 5, 2011 by Administrator
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When we think of hygiene, we think of getting rid of microbes. Hygiene equals absence of microbes or ‘germs.’
This is reinforced by advertisements for cleaning agents and pest control inputs in journals and cinema, on hoardings and on TV. However, their application is limited, and cleaning and pest-control agents often add to environmental pollution.
There is a historical background and logic to this prevailing attitude. And there...read full article
Point in Time
May 5, 2011 by Administrator
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I worked as a tea plantation manager between 1992 and 2001. During that time I was exposed to pesticides on a regular basis.
Early in my career we used chemicals like Glyphosate, Monocrotophos, Cypermethrin and also Endosulphan, which is now illegal in India. They were commonly used for controlling weeds, thrips and other insect pests in tea estates.
Soon after my second child was born, I sprayed Monocrotophos all over my official residence...read full article
Editorial
May 5, 2011 by Administrator
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Among FHR’s contacts in Indian councils, NGOs and training institutions, there was much talk of how intellectual and indeed practical laziness holds back development. Accepting one-size-fits- all solutions may be the path of least resistance, it may offer short term gains, but often it fails to address the root cause of the problem.
In areas where water and fertile soil are scarce, for example, flush toilets and sewerage pipes are not the...read full article
