Dear Pandit ji, I This month's Gobar Times is also very interesting. The main story on wastelands gives us a clear picture of what is happening to Indian wastelands. ‘Summer Bonanza’ is fun, and I will try them for sure. But I would have liked to read more on the stray dogs topic than the China story. I read it in newspapers but Gobar Times presented it in a very different way that was easy to understand. This is the best thing about Gobar Times. Can you please use more cartoons than photographs? I like the photos but I like cartoons more. Saira Khan Via e-mail

I want to learn how to make dyes from vegetable. I would appreciate if you can give detailed information with proper measurements.

Rekha
Via e-mail

Dear Rekha ji,
Vegetable Dyes, also called Natural Dyes, are organic dyes that are extracted from various plants and flowers. Vegetable dyes have been around for centuries, but earlier they where in use only on cotton fabrics. This dyeing is an environment friendly process and the damage to the fabric is almost negligible.

Gathering material:
Blossoms should be in full bloom, and berries should be ripe and nuts mature.

Preparing the fabric:
Soak the fabric in a color fixative before the dye process to make the colour set in the fabric.
* Add fabric to the fixative and simmer for an hour.
* Rinse the material and squeeze out excess.
* Rinse in cool water until water runs clear.

Making dye solution:
* Chop plant material into small pieces and place in a pot with double the amount of water to plant material.
* Bring to a boil, and simmer for about an hour.
* Strain, and add the fabric to be dyed.
* For a stronger shade, allow material to soak in the dye overnight.

Dye Bath:
* Place wet fabric in dye bath.
* Simmer together until desired colour is obtained.

NOTE:
* The colour of the fabric will be lighter when it’s dry.
* Dyed fabric should be laundered in cold water and separately.
* Muslin, silk, cotton and wool are best for natural dyes, and lighter colour is better (white or pastel colors work best).
* Wear rubber gloves to handle the fabric that has been dyed, as the dye can stain your hands.
Do share your experience with me!

Dear Pandit ji,
After looking at Gobar Times, I am thoroughly impressed with the initiative taken at such ground level involving students who are the future torchbearers of a prosperous and modern India.
I am concerned about the threat of hazardous waste leeching in the ground water and thereby poisoning it. I would like to know to what extent this can cause damage. Has any governmental or non-governmental body done some study on socio-economic affects of this problem? Is there any case study that can give us insight on the extent of threat caused by this?
I am informed after reading articles that harmful chemical from the batteries can cause irreparable damage to underground water. Is there a better way to dispose all type of batteries that we can follow to prevent harmful chemicals from batteries to leech in the ground instead of throwing in the garbage that is dumped in the
un-lined landfills?

Amit
Via e-mail

Dear Amit ji,
Thank you for appreciating our work.
Groundwater pollution caused by leeching of hazardous wastes (industrial effluents and municipal waste) is a major concern in many cities and industrial clusters in India. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) undertook a survey in 1995, and identified 22 sites in 16 states of India as critical for groundwater pollution. The primary cause was industrial effluents.
Our organisation, Centre for Science and Environment, also carried out a survey few years back. Eight places in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana reported traces of heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, zinc and mercury.
Down To Earth has done several articles on groundwater pollution. You may check out the website.
The ways to avoid the harmful effects of batteries are:
* Proper storage to prevent leaks
* Reuse or recycle
* Appropriate disposal

But the best way is to use rechargeable batteries instead of disposable ones.

Dear Pandit ji,
I am regular reader of Gobar Times. It has been observed that in India many people are victims of floods, they lose their homes, family members and property. I would like to know the causes of floods and how we can protect ourselves from them. What can be done to prevent such kind of human and economical loss?

Anagha
DPS, Varanasi
Via e-mail


Dear Anagha ji,
Here are the main causes of floods:

Tropical Storms
One of the most common causes of floods is heavy rainfall that comes with tropical storms. Hurricanes also cause coastal flooding. Powerful winds create huge waves, which can be destructive in combination with high tide.

Monsoon
Monsoon rainfalls cause seasonal or periodic floods on many rivers. Riverine floods occur only in winter as a result of heavy rain in combination with melting of snow and glaciers in spring.

Tsunamis
Long, low sea waves caused by volcanoes, landslides, earthquakes, or explosions can also cause floods. These waves are called Tsunamis.

Others
A flood may also occur when volcanic eruptions melt a large amount of ice and snow quickly.
* Undersea earthquakes, eruptions of island volcanoes that form a large crater called Caldera (such as Thera or Krakatau), and marine landslips on continental shelves may all engender tsunamis.
* Under some rare conditions associated with heat waves, flash floods from quickly melting mountain snow have caused loss of property and life.
The major cause apart from geology or weather is Human. We have built cities and communities by the sea and rivers for easy access to cheap transportation, for food sources, and trade. The fertile soil has attracted agriculture and other developments throughout the ages.
But, this fertile soil in a river delta is subject to flooding due to variation in precipitation or rainfall. Floods happen when soil and vegetation cannot absorb all the water.

To prevent...

Dikes and Levees:
Earthen dams, such as dikes, dunes or buffs, are embankments of earth and rock built across rivers. Levees are also made alongside rivers to keep them from overflowing. However, both can fail because of heavy rainfall, earthquake, internal erosion, engineering and construction faults, or avalanches.

Concrete dams:
Concrete dams holdback water in man-made lakes called reservoirs. The water is released through floodgates at a regular pace so it doesn’t overflow the rivers below the dams. But, engineering and construction faults, and the location of the dam may result in failure of the dams.