Dear Pandit ji,
Can you please tell me when fly ash is used with herbal materials like neem and eucalyptus in making bio-pesticides, does the metal content in the fly-ash harm the environment, or is it safe to use? Also fly ash is very fine in size, so when sprayed on field does it cause air pollution?
Arti
Via e-mail
Dear Arti ji,
Fly ash is considered a nuisance in the thermal power plants and for the environment. But now, it is being used as an insecticide, and as an additive for bio-pesticides. Researchers have found that it can reduce pest incidence considerably. Moreover, it can be used as a soil amendment, which means it improves the quality of soil in various ways like by improving soil fertility by providing essential micronutrients, and soil texture and permeability. It can also be used as conditioner to arrest soil erosion.
The problem is that fly ash consists toxic heavy metals like lead, arsenic, cobalt, and copper (along with silica, alumina, oxides of iron, phosphorous, potassium, sulphur, zinc, manganese, boron). In spite of claims that “these (fly ash treated) crops were tested to check the consumer acceptability or toxic elements uptake and it was found heavy metals uptake are within the permissible limits and meet the food quality standards” (ENVIS Newsletter Vol. 2 Issue–2005, Ministry of Environment and Forests), very little work is done in India on the usefulness of fly ash in agriculture. Build up of heavy metals and toxic levels of nutrients, its use in combination with fertiliser, and its effect on the soil microbes still remain untested on a long-term basis.
ASH LASH
Fly ash is a menace in terms of land use, health hazards, and environmental dangers. Utmost care has to be taken in its disposal and utilisation.
Fly ash is currently dumped on ‘wastelands’, which actually ‘wastes’ thousands of hectares of land all over the country. Moreover, to prevent the fly ash from being carried away by wind, the dumping sites are constantly kept wet by sprinkling water over the area. But, these sites are often not lined, which leads to seepage. This contaminates the groundwater, and pollutes surface water bodies like rivers and lakes. It also contaminates the soil and lowers the fertility. When it gets into the natural draining system, it results in siltation and clogs the system. It also reduces the pH balance (measure of the acidity or alkalinity) and portability of water, and interferes with the process of photosynthesis of aquatic plants. Besides all these, fly ash corrodes exposed metallic structures in its vicinity.
By the way, the annual generation of fly ash is projected to exceed 175 million tonne per annum by 2012 (considering the plans to double the power generation over next 10 years). |
Dear Pandit ji,
I'm Princy, a regular reader of Gobar Times. I would like to know about cockroaches and rats – how can they be called scavengers (as published in the March 15th edition of the magazine), because as of my knowledge they cause harm by spreading diseases. Please clarify my doubt.
Princy
Via e-mail
Dear Princy ji,
Both cockroaches and rats are scavengers, yet you are right in
saying that they spread diseases. Researchers have found that coackroach allergens worsen asthma symptoms, transport a number of  pathogenic bacteria and viruses, such as those that cause TB, cholera, leprosy, dysentery and typhoid.
But do you know that only about 25-30 out of the 3500-4000 species (less than one per cent) infest urban habitats? This means, that a very small part of cockroach population spreads diseases. Similarly, rats may cause diseases like Bubonic plague and rat-bite fever, but they also help to clean organic waste that otherwise would have spread many infections.
So, both cockroaches and rats are helpful as scavengers, and yet they can spread deadly diseases. But if you keep your house and the surroundings clean, you would not have to see what effect they have on you… right?
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Dear Pandit ji,
 I am 73 years young, and find Gobar Times very informative on vitally important issues and at the same time very interesting. The problems of automobile culture have been well brought out.
I found the article by Ivan Illich very novel in its approach and usefulness. However, the data on American use of his time for his mobility is, apparently, wrong. An average American works about 40-50 hours a week (5 days per week), and thus, about 49 weeks per year. Then his total working time amounts to approximately 2400 hours. His expenses on transportation cannot be 1600 hours as given in the article, i.e. 66 per cent! Please clarify.
Vishwa Mohan Tiwari
Via e-mail
Dear Vishwa Mohan Tiwari ji,
It is great to know that you enjoy reading Gobar Times. About the discrepancy that you have pointed out in Ivan Illich's essay, it was written 34 years ago, in 1974. So the work hours referred to here probably do not match with the present 40 to 50 hours per week that you have mentioned. The valuations have changed, but have not been accounted for here.
Pandit Gobar Ganesh
Dear Pandit ji,
I would like to introduce you to The Clean Himalaya society – a society dedicated to preserving the sanctity and cleanliness of the river Ganga and the Himalayan foothills, protecting the environment from toxins that leach from plastics and polythene bags, and reducing global warming.
Our workers collect waste from ashrams, hotels, shops, and so on, and carry it to the Clean Himalaya workshop for segregation. All recyclable waste is then sent for recycling.
Our society also won an award at the India Development marketplace 2007, sponsored by the Word Bank.
We want to organise some educational programme for schools in our area (Rishikesh, Tehri Garwal and Uttrakhand). So, we want your help. Please advise us on this issue.
Amit Bhatnagar
Volunteer, www.cleanhimalaya.com
Dear Amit Bhatnagar ji,
It is really great to know about the Society, and the idea of reaching out to schools. You may take a look at Centre for Science and Environment’s Gobar Times Green Schools Programme.
GT-GSP is a survey or ‘audit’ of environmental practices of a school by its students. The audit is done with the help of a handbook called the GSP Manual, which gives step-by-step guidelines on how to conduct an environmental audit in the school.
This process helps the school community understand different aspects of its relationship with the environment, and measure its environment conservation work as compared to national standards. Completion of a GSP report also entitles them to participate in the Gobar Times Green Schools Award (a yearly national award recognising the Top 20 Green Schools of India).
For further information, visit: http://www.cseindia.org/programme/eeu/html/index.asp
Pandit Gobar Ganesh
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